Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 23

Episode 5 of The Real Heal, The Benefits of Eating Locally With Gabrielle Cerberville

Welcome to Episode 5 of The Real Heal, “The Benefits of Eating Locally” with Gabrielle Cerberville.

If you love food and nature, you’re in for a treat. Gabrielle Cerberville is a forager and self-identified “mushroom auntie”, and she shares tips and resources for getting into foraging and shopping locally. 

I love Gabrielle’s perspective on food. When we open our eyes and look around our neighborhoods, we find there are delicious foods and medicines available for us to forage (for free!). If you’ve ever plucked fruit straight from the tree and eaten it, you know the exhilaration of foraging!

Gabrielle reveals how tapping into your local ecosystem can deepen your relationship with your food, your community, and even yourself. One of the best things we can do for our health and for our planet is to source our food from within 200 miles of our homes. 

Once we develop a deep connection with nature, it’s difficult to see ourselves as separate from it. Eating locally can include foraging, subscribing to a CSA produce box, or shopping at a local farmers’ market.

We talk about how to forage locally (even in the backyard),  how to identify safe and delicious food in the neighborhood, and how to prepare that food. 

Connecting with our food in this way helps us to become better stewards of nature. And that has never been more important. I do hope you’ll find it as fascinating and empowering as I did! 

Below are additional resources to support your foraging and local food journey. And be sure to check out my Kind Diet book for more inspiration, too.

4 Ways to Eat for the Environment  

How to Support Your Local Farmer

Nutrition and the Environment

How to Make Soil  

Nourish Your Garden With Grey Water

 

How to Make Vegan Charoset for Passover

When cooking with my good friend Aleeza in prep for Passover, we made this super easy date-based Charoset. Keep in mind we made a big batch, but you can easily adjust it to meet your needs.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Serves: 10-15

Ingredients:

3 cups walnutsaround 30 dates, 1/4 cup Manischewitz wine2 tablespoons date paste (optional)lettuce leaves for serving* (also optional)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients (walnuts, dates, wine, and optional paste) into a food processor. Process until the mixture is finely chopped. Remove the mixture from the processor and place in a serving bowl. Serve with lettuce leaves or however you wish!
*Aleeza likes to serve this on lettuce leaves but eat Charoset however you prefer to eat it!!

Image via vganish 

How To Support Your Local Farmer

Back in the day, before supermarkets were on every corner of your neighborhood and people didn’t just buy the familiar brand of frozen dinners to chow down while watching an episode of their favorite sitcom, food, grown by a local farmer, had a greater value both nutritionally and economically.

Now, buying an average piece of fruit has been the norm for people looking for a convenient and cheap way to get their produce. Biting into watery, tasteless strawberries for so long, we’ve probably forgotten how strawberries are really supposed to taste- like sweet, juicy pieces of heaven!

Yet in the more rural areas, where people can actually pick the fruit they eat, no sacrifice is needed except for time, which let’s be honest, is the biggest sacrifice of all for people living in a major metropolis.

Being a chef in Los Angeles for more than five years has given me access to some of the best local produce there is, and I immediately fell in love with it all. Even though I love to cook, I left the business to focus on what I was really passionate about- reconnecting with the land and all the great sustenance this beautiful world had to offer. Ok sure, I didn’t move to Idaho and start harvesting potatoes, but I made personal relationships with farmers which led me to create Handpicked by Mckenna—a service that brings the best produce from the farmers market straight to your door, offering convenience without sacrificing quality.

Now, let’s get into some fun facts on why buying locally and supporting farmers is not only beneficial to you personally, but also good for your community.

This may seem obvious, but when you support a local farm, you are supporting your economy. In light of the recent events, it’s important that we ensure that the farms that exist today will be there tomorrow.

Farmers have been the backbone of this country since the very beginning, working hard to provide people with sustenance. When you shop at a supermarket, only a small percentage of that gets into the pocket of farmers. We can give back by taking care of our farmers like how they continue to take care of us.

Something that may not seem as obvious, but is equally important is the effect that buying local has on our environment. Buying local reduces the environmental impact of transporting food from the farm to the consumer. Commodity produce travels 30 times the distance of the food harvested from local farms, increasing its dependency on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers are also using more sustainable practices. A healthy earth means a healthy life!

In the modern agricultural system, plant varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and have shelf stability, so there is limited genetic diversity in large-scale production. So despite the limited varieties of produce we see at the supermarket, there are thousands of varieties of fruits and vegetables, which can add some fun and color to your meals!

Side note- Did you know that one farm can grow an average of 14 varieties of yellow peaches alone, not including all of the white peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines, and apricots? Amazing!

Before the pandemic, shopping at the farmers market was actually a fun activity. You can take your kids, maybe meet up with a few friends, do some shopping, and eat some lunch while listening to a band play some music around the picnic tables. Now that there are limitations on what we can do at the farmer’s market, it doesn’t mean we should stop supporting!

