Chic Vegan

Traditional deodorants are overflowing with horribly toxic ingredients like aluminum (linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s), Parabens, PEGs, petrochemicals, and synthetics. When applied liberally every single day, you can imagine what the buildup of these chemicals do to your body as you grow older.

But the truth is, nobody likes to be the smelly person in the room.  Although it requires slightly more work it is very possible to smell great while remaining toxin-free. I believe that a well rounded regimen can completely eliminate any funky odors that might spring about, even if you are an excessively sweaty mess running laps during a summer day. Everyone is unique and your regime really depends on your needs and lifestyle but here is what works for me.  This process works for me through hours of circus training, yoga or running outside in the heat.

• Eat a healthy vegan diet consisting of whole foods. (no refined foods, sugars, and preservatives).
• Wash with Dr Bronner’s Tea Tree soap. It is naturally antimicrobial!
• Allow pits to dry completely. Then apply Weleda citrus spray. I typically keep my arms up and frolic around my apartment like a lunatic until they dry.
• Apply some baby powder to help with sweating. I currently use Burt’s Bees Baby Bee powder, but will be switching to another brand after I am out. (BB’s works wonders but is owned by Clorox – a very un-vegan company!) Perhaps Farm Baby?
• Halfway through the day, or right before embarking on intense physical activity I refresh the Weleda spray with a small bottle in my bag.

I think the best way to combat the stinkies is with a healthy diet, a combination of products and re-application.

Here are my favorite products that work by neutralizing odor causing bacteria, instead of just masking smells like many natural deodorants tend to do.

Weleda spray deodorant

Erbaviva Lemon Sage deodorant

Pit Putty by Bubble and Bee

Miessence Tahitian Breeze Roll-on Deodorant

Aubrey Organics Calendula Blossom Natural Deodorant Spray

Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone

It is that time of year again! When our bodies start craving fresh fruit and veggies, and warm food isn’t really a necessity anymore. What a great time to do a raw food adventure!

For the month of August I will be detoxing and reinvigorating my life by eating a 100% raw diet. It would be really amazing if you could join me! For those of you who are unsure of what a raw diet is: It mainly consists of  plant-based foods in its purest form, not heated over 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). The idea is that heating up food destroys it’s natural enzymes and our body’s ability to process it. By eating raw foods we absorb more nutrients and get more “life” from them.  Raw diets can increase energy, heal illnesses, strengthen your immune system, improve digestion and give you that magnificent raw food glow.

I have covered the very basics of a raw diet before, including info on making the transition and some great resources. If you are considering doing this raw adventure,  how to make raw easy is required reading for all you busy people out there (everybody).

This past winter I attempted to do a 30 day Raw Food Adventure but after 10 days we ended up snowed in for two weeks, foiling my plans. I actually ended up eating incredible amounts of canned soup – the complete opposite of my initial plan! Now that I have learned my lesson and know that I’m not able to hold tight to raw food when it is -40 degrees out; here we are mid-summer,  attempting again!

I will soon be posting my meal plan for the entire month of August. Please keep in mind that this plan will be tailored to my nutritional needs and lifestyle. I’m posting it merely for you to get an idea of what is possible and to encourage you to create your own. You should tailor your meal plan to your lifestyle, needs, wants and anything else. Some of you may opt for a high raw diet (about 80-90% raw) and some may only be able to participate for 2 weeks – that is all totally ok!

Each week I’ll be posting a recap of my adventures; how I feel, things I’ve eaten, obstacles I’ve faced and I’m going to ask for you to share your journey along with me! I’m so excited for us to be doing this together!  If you are interested in this adventure, please leave a comment, introduce yourself and share anything else you would like. That way we can all get to know each other before the big month arrives.

Next week we will be starting some preparation such as cutting certain foods out of your diet and shopping for yummies. Get excited!

Common store-bought sunscreens are absolutely overflowing with toxic chemicals, endocrine disruptors and cancer causing nasties. This is incredibly ironic for a product that is supposed to be protecting us from the cancer-causing effects of the sun. As always, the Environmental Working Group has done a great job at compiling all the information you need to aid in choosing the proper sunscreen that will protect you and your family in every way. This includes a hall of shame, and the best products you can buy. Below are some of my faves.

