Back in the day I had a Vitamix. I loved that Vita. It blended things so well that it turned the seeds in my raspberry smoothie to mush. And while the Vitamix is totally awesome, there are a lot cheaper blenders that work just as well (well, mostly). The same thing with my juicer. I used to have a super expensive one, and now have been using a moderately priced one for two years. I thought I’d share my favorite kitchen gadgets and tools, so that you know a) which ones are actually good and won’t crap out on you and b) so that you won’t unecessarily spend a lot of money. Full disclosure: if you order any of these products I earn a small commission which will help support my butter addiction. My blender! I love this blender. It makes silky soups and awesome mixed drinks. I haven’t used it…
Is Alcohol Healthy?
When I made the above graphic I had this song in my head, in case you don’t understand the “AT THE SAME DAMN TIME” reference. Which, unless you listen to rap as much as I do…why would you? When people make the transition to a healthy lifestyle, they often assume there is no room for alcohol. Alcohol is just like food. There is good alcohol and bad alcohol, and you shouldn’t overdo it. I like to drink. I didn’t always used to be so responsible about it, but I enjoy chilling out and having a drink. Especially during summer. Even as I’m typing this, I’m sipping on some wine. One of my favorite things to do is to come home and cook dinner while drinking wine. Some studies suggest that moderate wine consumption may prevent cardiovascular disease and the growth of cancer, via antiangiogenesis. You can learn more about that here. If…
20 Healthy Snack Ideas
My upcoming program, Ditch The Diet includes meal plans with eight weeks of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. These are some of the healthy snacks I suggest eating. If you’re interested in Ditch The Diet, it’ll be available on June 3rd. Sign up for my newsletter below and I’ll let you know all about it. Plus, you’ll get my eBook for free. Why wouldn’t you sign up?! plain avocado or with bacon banana with almond butter beef jerky berries and full-fat/grass-fed yogurt deviled or hard boiled eggs carrots/cucumbers/tomatoes with raw cheese meat plate – prosciutto, salami, etc. with olives turkey or roast beef roll ups (rolled up with slices of peppers in the center) smoked oysters (BPA free!) cheese plate with tomato basil salad and marinated mushrooms sweet potato chips shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce smoked salmon on cucumber slices fermented pickles egg muffins guacamole with veggies a smoothie liver…
Never Diet Again
I hate diets. Diets are unhealthy, they don’t work, they’re not fun and they promote an unhealthy relationship with food. Food is awesome. It is meant to fuel the body and be enjoyed. When I think of diets I think of calorie counting, measuring food, stressing out over portions and eating processed junk just because it’s low in calories or carbs. Can you live your life that way? I can’t, and I wouldn’t want to. I haven’t counted calories or carbs or weighed or measured my food in years. And yet, I’m in better shape than I have ever been. You can be too. When people find out that I’m a health coach, they assume at least one of the following: I don’t eat fat I don’t eat meat I count calories I love soy I’m a granola eater I restrict my food intake I don’t eat bacon None of…
A Hot Topic
Former article on a hot topic I am not going to discuss.
Top Five Detox Remedies
I’m a fan of detoxing. I love it. While a lot of people consider it unnecessary if you’re eating a healthy diet…they’re not right. Our bodies are constantly bombarded with toxins in a way that they never have been in human history. We are exposed to pollution, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, GMOs, radiation and a ton of other junk. In this day and age (my grandmother says that) it’s necessary to detox. Here are five easy ways to detox your body. 1. Get rid of the toxins in your makeup and body products. These are often the biggest source of toxins in our lives. Makeup and body products are full of carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, paragons, sulfates, etc. 2. Juicing! People either love juicing or generally thing it’s unnecessary. I am in the camp that loves it, but let’s be clear about something: juice does not a meal make! By no…
Five Natural Remedies For Anxiety and The Dangers of Benzodiazepines
What Are Benzodiazepines? Benzodiazepines are a class of physchoactive drugs that depress the central nervous system. They are often prescribed for anxiety, as they enhance relaxation. You may have heard of Valium, Xanax or Klonopin. These are all benzodiazepines. My Experience With Benzodiazepines My experience with benzodiazepines begins with my mom. She has been taking them in the form of Xanax and Klonopin since before I was born, during pregnancy and to this day she takes them. She is addicted. Joanna gave me my first Xanan when I was three years-old. I was sick and vomiting. My grandmother was taking care of me. She stopped by and decided it was a good idea to give a 3 year-old a dangerous prescription drug as a cure to the flu. Growing up, when I was upset, when I was stressed out, when I would stay up too late because I wasn’t tired,…
The Plant Based Culture Myth and the Work of Weston A. Price
From the time I became a vegetarian and started paying attention to food politics, there seems to be this perpetual ideaof plant based cultures. Or at least cultures that mostly rely on “plant-based foods” are healthier than meat-eating cultures. The first issue I take with this, and it was not something I clearly understood when I was vegetarian, is that there are no vegetarian cultures. None, ever, have existed in human history. Some cultures in India (among other places) are vegetarian for religious reasons, though also have the highest rate of coronary artery disease, Both overseas and resident Indians have the highest rates of CAD, although almost half of them are life-long vegetarians. When compared to Whites, Blacks, Hispanics and other Asians, CAD rates among Indians worldwide are two to four times higher at all ages and five to ten times higher in those < 40 years of age. Source The…
5 Steps To Clear Skin and How I Cleared My Acne
Have you ever seen those ridiculous acne commercials starring really attractive teens dancing around, lamenting one tiny blemish and think to yourself, “Are you f*%&ing kidding me??” Yeah, me too. My skin troubles started in the 4th grade. Literally overnight, I woke up to a face full of acne. At first, I thought it would go away and that it was a short phase. But acne has plagued me ever since. And I’m not talking about a breakout here and there. I’m talking deep, painful, cystic acne. I’m talking pus, deep scarring and skin that somehow manages to be both oily AND dry at the same time. When I say that I had horrible acne, I am not over exaggerating. I resembled a burn victim. People would stare. And to my embarrassment and horror, sometimes they would actually ask me what had happened to me, what was wrong with my face. There was…
VGN eBook Bundle 30 books for $39
What can you get out of this bundle? Clearer skin. A healthy baby. 100 paleo recipes (in just one book! not overall!). 70 grain-free, nutrient dense dessert recipes (again, just from this one book!). The cure to eczema. A toxin-free home. The definitive guide on fats. And a ton of other nutrition and wellness books, all for only $30! This awesome deal ends Wednesday so click here to buy!