Let's get healthy

Shine Project's weekly challenge this week is health! So here's a little story about what I've changed in my life to make me a little more healthy and a lot more happy! :)

Rewind to a year ago.

I had a 30 minute break between my College Algebra and my Anatomy & Physiology class, and I was hungrrry. I drove down to the McDonalds and ordered a double cheeseburger, hans onions. As I was sitting in the parking lot, thoroughly enjoying my hamburger I thought, "Why would anyone want to be a vegetarian??? They are missing ooouuttt."

Looking back, the fact that I had that thought is a little ironic.

Upon finishing said burger, I go to my A&P class (which is my favorite because my professor is hilarious, amazing, and a fantastic teacher). Oddly enough, the discussion for the day was how food affects our body, emphasis on how animal products affect our body. Ha. It was very disturbing the things she showed and explained to us in detail about the meat industry. For the most part, the moral issues of it struck a chord inside me, but thee physical and mental aspects hit home as well. I didn't decide to be a vegetarian then. I left the class feeling honestly sick to my stomach. I went to Dairy Queen that evening with a friend, where he ordered a chicken salad. It made me cringe. I couldn't eat it. It happened like that the new few days. I seriously just couldn't stomach eating chicken or beef or pork. After a week, I thought to myself, "Well hey, I've gone a week and I don't even miss it, let's just cut it out for good!"

So I have. And honest to goodness, I never felt so good in my life.

Here's some amazingly "nutritional power houses". I love that they refer to them as nutritional power houses. It makes me smile.

Quinoa is a grain, but it reminds me of rice. And I actually use it in place of rice. Yummy stuff, and it's SO good for you. And easier to cook! Promise.

Coconut Oil has many, many, many wonderful benefits. The most important thing is to chunk away your butter, vegetable and olive oils. Vamanos. Any recipe that calls for those nasty artery cloggers, replace it with coconut oil. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil at that! It's also recommended to eat a tablespoon a day! Also you can put a little dab on your face, your hair, your bags under your eyes for some serious results! Seriously.

Stevia hands down the best sugar substitute. Wayyy better than splenda or equal, which turn into formaldahyde in your body, EW. I always buy the liquid form since it's the truest form, rather than buying the powder version which has been processed.

Cayenne is proven to speed up metabolism, add a pinch to a glass of warm water along with a slice of lemon and a drop of Stevia, drink it first thing in the morning.

Green Tea I drink that right after my morning glass of cayenne lemon water. It is also proven to aid in boosting metabolism. AND, I did a little reading and some research has showed that when taken the green tea and the cayenne water together, it assists in lowering your hunger.

Aloe Vera Juice, also super beneficial. Take a tablespoon a day and you're good! Ready for your body to get your digestive tract running smoothly, improves circulation, and acts as a antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agent, preventing illness.

Hemp and Flax seeds are great, I add them to my granola or cereal, which is always used with hemp or almond milk, rather than cow's milk. It's really helpful in the Omega ratios that many Americans lack.

Oh, and the very best way to cook anything, especially your quinoa, whole grown pasta or brown rice, (throw away your white rice, white bread, white pasta, SOO bad for you) vegetables and fish (which I do still eat, salmon is the best !) is to buy a steamer, otherwise known as a rice cooker. Preferably stainless steel. No risk for BPA my dears! I bought an Aroma brand at WalMart for 40 bucks. It's amaaaazing. Best thing I've ever bought.

Well that's just a few of my favorites. Check out Nutiva.com and purchase a sampler pack for about $30, and free shipping!