Safer Swaps for 2018!! | Beautycounter by Courtney Schmechel

(1/10 Safer Swaps)

REAL FOOD: My journey to clean up our lives started with food. Before children, Brian and I were making decent choices when it came to food but got more serious after reading some books and decided to try the Paleo Diet. We felt healthier than ever and couldn't believe the difference. We decided not to get hung up on a list of have-nots but rather focus on putting good things in! In turn, the more good we put in the less we crave junk because our bodies are nourished and satisfied.

I could write a novel, but essentially it all boils down to these basic principles for us:

**Eat Real Food - things that come from the ground or have a momma. We keep it simple with a meat + veggie + whole grain (sometimes) + fruit.

**Drink LOTS of water - (but of course a little coffee too:) The amount of water needed depends on the person (size, sex, pregnant/breastfeeding, etc). Water helps our bodies detox naturally, prevents premature aging of the organs in our bodies, lubricates joints and cartilage, removes waste, lowers cholesterol, promotes weight loss, increases metabolism, & keeps our skin hydrated and plump!

**The fewer the ingredients, the better - my rule of thumb is I have to recognize and be able to pronounce all the items listed.

**Avoid refined sugars (which is in evvvverrrything + I am certain it feeds all illnesses) - choose the natural sugars instead. Plus Dr. Oz has said it himself - sugar is literally poison for the body.

**Eat Local - Support local farmers doing it right and providing for their families. I generally try to maintain my own garden but it gets a little overwhelming with a baby and toddler so we buy local produce from farmers as much as possible when our own supply is low. When we splurge to eat out, we look for local restaurants using fresh ingredients (although let's be real we get pizza or mexican from time to time - it's all about balance people!)

**Gut-Health is everything - work good bacteria in (fermented foods, live culture yogurt, kombucha, kefir) because your body's function, mood, hormones, etc are all affected by your center - your gut!

We started out with small changes to get back to the basics of how food was intended to be eaten before our fast pace lives and convenience ruined it. Please share any resources or tips you have for eating more real food! Happy to keep the conversation going below or in direct message if you want to know more.

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