That Damn Splenda vs Sweetener Issue...

After reading the numerous and... let's just say "low vibrational" responses to recent Facebook posts about the dangers of Splenda (and other artificial sweeteners can be included in here too)  I'm going to chime in with my few cents, and hopefully simplify this argument :

1. Did it come from a plant-based source? - If ANY food I eat, was manufactured, discovered, or mass-produced in a lab, then God help me. Are bodies are living, breathing organisms... So how (come on folks, let's use plain un-common sense here) could artificial foodstuff EVER truly sustain the body? And I mean, ever?!!! Living organisms have to support living organism. That's a basic grade twelve biology lesson there. 

2. Just be cause they can sell it, doesn't make it safe - Labs can buy formaldehyde, TNT, and just about every other toxic chemical (btw, most of those things can be found in common, everyday household items too, so don't get it twisted). Did you know that the average Canadian has consumed more than 100 toxic chemicals before they've had their first morning coffee? Remember, the job of the company selling these products isn't to keep you safe, its to keep you wanting and buying more of their products... And they most certainly are addictive.

3. Go back to basics - Really and truly, when in doubt, go back to nature's finest. Honey, brown sugar, molasses are great options for sweetener. And in most cases, you'll find that sugar cravings actually means your body wants something else! You can use this link as a resource to see what your body may really be craving. 

I've heard people saying everything will kill you, why not just eat whatever you want... Those responses more than likely are coming from people who have no idea what it means to live pain-free, with ease, and loving their life and everything in it (that's just my guess). I've also seen people writing that these original articles were written by people who wanted to sell their "natural junk" that didn't work. 

No way, Jose. There are people who have devoted their lives to making sure that all people make educated and healthy decisions period. So we provide people with options, and our version of truth, so ALL PEOPLE can choose what makes common sense. We don't want to preach; just using our science, knowledge and wisdom so that truth doesn't get twisted :). 

Please post your comments/questions/responses. Would love to hear from you! 

Mental Illness Isn't Rare... So Why Don't We Talk About It?

I'm writing this post because I know that Bell did a campaign last year talking about mental illness and depression... Then it seemed that as soon as the month was over, 

WHOOSH! MENTAL ILLNESS DISAPPEARED! 

Well, at least that's what it felt like to read most online sites. No one seems to want to talk about it anymore... Because it isn't "sexy". 

I'm hoping to shed light on what mental illness, or rather what I'd like to call mental wellness looks like in the everyday life.

Its when you know you have that "crazy" aunt or uncle that everyone says is "touched"... But you know that person as the fun aunt or uncle who speaks his/her mind and always brings joy to the house.

Its when all of a sudden, your sister or cousin goes through that bout of depression, and couldn't get up out of bed for three months on end, and had to take sick leave. And this was all "blamed" on a break-up or some other major traumatic event in one's life.

Or, in my example, it was me, not realizing that I was going through a "spell" (aka a crazy depressed period), until I looked back on my life at that time. I realized that none of the pictures I took showed me smiling, I'd aged by at least 20 years in only 1 year, and gained enough weight to make me resemble what I can only imagine would be myself in an alternate universe! 

Because I grew up in a family where mental illness was quite common, I knew that I had to really make sure my lifestyle allowed for me to always have my wits about me, and have a heightened level of awareness. 

Might you be lacking mental wellness? Keep in mind that it can be something as simple as depression or seasonal affective disorder. If you have read this and want to get well, here are a few simple things you can do : 

• DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE - Please reach out to someone you love and trust, who you can be real, open and honest with, and ask them to help you through what you're going through. I know if I had done so, it wouldn't have taken me so long to come back to life.

• Eat Healthy - Sometimes that sluggish feeling, or not feeling so well about ourselves is actually caused by chemical and neurological imbalances! All those toxins floating around in our body keeps our mental faculties from working properly. Eating balanced, healthy meals (you can always sign up to my free program to find great resources!) helps keep you positive, mentally well and stable, and doing whats best for you and those around you

• Find an expert and ask questions - Whether its someone trusted in your network that has helped other recover, or whether you get a referral from someone like me, never be afraid to ask questions. Fear of asking questions keeps people sick and suffering, and in pain. Folks like us who are all about helping people heal will always do our very best to make sure you get the help you need. 

I'm hoping that the more of my own personal stories about these "tough" subjects, the more others come out and speak about it. I have no more shame about this in my life. There also is no more lingering pain. I've forgiven myself for "falling into despair". Now this is my chance to help others, so that they know they are definitely not alone. 

What else can I give so I can help you heal from your pain? I'm all ears :).

To Vegan or Not to Vegan? - Let's Dispell Some Veg Myths

After being vegetarian for over 7 years, vegan for a year, then raw vegan for a year, before getting extremely sick and nearly destroying my own immune system, I get such a huge amount of questions about that lifestyle, that I thought I'd post a short few set of myths that I end up repeating on a weekly basis :

1. VEGAN DIETS MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT - Its usually not the fact that a diet is meat-free that makes you lose weight; its the fact that usually when you go vegan, you focus on eating more natural foods that come from the ground, instead of a box filled with chemicals and crap.

The honest truth is that in my lifetime, I've met more than a fair share of overweight and extremely unhealthy vegans and vegetarians, because they still continued to eat foods that were from a box, highly processed, that just didn't have meat. Not a great way to support body health.

2. EVERYONE CAN GO VEGAN HEALTHILY - Trust me folks, as much as I'd love to believe this one were true (as a big advocate for cruelty-free products), this one totally depends on each individual's body type, blood type and what works for them.

