Maintaining a steady and balanced diet not only supports weight control but also physical & mental function. Weight loss has become a world-wide obsession; however it doesn’t necessarily indicate health. While we wear our fat on the outside for everyone to see, there is so much more to being vibrant and healthy on our forgotten insides.
Restricting calorie intake by just 25% resulted in less DNA damage, better muscle function and less oxygen use by muscles in a recent study (1). One mechanism that produces these benefits is called autophagy. This is our cellular housekeeping to keep cells clean and young and functioning. Calorie restriction (in its various forms) is a powerful driver of autophagy.
Juice cleanses are a great way to test out calorie restriction in a safe and convenient way. Benefits extend beyond just weight loss. Studies have shown increased lifespan, benefits to liver health, less muscle loss, protection from brain degeneration and a better stress response. This is real health.
Yo-yo dieting can reduce your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – the rate that your body uses energy during rest (hint: you want a higher rate when just hanging out). Decade-long studies have shown that you are more likely to be both healthier and have a stable body weight if you don’t diet. Catch 22 eh?
So what to do? Most of us fall off the wagon on a regular basis and try to make up for our misdemeanours with a quick cleanse, detox or fast. This is all very well and good, but what happens afterwards?
According to the world-wide best-selling author Michael Pollen, we really need to “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Simple! Eating clean, whole foods and not overindulging should be our daily routine. This is particularly important post-detox as the body re-establishes whether its feast or famine and thus how every cell in the body should react.
My Healthy Habits is designed to help you ease back into eating again after a juice cleanse. It allows the flexibility of choosing lunch or dinner, with supportive protein smoothies, tasty meals and light snacks throughout the day. All designed with maintaining your health in mind.
