In this busy, work-obsessed culture, people frequently forget to show the necessary TLC to their minds and bodies. Grabbing food that’s easy instead of healthy is a frequent symptom of life-on-the-go. But let’s be honest: everyone can afford to spend a little more energy in maintaining their overall wellness. While we know seeking counsel from a personal nutritionist is not in the budget for most, busy Everygirls deserve professional insights from a seasoned pro. Read on as we get the lowdown on leading a well-balanced life from our resident health consultant, Christine Fikany.

And share with us: what’s the wellness tip you swear by?

1 |   Get your juice on.
WHY: Juicing extracts the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind the fibers (the hard to digest stuff). This way, your body can best absorb the nutrients without having to digest the dense ingredients.
HOW: Invest in a juicer! It’ll allow you to pack an incredible quantity of fruits and veggies into a single glass of juice, leaving you with a smooth and delicious nutritional cocktail.

2 |   Sweat it out.
WHY: Sweating helps the body rid itself of unwanted materials and aids circulation. In medieval times, healers relied on saunas to cure illnesses and priests channeled the heat to chase away evil spirits. If you have any negativity in your life, find yourself a sauna, stat!
HOW: Hit the sauna after you exercise, and you’ll elicit a quart of sweat per hour. Tip: dry heat of a sauna is generally more tolerable than the wet heat of a steam room.

3 |   Up the H2O.
WHY: Water accelerates movement through our system; cleansing out waste and toxins, plumping up cell count, and clearing skin.
HOW: Carry water with you 24/7, whether you’re at home or the office (it’s a good excuse to score a cute eco-friendly bottle, too!). Jumpstart your morning with a glass of water to start the hydration process.

Figure out your daily water consumption:
Your weight / 2 = number of ounces you should drink daily

4 |   Cravings are not the problem.
WHY: Learn to trust your cravings, rather than attributing them to weaknesses. With a craving, your body typically sends signals to your brain for nutrients it needs.
HOW: Trust what your body’s telling you. Understand the foods, deficits, and behaviors in your life that spur your cravings. Start with the flavor and find a healthy substitute!

Craving something sweet? Bypass the processed donuts, cakes, and cookies and grab enzyme-rich raw chocolate. Statistics show that it has 20 times more antioxidants than a glass of red wine! Also try sweet veggies, such as corn, carrots, onions, beets, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and yams.
Craving something salty? Cravings for salty food often indicate mineral deficiency. Instead of a bag of chips, try leafy greens which are high in minerals. Kale chips are a savior, and easy to prep.

5 |   Incorporate “crowding out” foods into your diet.
WHY: An effective way to cut out unhealthy foods from your diet, the crowding out principle suggests you add more to your diet rather than taking foods away. Increase your intake of nutritious foods, and your body will have less room to process nutrient-deficient foods.
HOW: Eat and drink healthfully in the morning, which will leave less room and desire for unhealthy foods later in the day. If you snack on fruits and vegetables during the day, you’re less likely to binge on a pint of Ben & Jerry’s at night.

6 |   Soak your nuts.
WHY: Nuts are a Super Food; they’re full of fiber and promote energy and weight loss. Soaking them facilitates easy digestion.
HOW: Soak nuts overnight to work away the difficult to digest peel—the acid around the nut. Soaking them also activates the energy, allowing you to absorb it.

Soaked Almonds
- 1 cup raw organic almonds
- Purified water
- Plastic bag
Before bed, put the almonds in a plastic bag and submerge with water. For a bit more flavor, add a dash of cinnamon. The next day, enjoy your snack at work!

7 |   Bio-individuality: eat what’s right for your body.
WHY: Each person has unique lifestyle and dietary needs. You know that girl who can load up on white bread and pasta, and stay slender? It’s not because carbs are “bad” or your body isn’t as healthy; people just metabolize foods differently. Knowing the foods that are ideal for your metabolism will help you embrace feel-good ingredients.
HOW: Listen to your body and make the best food choices for your dietary needs and lifestyle. Kick off a high-protein diet with lots of fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains. From there, add on in moderation and test out what works!

8 |   Eat out less; cook at home more.
WHY: By preparing your own meals, you’ll eat for satiety (feeling gratified after eating; not gross) and be less likely to overeat due to heaping portions. Home cooking will also keep you from consuming excess salt or flavoring condiments, as you would at a restaurant.
HOW: Practice the simple art of meal planning. Craft a well-balanced menu for the week ahead on Sunday, then hit Trader Joe’s. Or, let us do the work for you! Try Ten Meals for Under $50.

9 |   Get your beauty sleep.
WHY: Sleep regenerates your body and stabilizes energy and appetite the next day. Fact: people who are more well-rested lose weight at a higher metabolic rate than the perpetually sleep-deprived. Plus, when you’re sleepy, the same hormones drive appetite (cue: the midnight snacking!).
HOW: Aim for at least 8 hours of zzz’s a night. If you’re restless, try relaxation techniques like imagining waves breaking at a beach or staring at the back of your eyelids—trust us, both really work!

10 |   Detoxify to kick off weight loss.
WHY: When your body efficiently detoxifies and rids toxins, energy will burn calories.
HOW: Work simple detoxification methods intro your routine, like sweating it out at the sauna, cutting back sugar intake, eating more raw foods, indulging in massages, and practicing yoga. People who exercise regularly have fewer toxins in their system.

Dry Skin Brushing
This technique lifts dead cells from the skin and leaves essential oils intact, plus cleans out the lymphatic system. When using a skin brush on dry skin, always start from the bottom up and brush towards your heart.
After you brush, take a warm bath or shower and follow it up with a cool rinse. This will stimulate circulation and give you that covetable dewy glow!

*UPDATE: You ask? We deliver. Make Your Own Kale Chips recipe just added to The Everygirl blog!

jenna fain

alaina kaczmarski

danielle moss

Christine Fikany