Eating at Ann Gentry’s LA restaurant Real Food Daily (RFD) is a little slice of organic vegan heaven. It’s the perfect place to take someone who thinks vegan eating is all about lentils, tofu and a carrot on the side. The fare served up at RFD is anything but bland, rather, it shows how adventurous and downright tasty vegan cuisine really is.
If you can’t get to the City of Angels, you don’t have to miss out on Ann’s delicious veggie masterpieces. The successful restaurant-preneur has just launched a recipe book, Vegan Family Meals, that boasts some of her favourite dishes.
I caught up with Ann to find out more and she kindly offered to share her Super Hippie Granola recipe (see below)…
How did your vegan journey begin?
My food journey began in my 20’s and is still continuing. I’ve been experimenting with various vegetarian and vegan cuisines for three decades, starting as a young actress struggling with my weight and appearance, and today as a working mother and the proprietress of America’s leading organic vegan restaurants, Real Food Daily. Over the years, I’ve explored the many permutations of a plant-based diet. I spent years as a strict vegan and a macrobiotic, and I experimented with raw foods, food combining, wheat- and gluten-free eating, and other dietary regimes. Today, I know what makes me feel best—a mostly vegan diet.
Congratulations on the book. How much work and preparation went into it?
Over the last few years, I found myself cooking more at home and enjoying re-visiting recipes I hadn’t made in years as well as whipping up new ones. I thought I had something to say as a busy working mother because I struggle with the same day-to-day challenges everyone else has: juggling work, kids, grocery shopping, exercise and trying to squeeze in time for myself. Food wise, I’ve learned to stick with a plant-based diet, especially when cooking at home. Whole grains and vegetables are relatively simple to prepare, always accessible and very economical.
As I pondered what to say in a second book, I started looking at other cookbooks to see what attracted me and what didn’t. I also talked to many home cooks about what kind of vegan cookbook they might want to have in their collection. In looking at books, I got turned off by the ones that pushed and sold the tenet: ‘fast, quick and easy should be the goal in a preparing meals.’ Just as equally, I felt frustrated hearing the misconception that healthy cooking means you spend all day long in the kitchen. I don’t know who started that rumor, as that has never been my experience. Time is precious but even more importantly; your good health is priceless. Spending time in the kitchen preparing good food for yourself is well worth it.
These were the motivators that encouraged me to write a second cookbook. I spent six intense months about five days a week moving back and forth from my kitchen to my computer. The result is a book that contains simple vegan recipes with approachable ingredients and techniques accessible for all kinds of eaters.
Are any recipes from your restaurant menu included? What are some of your favourites that you think everyone should try at least once?
My first cookbook, The Real Food Daily Cookbook is filled with my restaurant recipes. It is a great book sharing relatively elaborate vegan recipes downsized for home use. Vegan Family Meals has a few recipes you might find at my restaurants as a daily special such as the lentil loaf or pecan and cornmeal crusted tempeh. I also included a few desserts such as the cupcakes and brownies.
Have you met anyone who transitioned to vegan after discovering your delicious food?
After 18 years with two well-loved organic vegan restaurants, I have heard from many people that yes, indeed, after eating my food and experiencing how delicious and satisfying it was, they became motivated to change their diet to a plant-based one.
Your children are also featured in the book. Can you talk a little bit about what it’s like to bring up vegan children?
At my house, my kids are vegan. At birthday parties, or other social occasions at their friend’s houses, they eat vegetarian. We allow them to eat these “non-vegan” foods from time to time, NOT to supplement their vegan diet as there are no supplements to an already ideal diet, but rather allow them joy, comfort and participation in their childhood social settings. My kids get plenty of protein from beans, legumes, nuts and seeds and soy foods. I love it that they prefer Soy Cheese to cow’s cheese any day.
What are some of your favourite vegan foods and why?
I love every kind of vegetable and I am always satisfied eating them. I especially like any king of squash roasted as this brings out the true sweet flavor of each type of squash. I love soba noodles (hot or cold) with a spicy peanut sauce.
Time is precious but even more importantly; your good health is priceless. Spending time in the kitchen preparing good food for yourself is well worth it.
What does your typical daily diet look like?
