😎 Various Tips that Changed Joe’s Life
Limit or Eliminate Bread and Gluten – Even if not allergic to gluten, it’s a sticky substance that can slowly gum up our body. Bread (and all wheat flour) is the biggest culprit. I found success by limiting myself to one piece of bread a day, that seem to allow me to stay in my ideal weight, while still having just a bit of the sweet wheat. Sourdough is preferred as the fermentation process removes a lot of the gluten. Also I enjoy rice instead of pasta (there’s noodles made of rice!) and corn chips instead of crackers.
Boosting Fiber Easily – Oatmeal and raisons with sliced almonds are my “last snack” every night around 8 pm. It’s a high fiber way to clean out the system like sending street sweepers through the body at the end of the day. Also Psyllium Husk in a glass of fresh-squeezed juice in the morning goes a long way to optimizing our fiber intake.
Watch out for “The 3 Whites” — In excess, white sugar, white flour and white salt lead to faster aging and a host of diseases (I now use Celtic salt instead of table salt for more minerals). I first limited salt because it was drying out my organs. Then I limited sugar because it was adding fat in the worst places. Then I limited flour because it turns sticky (from gluten) in the body. I’m not allergic to any of these, I just use them in moderation because they’re the main culprits of an unhealthy diet.
How to replace Pop and Processed Juice – Except for Fresh-Squeezed juice, I avoid most fruit juices as they’re sky-high in sugar, which my teeth and body don’t need. Instead, I love water sweetened with fruit slices and a dash of Celtic salt, or I truly love Stur (has that tart pectin zing), and then there’s drinks like Propel which are fine in moderation.
The 85 Percent Rule – eat your meals until you feel 85% full, as you’ll feel more fall in a few minutes as food digests. Also, set your fitness goals at 85% instead of 100%. It’ll give you more peace of mind and you’re more likely to complete your goals which I’ll move you further along your wellness journey.
Grapefruit at night – it’s healthy to wake up with stomach groans, and one of the best ones I found to induce those is grapefruit for dessert. There used to be a thing called “The Grapefruit Diet,” this fruit is so well known for its weight-shedding abilities. I love it at night as a sweet and tart delight.
Almond butter instead of peanut butter – Almonds are often considered a healthier choice than peanuts due to their superior nutrient profile, lower saturated fat content, higher antioxidant levels, lower allergenic potential, and fewer carbohydrates. Almonds provide more essential nutrients like vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium, along with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. This makes them a favorable option for those seeking a nutritious snack or addition to their diet, although individual dietary preferences and nutritional needs should be considered when choosing between the two.
Sweet Potatoes over the Regular Ones – The orange potato is actually considered a superfood, and vastly preferred over potatoes in Ayurveda. They are richer in essential nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, while regular potatoes have fewer vitamins and fiber. Sweet potatoes also have a lower glycemic index, making them a better choice for stabilizing blood sugar levels. Additionally, sweet potatoes contain antioxidants and are generally considered a more nutritious option.
Drinking Structured Water from the Source – When we get our water from fruits and vegetables, many call it better “structured” for absorbption by our body. Structured water may enhance hydration, improve nutrient absorption, and promote better cellular function due to its altered molecular structure by existing naturally within food, which some believe makes it more bioavailable and efficient.
A Note on Meat and Dairy – whenever someone has an issue, I first suggest they try reducing dairy. It’s known to produce mucus and other assorted issues, but it also has vitamins including K2 inth MK4 form which helps calcium go into teeth and bones. With meat and dairy, the main thing is look for o free-range, organic and anything that suggests good treatment of the animals, as that affects the “frequency” of the food. Also thank not only the creator, but try to remember the animal when enjoying one.
Oil is Love — the Sanskrit word for oil also means love. I use organic olive oil in my hair instead of gels or sprays. I use organic sesame oil to keep joints lubricated and skin soft, and I rub castor oil on my stomach and face each morning after the shower. For cooking, I only use Avacado oil (for high heat), coconut oil or olive oil. There are other ones that provide good omega 3 and and 6 fats, but these are my favorites.
Breathwork to Exhale Fat – Breathing exercises, initially a way to relax and meditate, turned out to be a game-changer for me as far as weight loss. Our breath does more than supply oxygen; it profoundly influences our mind and body. Shifting from shallow mouth breathing to deep abdominal breaths can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and curbing stress-related eating. This newfound focus on breath increased awareness of bodily sensations and food’s effects, making it easier to make healthier dietary choices. Deep belly breathing, especially through the nose, offers numerous benefits like toning abdominal muscles, boosting metabolism, and aiding digestion. Additionally, it can break down fat cells into water and carbon dioxide, which you exhale. Conscious breathing can accelerate metabolism, encourage exercise, and foster better eating habits, and won’t cost you a thing, making it a valuable tool on your weight loss journey. Read my full article on this here.
People are Paramount — One thing I learned from the pandemic is that fear and isolation are more damaging to our bodies than most diseases. In fact, I think they cause many of them. Sure, it’s good to be safe, but it’s not cool to fear people. Trust me, I went through it too, but I saw the inner damage it did and rose back to networking with people, starting new “in-person” projects, writing almost daily, and it’s made me healthier than ever. It’s been shown human contact boosts the immune system, and also helps avoid stress eating.
Qigong to Enhance Exercise – I found that the emotional release and stimulation of organ meridians that come with Qigong made my exercise routines more potent than ever – helping me “lock in” progress I make without slipping back into bad habits. I’m sharing with you here my favorite daily routine that I used to during the time I said 50 pounds and still do as often as possible today.
I Often Work While Standing – The chair was only invented 5000 years ago, and sitting in a chair for too long has been compared to smoking, as far as being unhealthy. That’s because our Qi gets stagnant when we sit for long periods, so it’s crucial to get up and move. Even if your chair-bound, it’s important to stretch and move your arms and torso often. I have my main computer on a tall desk where I can either sit in a stool or stand and still continue working. It keeps the good Qi flowing and the inspirations growing.
Corn over Flour and Potato – I choose the corn shells for tacos and nacho chips over potato chips. Corn just digests better and leads to less weight gain overall.
Limiting or Removing Alcohol – I used to be quite the drinker, but now I only imbibe when there’s a celebration going on, and limit it to one or maybe two. Any more than that, and I definitely suffer the consequences in the various ways, as the toxic alcohol hurts our organs, metabolism, and such. I was at my highest weight when I was drinking the most. Quitting alcohol was one of the biggest factors to getting on the road to my ideal weight. There are plenty of other legal plant-based options to alter our consciousness – including Qigong! – with more opportunities arising nearly nearly every day.
A note about the latest fad: Ozempic.
All pharmaceauticals come with trade-offs, usually in the form of side effects. For Ozempic, here’s are the known side-effects: gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea and abdominal pain. It’s also been linked to a potential risk for more severe effects, like stomach paralysis. I strongly encourage the natural options before taking this drastic route.