Ways To Support Your Local Farmer:

Sign up for a CSA Box: Community Supported Agriculture boxes are a great way to get the freshest produce possible. CSA boxes are filled each week with whichever items are the “ripest” and ready to be picked! CSA also helps farmers get movement on certain produce that may not be as “popular” in order to keep the farm going! You can easily sign up for a CSA box pick up at your local farmer’s market with your favorite local farmer.Shop Directly: Shopping directly at your local farmer’s market is a great way to support your farmers! Farmers bring their bounty every week to different farmer’s markets and shopping right from the farmer is a great way to support them financially and build relationships!Visit a “U Pick” Farm: U Pick is a great way to connect even more with where your food is coming from! With U Pick, you can visit the farm directly and pick the freshest produce yourself for a small fee. It is a great bargain for the buyer and a great way for farmer’s to get more people involved in their farm.Eat at more “farm to table” establishments: Eating at local restaurants that support local farmers is a great way to support two small businesses with one action! Eating at establishments that use local produce is not only good for nourishment but it is a great way to keep your local community thriving! Do a little research to see where your local restaurants are buying from, you will be glad you did!

Mckenna Lelah is the owner of Handpicked by McKenna – a small, local, woman-owned business that allows you to play a part in all of the positive impacts of supporting local farms without having to leave your house. Let’s continue to live a happy, healthy life while building a stronger community.

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

The Real Heal Episode 4: Providing for Your Community with Pinky Cole

Welcome to Episode 4 of The Real Heal, where my guest is Pinky Cole, founder of Slutty Vegan, the Atlanta-based vegan burger chain that has garnered global attention.

In this episode, we discuss the problem of food deserts, prison, following your heart, and being in your truth as a business owner and a woman.

I came away from this interview inspired and excited! Pinky’s story is empowering. After losing her first business to a fire, she returned to her Jamaican roots and the power of a plant-based diet. She set out to prove that eating better doesn’t have to mean sacrifice. And she has succeeded in so many ways!

These days, her restaurant pop-ups come with lines around the block with people waiting hours for her Slutty Vegan burgers. She has quite the celebrity following including Snoop Dogg!

But there’s so much more to Pinky’s work. She’s a fierce advocate for supporting communities and lifting them up while also helping to curb the environmental crisis. And she’s proving that good plant-based food can serve as a catalyst for change on both of these issues and more. 

You’ll feel like doing some great work for your community and having a delicious burger (or two) after this episode! We’ve got some resources for you below, too. 

Vegan Burger Taste Test

Trick a Meat Lover With These Vegan Burgers

Top 5 Plant-Based Protein Hacks

10 Volunteer Ideas That Help Children Learn About Compassion

8 Nonprofits to Support

 

How to Have a Kind Easter Celebration

Spring has sprung and, for those who celebrate, Easter is just around the corner. Easter is a celebration of rebirth and renewal, so it is only right that we should be conscious of how we can help foster a rebirth and renewal of the Earth on this holiday as well.

We like to spend this special day with a delicious breakfast, gardening, taking a walk where beautiful flowers are in bloom. Easter weather can often be perfect for kite-flying, too. Of course, we also eat marshmallows and do some dyeing!

Between all of the chocolate and egg dyeing, and classic lamb or ham roasts, traditional Easter celebrations can be harmful to both our planet and the creatures that inhabit it. So, I have put together this little guide full of ideas to help you plan a vegan and harm-free celebration! 
Everyone from children to adults can enjoy the activity of dyeing lovely pastel easter eggs. There are plenty of alternatives to still enjoy this celebratory craft without using real eggs. 

Paint or dip-dye some ceramic eggs (a company called Eggnots makes these) or wooden eggs that will last. Marshmallow Eggs (marshmallows)  are also really fun to dip dye! For your easter egg hunt, instead of buying and using plastic eggs check out these paper easter eggs that you can paint or papier-mache! You can also set up a scavenger hunt in your yard or a park and put out your eggs or other treatsWhat’s Wrong With Eggs?

In our family, we don’t buy eggs largely because of how commercial chickens are treated. More than 325 million egg-laying hens are forced into laying nearly 100 billion eggs every year.

These smart and curious birds live in tightly packed, dark, and dirty conventional factories, which are notorious for their inhumane treatment of the birds, whether it’s depriving them of space, light, and natural interactions, or damaging their bodies with unnecessary hormones and antibiotics.

Even if the eggs are “organic” or “pastured,” the birds still aren’t given the kind of life that all creatures fairly deserve. In The Kind Diet I discuss eggs in detail, and mention that that is no legal definition of “free-range” eggs, and the only certifications that are upheld are the “Certified Humane Raised and Handled” (and it must say exactly that on the package!) or “Certified Organic”, which only upholds some of the relatively humane standards. I’ll stick to the marshmallows and wooden eggs, thanks!

