BACK TO ROUTINE! LETS BEGIN IT WITH THE RIGHT FOOT.. Back to School tips for better Routine

Instead of pushing the snooze button three times before finally rolling out of bed, why not try something new tomorrow morning? Just one (or all!) of these tips will amp up your morning routine and set you up for a fabulous day.

1. Get in enough cuddle time

Your outlook will be infinitely brighter if you take a few minutes to snuggle and hold onto something or someone you love in the morning. Be that a child, dog, cat, teddy bear, or significant other, studies show that the act of cuddling is very calming, boosts your immune system, reduces stress, and will help you wake up at the right speed. So lets hug for 2 Mins! 

2. Drink your Lemon with Water then Tea

This practice is a game changer. By drinking water with lemon early in the morning, will help detoxify as well as to clean your liver, to absorb better the nutrients and have your organs work as optimum as they can. Hot water with lemon is a nice alternative that won’t tax your adrenals. It is said to flush toxins out of your system and stimulate good digestion. Plus, it’s so darn good!

3. Write out morning pages

IIN visiting teacher Julia Cameron encourages everyone to handwrite morning pages – three pages of free-flow stream of consciousness first thing in the morning. They will help you get ready for your day by getting all your thoughts on paper and put you in touch with your subconscious feelings so they can inform you on how to prioritize your day. Multi-tasking tip: you can write your morning pages while you’re drinking your Water!

4. Drink your Tea and Shake!

Do you usually start your day by reaching for a cup of coffee? Then another just so you can get out of bed? Try by taking your tea.. take a Shower then in 2 mins your shake will be ready. More than 21 Vitamins and Minerals packed with the Protein = Perfect Breakfast; ready to go and will make you start a day in the perfect balance to keep going. Follow it with your meal plan. Any goal you setup, look at it everyday and ENJOY it!

5. Practice sun salutations- 15 Minutes of intense Exercise or RUN

Sun salutations in yoga are extremely energizing and uplifting; they awaken both the body and mind. They’re also a great way to experience a sense of gratitude – after all, you’re literally saluting the sun! Plus they get your blood pumping and lymphatic system moving. Read through this Yoga Journal article to learn the how’s and why’s of Surya Namaskar. Or go RUN before you are wide awake and able to say NO within your inner voice that tells you that you can't. REMEMBER TO DO EXERCISE WITHOUT EVEN DOUBTING 

6. Meditate

Five minutes of sitting and observing your breath can do wonders for your mental state! Meditation calms your mind and nervous system and boosts your immune system – a total win-win! When you first start meditating, sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with your back against the wall so you don’t slouch. Set a timer, close your eyes and observe your breath.  

7. Get organized the night before

Making your lunch, packing your bag, and laying out your clothes at night will save you time and decrease your morning stress. Just think – no more running around trying to find your keys, changing your outfit three times and driving fast to make it in time! Plan your agenda for the next day, the week.. it will decrease anxiety as well as will give you the 15-30 mins of exercise!

8. Get enough sleep to begin with!

We know this is the hard part! But not sleeping enough contributes to hormonal imbalances, weight issues, headaches, memory, and cognitive impairment.  Yikes! Make it a priority to get in bed earlier and you’ll wake up feeling well rested, instead of cranky and exhausted.

Wake up just half an hour earlier to try any or all of these steps – you might be amazed by the results. Here’s to a productive, happy morning that will set the tone for your whole day!

What’s your favorite morning routine? Did we miss any here? Share them with us in the comments section below this post.

credit:http://www.integrativenutrition.com/blog/2015/08/amp-up-your-morning-routine-in-7-simple-steps?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokvqjLcu%2FhmjTEU5z14%2B4lWaW1h4kz2EFye%2BLIHETpodcMTsRjNrnYDBceEJhqyQJxPr3MK9AN2dJkRhjnCA%3D%3D

Tasty Food Your Liver will Thank You Later!

