There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to food and nutrition. You could google away for hours to get health and wellness tips, only to come up with different answers every time. So, this week, I'm over on the Mint Studios blog to set the record straight on a few things so that you can confidently go about your week and make fabulous choices!
1. You have to detox with a juice cleanse.
Juice cleanses are all the rage (as I'm sure you know) but they aren't always the best, or safest way to detox your body. Most juices are packed full of sugar (many times there's just as much sugar as a Snickers bar) plus, you're missing out on protein and fat to help your body recover and repair. Instead of reaching for juices to detox your body, reach for whole veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats. All three together are a much more efficient way to really begin a healthy detox.
2. Salt is bad for you
Salt is vital for life. You simply cannot live without it. Yet, over the years, salt has been given a bad name due to it being excessively processed and altered. AKA table salt. Table salt, or the added sodium in processed foods, is actually packed with chemicals which completely alter the natural structure of the salt. This type of "fake" salt is really hard on your elimination systems and then also upsets the fluid balance in your cells. This is important because when you can't eliminate toxins or excess fluids from you body it results in cellulite plus that puffy, sluggish feeling. But, himalayan pink salt or sea salt are wonderful forms of salt that are incredibly important for your body. This real salt contains 84 trace minerals and electrolytes that your body needs to perform regulatory and structural functions. So, don't skimp here!
3. Use honey in place of sugar
Sugar is sugar and honey is mostly sugar. So, if you find that you are adding honey to your coffee/tea, oatmeal, bread, etc throughout the day, take note. Honey is packed with wonderful, healing minerals making it a safer bet than sugar, but don't start dumping it on everything because it will cause your insulin to rise and kick in cravings. Keep it to 1 TBSP max per day. If you are trying to lose weight, take it to half of that. I like to bake with honey vs. sugar because of its healing properties but I still keep the overall dose low.
4. A calorie is a calorie
Eating 150 calories from a snickers bar is not the same as eating 150 calories worth of kale. While the snickers bar may taste better, it's not giving your body any vital nutrients, and instead, is just pumping you full of sugar. When you ingest that snickers bar, your bodies immediate reaction is to raise insulin levels and react with inflammation. This leads to a crash, cravings and eventual weight gain. When you pump your body full of a nutrient like kale, you are delivering vital nutrition to your body that it truly needs. When your body is actually getting the vitamins and minerals that it craves, cravings and crashes subside leaving you fuller longer. So, not all calories are created equal. It's much more important that you feed your body with the right kinds of foods instead of focusing on the calorie count that comes along with it.