July 4th is a holiday which celebrates the collective commitment to individual liberties, freedom and democracy.

But so many of us are still slaves to our cravings, sugar addictions, and stuck buying food made in an industrial food system which is feeding us an unhealthy corn-based diet that is contributing to skyrocketing obesity rates, helping to fuel global warming, scaring us with constant food recalls, and offering us foods that barely resemble food!  
 

You’re in control of what you put in your mouth

I’m not asking you to give up your cherished grilling time, BBQ fare, or holiday beer and cocktails. But each of us has the opportunity this holiday to declare our food independence. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot to each one of us as unique individuals. It could be independence from sugar. Independence from food cravings. Independence from the "body jail" you have been living in for so many years. Independence from the processed and industrialized food products. 

I think it’s time that we return to our roots. Literally. We need to support a food system that offers us healthy, safe, sustainable, fresh foods. And what better time to begin than on Independence Day?

Below are some tips for how to launch your food independence to have a healthier, fun holiday.

1. Declare Your Independence From Sugar

If your cravings have been controlling your life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…it might just be time to declare your independence from sugar! Sweets raise our blood sugar, which offers a quick energy boost.  They also deliver serotonin to the brain, which makes us happy.  So it is not surprising that the average American tends to overdo it, consuming over 150 pounds of added sugars each year.  But the energy boost and happy feeling from sugar is short-lived, followed by a crash.  So that is when we need another boost…and so the cycle of dependence begins.  Sugar makes us hungry, moody and sluggish, excess sugar is stored as fat, sugar ages us, and sugar increases our disease risk. 

We are just starting week 2 of REVIVIFY whole body renewal and people are starting to feel the benefits of being independent from sugar. They are experiencing more energy (even at 3pm!), less brain fog, weight loss, clearer skin, and better moods.
If you are ready to declare your independence and take back the control from sugar, consider kicking it to the curb for at least 2 weeks. Or, if you want more structure and support around it, sign up for the next REVIVIFY 14 Day Whole Body Renewal.

2. Skip the so-called “meat” hot dogs and choose veggie ones instead.

I know this might be blasphemous, but unless you are getting meat from humanely-raised, grass-fed beef, you’re more likely to be consuming a hot dog filled with antibiotics, hormones, chemicals and corn. Not so yummy, eh? Instead, join with millions of others who will be enjoying veggie hotdogs during July-National Veggie Hotdog month; they’re tastier, healthier, have less environmental impact and are humanely raised.

3. Ok, so option 2 might have been a bit extreme for some of you. 

If you choose to eat meat this holiday weekend, check out Eat Wild for local, grass-fed beef and dairy sources.

4. Grill some fresh farmers market veggies.

Skip the vegetables shipped thousands of miles and instead choose produce grown by a farmer near you. Check out this article by the Salt Lake Tribune listing all the Utah markets. 

5. Go on a corn-free diet.

Corn is everywhere; it’s an ingredient in the food and perhaps even the packaging of a zillion products in our kitchens.

6. Don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce

Don't eat anything you can't pronounce but that excludes hard to pronounce international dishes like Souffle or Baba Ganoush. I just mean those funky ingredients on food labels that sound more like a science experiment rather than an ingredient. 

In addition, don’t eat anything with more than 5 ingredients (this is care of the food guru Michael Pollan).

7. Watch Food, Inc. 

This eye-opening movie connects the dots to explain who and how our food system really operates. It will make you want to change how you eat.

7. Plant a garden in your home or join a community garden. Check out Wasatch Community Gardens for amazing summer classes and to find out more about renting a garden plot for next year. 

8. Choose sustainably raised seafood. 

Not to rain on your parade, but many fish-stocks are dwindling at alarming rates and many fish are filled with chemicals like mercury. Make sure you eat fish that are safe for you and the planet.

9. Start a compost bin. 

You’ll have lots of kitchen scraps from your farmers market produce which can be turned into nourishing, rich soil that can then be used on your new garden. So find a place for it someplace. It can be big or small. There are lots of options check out the Green Action Center for different option ideas.  

10. Choose hormone-free or raw unpasteurized dairy. 

Do you really want to your sparkler-topped July 4th ice cream sundae to be made with hormone-laden dairy??? Me neither. Choose organic dairy, or your favorite nut milk or soy ice cream for your cold holiday treat!

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What is one way that you can declare your food independence this July 4th? Share with us in the comments below!