On top of SPFs you can protect yourself from UVA and UVB rays by wearing a hat and sunglasses, and eating a diet rich in EFAs(oils), vegetables and legumes. It is proven that a healthy diet will reduce your risk of burning way more than any topical agent will. Also remember your body needs Vitamin D to function. As a vegan it is hard to get Vitamin D from a non-fortified source, and the sun’s rays provide us with tons of D. That being said you may want to use sunscreen instead of sunblock (I personally never go over SPF 30, and I am very pale), but as always you should take your personal experience and your own needs into account when deciding this.

Marie Veronique Organics Kid Safe Screen, SPF 25
This lightweight and quick-absorbing formula works just as great for adults as it does for kids. It contains no harmful chemicals, nanoparticles, parabens, petroleum products, fillers, waxes or fragrances. This is my favorite sunscreen – I carry it in my bag!

Desert Essence Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
This lotion contains Vitamin E, Pomegranate Extract, and Grape Seed Extract. All to help reduce free-radicals and nourish your skin while protecting it!

Devita Daytime Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30
This fancy little guy absorbs quickly and completely and contains two different sun screens for ultimate solar protection. This formula was created specifically for those sensitive to breakouts.

California Baby No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion
Did you know that The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that if exposure to the sun is unavoidable and your baby is under 6 months, a non-chemical sunscreen should be used? That is why your best bet is to use baby or kid sunscreens This one is awesome!

Loving Naturals SPF 30+ Sunscreen
This formula is water-resistant and made up of some outstanding all-natural and organic ingredients.

What can you do?

• You can write popular cleaning product manufacturers and tell them that you will not support their company until they start caring for their consumers and become transparent about the chemicals found inside their products. These companies include Procter & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, and Arm & Hammer – so while you are at it you can tell them what you think about their disgusting habit of animal testing.
• You can buy from “green” companies that fully disclose their non-toxic ingredients and have ethical business practices OR (this is the fun part) you can make your own cleaning products and save a TON of money.

Make your own cleaning products!

All Purpose Cleaner

Surface Scrub

I would like to think I have a relatively healthy relationship with food.  I eat vegan, local, whole and unprocessed. I eat when I’m hungry, and don’t when I’m not. But I have an issue with not paying attention while consuming the food I have thought so deeply about before purchasing. Perhaps it was years working double shifts as a server in incredibly fast paced restaurants that helped me form the habit of eating like a ravenous animal – shoving heaping servings of food into my mouth and hardly tasting the flavors before swallowing and going for another. Demure, I know. I have gotten better about this in the years I been out of the restaurant industry. However, I still find myself with empty plates, wondering where all the food has gone.

I have done a great deal of research about mindful eating lately, because it is something important to me that I feel is crucial in developing an overall healthy lifestyle. Please join me in my mission to live more mindfully!

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being completely aware of your actions, thoughts, and feelings. We are all guilty of going through our days on autopilot, absorbed in our minds and letting our ego control our actions. Mindfulness steps away from all that and concentrates on only this moment.

Why Eat Mindfully?

You wont overeat- Watching television or working (playing) on the computer while eating is proven to cause you to consume more than you typically would if you were paying attention. Eating quickly also has the same effect, as it takes a bit for your stomach to send “full” signals to your brain. By the time you are done eating, the food hasn’t even properly settled in your stomach yet!

You will think about the origins of your food – Taking time out to mindfully consider what you are doing changes your perspective on a lot of things.  If you mindfully wash the dishes, you will quickly find easier ways of doing things. If you mindfully go to a seedy bar on a Friday night, you begin to questions your intention of being there in the first place. When you mindfully eat, you start to think about what it is that your eating, and what that means to you and the rest of the world.

You wont get bloated/gassy/gross – If you chew your food thoroughly and completely, and take your time to swallow you will solve a lot of your digestion woes. Your saliva will help break down your food and lessen the work that your digestive system has to do. You will swallow less air which will result in less gassy unpleasantness.

