I shared this in a recent email series and wanted to also post to the blog as this is full of simple gems to help YOU feel LIVELY and vibrant.

Let’s talk about water consumption, greens, and emotional eating…

1.  NOTE YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION

• Dehydration is the root of many health issues.  Having a healthy water intake is incredibly important to your overall health.
• Commit to drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.  Drink it throughout the day to avoid water intoxication.
• Cravings are often caused by dehydration.  When you feel a craving hit, drink a tall glass of water and wait 15 minutes.  Tune into your body and see if your craving has dissipated, or if you are actually hungry.

CAUSES OF CRAVINGS

• Lack of important nutrients in the body
• Hormonal imbalance
• Dehydration
• Emotional turmoil
• Seasonal changes

2. PUT SOME GREENS IN YOUR MACHINE!

• Greens are packed full of essential nutrients, antioxidants, phytonutrients and a slew of other health promoting goodies.
• A few examples of greens to absorb these fantastic health benefits include spinach, kale, arugula, collard greens, Swiss chard, and endive.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREENS

•Purifies the blood

•Assists in improving circulation

•Improves immune system and function

•Natural energy

•Promotes intestinal health

3. EMOTIONAL EATING

• Satisfying hunger isn't always the reason we choose to eat.  Sometimes, we turn to food for comfort or as a reward.
• Emotional eating is defined by eating to fill emotional needs or voids rather than to satisfy your hunger.

WAYS TO SPOT EMOTIONAL EATING

•Do you eat more than usual when you're feeling stressed out or unhappy?

•Do you find comfort in food and feel out of control in your relationship with food?

•Do you usually eat until you are stuffed?

•Do you reward yourself with food?

•A few common sources of emotional eating include stress, boredom, and feeling discontent with your life or relationships.

HOW TO COMBAT EMOTIONAL EATING

•Learn your triggers

•Keep a food journal to understand patterns

•Find other ways to satisfy your emotional hunger

•Have a healthy exercise routine

•Commit to and nourish your personal relationships

And remember…

DON’T TRY TOO MUCH AT ONCE

• A main source of failure to reach health goals stems from trying to change too much at once.
• Instead of attempting to do a complete overhaul, getting discouraged, and giving up – take baby steps.
• Add in one healthy food to your diet per week.  Your body will begin to crave more healthy food throughout your journey.

Ready to take this a step further?  Grab a pen and notebook and ask yourself these questions.  Write down your answers and reflect on how you can make small changes to lead to more vibrant health.

1.  What do you crave the most?  What situation do you recognize yourself in when these cravings hit (unhappy, stressed, etc.)?

2.  What one step will you take this week to improve your health?

3.  What green will you try this week that you've never tried before?

4.  What time period in your life did you feel the healthiest?  Why?

5.  What is your greatest obstacle health wise?

6.  What is your #1 health goal?

7.  What is your favorite vegetable?

Questions? Comments? Please share below…