Photo by Jessy Smith on UnsplashEthical Chocolates

Another consideration when filling up your Easter basket or easter eggs is ethical chocolate. Many chocolate brands are sourcing cocoa from farms and plantations that exploit workers and use child labor, and can also include incredibly harmful ingredients like palm oil or milk. If you are unsure whether the brand of chocolate you are buying is ethical, you can check that it is recommended by the Food Empowerment Project! This fantastic California-based nonprofit organization has launched a campaign to end the worst forms of child labor in cocoa production. They compiled this handy list of vegan chocolate companies that do not source cocoa from regions where the worst forms of child labor are common. 

Before we get too sad about one more thing we can’t have, I have good news! All of my favorite chocolate companies on the list are all on the recommended ethical list If your favorite company isn’t on this list or isn’t recommended by FEP, reach out to them and urge them to make their practices sustainable and to get on FEP’s recommended list!

Lagusta’s Luscious chocolate Easter assortment is yum, and best to order in advance as they sell out super quickly. They change the offerings annually but if they have these this year, we loved the Matzo Toffee, Maple Honeycomb, Chocolate Nougat (Bunny), English Cream Egg, Riesling Rosewater Caramels, Peanut Butter Egg, “Milk” Chocolate Marble Egg, Miso + Black Sesame Caramels! 

Photo by Michal Balog on Unsplash

Another simple way to get your sweets in on Easter is to bake some vegan treats to celebrate with your loved ones like these:

decadent vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and Jelly Donut Cupcakes.vegan ‘Rolo‘ eggs, chocolate/date filled but in an egg shapeone kind lifer wrote she makes pumpkin chocolate bread from The Kind Diet book in the shape of an egg, sounds yum!vegan sugar cookies, (or try the shortbread ones also from The Kind Diet) shaped like eggs, decorated and colored with natural colors and vegan sprinkles! yum!The “Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe” cookbook has a really delicious-looking recipe for French Toast Coffee Cake! Yum!

If you are looking for cruelty-free vegan recipes to make for a celebratory Easter dinner for your family or friends, my book has great recipes to check out. Or you can try this Seitan in Balsamic Wine Reduction, or King Oyster “Scallop” recipe from the blog!

A perfect Easter to me is spending time making a lovely kind brunch, taking a walk enjoying all the flowers and pretty trees in bloom and especially smelling fresh jasmine in the air, working on the veggie garden, and maybe dyeing some vegan marshmallows as a fun alternative to eggs (way yummier, too!), and maybe visiting an animal sanctuary enjoying beautiful, kind moments with the wonderful animals. Of course, visiting adorable rescued bunnies on Easter is festive, but you can also love on the cows, turkeys, sheep, chickens, and all the other cute rescue farm animals! You can also donate to a bunny rescue organization or print out a rabbit photo and explain to your children how the donation supports their wellbeing.

I hope these ideas inspire your celebrations.

But that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the Easter fun. In fact, by avoiding eggs you can have a much sweeter and lovelier celebration that honors the spirit of this fun holiday.  I hope you plan some fun, sustainable celebrations, and that everyone has a wonderful holiday! HAPPY SPRING!

Love,
Alicia

How to Eat Healthfully and Abundantly for Weight Loss

Achieving sustainable weight loss takes a more nuanced approach to your diet than “calories in, calories out.” The reality is that you need to eat the right foods (fresh produce, legumes, nuts and seeds, and intact whole grains), avoid the weight gain-promoting substances (salt, oil, sweeteners), and address food addiction to achieve excellent health and optimal weight.

I designed my Nutritarian diet to include a wide portfolio of protective plant foods, which supply a full spectrum of phytonutrients. This eating style is hormonally favorable, offers the full portfolio of anticancer superfoods, and maximizes the number of micronutrients per calorie.

Let’s take a look at some of the healthful plant foods that make up the Nutritarian diet and how they promote weight loss.

Leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables

High in nutrients, low in calories, these foods take up room in the stomach, leading to a feeling of satiety. They are also rich in fiber, phytochemicals, and micronutrients, and very low in calories.

Put it into action: Eat three or more of these every day: Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, collards, and watercress: salad greens, such as lettuce, arugula, and spinach; alliums such as onions, garlic, and scallions; bell peppers, eggplant, asparagus, zucchini, etc.

Start your meal with a salad

When it comes to salad, the bigger, the better. Studies have found that eating a salad at the start of a meal reduces calorie intake from the meal by blunting your appetite and improving the satiety value of meals. Women who started their lunch with a salad consumed fewer calories from the rest of the meal. The larger the salad, the fewer calories they consumed at lunch.1, 2

Put it into action: To your lettuce, add some tomatoes, sliced red onion, shredded carrots, and some raw cruciferous like arugula, radishes, or cabbage. Your choice of dressing is important. Including fat in your salad makes the salad more filling and helps your body absorb carotenoids from the raw vegetables. But whole food fat sources – nuts, seeds, and avocado – are superior to oils. Keep reading to learn how nuts and seeds promote a healthy weight.

