The Ultimate Guide To Eating A Plant-Based Diet

 In this guide, I will go through the steps needed to successfully start eating a plant-based diet. I hope you enjoy and congrats to you for doing something healthy and positive for yourself and the planet!

-What does Plant-Based Diet mean?

 Removing all animal foods from your diet

Eating plant-based means removing all animal food products from your diet. This can be quite challenging once you learn some of the strange things that have dairy and some seemingly random animal-based ingredients in them. It's all about reading labels and learning what some of those ingredients are. Of course, it's a lot easier if you're eating mostly whole foods.

 Eating whole foods

 A lot of you might have been drawn to a plant-based diet for health reasons. The key to improving your health with a plant-based diet is eating whole foods. I'll talk more about what whole foods are later in this guide. Just keep in...

I love how something so small can be so powerful and beneficial!

What is flaxseed? 

Flaxseed also is known as linseed, are the seeds that come from the flax plant. 

Most all of the flax plant is used. The flax fibers are used to make linens and rope and the seeds are used for food and also to make linseed oil used in woodworking.

Flax has been grown and cultivated for over 30,000 years, so it has been around for a while and the benefits for your health are amazing.

The whole flaxseed is not able to be fully digested so if you want to get all the wonderful benefits of this tiny powerhouse you have to eat it ground.

You can also buy it ground but it does spoil a whole lot quicker this way. I store mine in the fridge for this reason.

Flax is loaded with nutrition goodness and contains:

• Omega 3's - Well known as a healthy fat with heart-healthy effects.
• Lignans - These contain both plant estrogen and antioxidants to help with hormonal balance.
• Fiber - Supportive for digestive...

Food As Medicine – Broccoli

Today we will be talking about Broccoli

Broccoli is in the cruciferous family and is enjoyed worldwide in many different cultures. Some of its close relatives are bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kale, mustard greens, and turnip greens. One thing all these veggies have in common besides being related is that they are all nutrition powerhouses!

Broccoli is loaded with goodness and Its top 10 nutrients are:

• Vitamin K

• Vitamin C

• Chromium

• Folate

• Pantothenic Acid

• Fiber

• Vitamin B6

• Vitamin E

• Phosphorus

• Choline

Some of the health benefits of Broccoli are:

1. Anti-inflammatory – The glucosinolates that are found in broccoli and other cruciferous veggies have been known to shut down the inflammatory response. Broccoli also contains low-level amounts of Omega 3's which also help balance the inflammatory response. Who knew? Broccoli has a little healthy fat! It also contains phytonutrients that...

 Food As Medicine – Maca Powder

I wanted to talk a little bit about maca powder because a lot of people ask me what it is and why people use it. I don't use it very often but I do put it in my smoothies sometimes. It has a kinda caramel flavor which kinda goes well with....anything.

What is Maco Powder – Maca is a Peruvian plant grown in the Andes Mountains. It is considered a cruciferous plant so that means its related to broccoli, cabbage, and kale and a few more. The root is roasted and dried to make a powder. 

It's a source of:

• Protein

• Fiber

• Vitamin C

• B 2, 3, and 6

• Calcium

• Iron

• Potassium

• Copper

• Manganese

The benefits of Maca Powder (A lot of the studies done on the benefits of maca root have been small studies and it would be nice to learn more about this powerful superfood):

• Increases libido

• Helps with erectile dysfunction

• Increases male fertility

• Improves mood

• Helps to balance hormones

• Helps boost...

Food As Medicine - Chia Seeds

In this Food As Medicine Post, we are going to explore why Chia Seeds are considered a superfood and how they can benefit our health.

A great source of:

• Polyunsaturated Fat, Omega 3's

• Fiber

• Protein

• Calcium

• Phosphorus

• Zinc

Benefits:

• Chia seeds have a high content of linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids 60% of the oil in chia seeds comes from these omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3's are beneficial to cardiovascular health.(1)

• The soluble fiber in chia seeds may help lower LDL cholesterol, they can also help slow down digestion which helps control blood sugar spikes and makes you feel full longer. This can also help with weight control. (1)

• Chia seeds contain antioxidants that help fight the production of free radicals that can contribute to aging and diseases like cancer. (2)

• They are a great source of plant-based protein with a minimal amount of calories. A great addition to any plant-based/vegan diet. (2)

• ...

