​In the world we live in today, we are surrounded by toxins and depending on where we live, some people have far more exposure than others.  I'm a huge proponent of making sure to regularly detox the body.  Essential oils seem to be the easiest and most convenient component to add to your daily routine to help aid your body in it's own detoxification process.
There is of course another easy, yet reluctant (for most) way to limit your toxic exposure, and that's through the food you eat.
In the mammal body, the liver is the main organ that deals with the toxins.  Toxins are also stored in fat cells.  This is why someone with a high toxic load will have a much harder time losing unwanted fat stores.  The key is to dramatically reducing the toxic load in your diet is to eliminate eating animal products.
Let's take a cow for example.  Even if it's grass fed (supposedly organic), it is still exposed to lots of toxins in it's own environment and food.  When that cow is consumed, the consumer get's a more concentrated form of those toxins.  Another example is in your Omega fatty acid supplementations.  Fish are known for their bodies ability to highly concentrate toxins, and some fish more than others.  Steer clear of any animal based Omega Fatty Acid supplement.  A plant based Omega is just as good and without the concentrated toxins. 

​When was the last time you were sick?  Try to think back to when you were sick and I’ll bet the last thing on your mind was getting up and doing a workout!  Well science shows that some type of exercise may be exactly what you need.  Now, I’m not saying you should get out the ‘Insanity’ workout DVD, but getting outside and going for a walk would be most beneficial. Aside from the possibility of getting some sunshine and fresh air, getting out and walking does a very important thing for your immunity, and that’s circulation.   

Keep this statement tucked in the back of your mind: perfect health equals perfect circulation. 

All those cells in our bodies that were designed to fight off sickness and disease have one way to reach those areas of need, and that’s through our blood stream.   It’s vitally important to keep our circulation flowing freely.  We must be aware that if we allow anything that hinders or blocks our bodies flow of circulation, whether it be from the food we eat to things we put on our bodies, we will put our body in a state that is weaker and unable to fight off sickness and disease.

Exercise is also very important as a preventative measure.   As stated from Harvard Health Publishing, “Exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living.” Most people are already aware that exercise is super important for their health, but implementing it on a daily basis seems challenging.   Walking is always a great starting point.  The great news is that once you start walking regularly you keep getting better and faster.   Brisk walking is one of the best exercises you can do every day, because it get’s your heart rate up and it’s easier on the joints than jogging. 

​Now this is a topic that not many people talk about, but I think it is something that everyone should be aware of.  There is a huge difference between Folate (in its natural form) and folic acid (a chemical form). 

After watching this video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVRv0zGsFY&t=586s
I was reminiscing of the days when I was pregnant with each one of my girls.  I remember being so foggy headed and not being able to think or concentrate, and people would say, ‘oh, that’s the pregnancy brain syndrome’.    All these years I just ‘chalked it up’ to just being a part of pregnancy.  But after watching the above video and seeing how this doctor explained the physiology of how Folic Acid is processed (or the lack thereof) in the body it was like ‘BAM’!  It hit me!  As soon as I found out I was pregnant I immediately got on prenatal vitamins that are famous for having super high doses of Folic Acid.  Then it was like duh!  No wonder!
This doctor is making his focus on people with MTHFR, which is a genetic ‘malfunction’ for lack of better words, where the body is unable to process and get rid of toxins as efficiently as normal.  And why is Folic Acid a big thing to avoid if you have MTHFR?  Because your body sees it as a TOXIN! 
 
But what about FOLATE?  Yes, our body NEEDS Folate.  In fact studies show that a diet high in Folate-rich foods can help prevent cancer, heart disease, birth defects, anemia and cognitive decline.  Notice I said Folate-rich foods!  The key here is to get Folate in it’s natural form, which is the form your body can process and utilize best. Yes you can supplement with Folic Acid, in fact it’s in just about every processed food you buy, as well as most vitamins.  But if you’re like me, you’ll probably start reading labels and trying to avoid it where possible and aim for getting foods, especially vitamins and supplements, that have the natural form; which is folate, not as folic acid, but as a whole food source.  The doctor in the following video goes over the different natural forms of folate you’ll want to look for on your vitamin labels.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFPRI6X7P4&t=2200s
 
