IN

A NUTSHELL
This is a No-Nonsense Collection Sharing Some of the Most Essential/Powerful/Effective Practices to Consider too Improve Overall Health, Right Now.

1) DRINK MORE WATER Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. If exercising, drink roughly 12-18 glasses per day. Try drinking 2 tall glasses of room temperature water, preferably with organic lemon added, as soon as you wake up. Drinking a glass or two of water 30 minutes before eating is also a wise practice, as this is said to assist digestion/assimilation of nutrients, and can help you control portion size by making you feel full, which is ideal for anyone looking to trim a few pounds. *Do not take this point lightly. We all know to drink plenty of water, but not many do it? Your body is roughly 75% water. Water is used for most, if not all, metabolic functions in the body. In other words...YOU USE ALOT OF WATER, so it needs to be replenished. It is possible to drastically improve the state of your health by practicing this first and very important point. 2) EAT 1 LARGE, DARK GREEN SALAD Be sure to include a source of healthy fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins; walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, raw hemp, olive or flax oil are good choices. Kale, spinach, collards and romaine are great choices for greens because they are mild in flavor, but have high nutritional content. Add a variety of herbs such as parsley, cilantro and dill to boost nutritional content as well and add different flavors. 3) SMOOTHIES Make the first main meal of your day a smoothie. Avoid cows milk, excessive use of berries or low quality oil such as canola. Classic Smoothie Recipe - 1 Banana, 8 Frozen Strawberries, 1 Small Avocado or 1 Tbsp. Hemp Oil, Handful Spinach or Kale, 1-2 Scoops Vanilla or Strawberry Protein Powder (optional) 4) CHEW YOUR FOOD Every mouthful of food should be chewed at least 15 times. Eating meat? Chew 30 times. Your food should be near liquid when ready to swallow. Remember, your stomach does not have teeth. Food is much easier to digest when broken-down properly. Also, be mindful when you eat, concentrating on your food, concentrating on eating. No TV, no doing dishes, no rushing. 5) MEDITATE/BREATH/RELAX/STRETCH Take minimum of 15 minutes per day to practice beneficial breathing exercises, meditate, and stretch. Turn off all technological devices while this is done. No phone, no computer, no lights. Use candles. 6) SWITCH TO NATURAL HYGIENE & HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS What do Colgate, Tide laundry soap, Dove shampoo, Herbal Essences conditioner, Mr. Clean and Clorox all have in common? THEY'RE ALL POISONING YOU. There are literally hundreds of natural alternatives to choose from. Or, better yet, you can make your own, which is cost efficient and much better for the health of you and the environment. By using natural hygiene products such as toothpaste and shampoo, you are reminded everyday as soon as you wake, and every night before you sleep, that you are living a natural, organic and healthy lifestyle. This psychological effect, in my opinion, has more health benefits than the product itself. 7) MULTI-VITAMINS Take a multi-vitamin daily. Nutritionally speaking, it takes roughly 60 peaches now in 2013, to equal 1 peach from 1970. By the time we eat that peach that was flown in from California, and has been sitting on our counter for 4 days, it may be up to 2 weeks old. The second that peach is picked, its nutritional value starts to decrease rapidly. Supplementing is definitely worth considering if we are not purchasing organic, local produce majority of the time. Supplements are especially important during winter months, as buying fresh, local/organic foods is, in most cases, literally impossible. 8) AVOID PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS, UNLESS NECESSARY Common conditions such as cold, athletes foot, cold sores, soar throat and dry skin can all be treated naturally. In fact, all of these conditions can be treated with just one natural oil - Coconut Oil. 9) ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS - OMEGA 3+6+9 Ratio= 1 gram Omega 3 : 3 grams Omega 6. Hemp oil is a great choice to add easily to smoothies, as it has a near perfect ratio of these oils. Your body does not manufacture Omega 3 fats, so MUST be included in diet or supplementation. *I would also like to highlight the importance of getting these essential fatty acids into your diet. Convenience is always a plus, so I recommend raw, organic, cold-pressed hemp oil and add to your smoothies to get these fats into your body as easy as possible. Avocado contains many Omega 6 fats, along with nuts, eggs and coconut, while salmon, walnuts and flax contain Omega 3 fats. 10) FRESH VEGETABLE JUICE Having 1 freshly pressed vegetable juice per day is optimal. Be sure veggies are 100% organic and washed thoroughly. Pesticides will intensify, becoming readily available after juicing. A solution of 90% water and 10% white wine vinegar is said to remove many pesticide residues. Soak veggies in solution for 5-8 minutes then rinse thoroughly.