Beans are filling and low-glycemic

Looking for the best starchy food? Beans, lentils, and split peas are especially high in indigestible carbohydrates (fiber and resistant starch). They slow the absorption of sugars from a meal, and reduce the elevation in glucose and insulin following the meal. Plus, these indigestible starches provide sustenance for the beneficial bacteria of the gut microbiome.3

Beans promote satiety, helping to reduce total calorie intake, and studies suggest beans in one meal can even blunt the blood glucose response of the next meal.4, 5  An analysis of 21 randomized controlled trials on bean or lentil containing diets vs. a diet with the same number of calories but no beans found the bean groups lost more weight than the control groups.6

Whole grains often get more attention, but beans are more healthful than whole grains. A dietary intervention study directly comparing the two in patients with type 2 diabetes found beans were superior to whole grains for improving body weight and cardiovascular risk factors.7

Put it into action:  Variety is the spice of life, so broaden your mealtime horizons by experimenting with different varieties of beans. Choose from adzuki beans, black beans, cannellini, chickpeas, edamame (and dried soy beans) green peas, lentils, kidney beans, Navy beans, pinto beans, and white beans.

Mushrooms will grow on you

One way to cut calories effortlessly is to add mushrooms to your daily diet. In the lab, mushroom phytochemicals inhibit human enzymes that digest carbohydrates, which could reduce calorie absorption.8 Studies also suggest that mushrooms increase satiety; that when people replace meat with mushrooms in their meals, they do not compensate by eating more calories from other foods.9

Here’s an example: A one-year long clinical trial in 73 obese adults instructed half to replace all red meat with mushrooms, and the other half to follow a standard weight loss diet. The mushroom group had lower calorie intake, lost more weight, and lower BMI, waist circumference, percent, body fat, and blood pressure compared to the standard diet group.10

Put it into action:  Mushrooms add a depth of savory flavor – known as umami – to dishes. Branch out from the usual white button variety and try chanterelle, cremini, maitake, oyster, porcini, portobello, reishi, or shiitake.

Berries and pomegranate

Low-sugar, high-antioxidant fruits like berries are rich in anthocyanins and other phytochemicals. Berry extracts inhibit digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates and reduce glucose absorption according to laboratory studies.11, 12

Berries limited the rise in blood glucose after a meal in multiple human studies.12 For example, one study compared a blend of pureed berries (bilberries, blackcurrants, cranberries, and strawberries) plus sugar to sugar alone. In the berry group, the blood glucose response was lower and occurred more slowly, likely due to a combination of the effects of fiber and anthocyanins.13 Another study suggested consuming blueberries regularly for six weeks improved insulin sensitivity.14

Put it into action:  With their rich jewel tones (courtesy of their flavonoid content), berries are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Buy them fresh while they’re in-season or opt for frozen (cheaper). Choose blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pomegranate arils.

Nuts and seeds

Can nuts and seeds be high in calories, but still good for weight loss? Yes! Despite their calorie density, nuts and seeds do not promote weight gain. In fact, the research suggests eating nuts and seeds helps with maintaining a healthy weight. There are a few possible contributing factors: all of the calories in nuts are likely not absorbed; nuts have a high satiety value, suppressing appetite and leading to lower overall calorie intake; eating nuts may increase calorie expenditure, but this is still unclear.15, 16 In a large study of U.S. adults, those who ate nuts daily had lower BMI, waist circumference than those who ate nuts less frequently or not at all.17

Put it into action: Nuts and seeds have the added bonus that they’re linked to longevity.18 Try chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin and sesame seeds, and almonds, walnuts and cashews.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author, and nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods. Through his medical practice, Eat to Live Retreat in San Diego, books and television specials, Dr. Fuhrman shares his life-saving nutritional protocols with people around the world. His work and discoveries are published in medical journals, and he is involved with multiple nutritional studies with major research institutions across America. Learn more at DrFuhrman.com.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D.’s most recent book, Eat for Life (HarperOne, 2020) is his seventh New York Times bestseller. The book showcases all aspects of the Nutritarian diet: how it works, why it works, and proof of its effect in action. Drawing on the latest research in nutritional science, Dr. Fuhrman delivers the knowledge you need to protect your health, supercharge your immune system, reverse disease and slow the aging process. The book includes meal plans and more than 100 delicious recipes.
References

