June 2020 Newsletter: Self-Care Basics 123 Truth about Artificial Sugar, Sleep, etc.

SNEAK PEEK OF WHAT'S INSIDE:

SELF CARE BASICS:

SLEEP WELL, TRUTH ABOUT ARTIFICIAL SUGAR, & 28 DAY CHALLENGE

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BANANA BREAD

M odern day diets focus extensively on fast, delicious, and easy-to-prepare food. We often overlook the nutrition benefits and preparation techniques of the foods we are consuming. If you have been reading the last 3 parts of the Self-Care Basics 123 series (find parts 1, 2, and 3 here), you will know that we already covered some basic tips for sleeping, eating, and exercising. Now, we will give some more information about each category: 1. Sleep: Depending on each person’s body constitution, we might differ in our needs—this applies to the length of rest as well. Sleeping well doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping for a long time; it is about the quality of the sleep. If we are having a lot of disruptive dreams or getting interrupted to get up in the middle of the night, obviously we are not getting the rest we need. Good rest is when we can fully rest our minds and our organs. We should feel very energetic when we wake up, ready to conquer the day! 2. Eat Well: Eating well doesn’t mean eating expensive food, nor should it cost an arm and a leg. More than expensive food, it is crucial that we use the right ingredients for our digestive systems. The first ingredient that I would encourage you to avoid is artificial sugar, which includes: corn syrup, fructose, agave nectar, aspartame, neotame, stevia leaf extract, saccharin, and sucralose, sugar alcohols. These artificial sugars trick the body when consumed so the body doesn’t actually receive any of the sugar or calories. In response, the body may stop releasing hormones and revving your metabolism. Interestingly, even natural sugars such as honey can be used as a substitute, and can cause digestive issues for some people. With this knowledge in mind, I try to be cautious about what the ingredients are in sauces and seasoning. Sauces and seasoning can be a sneaky area that we overlook, even when eating clean, whole foods. Additionally, I encourage you to avoid using the microwave. Using the microwave to cook food on high heat alters the heating process, and in turn, diminishes the original nutrients in food. The original nutrients will undergo chemical changes that can damage our body if we continuously eat the foods all the time. 3. Exercise: Consistency is the key for everything. We really should aim to move our body 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. Exercise can help us boost our immune system, prevent aging, and increase our metabolism. Exercise can also help people with depression reduce stress and release endorphins. Boosting our natural immune system takes 28 days so commit to working out and eating clean for 28 days and see if you feel a difference. Based on these three topics about self-care, we can continue to explore these topics deeper. Stay tuned for the next newsletter where we’ll continue Part 4 of the series. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact info@littlejasminefood.com. Verona Tang, Little Jasmine, provides this article. Verona Tang is the owner of Little Jasmine, a specialty food company. She has been studying yoga therapy and Ayurveda since 2003; She is also a certified yoga therapist, yoga teacher with a 500-hours advance teacher training certificate and is a Ayurveda wellness coach.

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RECIPE TIME: Easy Vegan Banana Bread

Using Little Jasmine Coconut oil, learn how to bake a vegan chocolate chip banana bread! 10 minute prep, 1 hour bake.

This newsletter article was originally posted in June 2020.

Note: Little Jasmine Coconut Oil is no longer available, the product has been discontinued.