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FRESH START CHALLENGE: ARE YOU IN?

1/22/2013

5 Comments

 

8 Weeks to a HEALTHIER YOU:
 WEEK #1: BEAUTIFUL SUCCULENT GRAPE OR DRIED UP RAISIN?

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Each week there will be a new challenge to guide YOU and everyone around you towards a healthier lifestyle. 

There will be tips, challenges, exciting and new information, and best of all you can share your experience with everyone else on the Fresh Senses' facebook Page. 

TO SIGN UP: ENTER YOUR NAME AND EMAIL AND SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG and enter a comment saying SIGN ME UP!!. You can either post your comments on the Blog posts or on the Fresh Senses' Facebook Page. Also add a question or comment about what you would like to learn more about and your interests and goals. 

What would make this challenge even more fun?! Is there someone in your life that you know would love to make some changes? Invite YOUR Friends, Family, and Co-Workers too and you can all share your experiences together! Send them the link to my Blog and Facebook Page to get them STARTED!! ...ARE YOU EXCITED??!!

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Ok, So what if I said to ditch the morning coffee and switch it up with a full glass of water or a warm cup of fresh squeezed lemon water? ... Ok, I'm sensing some hesitation! Hold on! I'm not saying ditch the coffee completely, I promise you can still have your caffeine.. but not until we get some hydration into you first!! 

Hydration is our first challenge this week! I can't emphasize enough just how important pure, clean, filtered WATER is to your entire body! Let's start from the outside in.. Our SKIN! We all want that healthy, hydrated look right? We don't want our faces to shrink up like raisins? So even if you just drank more water for your own vanity, you're doing something great for your entire body. Now, your eyes, nails, and hair.. its refreshing and hydrating to all of these important parts. Tears, Sweat, Blood, and all bodily Fluids rely on water. Water is SO important for elimination by moving everything through the body efficiently, improves optimal Digestion, increases healthy Circulation, boosts Immunity, maintains proper nerve and brain function, and as you can see the list goes on! 

We've all been hearing the Buzz of drinking warm lemon water.. So what's all this fuss about anyways?! I've listed and explained the benefits of drinking a mug of warm water with half of a REAL fresh lemon squeezed into it so that you can decide for yourself if you think its worth a try! 

1. BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM 
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and Potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and Potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. BALANCES YOUR PH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they would seem acidic, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). I will explain in a later challenge why an alkaline body is what we want to strive towards for overall good health.

3. HELPS WITH WEIGHT LOSS
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. By starting the day out healthy you are most likely to continue to want to eat and feel healthy and make good choices throughout your day. 

4. AIDS DIGESTION
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen unwanted toxins in the digestive tract. Lemon encourages the liver to produce Bile which is an acid required for Digestion. Efficient Digestion decreases Heartburn, Constipation, bloating, weight gain, and food sensitivities. 

5. ACTS AS A GENTLE, NATURAL DIURETIC
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps purify your urinary tract.

6. CLEARS SKIN
The vitamin C in lemons help decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear. 

7. FRESHENS BREATH
Lemon freshens your breath and can remove tooth pain and gingivitis. Just go easy on the lemon as the acid can erode tooth enamel.. so stick to lemon water 15 minutes before meals. 

8. RELIEVES RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
Warm lemon water is soothing and also helps rid the body of chest infections and coughs. The vitamin C is helpful for this and helps with asthma and allergies too. 

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1ST WEEKLY CHALLENGE FOR YOU: WATER , WATER, AND MORE WATER!!!

Starting your day with warm lemon water is a GREAT start but most importantly my message to you is to keep hydrating through out your day. Never leave home without your glass or stainless steel water jug and always have a glass of water beside you. Take one to bed with you and make sure you don't get out of bed until it is completely finished. 

Make sure you are never thirsty! This is your first sign of dehydration! If you don't like the taste of regular water add some citrus fruit slices, a caffeine free herbal tea bag, or cucumber slices to make you feel like you're at the spa!!... or if none of these ideas appeal to you start gradually by mixing in 1 part your favourite fruit juice, the rest water.

Drink between meals (not during meals). The water dilutes your digestive enzymes so best to drink as much water as possible in between meals. If this is the only time you think to drink water be mindful of this and try to take breaks just for water through out the day. 

Increase 1 litre of water for every hour of exercise. Exercising uses up a lot of your body's supply of water through sweat so we have to replenish what we are using!

Increasing your water consumption to 1-2 litres per day will significantly improve your health in SO MANY WAYS!! You don't believe me? Take my Challenge and let me know how it works for you!! Please feel free to ask questions, offer your own struggles or challenges, and comment on your progress on the Blog or on the Fresh Senses' Facebook page. I'm looking forward to hearing from you and your friends! 

5 Comments
Cindy link
1/22/2013 07:53:05 pm

I really need to take you up on your water challenge, Laura. Something I never care to drink often.

Reply
Laura
1/23/2013 02:18:25 am

Did any of those suggestions help? Is it that there is no taste with just plain water? Have you tried adding citrus slices of fruit or caffeine free herbal tea bags with a bit of raw honey if you like sweet?

Are you joining the Challenge? All you have to do now is subscribe to my Blog (either on the home page or Bog side page)http://www.freshsenses.ca/index.html

Keep posting Cindy, would love to know how your 1st Water Challenge is going ;)

Reply
Cindy link
1/28/2013 01:38:45 am

I have been doing 2 bottles of water so far a day, Laura.

Reply
Amanda
1/28/2013 01:33:51 am

The lemon water was great ! Tomorrow morning , going to have a mineral shake ! Thanks Laura !

Reply
Janet Tonello
2/4/2015 07:26:34 am

Excited to learn from you Laura! Thx.

Reply



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    Laura Harvey

    RHN, Culinary Nutritionist

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