Right now as the weather is warming up, I start my day with a smoothie and my Super Hippie Granola, which is one of my favorite recipes in my new book. You might say I am obsessed with it. Most days, I keep it pretty simple by rotating for either lunch or dinner with a freshly squeezed vegetable juice or a soup with a big salad or I’ll go for a combo of whole grains, beans or tempeh, vegetables and leafy greens. Every few nights, I’ll make something more exotic like my lasagna rolls or something Tex-Mex such as my Pinto Bean Enchiladas. Every few days, I indulge in a great fabulous vegan dessert. I’m a cake or a cookie girl.
If someone was thinking about becoming vegan, what advice would you give them?
To be patient and kind to themselves. Changing the way you eat is a process. It takes time to really change your diet, because to change your diet, you ultimately have to change your mindset and lifestyle. A plant-based diet encourages creativity in the kitchen. Prepare the best local and seasonal ingredients with a variety of cooking methods, and you’ll come up with more interesting and diverse flavors, textures, and colors on your plate. Think about balancing your nutrition intake across the week, and don’t get hung up on making every meal a feast. Instead, focus on preparing a few recipes that will keep your cooking simple and your time in the kitchen enjoyable.
Super Hippie Granola
Granola has long been thought of as hippie food. I call my granola “Super Hippie” because it contains superfoods like goji berries and Hunza mulberries, which make it even more nutrition-packed than the original (for more on superfoods, see page 8).
Thanks to Roger Ebert for sharing his review of the documentary Forks Over Knives…
Here is a film that could save your life. So you’d better stop reading now, because you don’t want to go to the trouble. You are addicted to fat, salt, sugar and corn syrup. Your body has established a narcotic-like dependence on them, and you’re comfortable with that, just like smokers know why they keep on smoking. If you have to die 10 or 25 years sooner than necessary to smoke, if you need Viagra because your vascular system is compromised, or if you’re overweight, you can live with that.
Hey, I’m not going all holier-than-thou on you. Think how fat I was for years. I knew the solution, I was weak and lazy. Over 12 years I was eventually able to lose about 70 pounds with a proper diet, but my current weight and superb physical condition can be attributed to my illness. I am unable to eat or drink anything, and my (therefore) perfect diet of canned nutrition has given me an ideal weight and incredibly good blood numbers. I don’t recommend that you get sick to get well, however.
What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That’s it. Animal protein is bad for you. Dairy is bad for you. Forget the ads: Milk and eggs are bad for you. Skim milk is no better, because it contains proportionately more animal protein. What you’re trying to avoid is dietary cholesterol. You also need to cut way down on salt and sugar, and run like hell from high fructose corn syrup.
“Forks Over Knives” is a documentary in which Lee Fulkerson enacts a mirror image of the journey taken by Morgan Spurlock in “Supersize Me.” Instead of eating only at McDonald’s for a month and nearly killing himself, he eats a plant-based whole food diet for six months, gets off all of his cholesterol and blood pressure medications, drops a lot of weight, sleeps better and has more energy.
His film follows three other sick people: one with breast cancer, one given less than a year to live because of heart problems, one with murderously high cholesterol. All are well again after the vegetarian diet. The movie opens with a warning that no one should take such steps without consulting a physician, and I quite agree; I would not have depended on nutrition to cure my cancer, but I’m convinced that I would always have been healthier if I’d eaten correctly.
Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.
The film hammers us with information. It centers on the work of famed nutritionists Dr. T. Colin Campbell of Cornell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. Campbell conducted the awesome China-Oxford-Cornell study, which followed millions of Chinese over decades and found that increases in their incidence of cancer and heart disease directly paralleled their adoption of a Western diet.
Short term studies show the same thing: When Nazis commandeered all the food animals in Norway and rationing forced Brits away from meat, disease rates plummeted. After the war, they moved up again. In the traditional Japanese diet, breast and prostate cancers are all but unknown.
These facts have long been established, not only by Campbell and Esselstyn but also by Dean Ornish, John McDougall and the researchers at Pritikin. There is a Catch-22. The federal government subsidizes such crops as corn, which is used for lethal corn syrup and to feed animals which we then eat. It puts bad foods in school lunches. The lobbyists of agribusiness control national farm policy. The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.
Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.
“Forks Over Knives” is not subtle. It plays as if it had been made for doctors to see in medical school. Few doctors seem prepared to suggest proper nutrition as an alternative to pills, stents and bypasses. Although regular exercise, especially walking, is invaluable, the film shows only a little exercise and focuses single mindedly on nutrition.
