Drink water and reduce pain!

The vast majority of us don't drink enough water. When people drink anything it is usually loaded with caffeine, sugar/fake sugars, colourings, flavourings and in many cases, all of the above. Such drinks can actually reduce the amount of water that you retain in your body. 

The human body is made up of more water than you might have realised; your brain and spinal cord is about 70% water, your bones are about 25% water, your intervertebral discs in your spine are about 90% water. 83% of the blood in your body is water. So, it's not too surprising that without adequate water, you might not be functioning to your full potential. Water is a natural anti-inflammatory and therefore is great for reducing episodes of back/joint pain, eczema, acne etc. It keeps our urinary tracts clear of infection reducing the risk of cystitis. It helps us maintain mental clarity and overall energy. It also can help with maintaining our blood pressure and even aid in weight loss. 

Whenever you feel hungry it is actually most likely that your body is telling you to hydrate. Drink water 15-20mins before a meal and you may well find that you require less food to feel satisfied/full

Vitamin C - Essential for life

Vitamin C is possibly one of the most important vitamins of all. It helps us fend off free radicals that cause cancer and heart disease, boosts our immune system helping us to produce white blood cells and aids in growth and repair of our bodily tissues.

In order to get enough Vit C your diet needs to contain lots of fruits and vegetables (mainly vegetables). That said, the way that you prepare these foods can drastically effect the amount of Vit C you are getting. For example, heating your vegetables destroys ALL the Vit C. Freezing your fruits and veg kills off at least 50% of the Vit C. The less fresh the produce is, the less Vit C it will contain. How often you eat Vit C also matters as it only hangs around in your body for 4-5hrs. This means that you need to consistently consume foods high in Vit C in order to keep your blood levels optimal for the entire day.

Did you know that parsley, broccoli, brussel sprouts and bell peppers all contain more Vit C when measured weight-for-weight than an orange? Guava is the optimal fruit for Vit C with 4x as much as an orange. Guava for breakfast anyone?