It can seem so overwhelming to stay on track with your health especially with some of the added stress we have today. I know from personal experience that it can feel like a roller coaster ride going back and forth from super health freak to off the health wagon rebel.

Here are five ways to set yourself up for success for a healthier you!

• Stop buying all that crap! You know what I'm talking about. Crappy cookies, chips. Instead, op-in to making some homemade treats with whole food ingredients. Freeze some so you don't eat all that yumminess in one sitting. You have control over the ingredients and most importantly you can pronounce them.

• If you have a sweet tooth keep delicious fruit all washed and ready for you to enjoy in your home at all times. It's not always what you might want but it helps control the craving for sweets. Fruit also has fiber included so when you eat it you don't have those extreme sugar highs you get from cookies and candy. This helps...

I love making anything that involves turning cashews into something cheesy. I love this recipe because it's quick and easy to make and pretty good for you!

When I use this as a pasta sauce I like to mix in some broccoli. I chop the broccoli into small pieces and mix it all together. The picture is different because I was sharing my meal with someone who doesn't enjoy broccoli.  You can also add peas and some fresh herbs to make another tasty dish.

When making this recipe it's best to use raw organic cashews if you can. Soak them in water anywhere from 20 minutes as a minimum to overnight. If you don't have a highspeed blender definitely soak them overnight so your sauce is creamy.

I like to add a small amount of carrot to add a little sweetness and color. That is my preference but it's not completely necessary. The lemon can be very important because it helps make the sauce taste like cheese and not cashews. The nutritional yeast is also very important for the cheesy...

You would not catch me in a million years on the edge of a cliff like this woman in the picture doing a balance pose....ever! Anyone who knows me knows this is true. However, it is very important to me to try to keep my life and health balanced and to do yoga in the safety of my living room.

How can you tell if you're balanced? This is a good question. I believe no one is ever really completely balanced all the time, this would be hard to sustain. What is really more realistic is trying to stay as balanced as possible to support good health. 

So what does this mean? 

Well, you have all these different areas of your life.

• Health
• Physical Activity/Fitness
• Home Environment
• Self-Care
• Relationship
• Social Life
• Money
• Career
• Education/Self Improvement
• Spirituality 

We need to pay attention to all of these different areas and when something seems a little off try to bring it back to balance the best you can. It's kinda like riding a bike. You are consistently...

One of my favorite skincare things to do is go to lush and buy their facemasks. I have mastered this minty mask pretty good and I change up the ingredients depending on how my skin is feeling.

Here is a list of the ingredients and their benefits for your beautiful face.

Oatmeal, ground - 

• Helps to keep the skin hydrated
• Gently cleanses the skin
• Gently exfoliates
• Helps to soothe and nourish the skin
• Reduces inflammation
• Has antioxidant properties
• It's non-irritating, suitable for all skin types, and inexpensive!

Dried lavender flowers, ground-

• It's anti-aging
• It can help equalize the skins PH balance
• It's anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory
• It contains antioxidants to nourish the skin.

Kaolin clay - 

• It's gentle and good for all skin types
• It detoxes and cleans pores
• Absorbs excess oil
• It can soothe skin that is inflamed
• Removes impurities from the skin to help fight acne

Honey, optional(omit if you want it to be vegan) - 

• Moisturizes the skin
• ...

When you first start to transition over to eating a plant-based diet it can be a challenge to figure out how to replace animal foods with plant-based options.

Here are some common and uncommon food swaps that you can use along your journey.

Use nutritional yeast to replace cheese - Nutritional yeast is de-activated yeast. It looks like a light flaky powder with a cheesy nutty flavor often it is fortified with B vitamins. There are so many different ways to use it. You can add it to soups, use it as a topping for popcorn and blend it with cashews to make a cheesy nacho topping. It's a must-have for a plant-based kitchen.

 Use dates to replace added sugar - Dates are a great substitute to add sweetness to your smoothies, nut milks, and other sweet treats. Dates compared to sugar have some nutritional value and added fiber so even though it's still a form of sugar, you're getting some added nutrition.

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