You will enjoy your food so much more – I don’t know about you but I LOVE FOOD. I love exploring new flavors and dishes.  When I stop to enjoy my food, and concentrate on it wholly and completely, I enjoy it tenfold. It is seriously almost orgasmic.

You will develop your palate – When you take the time out to notice flavors hidden in the depths of your food, you will be able to appreciate daring flavor combinations or even develop your own. You will start to appreciate subtle things about foods you never noticed.

How to eat mindfully

Prepare with love – If you are eating your food at home the best way to prepare yourself for mindful eating is to start with some mindful preparing. Devote a good chunk of time to concentrate and enjoy the process of cooking or preparing.

Turn off distractions – Will you really die without technology for an hour? Odds are, it will be good for you either way. Sit comfortably, just you and your food and maybe some good company – nothing else!

Eat healthy - Actually.. eat unhealthy. Mindful eating will quickly get you into the habit of eating nurturing foods.

Think about where your food came from – Before you start to munch, take a good look at your food. Where did it come from and how did it get to be in the form that it is at this moment? Did it come from a nearby farm or a greenhouse in South America? Do you think there are chemicals in your food? Do you know anything about the processing your food went through to get into the state it is in? Do you know what all of the ingredients are?  If you are eating meat – did it suffer to get on your plate? Was it injected with hormones and antibiotics? All of these questions are very important. Food is what keeps us alive and healthy! It is the very essence of our being!

Take teeny tiny bites - Start with almost comically small bites. The longer it takes you to eat the better. At first this will be excruciating (“but there is soo much to do!”) but soon it will be incredibly enjoyable. Think about the entire process, from picking it up with your fork to the act of swallowing.

Have a mouth party - take note of the texture, taste and consistency of your food. Be mindful of these things, but don’t judge or develop opinions. Just love this moment!

Do you have any tips, tricks or interesting experiences with mindful eating?

Growing up, I was one of those weirdos who was allergic to everything. Grass, pollen, dust and countless food allergies were just a few of the things that made me sniffle, cough, swell and sneeze. So needless to say I was quite regularly suffering from some sort of reaction to my allergies. During spring I was constantly medicated which was arguably worse than the allergies themselves!  Oh the joys of childhood.

Do you suffer from allergies? You may actually have allergies and not even know it! Other than typical sneezing and sniffling symptoms; under-eye circles, dry skin, vomiting, and excessive tiredness can all be symptoms too.  I know from experience that you absolutely do not have to take an everyday allergy medicine to get relief from your irritating woes. (I am also not a doctor, so be sure to consult yours before stopping any medication or if you are experiencing any severe symptoms.) Here are some steps you can take to drastically improve your sniffling, sneezing, aching, coughing, stuffy-headed self.

Figure out what you’re allergic to – Simple, right? Not so much.  You could have anything from airborne to food allergies. Keep a journal of the things you do and eat everyday and the conditions you are in, and keep note of when your symptoms are the worst. You should be able to narrow it down with that information. Keep in mind it could be the smallest most insignificant thing like, say… the colorant in yellow paint.  Ingredients in brands can slightly differ, so make sure you take that into consideration as well. Once you find something that you think might be causing the problem, cut it out. If things drastically improve – bingo! If not, keep searching or consult an allergy doctor and see if you can take a super-fun skin prick test.

Cut out mucus causing foods - Foods that cause mucus to form are technically allergens. Extra mucus can also cause existing allergies to be MUCH worse than they already are. I can’t emphasis enough that if you have allergies, you should NOT be eating dairy. Dairy (milk, eggs, cheese) is the number one cause of excessive mucus in children and adults, and is also a huge food allergy.( There are  tons of other reasons why you should not be eating dairy, but we wont get into them here.)  Some experts say that wheat, soy and any heavily processed or refined foods can typically cause mucus in most people. Stick to basic, whole foods and you shouldn’t have a problem.