Roe LS, Meengs JS, Rolls BJ. Salad and satiety. The effect of timing of salad consumption on meal energy intake. Appetite 2012, 58:242-248.Rolls BJ, Roe LS, Meengs JS. Salad and satiety: energy density and portion size of a first-course salad affect energy intake at lunch. J Am Diet Assoc 2004, 104:1570-1576.Sonnenburg ED, Sonnenburg JL. Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell Metab 2014, 20:779-786.Mollard RC, Zykus A, Luhovyy BL, et al. The acute effects of a pulse-containing meal on glycaemic responses and measures of satiety and satiation within and at a later meal. Br J Nutr 2012, 108:509-517.Li SS, Kendall CW, de Souza RJ, et al. Dietary pulses, satiety and food intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis of acute feeding trials. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2014, 22:1773-1780.Kim SJ, de Souza RJ, Choo VL, et al. Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2016, 103:1213-1223.Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Augustin LS, et al. Effect of legumes as part of a low glycemic index diet on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2012, 172:1653-1660.Su CH, Lu TM, Lai MN, Ng LT. Inhibitory potential of Grifola frondosa bioactive fractions on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase for management of hyperglycemia. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2013, 60:446-452.Cheskin LJ, Davis LM, Lipsky LM, et al. Lack of energy compensation over 4 days when white button mushrooms are substituted for beef. Appetite 2008, 51:50-57.Poddar KH, Ames M, Hsin-Jen C, et al. Positive effect of mushrooms substituted for meat on body weight, body composition, and health parameters. A 1-year randomized clinical trial. Appetite 2013, 71:379-387.Williamson G. Possible effects of dietary polyphenols on sugar absorption and digestion. Mol Nutr Food Res 2013, 57:48-57.Castro-Acosta ML, Lenihan-Geels GN, Corpe CP, Hall WL. Berries and anthocyanins: promising functional food ingredients with postprandial glycaemia-lowering effects. Proc Nutr Soc 2016, 75:342-355.Torronen R, Sarkkinen E, Niskanen T, et al. Postprandial glucose, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 responses to sucrose ingested with berries in healthy subjects. Br J Nutr 2012, 107:1445-1451.Stull AJ, Cash KC, Johnson WD, et al. Bioactives in blueberries improve insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin-resistant men and women. J Nutr 2010, 140:1764-1768.Tindall AM, Petersen KS, Lamendella R, et al. Tree Nut Consumption and Adipose Tissue Mass: Mechanisms of Action. Curr Dev Nutr 2018, 2:nzy069.Tan SY, Dhillon J, Mattes RD. A review of the effects of nuts on appetite, food intake, metabolism, and body weight. Am J Clin Nutr 2014, 100 Suppl 1:412S-422S.O’Neil CE, Fulgoni VL, 3rd, Nicklas TA. Tree Nut consumption is associated with better adiposity measures and cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome health risk factors in U.S. Adults: NHANES 2005-2010. Nutr J 2015, 14:64.Grosso G, Yang J, Marventano S, et al. Nut consumption on all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2015, 101:783-793.

 

The Real Heal Episode 3: Fueling Our Bodies With Kevin Smith and Mackie Shilstone

Welcome to Episode 3 of The Real Heal, where my guests are filmmaker Kevin Smith and Mackie Shilstone, a fitness, wellness, and sports performance expert who has worked with top athletes including Serena Williams and Peyton Manning.

In this episode, Kevin discusses how going vegan saved his life following a massive heart attack in 2018, and Mackie breaks down diseases, the foods that cause them, and what he does for best performance. 

I found this episode so interesting because food is so powerful. Every bite we take has the power to heal or hurt us. But so many of us don’t know where to start. We’re stuck in a system that’s turned food into “food products” that taste delicious but are loaded with unhealthy ingredients. 

Kevin talks about how after his heart attack he stopped eating “for pleasure” and just as a function of survival. But you know what? I’m here to say we can do both. We can eat the yummiest, most delicious food on the planet that is actually healthy for us (even the dairy-free cashew ice cream we talk about in the episode), boost our overall health, protect against disease, and look and feel vibrant.

Mackie also brings some great perspectives on cancer, specifically breast and prostate cancer, and how best to protect against them both with the food choices we make.

These small changes can save lives. And they can open you up to a whole new world of delicious foods. Want more inspiration after listening? Check out these posts from The Kind Life.

The Benefits of Eating Nuts and Seeds

The Incredible Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables

The 7 Most Important Nutrients for a Plant-Based Diet

The 20 Best Healthiest Plant-Based Ingredients

5 Myths About Eating Plant-Based Explored

 

The Real Heal Episode 3: Fueling Our Bodies With Kevin Smith and Mackie Shelton

Welcome to Episode 3 of The Real Heal, where my guests are filmmaker Kevin Smith and Mackie Shilstone, a fitness, wellness, and sports performance expert who has worked with top athletes including Serena Williams and Peyton Manning.