Aside from losing weight, you need to take care of on of your major Organs: LIVER.
Obesity is associated with a significant number of health problems, including insulin resistance, cancer, and others, and now researchers may have uncovered a reason why. While most of your tissues and organs age at the same rate, certain factors may cause aging to accelerate.new research found, your liver may be aging faster than the rest of your body, putting you at risk of chronic disease. For each increase in 10 body mass index (BMI) units, the epigenetic age of the liver grew by 3.3 years.1Steve Horvath, a professor of human genetics and biostatistics at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, explained:2“Assume there is a man who is 5-foot-8 and weighs 130 pounds. This slender man would have a body mass index of 20… Compare him to a man of the same age and height who weighs 230 pounds. The liver of this obese man — who has a BMI of 35 — would probably be five years older than that of the slender man.”Obesity surgery had no apparent effect on the age of the liver, even when it resulted in rapid weight loss. Further, obesity did not appear to impact aging in fat, muscle, or blood – only the liver.
Fructose Is a Leading Cause of the Obesity Epidemic
Fructose not only damages your liver; it’s also a leading cause fueling the obesity epidemic in both adults and children. In order for you to significantly gain weight, you must first become leptin resistant. Leptin is a hormone that helps you regulate your appetite. When your leptin levels rise, it signals your body that you’re full, so you’ll stop eating.Dr. Johnson’s research clearly shows that refined sugar (in particular fructose) is exceptionally effective at causing leptin resistance in animals, and it’s very effective at blocking the burning of fat.
“When you give fructose to animals, they lose their ability to control their appetite, they eat more, and they exercise less. Fructose looks like it’s playing a direct role in weight gain,” he says.
Four out of five Americans have insulin and leptin resistance. This also includes people who are overweight, diabetic, hypertensive, or taking a statin drug. If you fall into this category, it would be prudent for you to restrict your fructose consumption to about 15 to 25 grams of fructose per day from all sources.According to Dr. Johnson, if you exercise regularly, a small amount of fructose can actually be quite beneficial, because the fructose will accelerate glucose absorption in your gut and improve muscle performance. But it really depends on how your body metabolizes the fructose.
Therefore Here are Some of the best foods for your liver that have been compiled by Rodale News and are listed below:5

.

• Berries: Berries are rich in phytochemicals, including anthocyanin, which might inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells
• Mushrooms: Maitake, shiitake, and reishi mushrooms are known for their potent immunosupportive agents and also contain L-ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant to help neutralize free radicals.

Fermented foods: Fermented foods like cultured vegetables provide your body with beneficial bacteria that aid in digestion and provide detoxification support. The fermented food kimchi, for instance, has been found to help your body break down pesticides.

Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, and daikon): These help your liver neutralize toxins, including chemicals, pesticides, medications, and carcinogens.

Dark green leafy vegetables (kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and dandelion greens): These contain rich amounts of sulfur, which helps your liver with detoxification. Dandelion greens in particular are known for supporting liver detoxification and health.

Sea vegetables: Various types of seaweed and brown algae also support detoxification and may also help prevent your body from absorbing heavy metals and other environmental toxins. Be sure the sea vegetables come from a non-polluted water source.

Sprouts: Sprouts contain high levels of enzymes that serve as catalysts for important body functions. Recent research suggests that broccoli sprouts may help your body detox environmental pollutants such as benzene.6 From my perspective, broccoli, watercress, and sunflower sprouts are foods that virtually everyone can and would benefit from growing.

Garlic, onions, shallots, and leeks: These foods are rich in sulfur, including the sulfur-based compound allicin, which is critical for liver detoxification.

Organic, pastured eggs: Eggs are a high-quality source of protein that includes all eight essential amino acids. Your liver needs these to help detoxify your body. Choline, found in egg yolks, also helps protect your liver from toxins.

Artichokes: These contain cynarin and silymarin, which support liver health.

Coconut oil: This healthy saturated fat is so easy for your body to digest that no pancreatic fat-digesting enzymes are needed. This puts less stress on your liver and helps it function optimally.

Avocados: These contain healthy monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, and glutathione, which is important for liver health.

Organic, unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil: High-quality olive oil contains anti-inflammatory compounds that help your liver decrease oxidative stress in your body (consume this oil unheated).

Flax seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds: These contain plant-based omega-3 fats to fight inflammation along with healthy fiber.