Clean – Vacuum your floor, wash your sheets, clean your clothes, and dust everything you own almost every single day. It is a lot of work, but if you have airborne allergies, it will make your life drastically better.  Keeping your sleeping area allergy-free is the best tip I can give you. Wash your sheets at least twice a week, and always take a shower before you go to bed. There is nothing worse than marinating in allergens all night.

All hail the neti pot – Yes, it is absolutely frightening, but with some practice the neti pot can become your BFF.  It works simply by pouring warm salty water through one nostril and allowing it to flow out the other, in turn cleaning out all of the funkyness that has been collecting in your nasal cavities. Delicious, no? But the effects of using a neti pot everyday are profound, and everyone who does it is hooked!

Drew from Toothpaste for Dinner shows us how to (not) irrigate our nasal passages.

Acupuncture – If you are already suffering from severe allergy symptoms, acupuncture could help alleviate your symptoms. It has been found that regular acupuncture can drastically help those suffering from allergies and sinus issues. However, this will not prevent allergies from occurring in the first place.

Get your herbs on – If you are in the throws of allergy season you can find some relief in herbs like eucalyptus, licorice root, alfalfa, red clover, and (of course) apple cider vinegar.

What works to prevent or improve your allergies? What are you allergic to?  Bring on the allergy stories, I’m so fascinated by this!

Nowadays everything is faster, better, and more efficient. While advancements in technology are always good for productivity, has anyone really stopped to think that maybe all this speed isn’t good for our psyche? How can you enjoy life when you are responding to emails at dinner and tweeting in the shower?  We find our selves comparing lives with everyone else and striving to capture “success” even if it means getting 3 hours of sleep and never seeing our families. Is this healthy?

It is proven that stress is the worst thing we can do to our bodies. It can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and can make existing ailments much worse.  This is all because of our overloaded lifestyle – something we are completely in control of.  Why are we risking our lives to be better, faster,  and more successful?  The movers and shakers behind the Slow Movement think this is a serious problem and are trying hard to spread the word that a slow and steady lifestyle is really good for you and the rest of the world! (more…)

Its about that time of year again. The time when your skin gets scaly, scratchy, red, chapped and all other kinds of gross. Between the dry heat from indoor heating systems to the bitter cold wind, and then the boiling hot showers you take to try to compensate for the bitter cold wind… it’s just a big old mess. The only way to restore your epidermis to its naturally silky smooth condition is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

But we don’t want to slather on heaps of chemicals or animal-tested gunk, now do we ladies? No, our ethical tushes deserve much better. Try these moist treats for every inch of your bits and pieces. (Oh, BTW most links go to Amazon where everything is hella cheap!) (more…)

I think you know all about my obsession with raw foods. There is something about the simplicity and the health benefits of a raw, vegan diet that really gets the minimalist/health nut in me going.  I have never committed any length of time to eating 100% raw, but starting today I’ll be embarking on a 30 day raw food journey! This idea is actually one of the goals I have set for myself in my 30 Things to do Before I Turn 30 mission. Being a huge self-improvement nerd, it was only natural that I do this.

Thankfully, I will not be embarking on this journey by myself. My ever adventurous, and devastatingly handsome life partner: Doodlebug will be doing this with me. Believe it or not, his omnivorous booty is totally into raw food too! I am glad to have the support because surprisingly enough the task of NOT cooking your food seems pretty daunting. Especially for someone like myself, who already has a jam-packed schedule. I’ll know more about the realities of this when I’m deeper into the 30 days. For now I’ll just cover the 3 initial phases – Shopping, Preparation, Execution! (more…)

Ask a random person off the street what they picture in their head when they think of a vegan. Chances are you will get something describing a waifish hippie with translucent skin and sunken eyes. But the truth is, most vegans are probably the healthiest people to walk this earth. When it comes to sports, vegan athletes are just as strong, fast and healthy as any other athlete, and some would even argue that they are even more so.

Lately, more and more athletes have been proving this point by choosing a cruelty-free diet and in turn, blowing away the competition. This progressive movement is turning away from heaping plates of flesh and whey protein shakes, and towards nutrient dense vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. The result is a healthier, happier herbivore – that can kick your ass.
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