By Michael Parrish DuDell on September 25, 2009
When you hear the name Alicia Silverstone what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps a “Clueless” blond-headed teen sardonically spouting “as if” and “whatever?” Or maybe it’s a costume-clad superhero saving Gotham City from deadly villains. Well next month you’ll discover yet another side of the well-known actress as she adds a new credit to her jam-packed resume: that of an author.
Silverstone’s first book “The Kind Diet” will be released on October 12th and is already garnering hefty helpings of enthusiastic praise. In the book, Alicia shares the insights that encouraged her to swear off meat and dairy forever, and outlines the spectacular benefits of adopting a plant-based diet — one she has been committed to for 11 years.
In my first post for Crazy Sexy Life, I shared that it was Alicia’s speech at Farm Sanctuary’s 2006 Gala that helped push my passion to the next level and really inspired me to get involved in a more dynamic way.
A few years later, I find myself wading knee-deep in delicious activism and friendly with the person who, without knowing it, made me reexamine the whole picture. It’s my honor and pleasure to introduce Crazy Sexy Life readers to actress, activist and now author, Alicia Silverstone.
Michael Parrish DuDell: You’ve been vegan for so many years, what finally inspired you to write a book about this lifestyle?
Alicia Silverstone: I’ve been thinking about writing this book for 8 years. I kept a big file where I would put all the information I gathered (recipes, tips, etc) and it just kept growing. Over the years, I’ve been able to help friends deal with everything from ovarian cysts, to digestive & stomach issues, to irregular periods. I would send them all a packet of info and they would say to me, “This is a book!” But it wasn’t until a friend gave me the solid nudge I needed that I actually took steps toward getting it published. I finally carved out space in my life to devote to this project and I am so glad I did. I’m really looking forward to being able to share all the knowledge and tools I’ve accumulated over the years — simple and delicious ideas that will allow people to look and feel their best!
MPD: What have you found to be the most challenging part of writing a book?
AS: The hardest part has been coordinating and devoting time to doing press. The second hardest part would be the intensity of the deadlines and the “letting-go.” I care so much about what I am doing and want every single thing to be perfect, and that takes time. Plus, there is always more work to be done, more information to add — so it’s hard to finally say, “OK, I’m done!” I could have worked on this book forever!
MPD: What sort of reactions have you received from those who’ve read early editions?
AS: The reactions have been amazing. I’ve already spoken with a number of people who’ve made drastic changes to their diet. One woman had dangerously high cholesterol levels that, after following tips from “The Kind Diet,” became normal. One man lost 15 to 20 pounds and feels amazing — says he never wants to go back to the way he was before. And others are just enjoying feeling happier and healthier.
MPD: If you have to pick your favorite chapter which one would it be and why?
AS: Well, my favorite isn’t really a chapter, it’s a section called “The Journey Starts Here.” It explains why I am so inspired and passionate about this subject and it begins to lay out the many wonderful benefits of this lifestyle. My second favorite is the chapter on “Nasty Foods,” which really breaks down the medical and scientific info in a way that is fun and easy to read.
MPD: Have you found being so outspoken about veganism a challenge in Hollywood?
AS: Yes, it is sometimes challenging, but then, so are a lot of things.
MD: Who in the vegetarian community are you most inspired by?
AS: I would say I’m most inspired by anyone on the front lines — particularly those who are investigating and uncovering the truths about the state of our food systems today. But mostly I’m inspired by every person who chooses to go down this path in their own way — even if it’s through actions as seemingly simple as turning the water off in the bathroom when they wash their hands, or using canvas bags, or giving vegetarianism/veganism a try.
MD: What would you say is your one big hope for this book?
AS: My big hope for this book is to have as many human beings on the planet read it as possible, because the information contained within its pages is powerful and life-changing! I especially want people who think they could never be vegan/vegetarian to read this and realize that they needn’t make huge changes. I just want them to take in the information and realize what is possible — including improved health, a renewed sense of happiness, and a contribution toward improving the health of our planet.
