Wow hi guys! It feels good to be back on the blog as I took a little hiatus the last few months. I will try to make my presence more consistent now. I actually have a few interesting posts coming up in the near future, so stay tuned babes!

I’ve wanted to do a post on aging and health for quite sometime now, because lets face it, we all need a little nudge in the right direction when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. So I gathered for you five foods that are sabotaging your aging and health so here it goes!

Carbonated water – Ok first of all no type of water is bad for you, but if you’re a frequent swigger of carbonated water it can cost you a larger waistline. Yes that’s right, carbonated water can make your abdomen feel and look round and bloated. Anything that is air infused can do this, so if you’re trying to slim that belly of yours its best if you shy away from this particular water.*Alternative – try distilled water, if you’re after some kind of fruity flavouring to your water try a water diffuser, you can practically get them anywhere and you can add grapefruit, oranges and lemons to your refreshing drink!

Artificial sweeteners – Whenever I think of artificial sweeteners I think of diet drinks, and if you’ve been living under a rock, diet pop is BAD for you! If you’re a diet soda fan please cut it out immediately. What artificial sweetener does is desensitizes your tastebuds leading you to necessitate to true sugar and sweeter foods causing weight gain! Not only does the sugar cause spikes in your system but it can also lead to Type 2 diabetes. If you have been drinking diet soda for a while you’ll start to notice that natural fruit is no longer sweet enough and you become dissatisfied and gravitate to other sweeter means. *Alternative – just go without or try a natural sweetener or organic agave or honey.

Microwave popcorn – Ok I would like to make myself clear here, popcorn alone is not bad for you, its the BAG! Everyone loves microwaveable popcorn for it’s conveniency but there are other ways to enjoy this treat without microwaving it. The bag contains PFOA which is a toxic carcinogen found in teflon that is used in pots and pans. Thats why when you hear your mom say, “don’t use the metal spatula on the teflon, we dont want that getting into our food!” she was right.  So why ingest something that is horribly bad for you that is considered a toxic chemical? * Alternative – try popping your own corn (organic preferably) in a popping machine or pan with natural oil.

A BIG no no !

Soy milk – soy milk contains phytoestrogen which can lead to hormonal problems like acne. When you consume this milk it mimics your human hormones and can actually give a man breasts if they’re not careful. * Alternative – unsweetened almond milk or tofu

Fruit juices – the problem with some types of fruit juices is that all of the fibre is removed and you’re basically drinking sugar. Fibre in drinks act like a sponge and absorbs the sugar so you don’t spike, so when this is left out of your juice you’re not getting the extra minerals and vitamins that you really need.  *Alternative – blended smoothies are a great alternative and helps slow your digestion and prevents insulin spikes. If you really wanna go gusto try making a kale smoothie or any type of green vegetable to your drink, this will lead to wonderful skin and hair benefits!

I hope these were helpful tips please let me know what you think of this post below. If it’s well received I may continue with a health segment on the blog! Thanks parfaits, now get healthy and have fun! xoxo

* Context taken from the podcast “The Holistic Plastic Surgery Show” by Anthony Your, MD available on iTunes