The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.
The bottom line: I am convinced this message is true. A plant-based whole foods diet is healthy. Animal protein is not necessary, or should be used sparingly as Asians did, as a flavoring and not a main course. This adds the advantage of allowing us to avoid the chemicals and carcinogens pumped into livestock and poultry. Fast food is lethal. Parents who feed it to their children are helping them get hooked on fat, salt and sugar addiction. The facts are in. Didn’t I warn you to stop reading?
P. S: I have recently decided to ditch my canned nutrition and switch to a liquid diet based on fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, I consulted my physician.
I love hearing about other people’s journeys to veganism. From their first a-ha moment to details of their day-to-day experiences of better health and spiritual awakenings, living life free of animal meat and by-products.
If the media reports are right, veganism is on the rise, with new blogs, food products and clothing popping up every day. There’s definitely change in the air, and it feels good to know lives are being spared and that kindness and consciousness is taking over.
While we still have a long way to go, there are so many inspiring people out there spreading the message. David Rafter and Amanda Rootsey are two shining examples of veganism in action, having transitioned to the lifestyle about three years ago. Founders of VeganEra.com, the Australian couple are also spreading the message offline via roadside billboards and merchandise that spreads the vegan message.
“Time is starting to become very critical in terms of our environment and the world is showing us that the way we are leading our lives is definitely not in harmony. We have to do something to change,” David says.
I asked him to share their inspiring story…
When did you become vegan?
I began the loving journey about three years ago when I was around 26. For me, it was a transition, initially I went vegetarian then after a couple of months I dropped dairy and soon realised that I had become a vegan!
Why did you decide to become vegan?
Upon reflection, it was a process. When I was 25 I had lead a bit of a party lifestyle and enjoyed the night-lights. I got really sick of how bad I was feeling all the time. So I dropped everything, I remember the point in which I said to myself that I would no longer go out, I would no longer drink and that it was time to drop meat from my diet.
Honestly, at that exact moment I could feel a massive shift take place in my life. It was the conscious decision to stop killing and lean on the side of compassion that I felt a very big lift in my soul.
At this time I was living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland (Australia), and I had decided to start getting healthier. I was running and surfing, really enjoying being with nature. I had just finished a run through the national park, where I leant on a tree and I could feel the energy of the Earth coming through it. I couldn’t believe it. I was in total shock as I could feel the lungs of the Earth inhale and exhale. At that moment I knew that we were all connected. From the souls of the animals right through to the limbs of this tree. At that moment, I knew that this was my path.
My life has definitely changed; my soul feels so amazing and so light. It is like a massive weight has been lifted and I feel closer to Heaven. When you feel this feeling, there is no turning back – you just want to continue feeling it. I actually get covered in goose bumps talking about it.
Actually, coinciding with this, my father told me to go out and work on his dairy farm for the day. Believe me, I was kicking and screaming the whole way. When I did get there, my worst fears were realised. I could not believe how much pain and suffering existed. Dead calves in the middle of the paddock, their mothers standing over them, screaming in pain. If the calves were alive, they were locked in pens so small that they could barely stand. The pain and suffering in the cries of the mothers was terrifying. I couldn’t bare it any longer – I had to lock myself in the house, turn up the TV and try to block it all out. Clearly when I got back I said in no uncertain terms that I would never return to that place ever again.
Also, my brother had been vegetarian for about 10 years, and had been buggin’ me for ages to drop meat. At the time he was living in America, and I Skyped him and told him the change I had experienced. He was so excited for me. He then sent me a documentary that I watched via you tube in which it showed the whole process of how the meat gets on to your plate. At the end I was in tears, I felt so much sorrow that we could do this to our beautiful animal friends. If it wasn’t sealed in concrete before then, it was now.
How has your life changed since?
My life has definitely changed; my soul feels so amazing and so light. It is like a massive weight has been lifted and I feel closer to Heaven. When you feel this feeling, there is no turning back – you just want to continue feeling it. I actually get covered in goose bumps talking about it. The feeling is indescribable, you feel like you are floating on a cloud the whole day and you want to share that with the world.
Can you tell me about Vegan Era and why you decided to start it?
Vegan Era started in 2009 and has been going strong ever since. Along with my partner Amanda and of course our little staffy girl Trudi, we felt the need to spread this feeling to the world.