Herbs: Many herbs support liver detoxification and function. This includes ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, fennel, and turmeric (curcumin).

Organic, grass-fed meat: By avoiding meat raised on confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and instead choosing grass-fed meat exclusively, you’ll help avoid pesticides, chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics that further tax your liver.

Wild-caught sardines, anchovies, and salmon: These provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. You can also find these in krill oil. (Herbalife Has great options for the Whey Protein plus our Shake that has 21 Vitamins and Minerals)

Whey protein powder: Whey protein provides the amino acids necessary for glutathione production, which is essential for liver protection and function. Choose organic whey protein from grass-fed cows.

Spirulina: This blue-green algae is a potent detoxifier. Animal studies suggest spirulina can also protect your liver, probably as a result of its high antioxidant properties and its ability to synthesize or release nitric oxide.

Thanks To:
http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/19-tasty-foods-liver-will-love.html?t=SOE

Trying to Eat Less Sugar? Tips to Help You Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Sugar hides in hundreds of everyday foods.

The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that it now recommends that no more than 5% of your daily calories come from sugar (about 100 calories for the average person).

An uncontrollable sweet tooth does more than just make you fat. Recent studies show that excess sugar intake raises risk of death from heart diseaseby 20% or more, regardless of other health problems. It’s also been shown to mess up metabolism, impair brain function, and raise the risk of diabetes and maybe even cancer.

Trying to eat less sugar is difficult – and not just because we like it so much.  Sure, it’s hard to give up something that tastes so good… but what really makes eating less sugar so tough is the fact that it’s nearly impossible to avoid it.

There is so much sugar added to so many foods that the average American adult eats about 22 teaspoons of sugar – that’s 350 calories’ worth – every single day.  To put another way, that means we’re each eating about 3 pounds of sugar a week, or 150 pounds a year, or nearly 18% of our total calories from sugar alone.  Where is all this sugar coming from?

What are Added Sugars?

Some sugars naturally occur in foods – like lactose (natural milk sugar) or the natural fructose that adds sweetness to fruits.  Those aren’t added sugars – they’re just a component of these foods in their natural state.

But added sugars are just what they sound like – they’re sugars that are added to foods during processing, or during preparation, or at the table.

When spread jam on your toast, or sprinkle sugar in your coffee, or when a recipe calls for a sugary ingredient, you’re adding sugar to your food, of course. But it’s the processed foods we eat that dump lots of added sugar into our bodies.   As foods are processed – becoming further and further removed from their natural state – a lot of sugar is often added along the way.  A small fresh apple has some natural sugar in it – maybe 15 grams or so – but process it into sweetened applesauce and you’ve now got another 15 grams of added sugar per serving.  Natural whole wheat has virtually no sugar in it -  but process it into sugary cereal flakes and you could be eating a few tablespoons of added sugar in every bowlful.

Sugar In Foods – The Sugar You See

Some added sugars are pretty obvious – like the jams and jellies, table sugar, honey or syrup we put on our foods.  Then there’s the 53 gallons of sugary soft drinks that the average American consumes every year – which accounts for about a third of our total added sugar intake.   We also get plenty of sugar from treats like cakes and cookies, candies and frozen desserts.  These are the sugars we can see – but nearly a quarter of the sugar we eat is hidden away in processed foods.

Sugar In Foods – The Sugar You Don’t See

Unless you are a fanatic about reading ingredients labels, there’s a good chance that you’re eating sugar you didn’t even know about – and in places where you wouldn’t expect to find it.  I’ll bet you didn’t think a serving of pasta sauce could harbor nearly 5 teaspoons of sugar, or that 80% of the calories in ketchup come from sugar.  Once you start looking at ingredients lists, you’ll find sugar in everything from soups to salad dressings.