In this episode, Kevin discusses how going vegan saved his life following a massive heart attack in 2018, and Mackie breaks down diseases, the foods that cause them, and what he does for best performance. 

I found this episode so interesting because food is so powerful. Every bite we take has the power to heal or hurt us. But so many of us don’t know where to start. We’re stuck in a system that’s turned food into “food products” that taste delicious but are loaded with unhealthy ingredients. 

Kevin talks about how after his heart attack he stopped eating “for pleasure” and just as a function of survival. But you know what? I’m here to say we can do both. We can eat the yummiest, most delicious food on the planet that is actually healthy for us (even the dairy-free cashew ice cream we talk about in the episode), boost our overall health, protect against disease, and look and feel vibrant.

Mackie also brings some great perspectives on cancer, specifically breast and prostate cancer, and how best to protect against them both with the food choices we make.

These small changes can save lives. And they can open you up to a whole new world of delicious foods. Want more inspiration after listening? Check out these posts from The Kind Life.

The Benefits of Eating Nuts and Seeds

The Incredible Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables

The 7 Most Important Nutrients for a Plant-Based Diet

The 20 Best Healthiest Plant-Based Ingredients

5 Myths About Eating Plant-Based Explored

 

5 Easy Steps to Live Trash-Free

Going trash-free can seem impossible, but with a few simple steps, it can be as easy as making trash. Here’s how to do it.

More than 100 million marine mammals are killed by plastic pollution per year and 50% of all plastic is single-use. There are so many alternatives to combat pollution everyday and it’s up to us to do it! What do you waste in one day? Keep a note in your phone, or better yet, I dare you to save all of the things you’d normally throw away in just one day! The wrappers, coffee cups, dirty napkins, chip bags, etc… Not only would you feel messy, but it puts into perspective what you are expelling out into our planet. Trash and plastics stay on earth for up to a thousand years!

In an aim to eliminate waste in my life, I’m outlining 5 simple steps below that have helped me through this journey.

1. De-clutter

Become aware of what you really need and what you are better without. Make piles. If there is a “maybe” or “what if” pile, get it out of there! Ask yourself first if you can donate or sell it. You won’t miss it, I promise. If you got rid of these “no’ and “maybe” piles then all you have left is the “I love this” pile, and that’s what we want our spaces to be filled with. If you use something often but it consists of trash or plastic (lip balms, shampoo, spices etc…), use it up. It’s better to use what we have first and phase out of it.

2. Identify

While you’re taking inventory of all the items in your home, identify where you generate trash and plastics – the makeup containers, kitchen supplies, your bathroom essentials etc… Look at your “get rid of” pile and your trash can. Take note of these items and think of the overall sustainability of the item (its source, material, environmental impact, lifespan and end result). Reflect on how much better you will feel knowing that your entire life will soon be cleansed of things you and the earth are not benefitting from, as well this newfound consciousness in day to day life.

3. Prepare

Yay! It’s time to take action! To prepare, it’s helpful to make a quick list of JUST the things you threw away while you were out of the house, and on a general day. What’s the coolest thing about this list? The realization that every single item can be easily replaced by reusable and sustainable products and that we have the power to combat plastic pollution, overflowing landfills, and wasting resources.

4. Purchase

Here’s a basic list of items that can start you off. Although buying alternatives are important, there are also some amazing recipes that you can make to replace toothpaste, mouthwash, lotion and more! The biggest thing to remember is that being prepared is the most successful route to being trash free.

5. Adapt

This step is the most fulfilling! You start to notice how thankful you start to become every single day. You realize all the moments you would normally waste such as throwing your food away or buying a coffee now becomes so sweet. Presence and beauty renewed in what used to be mundane things. It is the best feeling to know the food scraps you take to the farmers market compost drop off have a new life as a tree. It’s amazing to use up that last plastic toothpaste bottle because you made your own with peppermint and lavender. To buy a coffee and realize it tastes so much better in your own reusable cup.

An important everyday reminder: You will mess up! There will be times that you accidentally go to the market and forget your produce bags or your reusable cup for coffee in the morning. Or times that are out of your control when the waitress brings you a straw when you told her twice not to put one in there. In order for this waste-free journey to stick in your life, we have to remember perfection is impossible. As long as you are doing your best with intention, you are on the right track. This is all part of adapting. Your alternative choices will eventually integrate itself into your life and it will be a normal part of you. <3
Photo: Aneta Sofronova 

