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Introduction

So much emphasis with gusto has been put on eating the right kind of foods and avoiding ‘bad foods’. This sort of movement has created quite a stir in many phases of dieting and the food industry with each and every one having a different definition of what clean eating is. Either way, it all points to eating certain foods which are healthy and avoiding those categorized as ‘not healthy’.

The main aim is to ensure you eat and stay healthy as a result. We are what we eat, as it goes and so it should be that we eat clean foods. Clean eating can also be called eating real foods. When we speak about real foods, we mean foods which are as close as possible to their natural state. The shortest route of getting it to your plate is normally preferred than packaging, flavoring and coloring and all refining processes. This ensures it is free from chemicals, unhealthy fats and all sorts of junk that can cause health problems in the long run.

In this report, clean eating has been given the center stage to create the true understanding to help you make the right food choices; know what to eat, the right amount and what you are supposed to avoid. The guiding principles and rationale of clean eating are properly explained to you step by step. You will understand the importance of eating real foods as compared to your pizza and pasta, and why you should consider salads instead.

If you have never tried eating clean, or have no idea what it involves, then you will not worry any other time. Simple recipes that are homemade are well outlined to induct you in to clean eating. And finally, are you ready to take on a challenge to see if you really weigh up to the matter? A comprehensive challenge is outlined for you to try. One thing to keep in mind all through is that, natural is always better!

What is Clean Eating and Why is it Important?

You’ve probably heard before about clean eating but do not exactly know what it’s about and how to join the health trend. Clean eating is consuming whole foods which are near as possible to their natural state. In other words, it is eating only foods which have undergone minimal processes of refining, processing and handling, making them as close to their natural state as possible. It does not involve eating a specific amount of food or less of something, but being mindful of where the food comes from, its process and how you finally put it on your plate.

Nowadays, it is difficult to find foods which have not been refined or processed in some way. This becomes a challenge for clean eating enthusiasts. The rationale of clean eating emphasizes on raw food options such as fruits and vegetables while eliminating refined grains, sugars, salt and unhealthy fats and proteins.

Should You Be Eating Clean?

Anyone aspiring for a healthy diet should go for clean foods. Eating clean is very easy to follow and does not require any strenuous effort apart from being mindful of your food choices. Unlike dieting, you are not restricted to any specific amount of food and hence calories. You can eat as much as you would like to, or less for that matter. What is important is to ensure that you make healthy food choices by selecting foods that are not refined or processed. Choose foods which are as close to their natural and raw state as much as possible.

How to Go about Eating Clean Food and Why it is Important to You

Clean eating has a lot of dietary benefits that comes along with it. Knowing how to make the right food choices is only the beginning. With the challenge of not knowing which food is to be considered clean, it is vital that you follow these steps to be able to eat clean.

* Eliminate processed foods: Processed foods have undergone various refining stages. They have additives and ingredients which are considered unhealthy. To begin with, check whether the ingredient list has anything that is classified as additive or artificial colors. Many refined foods have sodium, sugar and fat which do not qualify them as clean foods. There are however clean packaged foods such as whole-wheat pasta, baby spinach and chickpeas which are all good clean eating options.

* Eat more veggies: Vegetables are classy sources of vitamins A and K which help improve your vision and immune system. Go for fresh vegetables which are obtained straight from the farm, they are unprocessed and clean.

* Eat healthy fats: When eating clean, you do not need to cut back on all fat, but instead opt for clean options or healthy fats. Swap out saturated fats such as those found in meat, cheese and butter. Healthy fats are vital in improving the health of your heart and also in raising the level of the good cholesterol, HDL cholesterol.

* Reduce alcohol: This may contain unhealthy sugars and excess amount of calories which is not good for your health. Avoid mixed drinks containing lots of sugars. Be moderate in your alcohol intake-one drink per day for women and two for men.

* Monitor your salt intake: Many people have a problem of taking more than the recommended limit of 2,300 mg of sodium per day. This exposes them to high blood pressure. By eating clean, you should avoid packaged foods which are high in sodium.

* Eat whole grains: Choose whole grains which contain bran and germ, unlike refined grains which have them removed during processing. When shopping, check the label to ascertain that it is ‘whole wheat’ and not just ‘wheat’.

* Check the portion size of meat: Eat less meat. But this does not mean that you entirely eliminate any prospect of meat. Certain meats have saturated fat which does not constitute healthy eating. Lean meat is a preferred option.

* Eat more fruits: Fruits are naturally sweet, delicious, rich in potassium and vitamin C. Take 1½ to 2 cups of fruit per day to obtain the recommended vitamins. Go for whole unprocessed fruits which are raw and obtained straight from the farm.

* Clean eating requires your deliberate effort by consciously choosing what to eat and being mindful all the time. It is not difficult once you are aware of what you should be eating and what to avoid. Avoid or cut back on anything refined or containing unknown ingredients which form a lengthy list on the label. These are most likely processed and ultimately unclean foods.

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Green Beekeeping

Beekeeping can be an inexpensive hobby or a profitable business, depending on your goals and where you live. How much time you spend on your bee colonies will depend on how many you have, what your reasons for doing it are, and how much time and money you want to invest.

A new hive will cost about 150 dollars, depending on where you live and what is available. With the vast dying off happening with bee colonies the last few years, it is very important that as many people as possible get involved with beekeeping in some way.

Using green beekeeping practices isn’t always in vogue, but it’s better for the environment and it’s better for the bees. Although there is a lot of disagreement among beekeepers about the topic with beekeepers blaming treatment-free keepers for colony collapse, there is no evidence that this is true.

What Are Green Beekeeping Practices?

Green beekeeping means that you don’t use artificial means to take care of your bees without a good reason. You ensure they have a good supply of organic flowering plants that haven’t been ruined with dangerous pesticides, and you’re careful not to introduce bacteria to their environment.

Let Them Eat Honey

The way you do this is you don’t use all their honey for your harvest. Instead, you leave enough honey so that the bees can live through the winter. You can even freeze some of the frames in case of an emergency. But, leaving the honey bees with their own stores that they produce in the fall is the best way to do it.

Let Them Die

Additionally, instead of trying to save poorly performing hives with fake food, it’s probably better to kill off the queen and introduce the hive to a new queen. This will make the colony stronger and healthier in the long run, because you don’t keep weak hives alive artificially.

Start with Two Colonies

Beginning your beekeeping enterprise with two colonies is a good green practice; you’ll be able to learn faster since no two colonies are the same. Depending on where you got your bees - whether from a package, nucleus (nuc), or swarm - one hive might be stronger than another. And having two can help you keep the strongest, thus building a much stronger eco-system of colonies.

Start New Hives in the Spring

New hives should be started in the spring during the heaviest blooming time, because that is when the most nutrition is available. Leave enough honey for all your hives all the time, so that you don’t have to feed them anything that's bad for them. Feeding healthy bees sugar water is not good nutrition and will produce poor quality honey, leading to more serious problems as time moves on.

Buy Bees That Are Native to Your Area

When you buy bees, buy them from local producers rather than through the mail from a long distance. Locally produced nucs will be healthier and more accustomed to the environment. Some of the behavior of bees is bred into them from the DNA memory of the bees that came before them. Stick to hives from home.

Smaller Honey Harvests Are Best

It’s better to have a smaller harvest to keep your bees well fed than it is to harvest everything and feed them junk food to keep them going. All that happens when you do the latter is that your bees will produce weaker and weaker offspring due to the low nutrition.