When we start to notice signs of discomfort in our bodies, the best place to look first is at what’s on our plate. The foods we put in our bodies make a huge difference in how we look and feel.
If you’re struggling with uncomfortable symptoms or sensations in your body and aren’t sure where to start – read on to discover 7 Signs You Need Clean Eating.
1. You feel tired when you wake up
Waking up tired is a serious downer. If you find it’s hard to wake up, or that you have brain-fog and lack of concentration or focus throughout the day – you could likely benefit from a nutrition boost. Clean Eating is a pleasurable way to increase your energy, naturally, boost endorphins, and support your physical health (including your brain!) The following 6 points in this article will help you feel more rested and stronger in your body.
2. You’re puffy and swollen
Inflammation, swollen joins, and puffy eyes can be a result of too much sugar or fried foods. It’s amazing how much these things can improve when we start Eating Clean! Here are a few habits to introduce to clear up that chronic inflammation and start to feel like YOU again:
- More water (add a slice of lemon!)
- Exercise for 20-30 minutes a day, even a brisk walk is a great start
- Swap out deep-fried foods for baked, steamed or pan-fried
- Swap out your canola or vegetable oils for ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil
- Reduce your intake of grain-fed meats and try to have more fatty fish like salmon, and lean meats like white fish and chicken.
- Increase your intake of fresh fruits and veggies!
3. You have digestive issues
Are you struggling with pain, bloating, or discomfort after a meal? Digestive issues can be a result of poor diet choices, frequent antibiotic use, and even stress. So much of our experience is governed by our gut – our mood, our inflammation levels, our focus and memory, sleep, and more! Having a healthy gut is certainly a top priority and one where Clean Eating can lend a major helping hand. Here are 7 foods to heal your gut, lower inflammation and improve digestion.
4. You wake up multiple times at night
Waking up throughout the night could mean you’re eating or drinking too close to bedtime or your hormones are out of balance. To get your cortisol levels under control, it’s important to eat smaller, frequent meals throughout the day to help your system feel “safe” and create a bit of a routine. So long as you are properly nourished during the day, you will have fewer cravings for late-night snacks that can then keep you up at night. If you do need to have a snack before bed, try to keep it light, like a small cup of herbal tea, some Ezekiel toast with coconut oil, or slices of apple with almond butter.
5. Your skin is acting out
Skin issues often reflect an internal imbalance. This could be due to a food sensitivity, or simply too many processed foods, simple sugars or nutrient poor oils. If you notice your skin breaking out more, or if you have eczema, psoriasis or any other type of skin irritation – consider doing a Clean Eating makeover of your diet and removing any of the foods you think could be to blame. There are so many healthy recipes to choose from, but here are a few to get you started:
Avocado Chicken Salad for Clean Eating!
Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownies
Clean Eating Creamy Zucchini Soup
6. You Want to Lose Weight
If your goal is to shed unwanted weight, there’s nothing that works more effectively than switching over to a Clean Eating diet. Rather than focusing on calories in, calories out – Clean Eating is focused on whole foods that taste amazing and nourish you on every level. You should never have to be starving in order to lose weight, that’s totally unsustainable. Thousands of women and men have lost weight with our 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge already, you could be next!
7. You crave sugar constantly
This is one of the surest signs that your body needs a detox. Craving sugar means that most likely, it’s adapted to eating sugar far too frequently. The tricky part is actually beating that pesky sugar addiction – and it is truly an addiction? So how does one start?
- Drink more water throughout the day.
- Get your body moving – when you exercise, your body will naturally crave healthier foods.
- Sauna to work up a sweat and support the detox process.
- Pack healthy snacks – when you’re hungry, the sugar cravings are worse.
- Load up on protein. Protein will help curb those cravings.
- Eat more probiotic-rich foods.
If you’re really ready to take your power back with sugar, consider signing up for the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge. My team and I have carefully designed a supportive plan for you to nourish yourself, while also detoxing from sugar all while learning new healthy habits.