Spring Cleaning for Body & Mind: How to Detox

Happy Spring!
As the days get warmer and the plants start to turn green once again, many of us are feeling a renewed sense of energy and are doing a bit of spring cleaning! Now is a great time to not only declutter our physical spaces to start the season fresh, but also to focus on pressing our inner reset buttons, to gently start anew. 
We all want to live as the healthiest version of ourselves, but wellness does not just fall into our laps – we need to work at it. Whether that means prepping healthy meals for the week, going on a daily walk, or drinking enough water throughout the day, these actions take discipline and commitment – especially when we first begin our journeys to prioritizing wellness. Boosting our immunity and optimizing our wellness should be something we focus on all the time for the betterment of our long-term health and happiness. It is also particularly important these days when trying to not get sick. Viruses don’t stand as much of a chance when fighting against a healthy immune system. 
Sticking to a healthy diet is HARD. There are plenty of times where someone with good intentions will offer me a delicious vegan treat, but I know it is full of sugar, which wreaks havoc on my body. Whenever I have sugar, I am almost guaranteed a bad night’s sleep full of odd dreams and thirst, and restlessness. But even just removing refined flour and sugar (breads, cookies, etc) can do wonders for your body. You’ll also feel much of the benefits from deleting meat and dairy, too.
Luckily, The Kind Diet is a great resource for getting started with your health journey – by following the Kind Diet you will lose weight more easily, your skin will glow, and you will have tons of energy. When we really focus our attention on giving our bodies good, clean nourishment, we will feel it in every aspect of our life. You will feel more rested, increase your energy, your skin will glow, you will feel stronger, and your bodies regulatory systems will be working efficiently! 
Additionally, the Kind Diet is cruelty-free and sustainable, so you can feel good about the choices you are making for your body AND the planet! If you are already accustomed to a plant-based lifestyle the Superhero section of the Kind Diet will offer you the absolute best results. If you are new to plant-based food, I recommend reading the whole Kind Diet book so you can fully understand why you may want to make these changes and where to start!
Whether you are just starting your health journey or are looking for an extra boost to reset yourself for the spring season, I have a few simple practices you can add to your daily routine to get clean and start feeling your best. 

Mindful Chewing

This may sound odd, but how we chew is SO important! Our body has the amazing capacity to convert complex carbs – like a grain of brown rice, a green bean, or even a hunk of squash – into Glucose. AKA sugar… the good kind! You come equipped with flat molars, a jaw that moves in little circles for grinding, and a special enzyme in your saliva, called ptyalin, that breaks down complex carbs into glucose. When this glucose travels to your brain, it gives you the most amazing feeling of satisfaction. You will feel nourished and centered, and your brain will be free to generate happy thoughts. And all this begins in your mouth! Truth be told, I am not always the greatest chewer, but I try hard to chew every mouthful 30 times, but often don’t meet that mark, or I forget altogether. That’s why we call these practices! It’s really about trying your best, and discovering that feeling of satisfaction that will motivate you to improve. A few tips to help your chewing practice: 

Eat some meals alone: It’s way easier to chew when you’re not expected to talk!Put your fork down between bites: This simple trick interrupts mindless gobbling.Really taste your food: You went through all the trouble to get it, by paying close attention to your food you can relax and enjoy every little bit of flavor.The first couple of times you really try chewing your jaw might hurt: When any unused muscle gets a workout, it feels it, and your jaw has been slacking off for years now! But like all exercise, it will get easier and your body will soon thank your jaw because you will perform so much better on chewed food.Drink Water

Water is SO important. Water makes up 60% of our bodies – 75% of our muscles, and 85% of our brains! Yet studies have shown that up to 75% of American adults are chronically dehydrated. There is such a simple solution: Drink more water! In the mornings I try my best to have 32 ounces of water before anything else, and it makes all the difference. I admit I am not the best when it comes to hydration, I often will find myself realizing at 4pm that I haven’t had any water all day! Adding lemon and mint makes me love to drink and gets it in me much easier. When I do remember to drink enough water, I can truly feel the difference. If you find yourself having a hard time remembering to drink water, having a great reusable water bottle that you can carry with can help. Having my water bottle nearby is always a visual reminder that I need to be drinking water throughout the day. (Try this reusable water bottle to help you drink more water.)  

Start Your Day with a “Green” Routine

Starting your mornings right sets you up for success throughout the rest of the day. That hour or two you take for yourself puts your body and mind in the right mindset from the moment you get up. As we just mentioned ideally, I will start my morning with 32 ounces of water. Then it’s great to get something green in your body to fuel up! I like to have about 16 ounces of celery juice or blanched green veggies, followed by a smoothie 45 minutes later. My favorite morning go-to smoothie includes protein powder, frozen fruit, nuts, and water or nondairy unsweetened milk, 2 dates or 3 drop stevia, and a green powder, although if I am in a rush or don’t want that much fruit I will do a simple combination of protein powder and water. Once you are all fueled up for your day, go for a walk! Getting some fresh air and light exercise in during my mornings always energizes me, and releases those good endorphins, the chemicals your brain releases that keep you feeling energized, happy, and focused!  

