by Yuri Elkaim
Your body could be trying to send out an SOS, and you may not realize it.
You’ve become so accustomed to feeling bad that your body thinks this is the norm, and it runs on autopilot. That daily venti coffee, your gruelling 10-mile run, and your sugar addiction may be wreaking havoc on your health.
Even if you’ve come to accept that this is just how you function, your body is giving you warning signs that things aren’t right.
Ask yourself the following five questions and answer honestly. If you can’t say yes to all of them, your body has probably been saying no for a very long time.
The Vital Five
1. Can you function without caffeine?
Coffee, energy drinks, and caffeinated sodas are creating a vicious cycle- you drink to wake up, and when the effect wears off, you need more.
Eventually your sympathetic nerves become numb to caffeine, and you’re officially a caffeine addict. Give your nervous system a break and avoid caffeine.
2. Do most of the foods you eat come from a garden?
Processed foods contain empty calories that won’t nourish you- they are full of artificial ingredients, have no essential nutrients, and are the biggest source of added sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Some products may be falsely marketed as “healthy”, yet they are pumped full of preservatives and chemicals that hurt us in the long run.
Eat real, whole foods (whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables) to gain real health benefits.
3. Can you exercise without feeling weak or fatigued?
Exercise is supposed to make you feel energetic and strong.
You might be exercising all wrong. The way you work out may not actually be working for you. Your lengthy, strenuous workout may be exhausting you and depleting your reserves.
By balancing your exercise with strength training and listening to your body (moving the way your body wants to move), you’ll be exercising smarter, not harder.
4. Has it been a while since you’ve gotten sick?
Sickness should be the exception, not the rule.
Your diet could be destroying your gut flora; the intestines house the majority of your immune system. Eat high quality protein, fiber, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies.
5. Is it easy for you to concentrate?
If you lack the ability to focus or have a foggy feeling, this can be caused by adrenal fatigue, fluctuating blood sugar, and poor oxygenation.
Proper diet, smart exercise, and relieving mental stress will increase your ability to concentrate.
So now what? If you’re looking at this list and shaking your head “no” at more than three of the answers, it’s time for a total body reset.
While a “total” anything sounds like a big task, it’s actually easier than you think to get your body back on track. Tweaking a few small, daily habits can make massive change in your day-to-day existence. Let me walk you through the most important changes you can make, that will make an immediately noticeable impact in your life.
The first way to start fixing yourself is to…stop. Stop the habits that are harming your body. While you may feel mired deep in a dozen bad habits, afraid to make change, or just unsure if any change will actually make a difference, try this for just ONE WEEK.
Cut Caffeine.
Caffeine, whether in the form of coffee or soda, makes your body secrete adrenaline. Too much adrenaline each day, and you get the jitters. Too much adrenaline over a long period of time, and you can wear out your adrenal glands. Worn out adrenals can lead to feeling of anxiety, food cravings, and low energy levels.
Just 7 days without these caffeine can boost your energy, drop your anxiety, help you kickstart weight loss, and start to show up on health markers (like blood pressure and cholesterol tests).
Try this instead: Drink a Green Smoothie.
Removing bad habits is one good step, but we’re going for a great change. Rather than simply removing a bad habit, replace it with something good.
A green smoothie every morning is an easy way to replace your caffeine routine. You still get to sit down an sip, only this time, you’ll be increasing your absorbable nutrition. You’ll be giving your body healing greens that detoxify your body, balance your blood pH, and support your body in healthy ways.
My Favorite Simple Green Smoothie
4 cups kale or spinach
½ avocado
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 lemon, peeled
1 ½ cups water
3-5 drops stevia
Blend all ingredients together until pureed. Drink immediately and enjoy!
You deserve to answer “YES” to all five of those health questions above. Healthy bodies can easily say yes. They’re alive, vibrant, full of energy, and able to take on any day. Swapping out caffeine and swapping in a green smoothie each morning is a great way to start supporting your body.
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