You know those (rare) days when you wake up naturally and feel so energized you're not even the least bit angry with your alarm clock? You float out of bed, scrape your tongue before doing some good old-fashioned oil pulling, and diffuse citrus oil (for energy, of course) while making yourself a warm cup of lemon water. You feel so happy and at peace that you're expecting birds and woodland creatures to flutter in through the window and help you get dressed at any moment. Maybe that's your everyday, or maybe you only dream about those type of days, but that's how my mornings go when I know I have a full fridge of Sakara meals (give or take a few details, i.e. the woodland creatures).

I first discovered Sakara's Clean Boutique years ago and became obsessed with their products to maximize my beauty and health, like probiotic chocolates and detox water drops (#extra and effective? Yus please!). The brand truly lives my core values of getting the most out of this life using plants as medicine and tools to become your best self. Sakara is one of my personal favorite tools to achieve optimal balance, and my go-to meal delivery service when I'm too busy to cook or need an extra boost. Their food is grounded in nutrition science (using all organic foods), and utilizes high-quality superfoods to not only heal symptoms, but to feel like your very best self.

At the risk of being overly transparent, I want to preface these pillars by letting you know that none of this is sponsored. This is simply a brand with a mission I believe everyone can (and should) benefit from, whether it's trying three days of meals during a busy week, or it's training your brain with these pillars to understand that true health is not restrictive; it's freeing. Here are nine pillars of nutrition that my favorite wellness brand utilizes (that also happen to be key lifestyle principles I regularly share with my clients: insider hot tip!).

1. Count Nutrients, Not Calories.

Say it with me now for the people in the back: calories are not a measure of food's nutritional quality. They are a metric of energy and they're not all created equal. 1,000 calories of soda will show up a lot differently in your body than 1,000 calories of kale. Instead of counting calories (because it doesn't really do anything but drive you crazy), count vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, macronutrients, and focus on how food makes you feel, not the numbers that show up on apps or food tracking devices.

2. Plant Protein is King (and more than sufficient!)

As a lifelong vegetarian, doctors have been telling me for years that I need to eat more animal products (like eggs and dairy) to increase my protein. That research is false and straight up outdated (sorry to my pediatrician!). Sakara meals are 100% plant-based and actually average 40% more than the daily requirement of protein. The truth is that getting a variety of plants offers more than enough nutrients your body needs. Make sure you're eating lots of nuts, beans, seeds, and vegetables that are rich in amino acids.

3. Eat Your Water

Sipping out of a water bottle is the old school way to stay hydrated (but like, also crucially important so please keep that up). Eating foods high in water content is the secret to long-term, lasting hydration. Water-dense plants hydrate your cells on a different level than drinking water can, AKA your skin will have an everlasting glow (trust me). Load up on plants like cucumber, romaine lettuce, and berries.

4. Leafy Greens are Medicine

When people ask me the smallest thing they can do for the biggest difference, I always answer the same way: laugh more and eat more leafy greens. Leafy greens are also the basis of Sakara meals because they're truly the fountain of youth. It's the number one thing you can do for a healthy gut, so aim for 4-6 cups a day, or add a handful to two meals a day for life-changing results.

5. Eat Sulfur-Rich Vegetables and You'll Never Have to "Detox" Again

Sulfur is a building block of every metabolic reaction in your body and is incredibly cleansing and energizing. You don't need to "detox" when you're eating enough sulfur-rich foods because sulfur helps the liver and kidneys fend off toxins, and fuels the mitochondria of your cells. Find sulfur in cruciferous veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, and kale.

6. Fresh, Healthy Fats Will Make You Smarter

Is it weird that fats are my favorite food? Omega-3 fatty acids are insanely beneficial for your body (not to mention how much you will glow from the inside out when you're getting enough). Eat fresh, nutritious oils like coconut or olive and plant-sources like nuts, seeds, and avocado, to nourish the brain and nervous system, rejuvenate skin cells, and help the body absorb vitamins and nutrients.

7. Eat the Rainbow

You learned in middle school science class that plants get their colors from antioxidants, so it only makes sense to eat all the colors in order to provide your body with all the antioxidants right? Incorporating reds, blues, oranges, greens, yellows, and purples is the easiest (and prettiest) way to ensure you're getting an abundance of phytonutrients and the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

8. Superfood Gets You the Health of Your Wildest Dreams

So now you know to eat your fruits and veggies, but that's just basic nutrition. You're not here to be basic, right? Nature offers us a wide-spectrum of powerful foods that we can utilize to feel our very best, increase longevity, and heal symptoms. From adaptogens to antioxidant-rich powerhouses to exotic plants, superfoods help you optimize your health to become your very best self.

9. Your Body Is More Intelligent Than You Think

The number one thing I want every single person to learn: your body is smart. It will heal itself when given even half the chance (that's what bodies are made to do). When you give your body the nourishment it needs, you'll be able to work with cravings and intuition to understand your own body more than you ever knew you could. You'll be amazed at how well you can heal yourself when you give the body the right tools to do so.

Because I want anyone who's interested to have access to this kind of nourishment, I'm so excited to partner with Sakara to offer Wellness By Josie clients and followers 20% off your first meal delivery with the code "XOJOSIE" PS: "Sakara" is actually a sanskrit word I've loved for years that means "thoughts become things." Use it as your mantra for the week and watch your ideas turn into reality.