Initially we found a lot of information about how much damage the livestock industry has done to our planet. We just couldn’t believe that this information was not out there. We felt a very strong need to create a place where people could come and learn more about the choices they make and the impact their diet can have on reversing climate change.
Then in 2010, Amanda was diagnosed with cancer. In the beginning Amanda was determined not to go down the conventional path as we had done lots of research into the harsh impact chemo has on our bodies. So we did a lot of research on how diets can help heal the body. Again, we couldn’t believe how much information was hidden from us. We came across a great book called The China Study, and from that moment on we wanted to share the health benefits of a Vegan diet.
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I recently launched a new website EcoBeautyEditor.com — a resource of natural, organic beauty and health information, research, interviews, reviews, vegan recipes, expert recommendations and holistic treatments.
For the site’s launch, I interviewed Mimi Kirk, the inspiring 72-year-old woman who just a couple of years ago was named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50. Mimi is about to launch her new book Live Raw: The Natural Way to Good Health and Timeless Beauty, so to celebrate, I wanted to share an excerpt from my interview with Mimi, in which she shares not only an insight into her life, but some great tips on how to embrace life, no matter your age. To read the complete article and see more photos, please click here.
Mimi is offering a special gift for those who buy an autographed copy directly from her site. Visit youngonrawfood.com/live-raw to find out more information and to order your copy.
You’re 72 and yet you look like you’re in your 40s. What’s your secret?
I would place what I eat at the top of my list, a raw vegan diet. Second I think exercise is important. I know that now more than ever before, so I’ve included strength training to my walking, yoga and qigong routine. I think moderate exercise is enough. I would also include to my list of “secrets” a positive attitude, compassion and passion, and of course having a boyfriend 19 years my junior doesn’t hurt.
Do you know any other 72-year-olds who share your youthful vibrancy?
Yes, I think there are many youthful seniors today. The face of aging is changing and those of us who eat healthy can attest to that, but still, I think there is a common agreement amongst advertisers and drug companies pandering to the senior set, that we have to look our chronological age and take a fist full of drugs to combat aging and diseases.
It’s obvious you’ve not had any plastic surgery. What do you tell people who question you about that?
I’m not much concerned with the lines on my face. I’m more concerned with how I feel. I think plastic surgery is a mistake. I’ve seen some really bad surgery, loss of character on the face and even tragedy associated with plastic surgery. I think people can tell I’ve not had surgery when they meet me in person. I have laugh lines and look natural, well my blonde hair is not natural, but I find it fun at my age.
What gets you up in the morning? What are your greatest passions?
I love life, I’m a happy person and certainly passionate about my family. I have a book coming out in May, and I’m thrilled about it. To pass along what I’ve learned about being healthy over the years certainly keeps me passionate. I accept a few coaching clients each month and I’m passionate about seeing their results.
Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal.
Did you always know you’d become a vegan? How did your life path lead to it?
I became a vegetarian over 40 years ago. I had an epiphany while eating a slice of roast beef. I realized I was eating flesh. That was it for me. I soon learned of the inhumane treatment of farm animals and although I would occasionally go off course, I would immediately get back on just thinking about where meat comes from. Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal. Sorry to be so graphic, but I really do believe this is the humane way to live.
What is it about being vegan that has changed your life?
All the above and more! My health is fantastic. I look at things differently in many ways. Buying organic produce at farmers markets and from farm stands makes me feel I’m eating clean food, and helping farmer who are making a difference by keeping chemicals out of our food chain. One day I realize that wearing leather felt disturbing to me. People say “well, the animal is dead anyway, so why not use the hide.” Well, that is not always true. Some animals are killed for their hides. It took time to realize the connection but now I couldn’t buy leather or even wear any of my old leather goods. I personally prefer finding faux leather, shoes and bags. I think it amusing when I’m stopped so many times with people asking where I bought my leather boots or bag. Of course they are surprised when I tell them they are not leather, and maybe sometimes I can’t help myself and I give them a little education on why I wear faux leather. I try not to be preachy, as I believe people are ready when they’re ready to make a change and not a moment before. I know this from my own experience.
You’re an author, can you tell me about your book and why you wrote it?
