I realize that changing our diets can be hard for many, especially if you are accustomed to eating processed food and sugary treats.  In this case, I can’t stress enough the importance of finding what your Why is.

In the moments when I found myself being tempted to eat food that was not healthy for me, I had to ask myself, “Will this food produce death or life?”  I had to make the decision that my family, health, and life was worth far more than any unhealthy food could provide for me.

Extreme?  Maybe.  But the fact is that when I changed my diet and replaced the things wreaking havoc in my body with foods that carried life, I knew it was working because three months later there were no more signs of cancer.

Did you hear what I just said?  After being given only a year to live, I was cancer-free in just three months!

Now, even though I was juicing, I wasn’t on a fully liquid diet.  I still needed to be intentional on giving my body other nutrients such as fiber and protein.

Many sources with tell you that you should be getting at least 20 grams of fiber per day, but I would aim for as much as 40-50.  The reason for this is that fiber is going to be what cleans out your gut and digestive track which is where bacteria tends to hid and make room for disease.

I always recommend getting fiber from natural sources likes fruits, vegetables, flax seeds, or chia seeds. However, hitting 50 grams can be hard.  You can find a good fiber supplement at your local health food store to help you hit your needed intake.

I personally use a supplement called “Everybody’s Fiber” by Nature’s Sunshine.  Be sure to check the ingredients and steer clear of any that have any added sugars!

When it comes to protein, this can be another tricky road to navigate.  Sadly, many of our protein sources have been manipulated as well. Animals are now being fed GMO food sources, like corn, on a daily basis. You’ve heard the saying “You are what you eat.”  Well, I like to say, “You are what your food eats!”

You can be doing all the right things by stripping your diet of harmful chemicals, but if you are eating generic chicken or beef, you are only undoing all of your hard work.

When I began switching to organic products, I knew that eating organic grass-fed and finished meats was important for my health. (If you are unable to afford all organic products, I always recommend first getting organic meats before you switch to organic fruits and vegetables.

Be sure to find a good fruit and vegetable wash to help wash off those pesticides.  Research “The Dirty Dozen” to find which fruits and vegetables have higher levels of pesticides and require more cleaning.

Finding quality meats may require a little digging, but it is so worth it!  I always recommend buying from your local farmer because it not only helps support farmers who raise their animals humanely, but most local farmers do not use hormones or antibiotics!

If you cannot find a local farmer near you, it is important to be sure you are buying the right organic meats at your local grocer.  Now, marketing has become tricky and is geared towards tricking you into making you believe you are buying healthier options than you are!

For example, many companies use the word “Organic,” however organic-certified chickens can still be raised in terrible living conditions.  The key words to look for are Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane, or the Global Animal Partnership.

Another source of protein to be cautious when buying is eggs.  Eggs, out of any other protein source, have the most hormones and antibiotics pumped into them!  Again, it is best to purchase from a local, humane farmer when buying.  However if you must go the store bought route, always opt for eggs that are certified organic, pasture-raised, and are high in Omega-3s and DHAs.

One of the most healing substances God has given us is water! 

Water does everything from help purify our blood streams, to detoxing our organs to flushing out fat! Many of us do not get anywhere near the amount of water we need to be drinking a day.  A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. I personally aim for a gallon every day.

A vitally important key to maintaining good health is adding supplements to our diets.  Our foods naturally have vitamins and minerals in them, but because of technology and changes in our soil, our food has nowhere near the same potency of vitamins that it had even fifty years ago! With that said, it is important that we are giving our bodies the support it needs with supplements.

If you walk into any health food store, you will be bombarded with aisles upon aisles of supplements to choose from!  It is easy to be overwhelmed and confused when it comes to which ones your body needs.

I highly suggest finding a holistic doctor in your area who can test your food allergies, as well as provide a blood-spot metabolic test.  This will help diagnose what foods are reactive in your body as well as what vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.  That will help you immensely in trying to narrow down which ones you need.

Remember, you have way more control over what you put in your body than you realize.

While it is more effort to make the change, I promise you the results are worth it!