By Arielle Adelman, Life and Wellness Coach of Relish Life

Eating clean & detoxing. Two activities that sound remarkable for anyone’s overall wellness, yet I’m not  sure what this truly means. I can assume it means eating foods that fuel the body, promote energy, efficiency, and well being.  There is no scientific or nutritional definition that I am aware of, but living a life where what you eat makes you feel amazing and consequently have a better human existence sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?  That seems to be the promise.

I don’t know of any fancy diets or foods that directly result in such an ecstatic state of being, but what I do know, is that through mindful living, one can achieve a fulfilling, empowering, and happy life.  I call this living a healthy lifestyle (this does not include fad diets and pre-emptive cosmetic surgery) where one’s diet is plant based, full of whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats.  Eating a variety of whole foods ensures that you are getting vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients without the excess calories of processed foods (not to mention the hidden sugars, high sodium, chemicals and saturated fats).

One of the many benefits of living this way is that when you eat whole or “clean,” you don’t have to worry about weight because your body will most likely tell you when it is hungry and when it is full. You also don’t have to worry about “detoxing” because the human body is amazing at filtering out what it needs and discarding of what it doesn’t need. As if that isn’t enough, studies indicate that people who live a whole foods/clean lifestyle reduce the risk of cardiac diseases and cancers.

Have I overwhelmed you, yet? Don’t be! I promise that by making a few (delicious) changes in your week you can slowly grow into this lifestyle.  And please stop feeling guilty about how you eat now, that will just keep you stuck in your rut rather than being motivated to change.  Be patient with yourself. Attempt to incorporate the tips below just three days this week and maybe you will feel compelled to do it four times next week….you never know until you try.**

Here are a few pointers to get started:

Cut down on:

Alcohol, refined sugar, salt, saturated fat, and processed foods.

Focus on:

Whole foods like fruits, vegetables,  whole grains, and lean proteins like chicken breast, fish, eggs and tofu.

Drink more tea.

There are tons of great websites with recipes for eating whole (check out some of my recipes on Relish Life), clean and healthy, but what I recommend most is taking a cooking class.  Cooking is beneficial to your overall wellness because it promotes mindfulness, and a heightened awareness of where your food came from and what is going into your meal and ultimately your body.  Cooking brings people together promoting social connection and happiness.

Elana Horwich of Meal and a Spiel offers a fantastic 3 series class coming up this July that focuses on just this! Clean, healthy, delicious and accessible cooking.  Here is just a sample of one of her classes.  Whole/clean/detox food never sounded so amazing, right?

• Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus and Avocado
• Grilled Vegetable Salad
• “Leftovers” Grilled Vegetable Soup
• Simple Roasted Salmon
• Baked Yams with Cinnamon
• Coconut Chocolate Nut Crunch Sundae

I can also tell you that just participating in the class is a fun and worthwhile experience.  Learn more and sign up for the Clean Eating Series by clicking here! Bon “clean” Appetite!

 

**Sometimes we try to make changes and get stuck.  That is totally normal and fixable. If you find this to be true, I can help you work through the blocks and see where else in your life these blocks are showing up so that you can get your life exactly in line as you envision it.  Email or call for a consultation!

Arielle Adelman is a certified life coach  specializing in mind-body wellness. Mention this post to receive 50% off her normal coaching price and get 4 sessions for $300 until the end of August.

 

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