Healthy Is the New Sexy

So you’re a “wellness warrior,” but for some reason you are still not always practicing what you preach with self-care, and everything you’ve been “meaning to get back into for a while now” still keeps getting put on the back burner.

What gives?

I am not here today to mother you. Lordy … I don’t want that job. But I am here to take a stand for what I know is possible when you commit to having the life you always dreamed of. And guess what sister … to attain that, your self-care has GOT to be numero uno!

Darn it … the vicious circle of a catch-22

The great thing about you already being pretty health savvy is that it won’t take much for you to get back up in the saddle. All you probably need is to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do some tweaking here and there to get back on track.

Keep it simple sister, just like you tell everyone else to do.

Remind yourself that living a holistic lifestyle is a natural, fun, explorative, individualized-to-you kind of approach. And it is a choice. Bring yourself back to those day-to-day habits that you already know support you in a way that feels really good. Is it incorporating natural foods that tempt your taste buds? Finding a rockin’ new song that makes you wanna pull out your rebounder and jump your little heart out? All the while you are taking into consideration that these habits are sustainable for that life you are deliberately designing.

Plus … you already know that healthy is super sexy.

You have been there before and understand from personal experience that when you are glowing on the inside you are naturally radiant on the outside. It is like you are shooting off pheromones as you walk into a room and all heads turn. You love being comfortable in your own skin. You dig how the fabric of that sexy little camisole feels on your bod. And that is most certainly the healthy you with a bit more swing in your hips… you bet I saw that, mamma (wink wink).

I get that life can be overwhelming sometimes and your health seems to take the back burner. So, I’m gonna knock out seven easy steps that will help you get it back on track.

Seven Easy Steps to Get Your Health Sexified:

1. Take Off the Blinders: First things first and that means you need to get really honest about where your health is today. No more sweeping little secrets under the rug. If you are not proud of any habits you are doing today, meaning you wouldn’t feel comfy doing them in front of another person, then it is time to transition out of that habit.

2. Tune In to You: Yep, you got it. You were born intuitively knowing health and, through this whole crazy thing called life, you may have gotten a bit confused. That’s cool … no worries. Heavens child, certainly don’t sweat it. But now let’s start reconnecting with you, so you can remember what feeling naturally good really feels like.

3. Create Your Daily Rituals: Design a.m. and p.m. rituals that nurture you. Do you feel great when you meditate every morning, dry brush, then have a cup of your fav herbal tea? In the evening, do you turn off your cell and spend time in a nice bubble bath with candles? Create healthy rituals that you miss when you don’t do them.

4. Love a Farmer: In today’s society there sure is an abundance of dead food available at all times. I know that sounds weird and maybe you haven’t thought of it that way, but let’s do so now. How much life is really in Doritos? I don’t know, but I am thinking not much. Start going to the farmers markets and fill your fridge with organic produce, becoming a really good friend to all those little cells taking residence in your body.

5. Bottoms Up!: Drinking plenty of water is one of the cheapest, easiest and nicest gifts that you can give your body. As I am sure you know, you can live days without food, but water … well that is something that you must have no matter what. Sexy your water up with a slice of citrus or make it feel special by drinking it from your favorite wine glass. Bottom line is you do need to get about eight glasses down the chute a day.

6. Know What Floats Your Boat: OK, I am going to debunk some pretty major myths that are floating around our universe about exercise. You do not need to exercise two hours a day or eliminate an entire food group from your diet to maintain your weight. Not the general public at least. What you do need to do is create a lifestyle that is sustainable and enjoyable for you … oh yeah, and you really should move your bod at least 30 minutes a day. No groaning! I am not talking about 30 minutes of hard-core spinning, unless that’s what floats your boat. I am talking at least 30 minutes of an activity that you really enjoy, whether that is brisk walking, hip-hop dancing or surfing. Just do it.

7. Sleep Like You Mean It: I mean… reaaaallly mean it! Not a measly two hours here or four hours there. Your body, mind and spirit all deserve a full night’s rest, all the time. Sleep is the time when your body is able to fully rejuvenate. You know that p.m. ritual we talked about earlier? Well including a decent bedtime is a part of that.

