A Guide to Overall Health & Wellness
It is entirely possible to achieve optimum health and stay there throughout your lifetime. When you head in that direction there will be times you plateau and experience setbacks – your body’s way of saying it’s time to raise the bar. The joy of continually seeking the highest sense of well-being has no equal. It sets you free to inspire and serve your family and community.
Here’s a thumbnail sketch of what a balanced diet looks like. Start slowly. Remember it’s a direction not a destination. No one can know how far they may travel, so just enjoy the process 😊
These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate professional advice. Please check labels and consult your pharmacist if you take medication.
A Balanced Alkaline / Acid Diet
- Drink 7-10 glasses of filtered or spring water daily. Chlorine destroys beneficial gut flora and can interfere with iodine absorption.
- Consume a diet that is 75-80% alkaline forming
with antioxidant rich fresh vegetables, fruits, raw seeds and nuts, sprouted beans, legumes, and whole grains.
Chart available.
- Go organic. Eliminate pesticides and other chemicals from your home. See the Environment Working Group’s Dirty Dozen online. Organic foods are the safest way to nourish yourself and protect the planet!
- Make antioxidant rich fresh fruits, vegetables, raw seeds and nuts, beans, legumes, and whole grains the mainstays of your diet. Avoid wheat unless it’s sprouted.
- Enjoy fermented foods regularly.
- Use unrefined oils such as olive oil, coconut and MCT oils, sesame oil, and avocado oil.
- Avoid complete proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy and soy) after lunchtime for better digestion of amino acids.
- Use sparingly whole sea salt, natural sweeteners, organic soy and dairy products, organic grains containing gluten, coffee, and alcohol.
- Combine foods for optimum digestion: fruits on an empty stomach 30 minutes before other foods – starches and animal products require very different digestive secretions and should not be eaten at the same meal.
- 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar as a condiment or with honey (opt) in water with meals to improve digestion, correct pH, balance blood sugar, and reduce fat storage.
- 1-3 tbsp of ground flax, hemp, or chia seeds for fiber, nutrients and fatty acids.
- Cooking at high temperatures can produce acrylamides and high glycation end-products responsible for cross-linking of proteins, inflammation, and premature aging.
No matter how good your diet, with depleted soils, stress, pollution, pesticides, etc. there are certain common nutritional deficiencies that are at the root of many health conditions.
The good news is they can easily be obtained with high quality nutritional supplements. These suggestions are based on customer and staff experience over the past 48 years 😉
Supplements – elevate nutrition from adequate to optimum
- Bio-Strath or high quality multi that contains a full B complex.
- Vitamin C - 100-1,000 mg daily during fall and winter.
- Vitamin D – 1,000-4,000 IU daily. We recommend testing every couple of years.
- Omega 3 fatty acids – for brain, joint, digestive, and cardiovascular health.
- Magnesium – 100-500 mg daily – over 300 biochemical functions in the human body.
- Probiotic – intermittent use along with regular consumption of fermented foods to promote a healthy microbiome.
Men & Women Over 35 - Take 3-4 times a week
- Calcium/ Magnesium formula with K2 – 100-300 mg - protects bones and teeth, promotes acid/alkaline balance, and regulates cardiovascular function.
- Vitamin K2 – 100-125 mcg (if not in cal-mag formula) – ensures proper distribution of calcium and inhibits calcium deposits in arteries and organs.
- Sublingual B12 - 1,000 mcg – a deficiency is associated with many degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Final Thoughts
- If you have been eating a diet that is largely acid forming take steps to alkalize quickly. Greens and base mineral supplements can help on the short term. Juice fasting or mono dieting on fruits and veggies for one or two day weekly is helpful. A balance of alkaline and acid atoms is a secret for good health!
- Keep pathways of elimination open. Dry body brush to open skin pores and encourage lymphatic drainage. Take sufficient magnesium to keep the bowels moving easily.
- We recommend a spring and fall detox for adults or some people enjoy a daily detox tea.
- Fresh air, sunshine and exercise are foods for Life. Breathe deeply, exhale thoroughly!
- Emotions and moods have a powerful effect on body chemistry and ultimately our health. Be proactive about your worries so you can let them go quickly. Practice contentment and your health will flourish!
The ultimate goal of this program is a light, flexible, pain and disease free body that allows you to enjoy your Life to the fullest!
Good health happens by design, not by accident!
*Revised September 2024
When it comes to our health, it’s often the small, consistent habits we practice each day that have the greatest impact on our long-term health. While genetics play a role, lifestyle choices around nutrition, movement, stress management, and supplementation can significantly support cardiovascular wellness. Here are some simple, everyday habits to help keep your heart strong and resilient: *These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate professional advice. Please check labels for contraindications and check with your pharmacist if you are on prescription drugs. These suggestions are based on over 40 years of customer experience at Jo Anne’s Place.
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Feeling the Holiday pressure? In the midst of Winter’s chill and the Holiday rush, your own well-being deserves space to breathe. The natural world around us is slowing down, so why shouldn’t we? Winter invites us to turn inward, and it is especially important to support your mental health during these longer, darker days. Did you know that we, as Canadians, are more prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder due to our northern latitude, which results in less sunlight during the winter? The Holiday season can be equal parts joyful and overwhelming. Schedules get busy, routines slip, and we're surrounded by comfort foods and sweet treats. Between gatherings, travel, and to-do lists, our well-being can take a back seat. Here are some simple tips to keep you grounded, nourished, and feeling your best throughout the season: *These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate professional advice. Please check labels for contraindications and check with your pharmacist if you are on prescription drugs. These suggestions are based on over 40 years of customer experience at Jo Anne’s Place.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
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