My nine year almost meat-free diet actually tore my immune system down so much, that I contracted viral meningitis. Unless I re-incorporated meat into my diet, I may not have recovered my health to such a strong level where I haven't even gotten so much as a full-blown cold since (over 2 years later).

Also, my body was trying to tell me over those nine years that I needed meat because I was consistently jittery, was battling multiple candida issues the whole time, and really had some severe hormonal imbalances. Folks, I learned the hard way what my body needs; please do not do the same.

3. NON VEGANS DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE PLANET - One of my biggest pet peeves honestly about becoming an omnivore again after being vegan for so long, is having some vegan eaters tell me I'm a part of destroying the planet. OH REALLY?

Considering
a) I might most seriously still be debilitated if I didn't start eating meat again, and may not healthily be here to tell my tale,

b) I buy mostly organic where I can, use the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle, with emphasis on the first two) every day,

c) Use awareness in nearly all of my buying choices, where I choose local, lightly used, and upcycled wherever I can, and last but not least

d) Have finally started to make a true impact in my love for all things green by relating it to people with their health,

my comment back is, I'd rather eat my meat (thank you very much), continue to have my positive impact on this planet as a whole, and teach thousands of others (which I do every day) how their small choices cumulatively as individuals have a bigger impact than one person going hog-wild.

I thought it would be useful to not only vent, but also help countless others in this vegan/omnivore debate... Now that I've been on both sides of this fence, I really get how futile the argument sometimes is. It's more important that people know what real food looks like period, as right now most people believe that fast food is really food. We've got a much bigger issue to tackle than we initially may have thought.

For more food and health-related insights, you can subscribe to my newsletter HERE. 

Too Busy to Eat Healthy?

Whether you're a busy young professional, new Mom, or an always-working entrepreneur, there are some simple things you can do to make sure you're still eating well, with a limited amount of time.

One disclaimer first:

Don't try to do everything at once!!!

Going from Junk Food Jane/Joe to Health Food Harriet/Henry overnight never happens, and is a sure-way to get de-motivated and stop trying at all. Use the following tips instead:

• Subscribe to a home delivery service - do an internet search for an organic/local food delivery service, and you'll find that if you're in North America they're nearly everywhere. And if not, create a shopping list, and give it to your local grocery store - they want you're business, so they'll find a way to deliver to you! You can use the list from one of the food delivery services as a template, if you don't know where to start. Experiment with simple recipes and try to use all the veggies in the box!


• Try a smoothie meal! - get some healthy ingredients, throw some greens in (especially kale!), and you've got a breakfast or lunch meal on the go! Delicious and healthy. Yes, the green pieces may take getting used to, but do you want to be healthy and youthful, or feel like a piece of crap?! :).


• Eat lots and lots of salad - buy a big box of pre-washed greens, chop up some tomato, cucumber (and I love using celery for a bit more saltiness), squeeze on lemon juice and some olive oil, and you got a salad made in literally minutes! Try nutrient-dense greens like spinach, swiss chard instead of iceberg lettuce (which is mostly water and has minimal nutrients).

Don't try all three things at once. Pick one thing to do it consistently for 21 days (which is the time it takes to form a new habit), and chart your success and changes. Whether its an increase in energy, loss of weight, journal it, so that you can see what's happening as you change something for the better.

Feel free to share your success stories here as you go along, for even more cheerleading support! :)

Is the Fast Food Really Worth It?

I've begun to love when people tell me that they have no time in their day to eat healthy, and that fast food is easier for them.

Remember this the next time you reach for that fast food meal:

• What are you REALLY exchanging for that few minutes? - yes, it might save you a few minutes by eating already prepared food instead of making your own... Or does it? Food that comes from a box or fast food place really isn't food, and will actually slow you down, making those few minutes you save truly insignificant... So in actuality, you waste time by consuming low-nutrient food.


• Take back the sit-down meal!!! - my happiest memories growing up were sitting down with my Mom, Dad, and older sisters and brothers and spending time with them and hearing the stories of their day. Even now, I smile at the thought of those moments... Not one of those meals came from a box. Better yet, they were started by remembering making the meals with my Mom and sisters. They happen at daily in my home now because I choose not to live without that feeling.


• Love In = Love Out - If you eat food that was prepared by someone's loving hands, there really is love in that food! This means that your body will be nourished even moreso than food that was made from a machine, or mass produced. Think about how much more effective you are when that love passes from your food to your body, then your mind!


• Don't let those "meal deals" get you - you know those coupons that are 2 for 1? What's 2 x 0? ZERO. That's right. Two times zero nutrients is still zero nutrients. 


• Real food really is cheaper! - try it for yourself - eating on a budget and making your own foods really isn't more expensive than eating fast food! I teach people weekly how to make simple, healthy and inexpensive meals, and have proved the naysayers wrong! Take that, crap foods! lol :).

I always tell people to beware of the labels for foods that you eat. I used to work in a chemistry lab folks; there are ingredients in the foods that society eats that I wouldn't touch in a lab without gloves, a mask, and full ventilation!

The simplest thing I tell folks is to buy whole foods, that you know what's in it. Your better off eating that carrot than that box of macaroni and cheese. Start with one meal first, then slowly start to add in the other meals. Don't feel you have transition over night.

The side benefit of doing this transitioning is that your clarity, ability to focus, and ability to achieve those things in your life you really want can skyrocket!

Please feel free to share your stories - either of how you transitioned to a healthier life, or where you want to get to! :)