You getting the picture, mamma? Getting/being/staying healthy can be enjoyable if you let it be. So much of it is your attitude and the approach that you choose to take. Developing a lifestyle that is healthy and has your inner you grinning from ear-to-ear is at your fingertips.

Kerry Tepedino is an internationally trained holistic health practitioner and creator of You-Defining-You Coaching, as well as the Healthology Method, a holistic approach to total wellness.

Photo credit: Werner Moser

One Size Does Not Fit All

I’m fat. Not size-14, average-American-woman fat. Really fat. And I am healthy. Why? I would say I am healthy because I strive to maintain a vegan diet. This was not always the case. I used to have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, migraine headaches (weekly) and a general fear of my body caving in on me. I got some test results, and I was upset. I didn’t want to take medication for the rest of my life. I didn’t need the condescending look and fear-induced shaming coming from my doctor. She suggested gastric bypass in addition to many prescriptions. I told her I had to think about it.

That was a lie. I knew I was not interested in weight-loss surgery. I am a strong woman who loves independence, compassion and fierce questioning of many models. This would be no different. I was fat, but I believed I could be healthy. A documentary on raw diets and Type 2 diabetes led me to ask questions of lovely wellness-living friends, to read many books from my local library (“The China Study,” “Becoming Vegan,” “Why We Eat Pigs, Wear Cows and Love Dogs”) and eventually, I was led to “Crazy Sexy Diet.” The joy for life, for food and for compassion I found there solidified my choices.

I am not on a diet. I am changing my life. That may result in some weight loss. But I want to be clear that my intentions are about health, clarity and compassion — for myself as well as animals. I am a big, fat, proud vegan. And that has been interesting.

I live in a little, seemingly progressive university town in the Midwest. There are lovely people here and lots of supportive places for veg-friendly eats — we have local farmers who sell yummy greens at the farmers market; a local co-op with bulk bins that can help with the expense of eating organic and healthy; there are options at most restaurants and a wonderful apple orchard to wander with the kids. But, as a fat, vegan wellness woman, there are also many sidelong glances, questioning stares and blatant stereotyping. A recent interaction at an event with food went something like this:

“We have a vegan option available, and we ask that only the vegans partake so there is enough for all.”

I lined up in the vegan line.

Woman: “You are vegan?”

Me: “Yep. Why?”

Woman: “I just … well … with your body type?”

She body-checks me.

Woman: “Well, clearly you eat other things.”

I stood there a bit shocked. We all know the feeling. I couldn’t find my response fast enough and ended up walking away. Only to think later, “What the hell?”

This may seem like no big deal. She was stereotyping; no harm done. Maybe now she’ll change her views. But I encounter this kind of comment all the time. Worse — people often feel like they can comment on eating habits without being invited. Add size to that equation, and people are full of comments, criticisms and, of course, dieting advice.

A coworker of mine, for example, is always telling me how dairy is fine and even the strictest vegetarians in other countries understand how wonderful cow’s milk is. I get it. To be confronted with the ways our eating is harming the world and ourselves is scary. Saying something to passively defend oneself may be a natural response. But I find that as a fat woman, I get these responses much more often. I am less likely to be seen as health-conscious, or even animal-aware. I am more likely to be seen as trying some fad to lose weight (and only because I must be so miserable fat).

Even John McDougall, a wonderful resource for veganism and healthful living, wrote an article on the fat vegan. He called us “an oxymoron,” claiming we are not showing compassion for the animal in ourselves.

The reality is this — if I were trying to lose weight, it wouldn’t happen overnight. I didn’t gain it all that way, either. Becoming vegan is an important step for health at any size. I drink my green juice (and like it!), roast my brussels sprouts and occasionally make vegan mac and cheese, too. I am just like any other vegan trying to live a life of compassion, clarity and consciousness. And I am fat too. I may remain fat. I will still be healthier because of my diet choices.

So the next time you’re faced with a sister vegan, and she isn’t what you expect, just smile. Revel in the reality of our differences and the joy of our shared journeys. Make a green juice toast, and share a recipe for compassion. Vegans come in all sizes.