My book contains my thoughts and experiences on health and wellbeing. Over 120 raw food recipes will help those who think that going raw means carrots and celery sticks. When people begin a raw food diet, they are in need of delicious gourmet food. I am a foodie at heart, I love to grow food, shop for food, prepare it, serve it, and needless to say, I love to eat it. I’ve traveled around the world and love international foods; I’ve included some of my favorite dishes in my book LIVE RAW. I have so many recipes I’ve experimented with over the last three years; there was not enough room to include them all. My boyfriend Mike’s beautiful photographs grace the book and everything really looks mouth watering. I wrote the book at the requests of so many of my Facebook friends. I always post recipes on my pages, and then people started saying “why don’t you write a book”. I was inspired to share my recipes, so hence a book was a good idea. I feel lucky to get published, as it’s not easy these days. I feel if my book helps one person create a healthier life, I’m happy.
Visit Mimi’s website at YoungonRawFood.com.
When veganism hits the mainstream media, you can almost hear the collective cheer from the global vegan community. Tweeters tweet and Facebookers, well, post. People who hadn’t even considered veganism, will begin, perhaps, to understand why they should. Ellen flies the vegan flag regularly, while Oprah flirts with it every now and again. All the while, their audiences begin to understand why being vegan helps animals, the planet and our health.
The most recent media personality to explore veganism is Martha Stewart, who, only last week, invited some fabulous vegan types onto her show to talk about animals, health and good vegan food.
The woman who takes pride in making animal roasts and other such meals wanted to explore the trend that’s growing in popularity for ethical and health reasons. With Farm Sanctuary president and co-founder Gene Baur, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Veganist author Kathy Freston, Martha put on her vegan hat, with the show educating millions as to why being vegan is a very good idea.
I’m excited to bring you a guest post (below) from Farm Sanctuary‘s Gene Baur, who wanted to share his thoughts, post-show, with Diary of a Vegan readers. If you have a question for Gene, please post in the comments…
This week marked an important milestone for farm animals. Martha Stewart, America’s domestic icon and the woman who wrote the book on modern living, devoted an entire hour-long episode of The Martha Stewart Show (Hallmark Channel, 10 AM ET/9 AM C) to the pleasures and benefits of living a compassionate vegan lifestyle. I was honored to be a part of this groundbreaking show, along with my good friends and fellow vegans Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone, who will serve as the Honorary Chair of Farm Sanctuary’ s 25th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles on September 24, and health and wellness guru Kathy Freston, author of the New York Times best-seller Veganist.
Millions of viewers watched as Biz showed Martha how to prepare one of his favorite vegan dishes — Seitan Bourguignon — and told her about how his life changed after visiting the New York Shelter of Farm Sanctuary and looking into the eyes of a cow. They listened as Kathy explained why our bodies are better able to process plant-based foods rather than animal-based ones. With humor, personal anecdotes and factual expertise, Biz and Kathy showed Martha — and the people watching at home across the U.S. — how fun and easy veganism can be.
For my part, viewers were introduced to Persia, the sheep who Martha adopted through our Adopt-A-Farm Animal Project back in February, and the life she’s enjoying at Farm Sanctuary. I talked about the horrific treatment of animals on factory farms and how eating plants instead of animals is the best way people can protect them from this abuse. I told Martha about my dear friend Opie, who I found as a calf dying of hypothermia at a stockyard with a temperature so low it wouldn’t even register on the thermometer. Viewers saw incredible “before” and “after” photos of Opie, who with proper care and support pulled through and grew up to weigh nearly 3,000 pounds and to enjoy a long, happy life at Farm Sanctuary.
When programs like “The Martha Stewart Show” devote valuable air-time to the plight of farm animals and the benefits of veganism, a powerful message is planted in the public consciousness demonstrating that these issues are important and worthy of our consideration. Stewart has built a media empire based on her uncanny ability to influence the tastes and opinions of consumers. When she speaks about the importance of showing compassion for farm animals, millions of people — many of whom may never have considered these issues before — listen. Some might decide to go vegan right on the spot while others may decide to “lean into” veganism — as Kathy so wisely puts it — by reducing the amount of animal products they consume. All of this is progress and means that less animals will suffer. Martha Stewart’s vegan show was a major event, as a mainstream audience was exposed to compassionate living ideas, and that’s a very good thing.
