Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings Tucson

Beauty From The Inside Out

Sep 13, 2019 06:48PM ● By Jean Read
In today’s world, it is so easy to pull into a drive through restaurant when we are hungry and grab something to satiate the desire. Unfortunately, much of what is purchased through a pass-through window does little to nourish and fortify the skin, body and mind. Most fast foods create a great deal of inflammation in the body, which create free radicals that may accelerate aging.  We have known for many years that more fruits, vegetables and grass-fed, pasture-raised animals provide the greatest nourishment and most often, reverse our signs of aging.

So, what should we eat to improve our mental clarity and energy and reduce again? While there is a wide variety of foods that can do this, let’s try to keep it simple: eat foods high in antioxidants.

Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that are running around in our body, causing it to age rapidly. Antioxidants are the plant nutrients that usually give the vegetable or fruit its color. Like some say, “eat the rainbow” every day. This means that we should eat fruits and vegetables of every color.
Here are four ways we can monitor and hit our target of getting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables into our diet daily.

1. Eat six to nine cups of fruits and vegetables daily, including leafy greens. Get one to three cups of fruit or veggies in each meal. Keep track of each color eaten during the day. This will help target vegetables to add for dinner (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple).

2. Place a list on the refrigerator that allows for recording up to 50 foods. Every time a fruit or vegetable is eaten, write it on the list. Children love helping with this. Each food can only be recorded once each week.

3. Eat meats that are pasture raised and grass fed. This means that the animals are eating what they should naturally eat. Consume six to 12 ounces each day—a serving about half the size of a palm.

4. Make meals with one meat and two or three vegetables. Keep it simple or get creative. Have fun with it.     
  
In addition to eating fresh foods, there is more to health than just diet. To fortify and nourish the body, mind and spirit, we also need to get good sleep, reduce stress, be playful, socialize with friends and family and get regular exercise. It’s all about diet and lifestyle. So, get that list on the fridge, load up the grocery cart with some great fruits and vegetables and enjoy a meal with loved ones. Beauty starts from the inside.

Jean Read offers craniosacral treatments, which may also be combined with visceral manipulation, lymphatic stimulation or myofascial techniques. She has been trained by the Upledger Institute on using CST for specific brain structures. Connect at 956-566-5443, [email protected] or IAHP.com/Jean-Read. See ad, page 18.

Watsu and Wellness, New Resource to the Tucson Community

Physical Therapist Jean Read, owner of Watsu and Wellness, has relocated to Tucson. She brought with her a wide variety of treatment skills ... Read More »