Shell Feijo is a vegan mama striving for health, compassion, and lots of laughter. Her book, “Pigs Are People Too: Experiences of a Fat Woman in America” is forthcoming — just in time for the after-holiday diet season. She lives in Iowa City.

Low-Fat Diets: Grossly Misrepresented

For more than two decades, many commentators have discussed and cussed so-called low-fat diets and gotten away with talking nonsense. It is time to look at some facts.

Virtually all of these discussions are based on recommendations of reports of the National Academy of Sciences during the 1980s when the initial suggestion was made to reduce total dietary fat to 30 percent (from the average of 35-37 percent of calories). I know because I co-authored the first of these reports on diet and cancer in 1982. Then, during the next decade or so, this 30 percent benchmark became the definition of a low-fat diet. A myth was born because this diet did not lead to obesity, as claimed.

During the next 10 years when this low-fat myth was growing, average percent dietary fat barely changed, maybe decreasing a couple percentage points to about 33 percent, at best. In reality, the amount of fat consumed increased because total calorie consumption also increased. Furthermore, during this same period of low-fat mythology (1980s-1990s), obesity incidence increased.

Now, enter Robert Atkins and other writers who argued that obesity was increasing because of our switch to low-fat diets. By going low fat – so the mythical story went – we were consuming more carbohydrate, an energy source from plant-based foods. This was a serious misrepresentation of the facts.

By falsely blaming low-fat, “high-carb” diets for the obesity crisis, these writers were then free to promote the opposite: high-fat, “low-carb,” high-cholesterol and high-protein diets rich in animal-based foods, a so-called “low-carb” diet. During the initial discussions of this “low-carb” diet, no distinction was made between the refined carbohydrates (sugar and white flour as commonly present in processed foods) and the natural carbohydrates almost exclusively present in plant-based foods.

Later, some attention was given to refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour) as a contributor to obesity, but by then the damage due to this obfuscation had been done. “Carbs” were out; protein and fat were in. By initially demonizing “carbs” and so-called “low-fat” diets and emphasizing increased protein and fat consumption, the intended path was clear: Consume a diet rich in animal-based foods instead of a diet rich in plant-based foods.

Obesity continues to climb, but not because of a switch to a plant-foods rich diet naturally low in fat and high in carbohydrate (total carbohydrate, that is). Rather, obesity increases as physical activity decreases and as sugary, fatty, salty, processed food consumption increases.

More serious, however, is the effect that this mythology has had on suppressing information on the extraordinary health value of diets that are truly low in fat (10-12 percent). I am referring to a whole-foods, plant-based diet that avoids added fat, and processed and animal-based foods. This diet contains about 10-12 percent fat, sometimes pejoratively referred to as “extremely low fat.” Call it what you will, but this diet (also low in total protein, about 8-10 percent) produces, by comparison, “extremely low” incidences of sickness and disease. In fact, it now has been shown not just to prevent these illnesses but to treat them. Importantly, this dietary lifestyle cannot be dismissed by the mythological argument that so-called low-fat diets have been proven to be questionable.

Professional medical researchers and practitioners also repeat this same mantra as if it were real. It has been shown, for example, in the very large Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard over an observation period of at least 14 years that reducing dietary fat from about 50 percent to about 25 percent of total calories has no association with breast cancer rates. Based on this and related studies, the sole manipulation of fat within this range does little or nothing when the diet still contains such high proportions of animal-based and processed foods. Total protein remains very high throughout this range and worse, the proportion of protein from animal-based sources, already high when fat is high, if anything, increases even more when fat is independently decreased.

It is time that we seriously consider the health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet, which is naturally low in total fat, animal-based protein and refined carbohydrates, but rich in antioxidants and complex carbohydrates. The health benefits that are now being reported for this dietary lifestyle are unmatched in scope and magnitude of effect. It is time to discard the gibberish about low-fat diets being responsible for the obesity epidemic. This demonizing of low-fat diets does not apply to whole-food plant-based diets, even lower in fat, because this dietary lifestyle really works. Just try it; but stay with it long enough to allow your body to overcome your taste preferences for fat that arise from its addictive nature.