So what are some folate rich foods?  The following list is not exhaustive but it will get you started!
nutritionfacts.org/video/can-folic-acid-be-harmful/

​Leafy Green Vegetables

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Citrus Fruits
• Beans/Lentils
• Avocados

These are great foods to add to your daily regimen and meal planning.  Why not try some of these and whip up a delicious green smoothie!
Give this recipe a try:
                       
2-3 handfuls of frozen leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard, bok choy, etc.)
            ½  an Avocado
            1-2 Tbsp raw Sunflower Seeds
            1-2 Tbsp raw shelled Pumpkin Seeds
            2-3 Tbsp plant based Vanilla flavored protein powder
            *optional add a sweetner of your choice, I usually use a little raw honey
​
This makes an amazing green smoothie!  And I always use frozen greens, they just seem to taste better that way, plus you can buy bulk and freeze most of it! 

​According to a Mayo Clinic Article on Healthy Lifestyle “Everyone can benefit from exercise, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability”.  This should be a no brainer.  Everyone seems know that some kind of physical movement is good for you.  The bigger questions is “How Good?”
More and more studies are showing that exercise not only prevents disease, but it also aids in disease treatment. 
In an article from The National Parkinson Foundation on the Neuroprotective Benefits of Exercise, it states that, “People with Parkinson’s enrolled in an exercise program with durations longer than six months, regardless of intensity have shown significant gains in functional balance and mobility.”  And still further in the article it states, “when it comes to exercise and PD (Parkinson’s Disease), greater intensity equals greater benefits.”
Here’s a quote from the American Cancer Society in an article on Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient, it states that “Exercise is not only safe and possible during cancer treatment, but it can improve how well you function physically and your quality of life.”
From a Physiological standpoint and understanding that life is in the blood, when we exercise we improve circulation and carrying that life giving blood to all parts of the body.  Our heart has to beat harder to push that life giving blood to every working muscle to help it maintain activity.  Oxygen and nutrients are brought in while toxins and waste are moved out.  This is a vital process for life and vitality. 
Exercise is not the 'end all, be all' of disease prevention and treatment, as you'll see in the video below, but all efforts should be made to add to your day some kind of exercise routine.  It should become one of those items at the top of your priority list.  Go for a walk, a bike ride, walk the dog, park in the parking spot furthest from the door of the store, make any excuse you can to get moving and you’ll be amazed at how much more exercise you’ll add to your day.

It is the beginning of the year and what do many people feel inclined to make to kick it off?  New Years Resolutions, that list of things you "plan" to do.  A lot of people have resolutions involving behavioral changes they hope to make in the upcoming year.  And I would argue a lot of these resolutions are health related.  The gyms are packed with new faces the first few weeks and/or months of the year before the majority of these new faces vanish from the scene and only a few are left following through with resolutions and achieving the desired behavioral change.


What makes the difference? I believe there are many factors but the one I want to focus on today is our outlook.  When we sit down and start to dream about all 2018 could offer, what type of mindset do we have?  Is it positive or negative?  I would argue that it is positive.  We believe we can achieve the goals.  For some that belief is grounded in the fact that they have a well thought out plan to achieve them.  For others, it may be based on the fact that 2018 holds something magical that will produce the changes they want.  Whether realistic or unrealistic it all starts with positive thinking.  And that is what a person has to maintain throughout the year to succeed with the behavioral change.  Adopting and maintaining positive thoughts as we encounter the many barriers and temptations to quit will not only help us meet the goals, but there is research that shows positive thoughts have a direct correlation to our health.  (We will touch on this later.)


So my challenge for us all is to begin each day with positive thoughts about our desired behavioral changes for 2018.  Here are just a few ideas:

1. “Lord, I do not know what today’s has in store but I believe that you will give me the strength I need to follow through with the things I need to do for my health”
2. “I may be too tired to exercise today but the reason I am exercising is to increase my energy, so this feeling is to be expected.”
3. “These fruits and vegetables will taste so good once I detox my taste buds from the unhealthy things I am accustomed to eating.”
4. “I may have failed in 2017 but this year I have a plan and although I may fail I will not quit this year.”