Learn tips and techniques to living a healthy holistic life

The Top 10 New Year Resolutions
That Could Change Your Life

Every New Year we all plan our resolutions and even search the internet for ideas on how to support those commitments. This year commit to not just a resolution but changing your life.

Below is my Top 10 List of Things That Can Change Your Life:

#1 Go Raw

In today's world, with disease on the rise and our bodies reaching toxic overload we need to find ways to make sure we are getting what we need to live our lives to the fullest. And that means getting back to the basics, eating healthy. We need to nourish our bodies with living foods full of goodies like enzymes, oxygen, phytochemicals, bio-electric energy and things that support our body instead of deplete it. And going raw is the way to make that happen, well at least 80% raw.

Raw food diets have been linked to increased energy, healthier skin, a reduced risk of heart disease and better digestion. Raw foods are easier to digest than cooked foods providing you with maximum energy with minimal bodily effort. Eating raw will give your body foods that it can easily assimilate and use for regeneration and rejuvenation.

If you’re interested in trying out a raw food diet for yourself, I highly recommend Natalia Rose’s book The Raw Food Detox Diet It’s a great book to get you started on your own raw food path.

#2 Say Yes to Detox

Detoxification is essential to the healing process. In today's world with our modern diet, pollution and medications, each of us has an abundance of toxins in our bodies and it is simply a matter of time before it breaks down.

Just like sweeping your floors and cleaning your bathrooms, the human body needs to be cleaned, too. Through body detoxification, or "body detox," we can achieve an "internal cleansing" which will improve our overall health and well being; not to mention you will look great! And I know just the man to help you through the process. Dr. James Chappell is a traditional naturopathic physician that I have been working with for the past year and who has helped me make great strides in my health.

Dr. James Chappell has outlined 3 Detox plans that can support detoxification for anyone looking to improve their health, heal disease and slow down the aging process. If there is one thing you do for yourself this year, it's read this book, Dr. James Chappel'ls 4-Step Natural Cure Plan.

#3 Add Vitamin D to your Daily Regiment

The results are in and all the top doctors and alternative medicine specialist agree Vitamin D deficiencies can lead to an array of diseases including cancer. And what is even more disconcerting is that they are finding more than just a few of us are deficient in this valuable vitamin. How come? Well the jury is still out on that, but the facts are clear: we all need to have our Vitamin D levels checked and supplement as needed.

Vitamin D provides an amazing boost to your immune system giving you a better chance at avoiding seasonal influenzas and viruses as well as having been found to help prevent prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, depression, colon cancer and even schizophrenia.

Adding Vitamin D to your daily regiment is a simple way to change your life and improve your overall health. Personally, with what appears to be an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency it is worth your while to get Vitamin D levels checked by your physician. I encourage anyone interested in improving his or her immune systems and overall health to consider vitamin D supplementation.

#4 Do For Others

Sounds simple enough and most of us probably think we have this one covered, but I am not talking about just donating money, although please do if you feel so compelled. I am talking about hands on helping whether it is your neighbor or at a homeless shelter. And not just once a year when the spirit strikes us, but monthly, weekly or even daily. This is the best way to help you put your life into perspective and appreciate not only what you have, but to help re-prioritize what is really important.

"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind."- Henry James

#5 Go Non-toxic

The Environmental Protection Agency studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. And guess what the number one offender is?, yup you guessed it, cleaning products!

Just a few facts to get your heart racing:

-50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality (1989 State of Massachusetts Study)

-Over 150 chemicals found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders. (Consumer Protection Agency)

-Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside of the home (17- year EPA study)

Yikes, but the good news is it doesn't take much to make this change and the impact could save your life. Check out Care2.com's How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit

#6 Re-learn the Art of Single-Tasking

Yup, the opposite of multi-tasking. I know, I know, everyone thinks that multi-tasking is the only way to survive in the 21st century, but it is also the quickest way to die. Scientists are discovering that today’s mania for cramming everything in at once is creating a perilous cocktail of brain problems, from severe stress and rage in adults to learning problems and autism-like behavior in children ( dailymail.co.uk).