For more information on how to optimize your health, visit tcolincampbell.org/.

Originally published at HuffingtonPost.com

Photo credit: (OvO)

5 Easy Steps to an Alkaline Diet

As we all know, Kris is a huge fan of the alkaline diet (see here, here and here). In her Top 15 Crazy Sexy Diet Tips, her second most important tip is to “Learn about pH, the acid/alkaline balance, and say goodbye to the standard American diet (SAD), acidic diet in favor of alkaline foods.”

However, I know from experience that this is easier than it sounds. In this little tutorial I want to make the alkaline lifestyle easy to start, implement and stick to. Since 2004 I have made it my mission to make the alkaline lifestyle easy. I’ve learned from experience and trial and error. As with much in life, abundant health is easier than we’ve been led to believe. Remember these core principles:

- Take it slowly, taking baby steps, day-by-day, rather than going full-on from day 1!
- You’re not meant to be perfect. You’re still supposed to enjoy life. Enjoy a day off, have treats, enjoy your favorite foods and socialize. Don’t feel like to be healthy you have to change your personality.

This is meant to fit your lifestyle, not the other way around!

5 Steps to Living Alkaline

1. Hydration
My research has found that around 90 percent of people are chronically dehydrated and this is having a massive impact on their quality of life. It amazes me when people say that they don’t really drink water! How do they get through the day? They must feel so crappy!

Getting properly hydrated will make a huge difference to your health, energy, vitality and immunity. Everything is influenced by the quantity and quality of the water you drink. Aim to filter your water and make it alkaline with a pH between 8 and 9.5.

Hydration Action Steps
- Drink 6-18 cups of water each day. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces.
- Drink lemon water: 2 cups of lukewarm, filtered water with freshly-squeezed juice from 1/4 lemon. It helps cleanse the digestive system, ignite your metabolism and buffer excess acids. Despite the lemons being acidic in their natural form, lemon water is alkaline-forming to the body once consumed.
- Enjoy organic herbal teas such as Rooibos, peppermint and nettle.

2. Go Green!
The alkaline diet is also about alkaline foods. There is conflicting information on the Internet about which foods are alkaline and which are acid-forming. This simple rule covers 90 percent of foods:

Alkaline foods are those you already know are good for you: fresh vegetables, salads, leafy greens, low-sugar fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy oils; unrefined, organic, high-water-content foods.

And acidic foods are those you already know are bad for you: refined foods, fast foods, trans-fats, meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, white bread, white pasta and rice, condiments, alcohol, chocolate, chips, ice cream and pizza.

Aim for a ratio of 80/20: Consume 80 percent alkaline foods to 20 percent acidic foods.

3. Transition
Take it slowly! Almost everyone who I have ever coached or had contact with who tries to do the alkaline diet 100 percent from day one fails within a week and usually after 24 hours.

The alkaline diet is not restrictive at all, not difficult and is really simple, once you’ve gotten used to it. People who try to be perfect from day one miss the chance to learn, experiment and find meals that work for them and their family. They end up feeling hungry, fed up and restricted.

It is far better to transition and get there slowly, by sticking to it for the long-term rather than being perfect for a day or two and then crashing.

4. Oxygen
By doing a simple breathing exercise once or twice per day you give your body a huge helping hand in removing these acids. Plus it allows you to stop, focus your mind, visualize and relax, which is also nicely alkalizing.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes and follow this simple breathing pattern:

- Breathe in for the count of 2.
- Hold for a count of 8.
- Breathe out for a count of 4.
- Repeat 10 times.

5. Supplements
This is one of the most overwhelming and confusing parts of the alkaline diet for most beginners. There are so many supplements out there, all promising different things and all claiming they are better than the others.

Here are the core supplements I recommend:

Green powder: This is a combination of powdered grasses, fruits, vegetables and sprouts with a focus on wheatgrass and barley grass.

Alkaline water: You can make alkaline water in a number of ways including using a water ionizer, pH drops or adding freshly squeezed lemon.

