The wardrobe tweak to FEEL YOUR BEST
One of the easiest ways to foster joy and good health: tailoring your clothes to your unique needs. When deciding what to wear, consider the radiant energy of the colors in your closet. Each one has an effect on your body, and color therapy has been used for centuries in the treatment of disease and injury. Anxious? Pick a blue top, which promotes tranquility and calmness. Sad? Add a pop of yellow. The sunny color has been shown to boost cheer. Grieving? Choose pink, which can help heal sadness and loss.
Do this before getting out of bed to BLOCK PAIN ALL DAY
Take a cue from your cat and wake up with a slow, luxurious stretch. Our muscles are surrounded by a thin sheath of tissue called fascia. When that tissue is tight, we feel sore. To prevent discomfort from head to toe, start by flexing your arms and legs, then gently roll from side to side before sitting up. Finally, flex and bend your feet before standing to release tight fascia in your calves and ankles. If any spot feels sore, press it for 20 seconds until the fascia softens and releases.
Delicious way to FIRE UP METABOLISM
Ever wish there were a tasty treat that could actually speed weight loss? There is! Studies suggest that enjoying a handful of macadamia nuts every day (compared to eating no nuts) can reduce weight gain by 77%! Plus, it shrinks fat cells. The reason? Macadamias are a great source of adiponectin, a hormone that helps turn off hunger. And a small amount does the trick: To get the benefits, snack on a dozen nuts each day, or cook with 2 Tbs. of rich-tasting macadamia nut oil, which is great for stir-frying or drizzling over popcorn.
Surprising trick that SOOTHES CHRONIC ACHES AND PAINS
When you’re out and about, try trading your rubber-or plastic- soled shoes for a pair with soft leather soles. Breathable leather allows your body to absorb the earth’s negatively charged ions – enough to slash the body’s production of pain-causing inflammation by a whopping 227%! Plus, these ions help neutralize the free radicals that promote weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and insomnia. Live someplace warm? Get the benefits by walking barefoot on soil, grass, or sand.
The simple trick to FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN
Youthful energy and immunity hinge on optimal gut function. But for millions of women, healthy gut bacteria are crowded out by harmful microbes. And taking a probiotic often isn’t enough. What does help? A combination of probiotics and prebiotics (like inulin, which “feeds” probiotics). This has been shown to dramatically improve gut health to boost digestion, energy, immunity and more. I advise adding one scoop of Flora-Key powder, which has both pre – and probiotics, to a smoothie or tea. For 15% off, use code floraww15 at UNIKEYHealth.com.
The timing tweak that ELIMINATES PESKY POST-MEAL GAS
Turns out there’s an easy trick to block painful bloat and gas when you sit down to dinner. Eat your side salad after your entree. The raw vegetables supply fiber and digestion-enhancing enzymes that help your body break down the food in your stomach more efficiently. Also smart: dressing your salad with oil and vinegar. Research has shown that olive oil boosts nutrient intake, while the vinegar helps break down protein and slow carb absorption. The result? No gas, pain or belly bloat!
The simple way to BLAST BELLY FAT
To speed weight loss on any diet, eat a few artichoke hearts. Many of us have a liver that’s clogged with toxins and fatty deposits, disrupting the organ’s ability to metabolize stored fat efficiently. Artichokes to the rescue! These natural detoxifiers (especially the hearts) are loaded with liver-protecting flavonoids that enhance the output of bile, an emulsifying fluid key to digestion and the breakdown of fats. This primes the body to melt fat around the midsection. I love tossing artichoke hearts into chicken soup or salads and recommend consuming 1/2 cup daily.
The childlike way to STRENGTHEN AGING BONES
Permission to skip grueling workouts to bolster your bones in favor of having a little fun! It turns out, to encourage healthy new bone growth and stop further bone loss as you age, all you have to do is jump. The impact of simply hopping around for a few minutes coaxes more calcium into bones, which significantly increases bone density and helps prevent painful fractures if you ever take a tumble. For best results, do three sets of 10 hops each day, keeping a sturdy chair nearby for stability if needed.
The easy way to END SUGAR CRAVINGS
Cravings for sweet foods can be off the charts after the holiday season. Thankfully, you can reset your appetite by enjoying fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, miso paste, and kimchi daily. Their probiotic bacteria colonize the gut, where they release compounds that rein in the brain’s messages that tell you to eat sugar and carbs. What’s more, the bacteria release compounds that help you digest sugar to stave off bloat, headaches, and other not-so-sweet side effects. And all it takes is 2 Tbs. daily to get the benefits.
The sweet way to SLASH DIABETES RISK
Prevent diabetes with a sweetener? It’s true! Researchers at the University of Rhode Island found that pure maple syrup brims with potent antioxidant compounds that increase the sensitivity of fat cells to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin. This helps noticeably reduce the risk of diabetes. To get the benefits, drizzle up to 1 Tbs. of pure maple syrup over oatmeal, waffles, or even your morning coffee or tea daily. Tip: To replace white sugar with maple syrup in recipes, substitute every cup of sugar with 3/4 cup of maple syrup.
