5 superfoods for weight loss

Digestive Enzymes and Their Importance to Your Diet As a beginner to the raw food diet, you’ve undoubtedly spent a lot of time researching to ensure your transition is the easiest. In addition to that, you’ve probably run into discussions with enzymes, especially digestive enzymes. You may have noticed that we provide live digestive enzymes in the form of organic, non-GMO, nutrient-packed supplements and have perhaps thought to yourself: do you need them? Should you get these? What are digestive enzymes and their importance to your diet anyway? Can digestive enzymes help fight bloat, improve a leaky gut, or improve symptoms of diabetes? Surprisingly, there are some very valid, scientifically proven benefits to cultivating suitable digestive enzymes both in plant and supplement form. Let’s dive into everything about it! What are Digestive Enzymes? Our bodies make enzymes within our digestive systems, including the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and small intestines. Digestive enzymes are...

How to Prepare Raw Foods Without Expensive Tools A raw food diet is a plant-based way of eating whole food that has not been cooked or processed with heat, or at the very least, never heated above 118 degrees, so that the nutritional content of the food is not destroyed by cooking. Maintaining a raw food diet when you are just beginning can seem complicated and a bit expensive at first. Finding truly organic, non genetically modified, pesticide, and chemical-ridden fruits and veggies can be hard at first, and the prices may seem steep. In addition to that, not everyone can immediately afford to go out and get a juicer, food processor, mandolin, or spiralizer. Going raw is a fantastic way to reap so many healthy rewards for every aspect of your entire body, but what do you do if you can’t quite get a hold of the kitchen tools needed? What happens if you’re between paychecks or currently in a financial tight spot and a recipe calls for spiralized zucchini and blended dates? Don’t worr...

Fighting Flu Season Through Diet and Raw Foods When it is cold and flu season, many of us dread the moment when the tell-tale tickling symptoms of illness begin. The common cold and the flu are often caused by the rhinovirus, coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, and influenza viruses. As vegans or raw foodists, we can often fall prey to these viruses. When we aren’t getting the proper vitamin or nutrients in our diet, these deficiencies can sometimes trigger a significant decrease in our immune system’s function, allowing the invasion of one of these viruses into our bodies. If our immune systems aren’t functioning as well as possible, this could lead to more severe symptoms or the cold and flu lingering longer. However, the good news is that there are a few plants out there that can help bolster our bodies, potentially helping to prevent or even treat the common cold or flu. It’s essential that while you are feeding your body these healthful foods while sick...

Raw Food Desserts Kids Will Love It can be easy to think that eating a raw-food, plant-based diet means staying away from indulgent, decadent desserts. It can be even more difficult to struggle against cravings when you’ve got kids that are wanting something sweet, too, and when it seems you are surrounded by countless sources of over-processed, refined sugar-laden treats. You know that refined sugar intake is linked to conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease—yet it’s found in so many baked goods you might find it intensely challenging to avoid and perhaps even more challenging to deny them to your little ones. So what can you do on a raw food diet when the kids are asking for something sweet? What if we told you that there are raw food desserts kids will love? What if kids of all ages could enjoy no-bake cookies, puddings, and more? If you’ve ever wondered it was ever possible to find Raw food desserts kids and you will love, then wonder no further! Before Makin...

Vegetarian Christmas Recipes The holiday season is nearing, and the world seems all aglow with twinkling lights. We are ready to celebrate His birth, family, and friends, and share the gift of love with one another. And of course, there are the ever-present delicious holiday snacks, cookies, and foods. This time of year can be both joyous and challenging, especially if you’re adjusting or maintaining your excellent raw food diet amid friends and family who may not be. This season, don’t struggle with being left out from good food and good memories. There are so many fantastic raw food vegetarian Christmas recipes that you can make that not only will you love, your friends and loved ones will too! Let’s get festive with these nutritious and delicious raw food holiday recipes! Raw Vegan Egg Nog Delicious, warming, smooth, and sweet but without eggs, the unhealthy refined sugar or dairy? Yes! Here’s how you can make this traditional Christmas drink to enjoy this holiday season. Ingred...

Combating Seasonal Depression with Raw Foods For some of us, we may find ourselves dreading the winter months as the fog begins to descend upon our minds and hearts. You may start to find it harder and harder to find joy in winter, noticing yourself becoming less active. Perhaps you sleep more or less than you do in the summer and might find yourself no longer enjoying the hobbies you used to as well as over or under eating. You aren’t alone. More than 5% of American adults experience what is more than “”the winter blues.”” Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs for many Americans at the same time of year. Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatments now available. Along with various kinds of therapy, you might be able to help bolster your SAD this year and in the future with the help of some nutrient-abundant, nourishing raw foods. But what is SAD? And what foods may help? What is SAD? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is depression that is triggered b...

Dominique’s Success Story – From Trauma to Triumph Congratulations to Dominique, our December Transformation Challenge winner. She’s had a challenging few years, but with encouragement from the Secret Slimmer community, she put herself forward for the challenge and is now £1000 richer! So what’s her story? How did she get to this point? Well, Dominique found herself at her lowest and heaviest after many years of trauma in her life. As we eventually all do, she hit the point where she felt she couldn’t continue as she was, and decided to seek out her best life.  Part of her new self involved slimming down, but having tried all the diets out there she was sceptical that she would find something that would work. Yet the New You 12 weeks to change your life on our website really spoke to her. So she dove right in. Read on to discover her full journey, her highs and lows, and how she achieved her inspirational results. After a traumatic few years, loosing both my parents and th...