And there you have it – kind words from a “Kind” author! A big thanks to Alicia Silverstone for taking time out of her busy schedule to sit down for a chat. Make sure you pick up a copy of “The Kind Diet” on October 12th.
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By Guest Blogger on September 24, 2009
By Earthmother in the Raw
In the spring of 2008, a book on the “New Arrivals” shelf of my small-town library jumped out at me: Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr. I didn’t have cancer, didn’t know anyone with cancer, and yet, I was compelled to sign the book out. I think it was the cover photo of the cowgirl in the desert southwest that spoke to me.
“Wow,” I thought, “That used to be me. What in the world happened to that free spirit with her bohemian lust for life?”
Here’s what happened to her in a nutshell: Years and years of dieting had taught her not to trust her body’s hunger cues. With every diet, her eating became more disordered and her body’s physiology became even more imbalanced. She had forgotten that eating had anything to do with being hungry and dieted her way to 300 pounds. Yup, morbidly obese.
I suffered from fire-breathing-dragon heartburn, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, lymphedema, adult acne, joint pain and a host of other debilitating symptoms. Walking to the end of the driveway was excruciating. My legs were swollen like tree trunks. I hadn’t seen my ankles in several years. I knew what was coming down the pike — diabetes, heart disease, pushing up daisies. I was way too young, but I felt hopeless. What was the answer? Gastric bypass?
Instead, I devoured that book. Kris’ story of being diagnosed with an extremely rare, incurable cancer and her journey toward health and healing was so inspirational. A big part of her healing journey involved adopting a raw foods lifestyle. The back of the book is loaded with resources and I started checking out websites and other books from the library.
The more I learned about eating raw foods, the more sold on the idea I became. It was when I read The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose that I thought, “I can do this!” I loved her simple start-where-you-are approach.
On the summer solstice, June 21, 2008, I set an intention to change my relationship to food and regain my health and vitality. I soon traded in my scale for a juicer and entered the world of raw, living foods. I began to replace prepared and processed foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds.
It was a big change for me. BIG. I grew up in a Hungarian household, where I was weaned on chicken paprikash and stuffed cabbage. Vegetables were potatoes and corn. Not too many salads, because Dad thought “they taste green.” We celebrated with food. We mourned with food. I learned to use food for pleasure, for comfort, for reward.
As I grew into an adult and began living on my own, I couldn’t be bothered with cooking. Convenience was key — get more, faster. So I ate food in packages and racked up frequent flyer miles at the drive-thru windows. I joke that I thought Starbucks was a food group, but trust me, that wasn’t far from the truth. And, pick a diet, any diet, and betcha I’ve been on it.
There was the whole emotional component around food too. I’ve had to change my relationship with food. When we stop dieting, we have to trust that our body will tell us what it needs—and only what it needs.
Hello? Terrifying! I used to live to eat. Now, I’ve learned to eat to live.
A funny thing happened along this path of weight loss: by infusing my body with live enzymes, I began to feel more alive. All those symptoms I mentioned disappeared. My energy level shot through the roof. I sleep like a baby at night. My skin is smooth, clear and radiant. Over 120 pounds have melted away without counting a point, calorie, carb or fat gram.
I walk 5K every morning and every evening – my walking partner/Siberian husky, Maya, sees to that. I have a daily yoga practice. I love hiking in the woods (Maya too!), so I’m out there at least three-four times a week. I got a pair of inline skates for my birthday and began rollerblading this summer. No fatalities yet.
And, most recently, this cowgirl’s gotten back in the saddle. Yee Haw! My four-legged, 1,500-pound pals couldn’t be happier. Me too. I lost the equivalent of a whole person, but found that ol’ bohemian lust for life in the process.