According to zenhabits.net "a few quick reasons not to multi-task:

1. Multi-tasking is less efficient, due to the need to switch gears for each new task, and then switch back again.

2. Multi-tasking is more complicated, and thus more prone to stress and errors.

3. Multi-tasking can be crazy, and in this already chaotic world, we need to reign in the terror and find a little oasis of sanity and calm.

How can single-tasking be life-changing? A couple powerful reasons:

• You’ll be more effective with your tasks and get more done. It’s hard to achieve important things if you’re constantly switching tasks and distracted by other “urgent” things.

• You’ll be less stressed overall and happier throughout your day."

Oh yeah, and one final reason, "Your focus determines your reality." Now that will make you stop and think!

#7 Get Your Juice On

Did you know that the human body requires around one pound of raw vegetables per fifty pounds of body weight to function optimally? Are you getting your daily requirements? No? Didn't think so.

If you're looking for one easy change that you can make to improve your health - juicing is it. Juicing is a quick and easy way to boost your nutrient intake, meaning that you can dramatically improve your eating habits and health with a minimal amount of effort. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Adding green juice to your diet daily will help you to boost your health quickly and easily.

I juice every morning using a recipe that I altered from "The Raw Food Detox Diet":

Try it, you might just be surprised at how much you enjoy it!

#8 Take a Break from Negativity

Some of us out there, and you know who you are, happen to be addicted to negativity whether it comes in the form of our own thoughts, television or conversations and it is literally killing us. Yup, it's time for an 'emotional detox'

Research shows that people having a habitual negative disposition are at a higher risk for suffering from memory and comprehension problems later in life, including a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, compared to people with a positive disposition and outlook on life. The good news is that new research suggests that having a positive attitude just might protect against heart disease and keep you alive.

Toxic emotions are one of the most powerful causes of illness. The fact is, it's easy to change our minds once we decide to do so. This involves giving up control of the things you can't control, accepting things you cannot change, and moving on. It involves reorienting how you think about life. You can let go of toxic emotions as soon as you decide the time is right. Fortunately, there is a remarkable new technique that makes it easier than you could imagine, Emotional Freedom Technique

EFT is basically the process of "psychological acupressure". EFT is based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat emotional and physical ailments -- but now you don't need the needles!

Instead, tapping with the fingertips on specific meridians on the head and chest, along with voicing positive affirmations, helps to clear out emotional blockages from your system, thus restoring your mind and body's balance. I'm sure you realize that emotional health is absolutely essential to your physical health and healing, the two are inseparably linked.

#9 Move Your Body

It doesn't matter if you're sick, out of shape or just don't like to exercise you have to move your body to live. As a person dealing with a chronic illness and knowing what it is like not to be able to get out of bed, I can understand your first response, “I am too sick to exercise,” "I don't like exercise," "I am too old to exercise" but the bottom line is exercise is absolutely crucial for the mind, body and soul. If all you can do is curl your toes then curl your toes, but you have to move your body!

When the body is in movement, it releases endorphins that improve our emotional state and acts as a natural pain reliever. It also is a wonderful outlet for relieving depression, stress, and anxiety, which these days seems to be a part of life in general. The bottom line is regular exercise improves energy levels, helps you sleep better, promotes healthy bowels, boosts the immune system, and aids your body in the natural healing process.

#10 The power of NOW

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life. Whereas before you dwelt in time and paid brief visits to the Now, have your dwelling place in the Now and pay brief visits to past and future when required to deal with the practical aspects of your life situation. Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to something that already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.”

Eckhart Tolle in his book, The Power of Now talks about how people are constantly thinking compulsively throughout their day-to-day lives. They’re either thinking about the PAST or the FUTURE, rather than embracing the moment fully for what it is. This can very well be the most powerful and life changing concept not only this year but for the rest of your life.

If this resonates with you, I would also recommend reading Power vs. Force by David Hawkins.

I hope that in this New Year you find an abundance of Happiness, Health and Wealth!

The Top 10 New Year Resolutions That Could Change Your Life

The Top 10 New Year Resolutions
That Could Change Your Life