Alkaline minerals: The primary way that your body buffers acids is through the alkaline minerals: sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Omega oils: Taking an omega 3 supplement or an omega oil blend including omega-3, -6 and -9 is really beneficial. I recommend Udo’s Choice Omega Oil Blend. Udo is a world-leading researcher in omega oils for nutrition and he has made a fantastic product.

The alkaline diet is simple when taken slowly, when you aim for 80/20 rather than perfection and when you still allow yourself treats and fun. Take it easy, have a sense of humor with it and enjoy it.

Keep it simple and if you mess up, don’t beat yourself up! Go for a walk, refocus and just start again! The rest of your life is a long and interesting journey, so enjoy it with the health, energy and vitality that the alkaline lifestyle brings!

Ross Bridgeford is the co-founder of Energise for Life, the world’s largest alkaline diet website. After seven years, he’s now known as “The Alkaline Diet Guy’” after writing over 600 articles and 100 videos on living with health, vitality and alkalinity!

Photo credit: James Bowe

“Vegan America” is Closer Than You Think

Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates, the founder of western medicine, said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Tragically, the way most Americans eat, food is more like poison, making us sick and killing us prematurely. Heart disease and cancer are the nation’s top killers, and the risks of both can be reduced by eating plants instead of animal products. Removing meat, milk and eggs from the menu also prevents animal suffering and goes a long way toward lightening our environmental footprint. People are finally recognizing the profound impacts of their food choices, and we are now in the midst of a burgeoning food movement.

We read about it daily – more and more people are eating local and organic, going vegetarian and even vegan. I want to see it for myself, so I’m out on a three week, cross-country adventure to explore “vegan America.” It’s called the Just Eats Tour and you can follow along daily here.

The Just Eats Tour is part of Farm Sanctuary’s 25^th anniversary. We were founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and to promote plant based eating. In the early years, we funded the organization by selling veggie hot dogs out of an old VW van at Grateful Dead concerts. Farm Sanctuary is now America’s leading farm animal protection organization, supported by more than 230,000 citizens across the United States.

We work to educate people about the animal cruelty and other abuses of factory farming, and believe that most people, when provided with information, will make healthier, more humane and environmentally sustainable choices. We also advocate for legal reforms, and although the laws are still grossly inadequate, we have been able to pass groundbreaking legislation to lessen the suffering of animals exploited by the food industry. And, we operate sanctuaries in New York and California where we care for nearly 1,000 chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows and other rescued farm animals. Once they come to Farm Sanctuary, the animals are treated like our friends, not our food. We encourage people to consider adopting vegan lifestyles, and we disseminate information like this fun video we recently released to expose the environmental impacts of animal agriculture.

I’ve been vegan since 1985, and it is great to see a growing interest in this lifestyle, especially in the past couple of years. People are coming to it for diverse reasons – health, spirituality, a desire to live gently on the earth or to prevent animal suffering. Among those who have moved toward eating plants instead of animals are: Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Woody Harrelson, Mike Tyson, Lea Michelle, Steve Wynn, Mary Tyler Moore, Alicia Silverstone, Russell Simmons, Ellen DeGeneres, Jesse Eisenberg, Biz Stone, John Mackey and Prince Fielder. Vegans still comprise a small percentage of the U.S. population, but our numbers are growing.

The Just Eats Tour began at a black tie gala in New York City at Cipriani’s on Wall Street on May 14^th and three weeks later we’ll arrive at Farm Sanctuary’s shelter in Orland, California for our annual Hoe Down on June 4^th. Along the way, we’ll visit big cities and rural communities. We’ll speak with chefs, business owners, entrepreneurs, fitness experts, celebrities and everyday heroes who are exploring vegan living. We’ll be posting recipes, videos, photos and other resources. We also want you to share your recipes on our website, and we encourage you to take the Vegan Challenge.

We hope this tour will help Americans better recognize the impacts of their food choices, learn about positive alternatives, and ultimately, choose healthier, more humane and sustainable options. You can keep up with the Just Eats Tour daily by checking our website at www.justeatstour.org.