Kapiti News

Living the BEST LIFE possible

A body freed of toxins and chemicals feels more alive, writes

- Carolyn Hansen

If there is one thing we all have in common as human beings, it is the desire to live our best life. It is our natural state and based on that recognitio­n, it’s safe to say no one wants to be overweight.

It damages us physically, mentally and emotionall­y.

The human body has always trended toward being lean and healthy. When it comes to living life to the fullest – with physical mobility, mental sharpness and emotional stability, there are eight healthy attributes we should all striving for.

A healthier, less toxic body

Circulatin­g toxins in the blood are dangerous for the body, so it uses fat cells as storage tanks. Fat cells become the first place the body looks when it needs to dump toxins and chemicals, causing a cycle of inflammati­on.

Fat cells are in one of three states: small and immature, normal medium cells or large inflamed cells. They become inflamed when exposed to toxic stressors in the food we eat, our environmen­t and even our emotions.

Detoxifyin­g from the accumulati­on of toxins and chemicals that have caused overweight conditions/health complicati­ons, through nutrient-dense eating, dramatical­ly improves our overall health levels.

Nutrient-dense eating is not a diet; it is a healthy lifestyle. It enables natural and effortless weight loss – the promises of rapid weight loss by calorie, carbohydra­te and fat restrictio­n used to be the standard way to lose weight. These unhealthy and unworkable ways of dieting have proven useless in the long term.

Any weight-loss approach that is properly designed is not just the result of taking calories out of the diet. There also needs to be a cleansing aspect.

When we focus on reducing inflammati­on by eating a properly balanced, nutrient-dense, toxin-free diet, we improve the efficiency of the body’s blood sugar regulation hormones. This allows the body to dip into its fat cells/stores, providing us with natural, easy weight loss.

An abundance of personal energy.

A restricted-calorie diet reduces our overall energy levels, causing our body’s metabolism to slow down to compensate, leading us down a deadend path. A body freed of toxins and chemicals is light and feels more alive. With an abundance of energy, every part of life — relationsh­ips, business, parenting and even sex — improves.

Dramatical­ly improved physical, mental and emotional health.

When we detoxify, we being to selfheal physically, mentally and emotionall­y. Our metabolism and digestion improve, our mood lifts and brightens, and our energy levels rise. Newly energised, we look, act and feel more youthful. The vision of a strong, healthy body, one free of the disease and the standard ailments of growing older becomes a reality.

“Eating a healthy diet can reduce the negative effects of stress on your body,” said Matthew J Kuchan, PhD, a senior research scientist at Abbott Health. “A healthy diet builds a solid, more enduring foundation for your body by reducing oxidation and inflammati­on and by helping to reduce weight gain.”

Slower ageing, maximised longevity and a more youthful look.

Detoxifyin­g and the reduction of inflammati­on dramatical­ly improve our health while reversing lifestylei­nduced diseases — obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease etc. This allows us to age slower while extending our lifespan.

All the above successes happen one after the other. They are the natural outcome for anyone who detoxifies their body and chooses a nutrientde­nse way of eating. If permanent weight loss and improved health are on our agenda, we must adhere to and honour a few principles.

We must affirm we want to break free of the horrible cycle of consuming nutrient-poor foods and make a conscious effort to switch to nutrientde­nse, healthy eating. We must begin stocking up on and enjoying nutrientde­nse food choices and enhance our diet for nutrient density, free of addictive chemical substances. And last but certainly not least, we must develop healthier lifestyle choices that continue to support our success. Exercise comes to mind. For a real power-punch and the best return on your investment, pair your new, healthy nutrient-dense eating plan with challengin­g exercise and watch the focus of your lifestyle habits begin to shift from fixing your body to those that protect your body. Life is meant to be lived, but more importantl­y, it is meant to be loved and the first step towards loving life is to love our bodies into the best version we can imagine.

Too much focus has been placed on calorie reduction, rather than reducing inflammati­on caused by toxins and chemicals.

 ?? Photo / 123rf ?? WELLBEING
When we free ourselves from toxins and chemicals and begin consuming the right nutrientde­nse food choices, we can lose excess body fat naturally.
Photo / 123rf WELLBEING When we free ourselves from toxins and chemicals and begin consuming the right nutrientde­nse food choices, we can lose excess body fat naturally.
 ?? ??
 ?? ?? Carolyn Hansen is the co-owner of Anytime Fitness.
Carolyn Hansen is the co-owner of Anytime Fitness.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from New Zealand