After 10+ years in our fitting rooms with women from around the world there seems to be a common thread that links us all... our bodies. And on some level, all too often women complain about weight gain they cannot lose, hormone imbalance / mood swings, memory issues or brain fog, headaches, nausea, and the list goes on. However “slight” your symptoms are, as women we all are experiencing chronic body changes as we age.
As the founder and designer at BeachCandy Swimwear, I have had the honor of creating intimate relationships with our savvy clientele season after season. On a personal note, I recently dove into a holistic approach after a 12 year battle with autoimmune disease. My spinal autoimmune disease remained unidentified and misdiagnosed, until my inability to walk and stiffness (to the extreme of not being able to bend my fingers) had me seeking my own path to wellness.
After 9 months of discovering the best holistic health practices to heal my insides the results have been nothing short of miraculous. Not only did I lose over 30 pounds of inflammation and dead weight. But my hair and skin found new life (hair loss is another common symptom), fresh mental clarity, no headaches or nausea, and my quality of life is at an all time high. And I can’t help but wonder, how many other women are silently suffering from similar physical, mental and spiritual symptoms.
Inflammation is the root of all disease, we all know this.
But what causes concern for me, is that the foods that were making me sick are the highly inflammatory foods we all eat everyday. Bread, cheese, milk, soy, tuna fish, sugar of any kind, alcohol… After studying the root cause of my disease I found our toxic chemical-ridden products at the source. And what’s worse, no one is immune to GMO foods, pesticides, bleach, arsenic, lead, and the thousands of other chemicals in our day to day products.
So in hopes to shed some light on this issue for any woman out there suffering in silence. I would like to share some easy everyday changes to optimize your health and lead you into the best version of yourself. For you and for your families, also please share this article with any woman you know who struggles to find her optimal wellness.
The first step is to understand that food is fuel, and your medicine. Food’s sole purpose is to provide nutrition. Just about everything that comes in a box is so processed it no longer serves you. And most importantly, begin by setting your mind straight, this is not a diet. This is a lifestyle change to cut inflammatory foods and begin to only consume foods that provide nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties.
Gluten-Free & Grain-Free is the Way to Be
It doesn’t matter if you have celiac or not, our American gluten is no longer digestible because it’s been so genetically modified over the years. If you want to make big changes in your life, cut the gluten and go grain-free. Unfortunately, this includes rice and quinoa or “gluten-free” products, but your gut will thank you.
Replace pasta with Cassava Flour Pasta by Jovial & Tortillas made of Cassava by Siete Foods. Committing to making this shift will instantly have you shedding pounds of inflammation and weight that is not serving your overall health.
Time to Be Dairy-Free Mama
Cut milk, cheese, and dairy of all kinds including eggs (similar molecular structure as dairy). Our bodies are not made to digest dairy products and as women we feel the impact. Leaking gut, weight gain, brain fog, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and the list goes on.
Think about the last rich meal you had at a restaurant with a cheesy appetizer, buttery pasta, cream filled dessert, and cocktails. How did you feel afterwards?
No need to head to your local health grocer, stock up online with ORGANIC Coconut Milk & Coconut Cream. I even like to buy the unsweetened vanilla coconut milk to pour in my tea or grain-free cereal in the mornings. It is important to replace your daily rituals with clean alternatives so that feeling of going “without” is not an obstacle. Another examples is this cashew milk mozzarella that is delicious and nutritious.
Stay Away from Soy & Sugar
Soy is another culprit that directly causes inflammation in the body. Genetically modified to the point of no nutrition your body does not know how to process soy so it makes a deposit at the bank of inflammation. Sugar we all know negatively affects the body and should be avoided at all costs. Even organic honey and agave cause your blood sugar to spike, but I do splurge on these natural sweeteners every so often.
Western medicine’s approach to food will be considered malpractice one day, but for now chemicals and big pharmaceutical companies run your physical health regime.
Make sure to buy only wild caught fish and stay away from tuna completely if you can. The mercury and heavy metals found in our farm-raised fish is alarming.
Don’t Ignore the Environmental Factors
Next up, switch your deodorant to something aluminum-free and plant based, my favorite is Little Seed Farm Organic Deodorant for $14 on Amazon. Next to achieve optimal body, mind, and spirit, begin slowly replacing one-by-one: makeup, detergent, and cleaning products with organic chemical-free alternatives.
This will take time and money, but in the long run taking a proactive approach to health will lead you to your best person, body, mind, and brightest life.
Sweat Baby Sweat
Last but certainly not least, sweat out your body’s toxins everyday for at least 30 minutes. Breaking a sweat is crucial to detoxing your vital organs. This holistic medical form of healing supports the body in a way any diet, pill, or quick fix could never dream of. What you think aka stress about also plays a role so make sure to take time to chill, dream, enjoy and stay positive.
Healing food is as old as Chinese medicine. In fact, Hippocrates has been quoted in the very fabric of history stating, “Let food be thy medicine.”
This is just the beginning of my personal journey to a vibrant life. We hope you enjoyed this blog and hopefully it sparked some inspiration to seek your best self. Please share any thoughts or feedback for us in the comments below. We are all in this thing called life together.
And if no one has told you today, I love you and you are worthy.
Written by Brit B.