Calling All Food Revolutionaries
Exciting news! Bestselling author John Robbins is personally interviewing 21 people who are leaders in movements for healthy, sustainable, humane and delicious food. From April 28 – May 6, there will be 3 interviews broadcast daily, and you can listen in – for free. You’ll get cutting edge disease-beating, health-activating, age-reversing information. These tools can help you and your family to thrive and to make a difference in the world.
After seeing John Robbins speak LIVE at the LongevityNOW Conference in 2010, I am interested in hearing all that he has to say. His presentation was so genuine, heart-felt, and profound that I, and much of the conference room, was tearing up at the powerful stories he shared. WOW. I was deeply moved with how open he was and the sincere message he brings forth. I’m even more of a fan now than I was when I initially read his books, Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution several years ago – which I highly recommend. They are the catalyst for many people on their health journey!
In case you want to see part of his presentation from that conference, you can catch quite a bit of it here on YouTube (there’s a part 1, 2, and 3).
This summit that he and his son, Ocean Robbins, have put together offers up-to-date, highly useful information from an amazing array of inspiring voices including expert doctors and acclaimed researchers such as Dean Ornish, MD (Preventive Medicine Research Institute) and T. Colin Cambell, Ph.D (The China Study); NY Times best-selling authors Marianne Williamson (Spiritual Principles for Weight Loss) and Kathy Freston (Quantum Wellness); Culture-changers and icons such as Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) and Rory Freedman (Skinny Bitch); Natural health pioneers such as Joseph Mercola (Mercola.com) and David Wolfe (Radiant Health Now); Food system innovators such as Vandana Shiva (How to Stop Big Ag) and Ronnie Cummins (Organic Consumers Association), and many more inspiring visionaries. This will be EPIC!
The Summit offers training, inspiration and practical know-how from modern day heroes of health and sustainability. Participants are promised answers to burning questions, tools for dealing with family and peers, and practically useful insights, ideas, motivation and tips, all from the comfort and convenience of your phone and computer. Stay at home… listen in… and learn how to make an extremely positive impact.
The summit will include focus on the latest thinking on preventing and reversing heart disease, cancer and diabetes; the truth about GMOs, soy, raw foods, and grass-fed beef; the social, ethical and environmental impact of what you eat; and how to inspire your family to join you in making healthy choices.
Learn more and register for free, here: The Food Revolution Summit. I’ll be listening to the calls with you. This is something we all need to hear!
Postponing Your Health is a Death Sentence
How do you respond when you read the title of this article? Based on what you have experienced with loved ones or acquaintances in your blessed life, have you found it to be true? I do realize it’s a bold statement and I know it’s 100% true in my own experience having seen this brutal reality. I wish it wasn’t true…
Why is postponing your health a death sentence? Because procrastination tends to set in if you take too long to think things over and consider all the possibilities, options, and what’s involved. If you keep putting things off, when will you ever start? Unconsciously, self-sabotaging behavior slowly creeps in (deep subject as to why, but it does happen). Then, guilt settles in because you know you should have done something sooner. Before you know it, it’s months or years later and you’re in the same position or even worse off because you haven’t taken action. Taking action – REALLY taking forward-moving action – takes an inner drive so powerful because on a deep level within you desperately want to look or feel different and are sick and tired of looking or feeling like you do.
Why do people postpone living a healthier lifestyle? 3 top reasons why I believe this happens (I’m very honest, beware):
1) There is a lack of belief in oneself due to a lack of self-love. If you believe you are worth it, why would you postpone doing everything you can to make your life what you want it to be? Getting to the very core (and this can be a sensitive issue for many), it’s because you don’t think you deserve it. This inevitably creates self-sabotaging behavior (known or unknown and whether you accept it or not) that makes it easy for you to rattle off excuse after excuse for why you haven’t taken action on the targeted strategy that could help you. The answers ARE available and in a world full of possibility and unlimited opportunity, it really is at your fingertips if you want it.
2) There is a feeling that you cannot reach the goal you want for yourself, or you’re so overwhelmed with how to get there that you don’t even start because you’re not sure even where to begin. So, you don’t start, and each week, month, or year you continue to set similar goals for yourself with an underlying feeling of guilt that you haven’t already just bit the bullet and taken control and done what you said you wanted to do.
3) It’s so much easier to stay in your comfort zone rather than adopt new habits and consciously create a better life for yourself. Change can be hard to accept and it takes a deep commitment to succeed. You have to be super clear on why you want this for yourself. It’s takes a major amount of courage to go against the grain and to live unconventionally (sadly, being on a super progressive diet and lifestyle is considered to be so). “There is never a crowd on the leading edge.” ~ Abraham-Hicks
These are the reasons that I see come up again and again in my work with clients. If you want to shorten the learning curve for eating more healthfully and living a cleaner lifestyle, check out this article I wrote on “how to shorten the learning curve for anything“.
My advice is to take things bite by bite. The right simple changes can bring profound and miraculous results! This is my favorite strategy in coaching others to gain control of their health so we cut overwhelm out of the equation and really focus on the few things that they/you/I will actually do initially… and then do them each with 1000% commitment. It works. You gain positive momentum after you’ve achieved even small successes and this carries you to adopt healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices – choice by choice. Start with where you are – get really clear on where that is and don’t kid yourself. Then, either work with someone who can truly help you, or go as far as you can on your own and never stop learning, soaking in new knowledge, and finding ways to inspire yourself.