Gene Baur, pictured above, is the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. A vegan since 1985, he lives in Washington, D.C. and campaigns to raise awareness about the negative consequences of industrialized factory farming and our cheap food system. He has initiated groundbreaking legislative action to raise awareness and prevent factory farming abuses, and is author of the best-selling book Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food.
Photo (above): Derek Goodwin/Farm Sanctuary
Main photo: David Russell/The Martha Stewart Show
When celebrities look to a nutritionist for ultimate health advice that will not only give them a toned, slim physique but also radiant, glowing skin, they look to Kimberly Snyder (pictured below). The yoga instructor and clinical nutritionist spends her time between her homes in New York and LA — when she’s not working on set, whipping up organic green smoothies for the likes of Drew Barrymore and Owen Wilson.
I met Kimberly a couple of years ago and was amazed at how present, vibrant and happy she was — a portrait of perfect health thanks to her raw vegan diet, yoga and spiritual practice. Since then, the sought-after wellness expert has been busy working with her high profile clients to help them achieve great health. She has also been working on her book, The Beauty Detox Solution, which is due to hit the shelves this Wednesday (March 30) — it’s an invaluable resource, packed with the very knowledge she passes onto her celebrity clients.
Kimberly is a joy to know and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to achieving true health and beauty. I asked if she could have a quick chat with me in the lead up to her star-studded book launch…
It has been a few years since we met in LA. What have you been up to since then?
I’ve been pretty busy! For the past few years, my focus has shifted to all things related to my nutritional philosophy and work. I’ve been working and traveling with celebrity actors worldwide, creating customized dietary programs for them, and making specialized meals for quite a few of them on a regular basis. I now have an apartment in LA as well as New York, and well, it’s been an exciting ride!
I know you’ve been working tirelessly on your new book, among your many projects. What’s it all about and why did you decide to write it?
My first book, The Beauty Detox Solution, is launching on March 29th! There’s so much confusing information out there, and being beautiful and reaching your perfect weight isn’t about micromanaging, or complex and confusing calculations that revolve around carbs and calories. My plan is simple, proven, and allows inner beauty to radiate from the inside out. My motivation in writing my plan out was to share the information with women and people everywhere that had helped me and my clients so much.
You’re a nutritionist to the stars now. Can you chat a little bit about how you got started?
Word of my program spread through LA and New York, and I was put in touch with a celebrity to work with. Then it grew to a few and then more and more… the inner circle of Hollywood is extremely tight and small. I didn’t plan to work for the “stars”, but I guess it’s my karma!
Are there any star secrets you’re allowed to reveal?
I respect all my clients’ confidentiality. But I will say that the principals that I explain in my program are the same ones I explain to everyone, celebrity or busy mom alike.
What is your definition of beauty?
My philosophy is that beauty and health are synonymous. Healthy skin is beautiful skin. A healthy body is a beautiful body. And no matter how many products we slather on, or diets we follow, true beauty must begin from within.
What pitfalls do you think some people fall into when it comes to trying to maintain and preserve the idealized Western idea of beauty?
There’s so many myths out there and confusing information. The most alarming and common thing I see is that people don’t even realize that the foods they think are healthy are actually aging them at an accelerated rate. I bet if I looked in someone’s fridge, and they had foods like organic yogurt and free range chicken, they would think they were doing pretty good. But when you see their skin, you can see those acidic foods show up on their faces in the form of wrinkles, lines, and dull and sagging skin. It is a vicious cycle. What good is it to be a size 4 or a size 2 if you look 10 years older than you really are?
How can a healthy diet, spiritual practice and positive thoughts help to achieve natural beauty?
Our minds and bodies are intrinsically connected, and therefore loving and peaceful vibrations emanate out of someone’s being in an inexplicable radiance. Mediation is in my opinion, the highest form of union with the infinite, which creates an inner and outer beauty in a way nothing else can.
Who are, in your opinion, some of the most beautiful people and why?
People that have the following characteristics: kindness, cleanliness — externally, in their diet and in their speech and thoughts, compassionate and thoughtful eyes, a genuine smile, a natural, not-overdone style and confidence.
What’s next for you?
Over the next few weeks I’m focusing on all things book launch-related, including a huge launch party hosted by some of my celebrity clients. At the end of this month I head to New Orleans for a few months to work as the nutritionist on a major film. And there are many other exciting projects in the works!
