It’s that time of year – cold and flu season when we have to take care of ourselves to stay healthy.

If you don’t want to catch a cold or to reduce stress, have more energy, sleep better, or even to lose, or at least not to gain some weight, you need to know not only which foods to eat but also which foods to avoid to survive the busiest time of the year.

Did you notice that we always look for super foods to be healthier and feel better? But what about foods that might make us super sick?

These are super unhealthy foods which add more stress on our system and are super harmful for our health:

• Hydrogenated oils
• Sugars
• Artificial sweeteners
• High-fructose syrup
• Flour products
• Refined grains
• Junk foods
• Fast foods
• Processed foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Tobacco

*** The trans fatty acids most fast and processed foods contain actually reduce circulation and raise blood pressure, keeping your body in a constant state of stress.

*** Alcohol upsets the blood sugar level and disturbs sleep patterns.

*** Caffeine boosts the production of the stress hormone adrenaline.

*** Sweets, raise your insulin levels increasing serotonin for a little while, and then serotonin level goes down very fast turning you into cranky and irritable person.

Did you know that average American consumes more than 190 pounds of sugar a year, and 3/4 of it are “hidden” in processed foods?

Be aware of hidden sugars in the following items:

• Breakfast cereals
• Salad dressings
• Luncheon meats
• Canned fruits
• Bread
• Peanut butter
• Crackers
• Soups
• Sausage
• Cheese dips
• Chewing gum
• Jellies and jams
• Fruit Yogurts
• Fruit Juices
• Frozen deserts (ice cream, sorbets)

You don’t have to avoid these items entirely.  You just need to be wary of them.

A lot of people don’t realize that to stay healthy sometimes it is not about what to eat but rather what not.

So let us be food smart to feel and look fabulous during this holiday season.

Click to listen to Pamela Reilly, Naturopath and Raw Food Coach on How to Boost Our Immunity During Cold and Flu Season.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Counselor

If we want to lose weight, or at least manage our weight and detox our body naturally, we may need to purge  our kitchen  of  foods that might make us super sick.

If we detox our kitchen, we will help ourselves avoid foods that can cause cravings and weight gain. For natural weight loss, detox your kitchen by staying away from the junk food you  indulge in every time you are under stress, bored or during emotional crisis.

Five Steps to Detox Your Kitchen

1. Start reading labels in order to find foods with hidden sugar and sugar and caloric overload foods.

2.. Get rid of all refined grains and sugar-packed breakfast cereals you like to have for breakfast.

3. Get rid of junk foods, fast foods, processed foods, salad dressings, luncheon meats, canned fruits, canned soups, cheese dips, white flour bread you like to have for lunch.

4. Get rid of crackers, corn/potato chips, chewing gum, jellies and jams, fruit yogurts, fruit juices, frozen deserts (ice cream, sorbets) you like to have as snacks.

5. Go through your refrigerator and cupboards and throw away all fatty foods.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor and Relationship Coach