Where do I begin? How do I get started? I don’t have enough money to eat healthy. It takes too much time to do that……….

If you ask most people if they want to be healthy, healthier, or at their optimum health, they will reply with a quick “yes” or “of course”, however, what I have experienced is that our brain talks us out of even getting started from fear of failure or thinking that we don’t have the capability to change our lives for the better, so why even try?

This post is my attempt of trying to really encourage each and every one of you that desires to change your life and reach your optimum health to just GET STARTED!!!!!!! This is a journey and it’s all about knowing how our bodies respond to foods, nutrients and minerals, detoxification, and the effect that they have on our overall wellbeing. So with that, what are some first steps to take on YOUR journey?

Second, once you decide to get your wellness journey started, pick a date and begin to rid your house of substances that are known to be toxic/unhealthy. For now, we will just focus on what we put in our mouths:

Artificial sweeteners, margarine, canola oil, substances with high fructose corn syrup (see my post) https://tapin2life.com/2018/08/09/kick-hfcs-to-the-curb-already-2/ as well as fizzy and sugary drinks.

Condiments add a lot of unneeded calories, sugar, salt, MSG, and other harmful substances (see my post) https://tapin2life.com/2018/01/07/hidden-traps-in-your-diet/ and most are toxic to our system.

Minimize your alcohol intake and of course stop smoking! If you don’t buy it or stock it in your cabinet, hopefully you won’t be so prone to using these substances. For every unhealthy habit you are trying to remove, pick a healthy one as a replacement and distraction.

Anything that’s considered “fat-free”, “low calorie”, “cholesterol free” will most likely compensate by the use of other substances high in trans-fats or sugar and more.

I don’t claim to be Vegan, however, I do believe in extreme minimization of me and my family’s intake of animal products. I don’t buy chicken or fish at all anymore and about once month we may have a taste of some type of fish high in Omega-3 such as Salmon, occasionally tilapia as well.

Dairy- extremely minimal use in my household. You can easily replace any item with plant-based food such as almond, cashew, rice, or coconut sources for milk. Cashew and almond butter are very tasty. For eggs, although I buy them for my children, I prefer a flax egg mixture or tofu if I have the taste for eggs. I am not a fan of soy, however, if you use it make sure it is fermented. Tempeh soy is a great source as well. If soy is minimized it’s not an issue for me.

Processed foods and meats- any packaged food is suspect! Hot-dogs and lunch meat have literally been linked to cancer and kidney issues. Not worth it!

Invest in good cooking utensils such as unglazed clay pots and cast iron skillets. Avoid aluminum, non-stick pots, and pans. The latter has been linked to many health issues because they leach out toxic substances. Store your foods as much as possible in glass Tupperware versus plastic. Use cardboard one-time use pans for baking if you must for convenience. Don’t use aluminum foil and plastic wrap or at least minimize use.

Exposure to toxic substances like smoke, chemicals, toxic people even. Keep your environment as healthy as possible.

Third: Now that you have thrown out the toxic things, it’s time to get started on “What to eat and drink”. Above is an example of my daily breakfast which includes: one small apple cut into chunks, a small number of fresh blueberries, raisins, chopped brazil nuts, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, a teaspoon of flaxseeds, a teaspoon of powdered almonds, a splash of Coconut drink or sometimes almond milk, 3 tablespoonsful of oats and a tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce. It’s amazingly filling and of course delicious!

Jumpstart with a Coffee enema! You can find the kits in your local pharmacy. Make sure to use and organic coffee.

Intake water with a pH above 7.4 at least to help keep your body as alkaline as possible.

Start a daily detox. This is a lifestyle change and we will never be able to rid ourselves totally of toxicity in the environment we live in today. Pick one that works for your body and your lifestyle. One of mine is at the end of the day a relaxing cup of green tea with matcha and moringa powder with unrefined honey, ginger, and tumeric. (see recent post https://tapin2life.com/2020/02/20/love-my-matcha/ )

Take this journey with me and change your life for the better!

Fourth, do your own research. Check out this vid. Very helpful and inspirational. Also, the books pictured in this post are highly recommended by me and my Elders. Great resources. Look for them on the Book Depository Site.

More of what to do in part 2 of this post! Ready, set, get healthy!!!

As always, thank you so much for reading, please subscribe/follow, share, and like if you saw something here that has helped to inspire you on a better road to health!