 5 Tips for Cutting Your Sugar Intake

• Read Nutrition Labels.  This is really the first step in reducing your sugar intake for a couple of reasons.  First, sugar comes in many forms, so you’ll want to read your ingredients list carefully for words other than just “sugar” – sucrose, glucose, dextrose, latose, maltose, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltodextrin, corn syrup, molasses are just some of the many, many forms of sugar added to foods.  On the flip side, be aware that those sugars that naturally occur in foods – the lactose in milk and the fructose in fruit, for example – will show up on the nutrition facts panel as “sugar” even though no sugar is added.  The nutrition facts panel on a package of frozen, unsweetened strawberries might list 10 grams of sugar per serving, but that’s just the natural fructose in the fruit.  Check the ingredients list to be sure – which, in this case, should just say, “strawberries”.

Look for words including brown sugar, corn syrup, maltose, fructose, dextrose, molasses, agave, brown rice syrup, cane sugar, cane syrup, and evaporated cane juice. By law, ingredients must be included in descending order by weight, so the higher up on the list you see one of these additives, the more sugar per bite. And you may find multiple types. These 12 products don’t seem overly sweet, but they typically contain some form of added sugar in the ingredients: ketchup, salad dressing, soup, crackers, flavored yogurt, spaghetti sauce, bread, frozen dinners, granola, protein bars and shakes, and sushi.

• Nix sweetened beverages Nearly 40% of the added sugar in Americans’ diets comes from sugary beverages like soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and fruit punch. Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 140 calories, all from added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to less than 100 calories daily for women and 150 for men, which means that a single soda meets or exceeds the limit. Kick the habit, and replace sweet drinks with good, old-fashioned H2O spruced up with healthy, flavorful add-ins like lemon, lime, fresh mint, cucumber, or a little mashed fruit.
• Sweeten foods yourself.  Many foods that come pre-sweetened – like cereals, yogurt, salad dressings or ‘alternative’ milks (like rice, hemp or soy) have surprising amounts of sugar.  Some varieties of instant oatmeal have more than a tablespoon of added sugar (in a very tiny packet – and who eats just one?), some single-serve yogurts pack 30 grams (7 ½ teaspoons) of sugar, and vanilla-flavored rice, hemp or soy milks can have more than 3 teaspoons of added sugar in an 8-ounce (240mL) cup.  Even if you add your own sugar to these foods, you can certainly get by with less.  To cut sugar even further, try sweetening cereal with a sliced banana or a handful of berries. And here’s another trick – try dropping a whole date or a few raisins and a few drops of vanilla extract into your carton of unsweetened ‘milk alternative’.  It adds lots of flavor with just a trace of sugar.
• Enjoy naturally sweet flavors.  Your taste buds may be so over-saturated with sugar that you’ve lost your appreciation for foods that are naturally (but not overly) sweet.  Fruits are an obvious substitute for sugary desserts, but sweet spices – like cinnamon, nutmeg or clove – add sweet notes to fruits, cereals or yogurt in place of sugar. 
• Cut back on liquid sugar.  It’s an obvious suggestion, I know.  But when you consider that half the US population consumes a sugary drink on any given day, or that 25% of American adults take in 200 calories a day from sugary beverages, it’s a suggestion worth repeating. Curb your intake of soft drinks, sweetened coffee and tea drinks, and fruity drinks like lemonade.  Instead, try flavorful teas, or add some citrus peel or a slice of fruit to your water for a calorie-free beverage.   
• Picture how much sugar you’re eating.  Sometimes it helps if you visualize how much sugar you’re actually eating, so here’s a tip for you.  Every four grams of sugar that’s listed on the nutrition facts panel is equal to a teaspoon of sugar – or about one sugar cube.  A soda label that lists 36 grams of sugar in a serving may not sound that bad … but when you picture the nine sugar cubes it contains, you just might think twice about drinking it.
• Health.com: 24 Food Swaps That Slash Calories
  Buy plain foods and sweeten them yourself
  It’s becoming easier to find plain versions of many foods these days. I’m not talking about products made with calorie free-sweeteners (which I don’t recommend), but truly unsweetened goods, including Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and almond milk. Switching from sweetened vanilla almond milk, which contains evaporated cane juice, to unsweetened vanilla, which lists no added sweeteners, saves the equivalent of about three teaspoons of sugar per cup. If you need a little sweetness, add it yourself to control the amount and type you use. For example, some of my clients prefer swirling a teaspoon of organic honey or maple syrup into yogurt or oatmeal at breakfast, both of which provide some nutrients and antioxidants, rather than buying pre-sweetened versions made with more refined sweeteners.
  Trade sweetened foods for naturally sweet fruit
  One of my favorite tricks to share with my clients is how to replace foods laden with added sugar for fruit, which is naturally sweet and just as satisfying. For example, in place of strawberry jam on PB&Js, use warmed up frozen strawberries. Just one level tablespoon of jam packs 50 calories and is typically made with three sweeteners: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar. A half cup of frozen strawberries (about eight times the volume), warmed up on the stovetop and seasoned with a little cinnamon or ginger, contains less than 25 calories with no added sugar, and has bonus vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Fruit—whether it’s fresh, baked, grilled, or pureed—makes a great replacement for sugar in lots of dishes, from cookies to coleslaw.
  Health.com: 18 Best Snacks for Weight Loss
  Limit sugary treats to once or twice a week 
  It’s not realistic for most people to go through life never having a sweet splurge. But setting some limits on how often you indulge in sugar-rich foods is certainly reasonable. Pick a day or two a week, maybe Wednesdays and Saturdays, to enjoy can’t-live-without goodies like candy, baked goods, or ice cream. Just knowing that you have a pre-planned treat to look forward to can help you avoid giving into temptation more often, and can result in seriously slashing your overall sugar intake.

