Drinking Warm Lemon Water Changed My Life! Could It Change Yours?

Carrie Sink Gut Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Holistic Nutrition , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

When I started Nutrition School back in 2013, one of the recommendations I got was to start drinking warm lemon water in the morning. Everyone was doing it and the information I had read on it seemed like a good thing to try so I added it to my morning routine, not realizing how much I would come to love it! 2 1/2 years later it is still something I do EVERY SINGLE DAY and recommend to all my clients! In fact, my morning feels off if I don’t do it! It has helped me on my journey of healing my gut and has created a ritual that is both calming & rejuvenating to my soul. Listed below are some health benefits of lemons and some tidbits about this ever popular morning habit.

  • Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies
  • Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial
  • It balances maintain the pH levels in the body
  • Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins
  • Aids digestion and encourages the production of bile
  • A great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium
  • Helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases
  • Reduces pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid
  • It helps cure the common cold
  • The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells
  • Balances the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief
  • It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne
  • Maintains the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems
  • Aids in the production of digestive juices
  • Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session
Try It!

Cut a nice slice out of an organic lemon, squeeze and drop it into your favorite mug . Fill the mug with water, half boiling and half cold to create that perfect warm temperature.  If you’re lemon is not organic, just squeeze the juice out. Do not put the whole slice in there, as there is a waxy coating on the lemon, not to mention the pesticides that we don’t want to ingest. Go find your favorite chair, a blanket, your Bible and slowly enjoy your cup of warm lemon water! (That’s my favorite way:)

3 Ways to Boost Immunity Over the Holidays

Carrie Sink Gut Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Holistic Nutrition , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comment

The months of November and December can be quite hectic for people! From parties & shopping to end of the year work stuff, the stress of hosting the perfect holiday dinner, lack of sleep and traveling can make the holidays a stressful time.  We can end up with a few extra pounds, exhausted, stressed out and sick.  It’s quite important to maintain and boost our body’s immunity during this time.

healthy holidays

The best way to boost up our immune system is through our food choices, rest and additional supplements if necessary! “Food is Medicine”  Fruits and vegetables are immune powerhouses, each containing a different unique set of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Eating a variety of them is a sure way to get a sufficient amount of these essential health supporting elements.

3 Daily Action Steps To Boost Immunity 
  • Start your day with warm lemon water. It is a great immune builder and aids digestion.  It also helps balance your pH levels and flush out toxins.  It is important to stay hydrated! Water and herbal teas are my favorite things to drink throughout the day. Aim to drink at least 1/2 your body weight in oz. (Ideally I recommend drinking 1 liter (33.8) oz of water per 50 lbs of body weight)
  • Make half of your plate vegetables. You just can’t even hardly explain how important the role of vegetables play in keeping our body in tip top shape.  Eat a variety of kinds and fix them different ways to get different properties of vitamins & minerals. Example: raw, steamed, cooked, sauteed or roasted.
  •  Stay away from processed foods/sugars/breads. These wreak havoc on our systems. They are filled with chemicals that our bodies must fight off. When we are already putting our body under extra stress, it is a good idea to take extra steps to nourish ourselves. That will help relieve some of the work your body has to do. 
Bonus tip
  • Supplement if necessary. Take a digestive enzyme before consuming a heavy meal, keep your gut healthy with probiotics, include garlic to help fight off colds and to boost immune function and remember to take your multi-vitamin and fish oil. I also recommend taking a Vitamin D supplement as well. Most of us are deficient and this will help ward of the “wintertime blues”.

If you are needing to purchase high quality, potent supplements, check out my online dispensary here.

All in all, relax and ENJOY the beauty of the season!

Immune Tea

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Fall has barely started and it seems people are starting to get the sniffles and sore throats already. 🙁  Mix up this herbal immune tea and keep it in the cupboard ready to pull out when you’re feeling a little sluggish or needing a boost!

immune tea

Health benefits:
  • Besides lots of flavonoids and free radical-scouring antioxidants, elderberries contain 87 percent of the daily value in vitamin C, and high amounts of vitamin A, potassium, iron, vitamin B6, fiber, and beta carotene.
  • Nettle is full of calcium, copper, iron, folate, magnesium, potassium , selenium & B Vitamins. Pain reliever and improves inflammatory conditions.
  • Alfalfa alkalizes and detoxifies the body.
  • Peppermint increases stomach acidity, aiding digestion. Useful for chills, headache, colic, IBS.
  • Echinacea fights inflammation and bacterial and viral infection.  Stimulates certain white blood cells. Awesome for the immune system and lymphatic system.
Elderberry fun fact:
  • As a moniker, the term “elder” is derived from the Anglo-Saxon “aeld,” meaning fire, because the hollow stems of this plant were used to gently blow on flames to intensify the fire. “Sambucus” is a Greek word meaning “wind instrument.” Native Americans once used elderberry branches to make flutes, so the tree was sometimes called “the tree of music.
Tea sourcing:

I source all my teas for this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs. They are organic and have high quality sourcing. Get some here.

Source:http://foodfacts.mercola.com/elderberries.html

Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing

Sausage Kale Soup

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I’ve been making this sausage kale soup once a week.

That’s how good it is! Filled with gut healing bone broth, protein, greens and yummy sweet potatoes, it is a super healthy soup! I love using recipes like this one to get in a variety of nutritious foods!

Update: You can use hamburger in place of the turkey sausage. If you do, add: 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil & 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.

 

Hummus

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Hello hummus.

Creamy, delicious, full of protein & healthy fats. Hummus is a perfect snack, addition to your wrap or even a salad!

Unfortunately most kinds you buy from the store are full of preservatives and chemicals. Yucky. The good news? You can make it at home very easily!  Here is a basic hummus recipe, I haven’t did much experimenting with different flavors…YET! 🙂

My favorite ways to use it:

  • vegetable dip
  • in wraps (in place of mayo)
  • on salads

I want to hear from you! What are your favorite flavors and ways to eat hummus?

 

Fresh Garden Salsa

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Fresh Garden Salsa!

One of my favorite things about summer is the bountiful produce! With that comes one of my favorite recipes that I HAVE to make several times each year: Fresh Garden Salsa!

There are several different varieties of this recipe that you can use.  Add black beans and corn for more of a meal, leave out the peppers, add more peppers, add avocado(if you have leftovers, they will get brown and yuck) or any other combination that sounds good.

You can serve them with blue corn tortilla chips (my favorite), add quinoa to make a salad, quesadillas..the possibilities are endless. Get creative 🙂

Happy Munchin’ 🙂  *Please choose organic ingredients when possible.