Fall Back Into Wellness:
5 tips to getting back on track after summer holidays!
Recipe: Cleansing Vegetable Soup
Summer holidays are over. Whether you took a vacation away or not, we all tend to overindulge during the summer months…and why not?
After pretty much hibernating all winter long, we look forward to the long daylight hours and sunshine to enjoy time outdoors with friends and family. For some of us, that may mean eating a bit more than usual at the family barbecue because everything is just so good. Or maybe ice cream is your summer favourite. Let’s not mention the treats at the fair! Lol. It may even mean a few more cocktails than usual. All of these factors contribute to some extra calories, and even though we tend to be more active in the summer months, our overindulgence may prevail.
For me, I could not resist pizza and pasta while in Italy with my family, or wine, cheese and baguettes while visiting a friend in France. I walked and hiked a ton! But, nonetheless, I have returned home with my clothes feeling a tad snug.
So, let me share with you my 5 strategies to get back on track…
Routine: Time to resume your regular routine. Set a regular bedtime and regular wake up time. This is important for two reasons: to ensure you are getting enough sleep, and to get your bowels eliminating as they should. I know for me on holidays, my elimination becomes quite irregular.
Plan healthy meals: This doesn’t mean the fun is over, it just means to make a healthy meal your priority. The best way to do this is to stock up your pantry and refridgerator with healthy options. Especially stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, they are the best for cleansing out our system and providing us with essential vitamins and minerals. Check out my cleansing vegetable soup recipe below. Make a big pot and enjoy throughout the day for a light and cleanse.
Check out my blog with shopping tips: https://simplyhealthyliving.ca/healthy-shopping-tips-and-my-recipe-for-a-great-party-snack/
Get back to exercising: I am always stressing how important it is to keep the body moving. The immune system relies on muscle contractions to move the lymphatic fluids throughout our body. Weight bearing exercises are needed to keep the bones strong. And a strong body consumes more calories on average daily. Start simple with a walk, or clear some space in your living room and try some stationary, weight bearing exercises like: squats, crunches, pushups, plank, etc.
Check out my last blog with some examples: https://simplyhealthyliving.ca/5-simple-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere-easily-and-a-recipe-for-the-perfect-summer-salad/
Stress Management: This is so important and so simple to accomplish, we just have to set aside 15 minutes. We always seem to have other priorities but self care is ultimately the healthiest thing you can do. The simplest way to manage stress is with deep breathing and stretching. Remember while performing each stretch take a deep inhale in through the nose and take twice the time to exhale while coming out of the stretch.
Check out this page for ideas: https://biostrap.com/blog/6-stretches-you-should-do-every-day/
Supplements: I usually stress to “eat your vitamins”, meaning to get it from your meals. But I understand we don’t always meet those requirements and supplementation is required. I prefer to use a whole foods source like Pranin Organics. They are simply dehydrated food that you can mix in your smoothie or any other liquid. Synthetic vitamins and minerals are not always bioavailable, especially if we have digestion issues and therefore we are simply just wasting our money.
Check out my instagram post about this particular product, there are others out there but so far, this is my number one choice: https://www.instagram.com/p
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Cleansing Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 yellow onion quartered
2 cloves of garlic with peel
1 zucchini, eggplant and/or squash of your choice chopped
2 cups of green beans deveined and halved
4 tomatoes quarted
3 carrots whole with skin
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 bay leaf
1 twig of fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon of dried
*optional: 2 potatoes cubed
Instructions
Put all the vegetables in a large stock pot and fill with water.
Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to a light simmer.
Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove rosemary twig and bay leaf.
Remove garlic, carrots and celery to peel and chop, then re-add to the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil once again and add sea salt to taste and your other favourite spices. For example: turmeric for anti-inflammatory properties, maybe some cayenne for a kick and metabolism boost, thyme, oregano, etc.
For more recipes, check me out at Meal Garden, a wonderful meal planning and recipe resource! https://www.mealgarden.com/expert/simplyhealthyliving
