[ Uh oh, looks like this guy waited too long to hack his health! Don't let this happen to you! :() ]
Maintaining our bodies takes so much constant work but fear not, often we can take a few shortcuts to good health. We can hack our health for simple consistant results! Let's take a closer look at some well known health moves that we can easily keep on our rotation for health management!
Fermented foods. We've all learned how good fermented foods are for gut health. Fermented foods contain good bacteria food based probiotics that support a healthy digestive system.
Here's the fermented health hack, fermented foods that contain live organisms when eaten ( for the most benefits), [as opposed to sourdough bread which is fermented but docent have live cultures] aren't shelf stable, and are found in the refrigerator section of markets. Live cultures should be clearly listed on the labels, along with an expiration date. For those of us with respiratory issues, certain bacteria present in a serving of fermented food can help to prevent infections of the respiratory tract! Grab some sauerkraut, yogurt, pickled veggies, ( eggs too ), or kombucha a fermented drink and give your gut a break!
[ Who loves a yogurt parfait? We at LivingThruGrace do! simple easy & full of delicious superfoods like probiotic rich yogurts and antioxidant fueled berries and dark chocolate! ]
[ A simple sugar-controlled homemade jam made from frozen raspberries, chia seeds and a small amount of sweetener- we used monk fruit a fruit based sugar free sweetener- Simmered for a bit and added to a jar to be stored in the fridge for tasty topping yogurt, toast anything your'd like! Super jam superfood! ]
[ How easy is it to get in those green veggies and others with a simple green smoothie or juice! Easy way to boost your ver/fruit intake. Super food, and a super health hack! ]
Superfoods, hacked, as simple as tossing fresh or frozen berries into and onto your favorite foods like yogurt, porridge, salads, granola etc... NO need to go out of your way looking for expensive exotic foods and supplements! Oranges, avocados, squash, cruciferous veggies like broccoli, and cabbage are all natural superfoods because they're full of what our body needs to keep us functioning properly!
Turmeric a delicious, warming and healing spice is easily incorporated into our diets by seasoning meals, or drinking a popular favorite golden milk lattes. Turmeric's a superstar because it helps to keep inflammation under control, ( happy asthma lungs! ) and improve liver function!!
Simply mix 1/2 tsp turmeric powder or mince 1 inch fresh turmeric root 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and 1 cup of milk of choice in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 -10 minutes and add in a pinch of black pepper.
This latte can be sweetened however you wish or not at all. Feel free to check out our other post on turmeric ( in the blog post links below) and its benefits and our turmeric drink mix recipe for quick and simple access to whipping up this delicious drink!
Herbal teas, soothing tasty and health boosting all in a few simple cups a day! Even if you're not a tea head (like me! LOL) you may still enjoy a refreshing herbal tea, iced especially in these warmer months. Rooibos is one I recommend to non tea drinkers because it has a deep roasted nutty flavor that lends itself well to creamer or milk of preferred choice. Aaah, I can just taste that iced rooibos tea with omega rich coconut milk poured throughout! Ginger teas are too a great herbal tea to get you started in the road to tea health. Herbal teas are full of antioxidants and vitamins, and are naturally caffeine free, so drink up for your health!
What's simpler than the ultimate health hack - dark chocolate! Oh so good, and makes you feel so good too! This antioxidant and magnesium rich food is a joy to make a daily addition to our diets! Try to build up to 70% or more for more nutrients like iron and manganese. In controlled [ whaaat?? :() ] quantities, a couple of squares a day; dark chocolate may help protect your heart and blood vessels, improve brain function, plus it releases a feel good chemical that mimics the one our brain makes when we're happy, and giddy! I'm giddy just thinking about it!!
Essential oils, are a great way to boost your mood and brain throughout the day. Peppermint can boost energy, lavender helps bring in calming stress reducing feelings, and citrus lifts and brightens any mood. Our sense of smell is directly linked to our limbic system that part of the brain that controls our basic emotions, motivation and some types of memory. Smell is powerful! Try a few pure essential oils in an oil diffuser or make an oil spray to brighten up your days.
Simple essential oil spray:
Spray bottle
water and some alcohol ( but can be left out) to help the oil and water stay blended ( I use pure vodka)
essential oils of choice.
blend in 20-30 drops of your choosing shake and spray to your health!
I always use a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, lemon, and tea tree for my asthma and upper respiratory flares!
[ Always talk to your health provider if you are experiencing any pain! ]
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory alternatives. Instead of always reaching for those NSAID's like Motrin, try if possible, massage to move out knots and kinks in the muscles that really help with pain management, acupuncture ( if it fits into your budget, I'm working on this :() ), cold and heat wraps along with arnica pain relief gel made from the flowers of the arnica plant, and it works. Exercise for pain control can do wonders, speaking from experience! I have managed to reduce my visits to my chiropractor
( another natural modality) to once a month from multiple times monthly just from working out, and nothing complicated. Walking workouts, and light weights along with stretching workouts have made all the difference, and have helped with my digestion too! Peppermint essential oil rubbed onto my ear lobes and backs of ears ( with a carrier oil ) have obliterated my headaches when I have them without any NSAIDS! This was a tip from our pharmacist!! The irony :() We are a nation that's over drugged and under nourished. Let's strive to reverse that!!
Unicorn and Mermaid foods Ugh? What a trend, but yet it exists! What the heck are unicorn foods? Foods that have been made into bright rainbow and sparkly colored supposed eye candy. (eye roll more like it LOL! But that's just me, I like my food natural colored ). Who's had the misfortune of laying eyes on the rainbow latte veggie dip, or bagels, or unicorn sparkly glittery cheesecake or cupcakes, even alcohol?
Many of the ingredients used to make these foods sparkly, glittery and er, colorful are artificial and loaded with chemicals and additives. If you feel the need to partake in this food trend, try making it yourself and using natural ingredients to obtain those funky multi colors. Veggie powder like beetroot and spinach, purple cabbage,( let some soak in milk or water to turn it the deep purple hue; turmeric and spirulina. Using multiple fruits like dragonfruit ( which can be purchased in powdered form! from nuts.com) to make a hot pink drink or mango for a bright orange appearance are all preferable to crap ingredients that take away from our health. Our markets are moving towards adding natural plant based food colorants in the baking sections as well. Let's make sure your 'multi colored' foods are health boosting!!
I hope these hacks can assist your in managing your health! Simple doable moves when done with consistency, along with working to move further away from our more unhealthy habits will have us hacked to better health in no time!!
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