YOUR WORDS MATTER February is classically known as the month of love, where we show our appreciation for those around us. But what about ourselves? What about you? You may think about how you love others but have you considered about how you love yourself? The truth is that self-love is both important and necessary for positive emotional health. Self-love affects so many aspects of your life and the amount of success you achieve. You see, no one will take care of you more than you take care of yourself. When you hold yourself in high esteem, you’re more likely to choose things that nurture your well-being and serve you well, like following your healthy plan or saying positive things to support yourself. So this month hop on board the self-love train with Pascale and learn how to love yourself as much as your friends and family do. Or even more so!  February’s first session is on Tuesday 1st and it’s all about words. The vocabulary you use when talking to or about yourself has a...

Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Cook cauliflower in the air fryer for crispy edges! This air fryer cauliflower recipe tastes roasted, but is ready in just 12 minutes, including prep time, and makes a healthy side dish.  Get The Recipe Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Want more like this? Visit the Wholesome Yum recipe index for more natural, gluten-free, low carb recipes with 10 ingredients or less! Maya | Wholesome Yum

Keto Almond Flour Waffles Recipe Make this almond flour waffle recipe in just 15 minutes! These easy, CRISPY keto waffles come together fast with simple, natural ingredients.  Get The Recipe Keto Almond Flour Waffles Recipe Want more like this? Visit the Wholesome Yum recipe index for more natural, gluten-free, low carb recipes with 10 ingredients or less! Maya | Wholesome Yum

Thyroid Cancer: An Overview While thyroid cancer is one of the least common forms of cancer and also one of the most treatable, it still impacts thousands of people each year. As the American Thyroid Association explained, even patients with the most advanced forms of the disease have options for effective treatments and a relatively good prognosis. The Thyroid Though it doesn’t always garner much attention, the thyroid gland plays a very important role in the body . As the ATA explained, the thyroid is responsible for making hormones that are distributed to each of the organs in the body. The thyroid hormone itself is vital to the function of key organs like the heart and the brain. It also helps to keep the body warm and use its energy effectively. Risk Factors and Symptoms As with all risk factors, there are some that can be controlled and some that can not. With thyroid cancer, family history, gender and age are common causes. Women are three times more likely than men to have ...

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings – Air Fryer or Oven Buffalo cauliflower wings – two ways – in the air fryer or the oven! Saucy, spicy, and crispy, these are seriously finger-licking good. If you love... Read more » Kara Lydon

Baked Rainbow Trout Recipe Learn how to cook rainbow trout, the simple and easy way! This fool-proof baked rainbow trout recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in just 15 minutes.  Get The Recipe Baked Rainbow Trout Recipe Want more like this? Visit the Wholesome Yum recipe index for more natural, gluten-free, low carb recipes with 10 ingredients or less! Maya | Wholesome Yum

5 Benefits of Nutrition Coaching with a Registered Dietitian Nutrition coaching with a Registered Dietitian gives you the individualized guidance, support, and expertise you need to reach your health and wellness goals. Are you struggling to maintain a balanced weight? Do you find yourself constantly battling yourself over your food choices? Do you have a health condition that requires a modified diet? If you said yes to any of the above-listed questions, you may want to consider hiring a Registered Dietitian . Nutrition is an integral part of each and every one of our lives. From the way we think about food to the food choices we make and how they impact our bodies, nutrition has a hand in it all. Here I’ll walk you through what nutrition coaching entails, in addition to how you can significantly benefit from it. If after reading this you realize that nutrition coaching is something you’d like to explore, you can book a free Discovery Call. During this call, you’ll learn all abou...

OH CRUD! I Messed Up Is Your Health Turnaround on course? We can go for years, bouncing around, feeling “OFF”; Feeling lazy. Mostly settling. Though, finally, somehow, we quiet our mind, and figure out what we really want. We decide to eliminate all the distractions that have held us back. We get motivated. We like our new path. We have finally got our act together. It feels so good to have our lives pulled together. It feels good to have a plan and make strides. We sail along feeling so positive. Sure, there are obstacles. But we can think through them and ingeniously conquer them. Then . . . something happens. We get off course. When we mess up and veer off track, it can be so annoying. Example 1: We tell ourselves we will never eat ice cream again and we sit down and eat an entire pint. Example 2: We have an awesome exercise regimen and then we quit exercising for several weeks because we are spending too much time searching the net and other time-snatchers. Example 3: We su...

45 Best Pomegranate Recipes Pomegranate is that vibrant ingredient that can liven up any dish! These 45 best pomegranate recipes are colorful and flavorful as well as cozy and... Read more » Kara Lydon

What is Diabetic Blindness? According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects 30.3 million Americans. Of those individuals, only about 23.1 million were diagnosed. Additionally, it's estimated that about 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed every year. This debilitating disease has a huge impact on those who live with it. Type 2 diabetes can cause increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination and headaches. It can also lead to more severe health complications, such as heart disease and blurred vision, which is referred to as diabetic blindness or retinopathy. What is Diabetic Blindness? According to the National Eye Institute, diabetic retinopathy is the most common type of eye disease in the U.S. It's caused by high blood sugar levels leading to the swelling of the blood vessels of the retina, which often leads to leaking fluid. It may also cause the blood vessels to close, which can stop blood from passing through. This ultimately shuts down th...