Clarity Wellness

  Do you wake up tired, puffy, and foggy-brained? Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Do you have asthma, allergies, sore joints, skin issues, or other autoimmune conditions? Are you moody, anxious, or depressed? Do you deal with PMS or other hormonal conditions on a regular basis? Do you have chronic gut issues? If you’ve been following my posts, you know that I would recommend a sugar free/grain free diet to reduce the inflammation that leads to these conditions.   I believe in a holistic approach, however, and another big factor that may contribute to these conditions is the environmental toxins we surround ourselves with every day. Toxic chemicals are found in our food, furniture, carpets, cooking utensils, mattresses, cleaning products, body care products, and cosmetics. And that’s just a start… Entire books have been written about all the things to watch out for, but I’m going to try and narrow it down for you so you at least have a star...

Have I ever told you how much I love Costco? They do an amazing job of finding high quality products at the best prices so we buy most of our grocery staples there. Let's take a trip around the store, and I'll point out some of my favorites along the way. 1. In my store, the first section you come to after you pass the clothing and housewares is the alcohol section, so we'll start there. :) If you want to stay low-carb and still enjoy a cocktail from time to time, grab a bottle of the Kirkland vodka and a case of sparkling water. 2. Next comes the meat section, where we pick up a pack of organic ground beef, some organic chicken thighs, breasts, and/or wings, and whatever else might be on our list for the week. 3. In the refrigerated section we often find snack packs of cheese, sausage, pre-cooked chicken, and guacamole or avocado mash. They also have a great selection of good quality brie, aged cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, etc.  Look for the ones that come straight f...

I have tried every type of diet out there--from vegan to carnivore, low-fat, high-fat, paleo, keto, etc., and here's what I've discovered:  every body is different, our bodies are different at different times in our lives, and if you just cut out the processed crap you are doing your body a world of good right there. Here's what works best for me, as a 50 year-old, pre-menopausal woman: 1.  No sugars :  200 years ago the average person ate two pounds of sugar a year. Today the average is about three pounds per week!  Sugar consumption is linked to diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and many other health conditions.  The biggest thing I noticed when I cut back on sugar was that I was able to get off the blood sugar roller coaster and stabilize my mood, energy levels, and tummy troubles.  I didn't feel hungry all the time, I didn't feel comatose every afternoon around 1:00, and my brain just seemed to function better.  These days when I indul...

It’s that simple. When buying vegetables, fresher is better , although frozen is a close second and pretty convenient.  Choose organic, unless it has a thick skin already to protect it,  and if you can buy produce directly from the farmer, even better.  Look for humanely raised meat, wild-caught fish, eggs that come from pasture-raised chickens (remember--they like to eat bugs, not grain!), and if you're going to buy processed meats, go for the highest quality with the least about of additives. Choose dairy products that come from organically fed cows . If you prefer to drink almond or coconut milk, that's fine, but choose the unsweetened kind, or you might as well be drinking chocolate milk. And don't be afraid of whole milk and full-fat cream.  The fat in dairy products balances out the naturally occurring sugar, lactose. If it comes out of a box or a pretty little wrapper, it's probably not real food .  Ok, there are exceptions, like the nut butter...