Since you’re an Inspired Lifer, I want you to live forever. Really I do. I think people who are showing up in the world, making meaningful contributions, and playing a BIG game should be around for as long as possible so they can continue to impact the world in a positive way. But alas, forever young is but a fantasy…but that doesn’t mean that you can’t slow down or even reverse the aging process.

You may be aware that the Inspired Living Challenge is on the horizon (7/7 is the official date we’ll get going!) and if you participated last year, you probably remember what I had to say about sugar. Welp, I’m saying it again.

SUGAR is your body’s worst enemy. Now if a murderer or thief wanted to come and hang out at your home, you’d probably object. Consider sugar the murderer and thief – it’s been caught stealing a youthful appearances and it’s been convicted of murdering health.

There are an infinite number of “healthy” lifestyle choices you could make – cutting out alcohol, exercising more often, cutting out red meat (and eventually I’ll address all of these – exciting huh?) but if you had to make only one choice, eliminating processed sugar would be a lifesaving choice.

So you’re probably going, “Yeah ok, Lisa, it sounds great now, but it won’t be quite as inspiring when I’m starving and just want to grab a candy bar.” You’re right. And that’s why I’m supplying the tips below to help you over the hump. It’s also why I’m sharing these 76 reasons sugar ruins your health…because you can’t have too much motivation.

-Eat 4-6 small meals during the day. Craving sugar and binging often comes from a dip in energy levels, but consuming refined sugar causes a spike in insulin levels which speeds up aging, inside and out.

- Drink water help curb sugar cravings. You’d be surprised how much a little water will do for you. Sometimes we’re reaching for sugar because we really want a snack and water is filling and energizing.

-Find alternatives to your usual sugary treats. If you’re a cookie monster, seek out natural, honey sweetened cookies to replace your Oreos. If you’re a candy connoisseur (I sympathize with you because I used to be addicted – been clean since 2007!), find organic fruit snacks and natural candy that contains simple fruit juices. It’s next to impossible to break a bad habit without replacing it with a good one so set yourself up for success by finding your alternatives first, then making the switch.

-Before reaching for sugar, try eating protein or having a small meal. If you crave something sweet, try fruit! It's called nature's candy for good reason. Pause periodically to ponder the good choice you're making for your health!

And if all else fails, read this list. Like I said, you’re an Inspired Lifer and you know that health is a fundamental principle to living well. So, get off the white stuff and turn back the clock!

You Are What You Eat!!!!

I'm always perplexed when I see people constantly eating junk food and chemical laden foods. I've grown to understand that a lot of times, people eat this way out of ignorance. If they knew better, they might do better. Also, I know how good it feels to have energy, sleep well, and be healthy, but for a person who's never enjoyed those things, they may not understand how critical nutrition is to their overall wellbeing.

A recent guest on my radio show discussed the connection between nutrition and professional success. I complimented her on that excellent point because most people never think about brain function and how it might be affected by their diet.

Years ago, I wasn't doing too hot. I had terrible acne, no energy, shedding hair, restless sleep, muddied thoughts, seasonal allergies, anemia, and a host of other ailments. I started doing some research on this store I discovered...Whole Foods. I had heard about natural foods and things before but I thought it was for those "healthy people". I realized that it was time for me to go deeper in my research and examination of food and the effect it had on my body.

The things I discovered blew me away. I could write an entire book about it, but in short, I discovered that dairy was not serving me, excessive cooked meat was not serving me, and that everything I ate and drank had an impact on my body. I started examining how I could correct some of my health issues with diet and exercise. I gave healthy eating an audition and the results were so phenomenal that I never looked back.

People kept saying that eating healthy was more expensive so I decided to comparison shop. I made a list of the foods I generally buy in a week at a conventional grocery store and decided to buy those same items at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Believe it or not, buying the healthier items was cheaper than the conventional items! I was pleasantly surprised and decided to stay the course.

So, here are some the things I did...
-Started drinking 1.5L water
-Started drinking green tea daily
-Stopped eating pork
-Started eating 3-9 servings of fruits and veggies every day
-Stopped eating candy
-Stopped eating fast food
-Stopped eating foods containing high fructose corn syrup
-Stopped eating foods containing partially hydrogenated oils
-Stopped drinking soft drinks and sugary juices
-Started eating organic foods whenever possible
-Started adding lemons and/or limes to my water (to increase my alkalinity)
-Stopped eating refined junk food (potato chips, cakes, etc)

There's more where this came from, but in short, I dramatically cleaned up my diet and started eating foods that would really serve my body and nourish my body instead of those that simply tasted good and satisfied my cravings.

I strongly encourage you to consider eating well! It's essential to your health. There are very few diseases and physical ailments that are not caused or cured by food and drink. Your body is a temple - littering is strictly prohibited! If you think "healthy eating" is not for you, just give it an audition and see how it goes. Your body may begin to detox at first but once you flush out the toxins, you'll have more energy, better sleep, more mental clarity, few colds, and all around better health.

Eat to live!

Check out this show entitled Necessary Nutrition featuring my special guest, Robin De-Ivy Allen. You'll learn new things about what it takes to properly nourish your body!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/InspiredLifeRadio/2009/09/21/September-21--Necessary-Nutrition