Simple Steps To Thrive In Your Health And Life

Learn The Basic Principles For LLiVing Here

Whatever your age, family or work situation, you probably feel tired, overworked, overwhelmed and under pressure to be everything to everyone.

If you’re in your mid 40’s or older, you’ve most likely been led to believe that your brain and body is already deteriorating, and you’re doing well if you’re not on life-long medication for cholesterol or high blood pressure.

A Different Way of LLiVing

I’m Jill, owner and creator of LLiV, and in my world, age is a mentality not a number, aging is reversible, and bodies are made to get healthier and stronger, not sicker and weaker.

LLiVing isn’t just about following the latest diet or fitness fad, it’s a mentality that refuses to be ‘normal’ or accept what society - or the media - says you should be. It’s a way of life that promotes vitality, growth and potential, personal freedom and creating YOUR life the way YOU want it.

LLiVing is about having a perspective that embraces your imperfections and says “I wonder what’s possible for me?”.

It’s about starting from wherever you’re at, and wanting – craving even – to LIVE A BETTER LIFE and be MORE YOU.

Anyone Can LLiV

As I entered my 40’s I was burned out, unable to exercise at all, had multiple food intolerances and nutrient deficiencies, skin worse than when I was a teenager, adrenal fatigue and a digestive system that was a mess. I had a high pressure job I hated, and was in a relationship that was toxic and going no-where. My self belief and confidence were on the floor, and I felt I barely had the energy to exist.

The odds were not stacked in my favour but I turned everything around. People regularly think I’m 15 years younger than I am (without botox, filler or pharmaceuticals!), and my body is stronger and more flexible than many people’s half my age. And this isn’t because my life is stress-free or pampered. It’s because I walk my talk and the results speak for themselves!

So wherever you’re at, I want you to know you can move forwards, your body can heal, and you can even learn to love the parts of yourself you hate.

You just need to know what your body, mind and being need to thrive.

Let’s get into it….

Welcome to The New You – The Basics

Whilst we’re all different, our bodies have some fundamental needs that we all share. So let’s not make this complicated. There are some basics steps you can take to help you LLiV a more vital and empowered life.

The first concept to get is that your body wants to be healthy. It’s working 24/7 to keep you well and safe. But, it needs you to do your bit and give it what it needs.

Step 1. Clean Up Your Act

You literally are what you consume, so put crap in, and yes… you figured it out!

If you give your body low quality nutrient-devoid toxic food, then you’re giving your body really poor materials to create you with. When your body is working with substandard materials, then your cells and organs will be compromised, and even your focus, thinking and mood will be impacted. By consuming inferior food, you’re downgrading everything from your DNA to your quality of life.

Not only that, your body is already fighting off a whole bunch of invaders (like bacteria, viruses and funghi), as well as dealing with toxic chemicals from our environment. Just like fish need clean water, your body’s cells need a clean environment. Your body is continually doing its best to get harmful chemicals out of you so that your cells have a clean, healthy home, but it can only cope with so much.

Smoking, alcohol, drugs, processed foods, air fresheners, household cleaning and personal care products all add additional harmful chemicals to your body.

So give your body a break! Eat clean. Live clean.

Ease up on the harmful stuff so your body can put less focus on processing the toxins, and more energy into making you amazing.

Step 2: Nourish Your Body

Public dietary advice is way out of date and actually counter-productive to a healthy diet: the emphasis is still on starchy carbohydrates and dairy, and fruit and vegetables are viewed as the same thing.

Then there’s the diet industry, which promises you can eat whatever you like whilst giving you portion sizes that leave your craving more, AND replaces calories with chemicals: removing essential nutrients whilst adding in sweeteners, salt and flavour enhancers.

I don’t want you to be fooled for 1 minute: just because something is on the shelf in the supermarket, it doesn’t mean it’s good for your body, or should even be considered as food.

You need to be smarter than that to be healthy in the 21st Century.

(i) Eat Your Greens

Vegetables are where you get the majority of vitamins and minerals from, so make your plate at least 50% vegetables of all colours and varieties.