 11) DRY SKIN BRUSH Using a dry skin brush is one of the easiest and effective ways to detox the body. Always move towards the heart, and ensure to go over each area at least 3 times with the brush. 12) BREATHE Be mindful of your breath as much as possible throughout the day. Take deep breaths in, and out, using your diaphragm to pull energy/air into your abdomen. Inhale 4 seconds. Exhale 8 seconds. When exercising this, be sure to only deep breathe 4-5 times, then breathe normally for a minute or two. It is possible to draw in too much air/energy. Breathing deep like this while exercising may stimulate fat oxidation - the burning of fat. It is said that our bodies are designed to eliminate 75% of its toxins through breathing, so think of every breath you take as a powerful detoxifier. 13) GREENS, GREENS, GREENS Consider getting a few green supplements such as barley grass, wheat grass, spirulina, kelp or chlorella. Liquid chlorophyll is an excellent choice as well, and is one of my favorites. Chlorophyll is what makes plants green, and is one of the best detoxifiers around. Chlorophyll may also increase the quality and quantity of your red blood cells so is an ideal, all natural method to treat anemia. Chlorella is said to be the highest source of chlorophyll, but dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale are available fresh, and therefore usually the best source. 14) BE ACTIVE/EXERCISE If you have an office/desk job, set a timer that goes off every hour, at least, to remind you to get up, move around and get your blood flowing. Walk around the office or even walk a few flights of stairs then continue your work. Try to exercise 30-60 minutes 3-5 times a week. I am available to help with this, or contact your local gym or fitness friend to get started. 15) STOP COMPLAINING/WORRYING If you complain all the time, do your best to stop. If you worry all the time, do your best to stay positive. Stress is really toxic to the body. Practice different breathing exercises to ease anxiety and a worrisome mind. Complaining will get you no where, and will often repel the things you really want in life, like good friendships, a loving partner and new opportunities. 16) FAT FREE/SUGAR FREE/SALT FREE/DIET What do these 4 things have in common? They are all chemical shit storms! Avoid these labels as much as possible. They will toxify your body, which may lead to weight gain and a vast array of other health conditions, some as serious as neurological disorders. 17) HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS The following is a list of some of the more important health supplements, in my opinion, for the average person: Vitamin D, Liquid Chlorophyll, Chlorella, Wheat Grass, Vitamin C, Multi-Vitamin, Essential Fatty Acids (Omega 3+6), Milk Thistle, Probiotic, It is important to supplement because the quality of our food is no-where near what it should be, due to poor soil quality, heavy pesticide use, long distance shipping/exporting and use of machines, so even if we are "eating right", there can still be a severe lack of nutrients. 18) EAT FOODS WITH A VARIETY OF COLORS The darker the color, the more nutrients, is a common conception. It is important to get a wide variety of colors in your diet to ensure the wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants needed for optimal health. Try switching your greens as well, not relying on just spinach as your green intake. Switch between spinach, kale, romaine or collards. These 4 greens are very mild in taste and can be incorporated into many different meals, even smoothies. Remember that raw is almost always the best option, as cooking/heat destroys many of the beneficial properties. 19) GET MORE SLEEP Getting 7-9 hours of undisrupted sleep has many benefits such as boosting the immune system, cell/muscle repair, improvement of memory, combats fatigue, sharpens attention, spurs creativity, lowers stress and fights depression. Try blocking the morning sun and keep your bedroom dark to ensure you are getting a good rest. Both men and women tend to sleep better in cooler conditions. 