To get your own copy of The Beauty Detox Solution, click here.
For the complete interview with Kimberly, and some of her beauty-fying recipes, sign up for updates at the soon-to-launch EcoBeautyEditor.com
My Journey from Illness to Health and How I Got There
A lot can happen in a year. With the good can come the bad, with the bad also come blessings. About year ago today, I was extremely unwell. I couldn’t get out of bed due to bouts of chronic fatigue and low blood pressure that made me so lightheaded I’d almost topple over every time I tried to stand up. My weight plummeted to a bony 47 kilos. My hair was lifeless, my skin sallow.
It came as a shock to everyone who knew me – I was one of the most healthy people they knew. My diet was spectacularly healthy, to the point of obsession. I walked regularly, I thought positively, I was all about self-growth. So how could someone so healthy become so sick? For those who don’t understand the vegan way of life, for them, it naturally came down to my diet. I could instinctively hear people’s thoughts (or sometimes they’d say it): “being vegan has made you sick”. If I were on the outside looking in at my skeletal frame, I would have put my money on an eating disorder. Something obviously was wrong.
But as any healthy vegan will tell you, it’s just not possible to get sick from some of the most nutritious food on earth. I had to dig deeper, much deeper, to find the root of the illness that had stopped me in my tracks. I stopped blogging, I couldn’t work. My diligence and constant drive for creating new projects had to cease. My body was shouting at me, “no more, I’m going to make you stop and take check of your life, examine what it is you’ve not dealt with”.
My wise and straight-shooting Reiki Master, Patti Penn, asked a simple question that lead me to the life-changing tool that brought me back, some months later, to better health than ever. She asked me, in no uncertain terms, “What’s eating away at you Shannon? What haven’t you dealt with?”. Having studied through all the Reiki levels to Master, I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.
“Go tap on it,” Patti advised. And so I did. Then, as if the universe was listening, I received an email just a few days later from someone who had experienced transformation using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping. There was going to be a free, 10-day, online event focused purely on EFT, with practical workshops you could “tap along to”. For the next 10 days, I tapped until I was bruised, and what I uncovered was miraculous (I later heard that 100,000 people had tapped along too).
While I was already familiar with EFT thanks to Patti, who had guided me through routines many times before, I’d not used the technique to dig deep enough – into the caverns that housed all the emotional stuff that had impacted me throughout my life. As I tapped away, my sub-conscious mind took over, telling me in no uncertain terms what was eating me, the stuff that had contributed to years of feeling self-conscious and unsure. While it wasn’t major stuff, perhaps in many people’s eyes, it was related to events that had impacted me deeply enough to cause emotional scarring. I purged so many negative emotions and false beliefs about myself during those 10 days, and for some time after, that a whole new world opened up to me. I felt light, I was gradually regaining my health, my thoughts had even changed, my mind was quieter. A year on from my first fainting episode, I’m healthier than I could have ever imagined.
I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.
So many people, from Deepak Chopra to Jack Canfield (see video below), recommend this life-changing technique not only because it works, but also because of its simplicity. It’s a modern form of acupuncture, if you will, that stimulates the meridian points to help you release old, limiting patterns that manifest in dis-ease and other negative experiences. As one website states: EFT is a powerful method based on the discovery that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Scientific studies have shown that EFT is able to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional distress. Once the distress is reduced or removed, the body can often rebalance itself, and accelerate healing.
While I have been wanting to write this blog post for a while, in the hope my experience might inspire others enough to find their own healing path, it hasn’t felt quite right, until now. Yesterday I received an email telling me the Tapping World Summit 2011 is due to start on February 21. If you have even half an hour available each day during the 10 day free online workshop, you may just open your world to incredible healing, and a life free of dis-ease and issues caused from past events or long-held negative beliefs.
Click here to hear Dr Bruce Lipton, author of many books, including bestseller Biology of Belief, explain the workings and life-changing benefits that can be achieved through this simple, yet powerful technique.
You can also sign up for a free tapping workbook here, or check out the film The Tapping Solution, which was put together by Nick, Alex and Jessica Ortner, the same people behind the Tapping World Summit.
Besides the Summit, and if you’re lucky enough to live in or near Los Angeles, I highly recommend my Reiki Master Patti Penn, who has recently opened a healing centre, Pause in Joy, where she teaches Reiki and EFT.