(ii) Cut Out Sugar

Sugar is hidden in processed food under over 20 different ingredient names. It’s more addictive than cocaine, and whilst it gives you a feel-good rush, it causes massive disruption to your body. And whether it’s table sugar, coconut blossom nectar or dates, sugar is sugar. So stick to a maximum of 2 pieces of fruit per day.

(iii) Cut Down Your Carbs. Cut Out Gluten

Bread, pasta, rice and cous cous are just complicated sugar. Sugar is not only aging, but also plays havoc with your insulin levels and other hormones. As for gluten – ever wondered why you get a major case of brain fog after eating a plate of pasta or a sandwich? It’s because gluten opens the pores of your intestinal lining and your blood-brain barrier, allowing molecules that are too big to be in your system to circulate. This causes inflammation. Inflammation + brain = very bad combination!

Aim to have no more than 20% of your meal as a carbohydrate. I personally aim for even less.

(iv) Eat Good Fats!

Your body needs fat. Every single cell in your body contains fat, and your brain is nearly 60% fat. Many hormones are synthesised and transported around the body in fat, so for us ladies in particular, it's super-important for our hormonal balance.

But not just any fat will do. They need to be high quality, organic, raw, cold pressed fats like coconut, olive, hemp, flax or sesame oil. Avocados are great too. Hydrogenated fats (like low fat spreads), and processed oils (like canola) are inflammatory and bad news for your body. Steer clear!

(v) Eat High Quality Protein

Your body needs good quality protein, and you need more as you age. Protein provides the building blocks of you: your muscle, connective tissue, hair, blood, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and much more.

Eating meat is a personal choice. If you do, make sure it’s organic and grass fed, free range or line caught. Intensively farmed animals have a terrible life and are fundamentally unhealthy.

If you’re vegan, nuts, seeds and pulses aren’t enough, so try supplementing with plant protein powders and amino acids.

(vi) Cut Out Processed & Homogenised Dairy

Most dairy products contain casein and lactose which can cause inflammation and digestive issues. Many people feel much better for removing dairy from their diet, particularly those with skin issues (eczema and psoriasis) or asthma.

(vii) Eat Organic Where Possible

Organic food is not only free of chemical pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, but is also more nutritious because the soil (the source of nutrients), is better looked after. So pick organic if you can afford it.

(viii) Source Locally If You Can

Local food tends to be fresher and picked when it’s ripe, meaning the nutrient content is at its peak. There’s nothing better than home grown, but local is the next best thing.

(ix) Count Nutrients, Not Calories

When you focus on eating fresh nutrient-dense living foods, the calories take care of themselves (by cutting out high calorie, low nutrient foods like bad fats and carbohydrates). When your body is well nourished you also have less cravings.

Our soils are depleted though, so I recommend super-nutrifying with superfoods like seaweeds, wheatgrass, chia seeds, spirulina, bee pollen etc.

Step 3. Move Your Body

A strong flexible body is a resilient one – not only in terms of the physical knocks it can take, but also in terms of the impact on your immune system and mental health. Especially as you get older, maintaining strength is essential – many people end up in old people’s homes because muscle wastage means they’re unable to move, not becasue they're ill. That may be a long way off, but it’s never too early or too late to start working on your body. So keep moving, stay strong and don’t accept cultural and media hype about what you should or shouldn’t be capable of.

Step 4. Sleep Like A Baby

Sleep is a gamechanger and one of the best things you can do for your physical, mental and emotional state. Forget charging yourself up on sugar and caffeine. Charge up the natural way with sleep.

Step 5. Manage Stress

Easier said than done, I know! Stress has a huge negative impact on your body and being. When you’re under stress almost all systems of your body shut down including your immune system, digestion and assimilation. This is why – in my late 30’s - I was deficient in many nutrients despite my healthy diet.

Stress is fine and even positive when it’s occasional, but for many of us stress has become a way of life.

Step 6. Become More You

Growth is a law of nature, as well as a basic human need. Feeding your mind, managing your mindset and building a deeper connection to the truth of who you are, are essential to your experience of life.

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