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By Donna Perrone on September 17, 2009
This summer, I cooled off with an excursion to a local water park featuring water slides, and a cool wave pool. I grabbed my bathing suit, packed a lunch and headed to Jersey. This day trip meant planning my meals ahead of time, which consisted of two Norwalk pressed green/vegetable juices from the best juice joint in NYC called, ‘Liquidteria,’ packed in a cold storage insulated bag with a cold pack, germinated sunflower seeds, sliced vegetables, and a lemon Lara Bar. Also, my friend made me an awesome coconut shake sweetened with stevia to drink during our car ride to the park. Delicious!
We arrived at the park and were stopped at the gate. “No Food is Permitted in the Park,” we were told! Caught! Poor shame, my innocent veggie food was condemned. The park offered an array of fake food offerings to choose from consisting of hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, and fried chicken. What’s a health nut to do? Answer: I argued! I declared, “My doctor has me on a special diet and I must eat my own food.” They allowed me to leave our food just outside the park on a picnic table under a large tent. Good enough. Hopefully, the woodchucks would leave my sunflower seeds alone while unattended!
When these situations arise I feel like the world is an insane place and that we have become so disconnected with what should be considered ‘normal’ and ‘natural.’ To me ‘normal’ means taking the best care of myself and eating natural food that comes from the earth. ‘Normal’ would never exist in a deep fryer.
Onward to the fun! Water slides are so cool! I am a fearless water slide warrior! I even went on the tallest water slide in the park! I could feel the cool change in temperature up at the top!
Any entertainment park holds lines of people that wait their turn for a thill ride, and there was plenty of time to observe and contemplate the crowd. Since this was a water park, there was a grand opportunity to get a good view of people in their bathing suits. My personal journey of eating primarily raw food for 20 years, practicing periodic cleansing methods and being a Colon Hydro-therapist has awarded me with some wisdom on the subject of toxicity. By no means am I perfect and prefer not to be so, and would not impose perfection onto anyone. This personal journey toward wellness takes much effort and consciousness to sustain daily. I feel great compassion toward all beings that struggle with weight issues, any physical/emotional dilemmas, ignorance or lack of discipline. All the work that I do is in support to help others overcome these struggles.
Obesity is an epidemic in this country. Over 58 million Americans are overweight. I witnessed an overwhelming amount of overweight people at the park. In particular, many of these people looked very bloated in their mid-section. The cause ranges from over-consumption of food, too much animal protein and refined food, imbalances in the body, lack of food combining principles, and poor food choices. These bellies ranged from a little pouch, to bloated, to pregnant sized gut, to a completely descended colon that is impacted with layers of mucus, waste and toxic gases collecting for years. We are becoming a toxic, weakened, numb, over-stimulated, addicted, medicated, sick society. This water park asked me to keep my veggies outside the park, yet offers these already sick and abused bodies more grease. Is it ‘normal’ to live this way?
There were many families at the park and the number of overweight children present was alarming. How will these children cope with keeping a healthy weight when they only know to live in a heavy body that causes their little hearts, and lungs to work excessively hard to carry around all that excess weight. The digestive system is burdened and overwhelmed. All organs, glands and systems are stressed. The cellular body becomes clogged. Their parents overfeed them with unhealthy food that creates their little arteries to clog at a young age. Their relationship to food begins now and becomes fixed. What will the future bring?
Finally, I saw some young people at the park in their twenties and early thirties. Most were an average weight and physically fit but my discerning Colon Hydro-therapist eye detects a level of toxicity found in the tissue. When the body becomes flabby, fleshy or loose we can guess that the tissue contains toxins, poisons, and gases along with fat. This level of toxicity stored away in the cells is found in our skin and soft tissue. The waste and gases age the body and will make the tissue quality sag.
Excessive fat cells may remain in the body forever. Dieting only works temporarily. Eating healthier and less food is the only solution. Statistics reveal that only 5% of people are successful on diets. A change in lifestyle is key to any long-term success. Looking to have a youthful body and to feel great at any age? It is essential to practice eating a super healthy diet along with periodic cleansing. Yes, you got it. Please include colonics as part of your health program and you’ll be on your way!
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