20) WHEN GROCERY SHOPPING, 70% OF YOUR SELECTED FOODS SHOULD COME FROM THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE The perimeter of any grocery store will house the essential foods for a healthy diet: fruits, veggies, eggs, herbs, and meats. Meat is not something I would recommend getting from your typical grocer. Dairy? Opt for alternatives to cows milk such as hemp, almond or flax milk. Kefir is a great alternative to yogurt. If you just can't live without cheese, spoil yourself once in a while, but try not to make it a regular purchase. Choose sprouted grain breads, over white, whole grain or even brown breads. Gluten free bread is very expensive and is not appealing to many, so unless you are really sensitive to gluten, the sprouted grain breads are a good option, in my opinion. Organic, or not organic? Foods such as apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, blueberries and lettuce should always be certified organic. These foods are considered part of the "dirty dozen" and contain the highest amounts of pesticides. Soaking produce in a 10% solution of white wine vinegar for 4 minutes, then rinsing, is said to remove many of the chemicals associated with convention farming.

21) CLEAN YOUR MOUTH Floss a minimum of 3 times per week. Brush at least twice a day. Use an all-natural, organic mouthwash/toothpaste. Rinse with water after drinking sodas or juice, or anything high in sugar. Consider "oil pulling" to clean the mouth on an empty stomach as soon as you wake up. This is part of an old Ayurvedic medicine system where one puts sesame seed oil in their mouth for 15-20 minutes, swishing and pulling through the teeth, to remove unwanted toxins. There are many other benefits as well so research for more info. 22) REPLACE WHITE SUGAR WITH STEVIA An alternative to sugar is stevia: a zero-calorie, sugarless, carbohydrate-free herb, that's believed to lower blood sugar levels after eating by up to 18 per cent. You can find stevia at any health food store, most grocery stores and sometimes even bulk stores. Stevia is sold in liquid form, and also individual portion packets, just like it's un-healthy counterparts splenda and nutrasweet. 23) USE COCONUT, OR AVOCADO OIL TO COOK WITH Save the olive oil for making raw salad dressings, or topping on veggies. Both coconut and avocado oils carry a very high smoke point, meaning they can be cooked at high temperatures without turning rancid. When you expose any oil to heat, light or oxygen, the oil starts to degenerate and lose its beneficial properties. Oils should always be stored in a cool, dark place. 24) BE SMART ABOUT PRE/POST WORKOUT NUTRITION There are literally thousands of products on the market which MAY help reach your goal in the gym, but at the same time, a large majority of these products/supplements carry a heavy toxic burden to the body. The goal is to nourish your body with the least toxic supplements as possible. Here are some items to consider for both: Coconut Water, Pineapple Juice, Protein Powder, Flax/Hemp Oil, BCAA's (branch chain amino acids), Glutamine. A simple "natural sports drink" consists of equal parts water, coconut water and pineapple juice (maybe just a bit less of the coconut water, depending on preference). Depending on what your goal is in the gym, lets say its building lean muscle, you may want to consider adding the BCAA's or the glutamine into the sports drink to help prevent the break down of muscle tissue. Adding even just a few of these practices to your daily/weekly routine can greatly reduce your chances of becoming ill, and better yet, can provide you with the nutrition/energy and positive mind state to live out your life happily, happy and prosperous. I sincerely hope that this "in a nutshell" list has helped inspire you to take action. Contact me for any further inquiries, I'd be happy to share more information and assist anyway I can. Andrew W. ORGANIK LIFE Lifestyle Coach Certified Personal Trainer westa@live.ca