Move Your Body

Speaking of exercise and endorphins, another really simple thing you can do to support a clean, healthy lifestyle is move your body! If you start to incorporate exercise and movement into your everyday routine, you give your body the cue that it needs to be energized and engaged every day! In addition to a daily morning walk, I try my best to do three strength classes a week, and yoga on the other days. Again, we all live busy lives and I am by no means perfect when it comes to this routine. I regularly miss my exercises, and that is OK! Forgetting a day or two—or a few weeks!— in a row doesn’t mean you’ve failed, just try your best to pick up the practice again when you can. I am working on making it a bigger priority, and this spring detox is a great motivator to bring this to the front of your to-do list. Exercise delivers your body oxygen and nutrients and helps improve your cardiovascular system. When you exercise it is truly like giving your body a cleaning or tune-up to make sure that every system is functioning to at its best all the time, as well as stimulates the lymphatic system, cleaning it out & promoting our cleanse!

Take Your Organic MyKind Vitamins

Keeping track of your nutrition can sometimes be tricky or overwhelming for some, but there is an easy way to ensure you are getting all of your daily needed vitamins and minerals. By taking our organic MyKind vitamins you can ensure you are keeping your body properly fueled. Our gummy vitamins are delicious and a great way to feel like you are having a treat, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Unlike most gummy vitamins on the market that pile on the added sugar, syrups, animal byproducts, and artificial dyes and colors, these gummies are actually good for you! They are totally free of added sugars and harmful ingredients, and they are deliciously sweet thanks to the inclusion of organic apples and peach puree! For stress there is Ashwaganda, and for restful sleep check out the Sleep Well Pills or Delicious Spray, and our newest elderberry sleep for immune support. 

For more of a cleanse, you can follow this daily routine: Morning

As I mentioned earlier, water is so important so try your best to drink 32 ounces before you eat or drink anything else, followed up with 16 ounces of celery juice, and 30-45 minutes after that a healthy smoothie. This should be more than enough for you to feel well fueled in the morning! Once you are feeling fueled up get some movement in. A walk, a dance class, a cardio routine, or a yoga strength training. Bear & I love BullyJuice on Youtube! He has a super cute & infectious personality and leads some great workouts. 

Lunch

A light soup or salad is a great fuel boost in the middle of the day. A dish I am loving right now is Carrot Ginger Soup – I make a basic roasted butternut soup and add some steamed carrots and plenty of ginger, blended all together, it is fantastic! I have also been loving having Split Pea Soup, or Immune boosting Miso Soup. For salads, I do a mix of of red leafy lettuce, red onion, mushrooms, raisins, avocado, tomatoes, tahini, lemon juice, flax oil, a little ume vinegar, and a little olive oil. Check out my book for tons of additional tasty & clean soup & salad recipes! 

Dinner

Another delicious soup or salad to fuel you through the evenings is great, but if you are wanting to get creative, you can experiment with lots of steamed veggies & sauces! Some of my favorites are Steamed Beets with Tahini Sauce or sauteed kale with lots of big slices of garlic, topped with sliced almonds, lemon juice, and a little salt. You can find my tahini recipe in my book or online here! You could also make any of the vegetable dishes in The Kind Life for dinner!

Movement

Be sure you are listening to your body. Try exercising enough throughout your week to keep your body and mind happy! 2-3 strength classes per week, complemented by yoga, hiking, biking, running, or walking to get enough movement during your cleanse, but if you are feeling tired be sure to honor that and take the time to rest! Something light like walking is a great way to incorporate movement into your day while still being gentle with yourself. Walking the dog counts, too!

Bedtime

Having a bedtime routine as well can really help with your rest and mindset! Go to bed early and be sure to digitally detox in the evenings (much easier said than done!) I promise, if you take the time to stop working, put your electronics aside, and read or bathe before bed you will feel so much more relaxed and well-rested! If you are looking for some great before-bed book recommendations check out Untamed, Happiness Project, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Red Tent, or, of course, any of my books. 
Follow this plan for a week and I promise – you will feel lighter, happier, and more energetic. If you need a bite of your kids rice and beans, go for it, but this cleanse is meant to be vegetable heavy for a reason. Your body has been so busy digesting so many heavy things – this allows it to take a moment off.
After your detox you can keep your new healthy lifestyle up by slowly adding in all the other deliciousness from my book like beans & whole grains. And keep the motivation alive by visiting farm sanctuaries, going on walks, and noticing how deep and relaxed your breath is as you’re walking. Start shopping at farmer’s markets to be motivated to try new recipes with the freshest and most seasonal produce available, especially in spring.
Happy renewal, friends!
Love, 
Alicia 
*If this is your first time ever doing a cleanse you may have some detox reactions – this is good! Not a sign that you need to eat a burger, just your body realizing how much it needs to do this. But be sure to always speak with your primary care physician before starting any new cleanse or diet.