Happy New Years! 6 Simple Things You Can Do In 2013 To Optimize Your Health
Originally published on 
By Dr. Alejandra Carrasco
Want to get healthier this year? Start with these six easy steps:
1. Eat the rainbow. Make a commitment to eat an array of fruits and vegetables that span the colors of the rainbow on a daily basis. The synergy of all of those antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fiber is incredibly health-giving. Aim for 7 servings of vegetables every day and 3 servings of fruit.
2. Just say NO to GMO foods. A 2012 study out of France confirmed the dangers of GMO food consumption. Rats were fed genetically modified corn chow on a daily basis for two years and the results included an exponential increase in mammary tumors, kidney failture and liver necrosis in the rats who ate GMO food compared to their control counterparts.
3. Get cultured. Eat fermented foods like kombucha, kefir, and sauerkraut regularly. These foods contain health-promoting bacteria that are great for your gut and therefore great for your immune system, brain, and pretty much your whole body.
4. Say bye-bye to processed foods and sugar. Processed foods and sugar are inflammatory and contribute to heart disease, insulin resistance, and autoimmune disease. They are non-nutritive and don’t serve you!
5. Switch to all natural household and personal products. We slather on hundreds of chemicals on our bodies on a daily basis and clean our homes with an astounding number of toxic compounds each and every day. These products contain endocrine disrupters, known carcinogens, and heavy metals. Go natural in 2013!
6. Get moving and start sweating. Stick to a consistent exercise program and aim for 30 to 45 minutes a day of activities that allow for heart rate variability and that get you sweating.