Displaying items by tag: health

Sunday, 09 May 2010 20:11

The Scoop on Vitamin B12


A reader asked me today,

I have a question about b12, are there different types? I heard that vegans have to take supplements because you can't get it from plant sources, but spirulina and nutritional yeast both contain b12

Here are the answers to her questions, and then some. **Please read my health disclaimer**:

Published in FAQs
Monday, 19 April 2010 22:41

Gluten free is the way to be for me (for now)

I AM GRACEFUL (INDIAN BIRYANI BOWL) from Cafe Gratitude


You've probably seen me writing about eating gluten-free (GF) recently, but I'm excited to report that I've been GF for almost 2 weeks and I feel AMAZING! Mainly, I have more energy, my body seems lighter and less bloated, and my skin is clearing up.

I was inspired to reduce the amount of gluten I ate when my best friend Sarah started doing it on our trip to Maui. I'm always looking for ways to eat healthier, and I've felt guilty about eating a lot of bread and pasta for a while. Sarah showed me how easy it was and how many GF options were available, especially in L.A. We made delicious pancakes from The Cravings Place, ate GF pizza at 3 different restaurants (Pizza Fusion, Z Pizza, and Fresh Brothers), found options at Veggie Grill, etc. etc.

My real commitment to going gluten-free started on my tour with vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke, who was promoting his new book: Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness (check it out, it's amazing). I brought up the GF idea and he was interested, so we decided to give it a try because we both wanted to feel our best during the intense trip. Within a day we were both feeling a difference and got really excited about it. We also decided to avoid soy as much as possible, which made us feel even better. I think it's a great testimonial that a bodybuilder is living a gluten-free, low-soy, vegan lifestyle! In fact, some of his friends built themselves up on a completely raw diet.

See the slideshow below of the delicious gluten-free food we had in Oregon, Washington, and California. More details and videos soon to come.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. If you're interested in what I've been eating, check out the What Whitney Ate Today section of this site.

You also may be interested in a recent post I wrote about whether the gluten-free diet is a fad, a rare allergy, or a serious issue for everyone. Please share your thoughts with me on how you feel about the matter.

Published in Health Food
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 11:35

Steel Cut Oatmeal: easy and nutritious

Published in Recipes
Friday, 05 March 2010 00:26

Green Drinks at The Green Life



Here are some photos from Green Drinks at The Green Life, featuring:
Published in Restaurant Reviews
Tuesday, 02 March 2010 10:52

BPA

A few days ago I had a great, but disturbing, conversation with my friend Ken Spector (of Living Echo) Not only is he vegan, but he is full of facts on health. He started talking about BPA (Bisphenol A), and I was shocked at what he was saying. I later found a great article on how to avoid consuming it, from Women's Conference.

Published in Home
Thursday, 14 January 2010 11:03

Heath insurance: in case of emergency

This really has nothing to do with the environment or veganism, but since I've been discussing it on Twitter and Facebook, and because others are interested, I thought I'd share.

The events in Haiti inspired me to consider what I would do in the case of a major accident. I am semi-prepared for an earthquake (I've got some supplies at home), but probably not as much as I should be. Since I am a freelance worker right now, I don't have health insurance, but that is no excuse. Although I am very healthy and don't really need to see a doctor, I should have insurance in the event of an emergency.
Published in Holistic Health Care
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 11:49

Natural cold remedies

I recently got a cold for the first time in years. I figured it was my body's way of telling me I needed to rest more, slow down, and eat better. 

Here are some products I used as remedies to beat the coughing, sniffling, headaches, body chills, and dry lips & nose. I found most of them at Whole Foods.
Published in Holistic Health Care
Friday, 16 October 2009 13:40

Allergies under control, naturally

I've had bad allergies since I moved to L.A. (go figure). For years I tried every pill, powder, and spray on the market. I consulted several doctors and gave acupuncture a try. And nothing worked. Still awful headaches, sneezing, and running nose. So I gave up and used Flonase for several months, which was the only things that made a difference. However, I always felt guilty about it because it's a steroid with who-knows-what long term effect on my body. My chance to give it up came when my insurance ended, and instead of $20 a pop for Flonase it would cost $130!

Published in Holistic Health Care
Page 8 of 10