Hi Friend,

Happy New Year! For this week's message I thought I'd send along a few ideas for simple ways to be healthier in 2021. I'm not a big New Year's Resolution person, but I strongly believe in the power of taking small steps and building on them over time. And I do love a fresh start and coming up with a gameplan to work towards a goal.

I hope this provides some helpful resources and inspiration:

1..Eat real food. Limit (or cut!) refined sugar, refined grains, seed / "vegetable" oils, ambiguous "flavoring," artificial colors, and anything that sounds like it was made in a lab. The processed stuff just isn't good for us and it's taking up valuable real estate on your plate that could hold nourishing foods that benefit you. If you're looking for more structure, consider doing something like Whole30. Two food bloggers I love are doing a month of Whole30 meal plans: Nom Nom Paleo and The Defined Dish. You can also check out my recipes on Instagram at #kaleifornianeats or on kaleifornian.com - 100% real food and most are Whole30 and Paleo compliant.

2. Notice if you're addicted to sugar / sweeteners. If so, work on retraining your palate.  You can gradually try to wean off sweetener in coffee, fruity wines, something sweet after meals, etc., but going cold turkey tends to work best for me. Within a few days, I'm just not tempted at all and it's very freeing. A cup of herbal tea is a great alternative to dessert and there are delicious natural wines with zero sugar and no dyes or funky additives. I'm a big fan of  Pique Tea* (you can get 5% with the code JESSICAT5) and Dry Farm Wines* (get an extra bottle for $.01 through my link).

3. Remove toxins from your home. Cleaning products are a big culprit of poor indoor air quality and every day toxin exposure that contributes to our "toxic load." I'm a big fan of Branch Basics*, an all-purpose concentrate that's Made Safe certified, fragrance-free and completely non-toxic (gentle enough to use on babies or as an eye makeup remover, but effective enough to clean your kitchen and bathrooms). I also love their Oxygen Boost for stains and other tough stuff like tile grout and burned pots. You can get 10% off starter kits with the code "kale" at checkout.

4. Remove toxins from your personal care routine.  If you're bought into the importance of eating clean, I hope you consider the importance of clean personal care and a non-toxic home environment as well. What you're putting on your body (cosmetics, sunscreen, deodorant, hair coloring, etc.) is absorbed by the skin (our largest organ), and there's ample research that many of these chemicals get into the bloodstream, cross the placenta, and potentially the blood-brain barrier. If you're just getting started, check out my post on 3 Easy Ways to Find Non-Toxic Personal Care Products and Why You Should.

5. Move your body for at least 30 mins everyday. This supports your cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system (and therefore the immune system), mood, brain function, sleep and helps maintain a healthy weight. Even brisk walks can have lots of benefits. Here are some of them and why I created a #10walksaweek challenge given that most of us aren't going to the gym these days. Here are some tips to help you get moving and 5 ideas for things that you can do on your walks.