Susan Bowerman is Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife. Susan is a Registered Dietitian and a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.

TIME.COM

KIDNEY CLEANSING HERBS

1. Chanca Piedra

Chanca piedra, or “stone breaker,” is a favorite in South America for supporting the kidneys and clinical trials have confirmed the plant’s effectiveness. It’s common in the region and its widespread use has earned it a positive reputation in Ayurvedic medicine as a helpful herb for kidney, bladder, and liver health.

2. Goldenrod

Goldenrod was used extensively among many Native American tribes for promoting urinary tract health. Research has found that the herb tones the urinary tract and is helpful for detoxifying the kidneys. [3]

3. Hydrangea Root

Hydrangea root was popular among Native Americans and early settlers, both of whom used the plant for promoting kidney and bladder health. Hydrangea root acts as a solvent and is thought to smooth the jagged edges of kidney stones. Hydrangea root also appears to help the body properly use calcium, an action that may be helpful for discouraging kidney stones from forming in the first place.

4. Horsetail

Horsetail is a common weed with diuretic properties; it’s helpful for increasing urine output to flush the kidneys and urinary tract. It’s also an antioxidant and offers that realm of benefits to the kidneys and renal system. [5] Whether consumed as a tea or in a capsule, horsetail is a great herb to add to your diet!

5. Celery Root

Both the root and seeds of celery have been used for centuries as a natural diuretic. What positive feature do diuretics have? They can help your body eliminate toxins by increasing urine output. Celery root has long been considered a stimulating tonic for the kidneys as it contains nutrients like potassium and sodium.

6. Gravel Root

Also known as Joe Pye weed, gravel root has a long history of use by Native Americans and early American colonists for promoting kidney and urinary health. Its effectiveness may be partly due to its euparin content — a solvent with potent activity against harmful organisms. [6] This may explain why many believe it’s effective at discouraging infections.

7. Uva-Ursi

Also called “bearberry,” uva-ursi has been used by many cultures. It’s an astringent that can soothe and tone the urinary tract and research has also found evidence to support its traditional use for cleansing the kidneys.

8. Marshmallow Root

As a soothing herb, marshmallow root may calm the tissues of the urinary tract. It’s also a gentle diuretic that encourages urination.

9. Dandelion root

Often mistaken as an annoying weed with no useful purpose, dandelion is actually loaded with benefits — both the leaf and the root. [9] Dandelion root, specifically, is a diuretic and promotes waste elimination.

10. Parsley

A favorite herb among chefs, parsley is an aromatic, flavorful herb commonly used in herbal medicine. As a diuretic, it’s helpful for reducing the build up of toxins in the kidneys and entire urinary tract.

THANKS TO: http://www.healthdigezt.com/top-10-best-herbs-for-kidney-cleansing/