You have to know that you ARE worth it. No matter who you are and even with all the mistakes you’ve made, you deserve to be healthier. You really have a bright future ahead of you and it can be exponentially better if you’re feeling amazing much more often than not. Release the same story you’ve been telling yourself and just do something to make your life different! I’m here giving you permission if you need it and to reinforce that you have to do this for yourself to save your life!
We are bombarded with toxins, pollutants, and harsh realities. Do everything you can to reverse the damage that’s been done (we all need a bit of damage control) and take your health to the next level. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF … keep coming back to this. It’s the #1 mindset you need to have to design a healthy life that rewards you beyond your wildest dreams.
What is the fuel that makes you take action with regard to your health?
Post your insights in the comments section and let’s help each other out!
The Most Important 5 Foods That Keep Me Healthy
For a long time now, I’ve been considering what foods I consume on a regular, consistent basis make all the difference in experiencing optimal health. Which foods make me feel the best, and which ones are giving me so many benefits that I could absolutely thrive with these as my staples?
I finally narrowed it down to 5 foods and I am in love with them all and feel a deep dense of nutrition when I eat them. They are part of my daily diet and when I run low, I tend to freak out. I invite you to ponder the same questions I’ve asked myself – what is serving you the most? What is giving you the most bang for your bite (meaning LOTS of nutrition even in lower quantities)? What foods are propelling you forward?
Raw Sauerkraut / Cultured Vegetables / Kim Chee
A year ago, I was not a cultured veggies kind of a girl; in fact, they weren’t even a part of my diet. Thanks to Donna Gates and The Body Ecology Diet though – which I follow more or less with the exception of raw honey, a bit of local, in season fruit, and infrequent quinoa dishes – I have become an ADDICT to raw sauerkraut. I have created the perfect dish that I’ve had nearly every night since last summer and make it a foundational recipe for my clients’ meal plans.
I have turned sooo many people onto raw kraut, especially people who were repulsed by the thought of introducing it into their diet. They thought, “yuck, no way!” – but now… they are crazy fans just like me and are raving about the age-defying benefits of this dietary staple.
I digest everything better, especially healthy fats (makes sense, doesn’t it?)! My energy levels have risen, ability to manage stress has increased, and my skin is looking younger. I could be the poster girl for raw sauerkraut – I’m that much of an avid fan! Because my habit is so heavy, I go through a lot – eating a heaping handful each day (afternoon – dinner), and can hardly keep up with making sure I have enough. I buy some and make some myself and eat all varieties possible, especially loving spicy krauts or ones with tonic herbs (that’s my dream, really – tonic herbs and kraut! – best diet for me ever).
THE GODDESS MASH (simplified)
Mix and Mash:
1/2+ cup raw sauerkraut
1/2 – 1 ripe avocado
Approx 1 teaspoon spirulina
Smoosh it all together into creamy paradise.
OPTIONAL: Add the “works” (any or all of the following): dulse seaweed, sprouts, leafy greens from the garden, apple cider vinegar, raw tahini, quinoa, and Vitamineral Earth (roots, barks, herbs, and probiotics) – mash together and wrap in cabbage leaves from the garden or nori sheets. Hands down, this is my most favorite meal & it makes me happy
Try it! You’ll have yourself the best fast food meal possible: deeply nourishing, satisfying, quick energy, and easy for your body to break down and assimilate. It’s also no doubt the best travel food / meal ever.
Garden Greens
I’ve recently written 2 comprehensive posts about my glorious garden greens and will suggest you read over those articles to get a sense of what kind of impact the leafys & herbs have on me. They blow me away and I am in awe that I wasn’t doing this all along. Believe me, I am doing my best to catch up for lost time
I’ll just say this: I literally LOVE everything more because of the peace my edible garden brings me. How is this possible?! I don’t know, but it’s exciting!
* The Best Health Decision I EVER Made
* The 5 Must Know Steps About Growing Food
Algae
A couple years ago, for a year consistently, I included so much algae as part of my diet that one would think I was a fish. LOL! I didn’t have specific intentions when I embarked on this blue green adventure, but WOW did it have a powerful health impact for me. I was already consuming algae, just not in heavy quantities. My eyesight got dramatically better… so much so that when I went to renew my contact lens prescription and had the exam, the doctor was astonished when she realized my sight was improving even as I was “getting older” and claimed that this never happens. What in the world I was doing?! Btw – I am getting younger and told her that.
Ahhh, yes – that’s my algae habit. Simply put, it’s extremely beneficial for the skin (hair, nails, and all things beauty-related), mind, nervous system, digestive system, and every other system you could name. It’s loaded with amino acids, antioxidants, nucleic acids (DNA / RNA), enzymes, minerals, and everything else one wants in their body. I adore spirulina, wild blue green algae, and chlorella and feel a nutritional plan is not complete without them. Algae is a miraculous food, works miracles in the body, and I’ve witnessed health miracles by those who’ve consumed algae.
Most often, I get my algae from HealthForce Nutritionals (product is called Elixir of the Lake and is wild blue green algae at its’ finest!)
Bee Products: Bee Pollen & Royal Jelly
Bee pollen is another favorite that I could talk about forever, but I wrote an article that sums up the outstanding benefits of this true superfood titled, Bee Pollen: The Queen Strategy for Weight Loss and Stress Management. Check it out!
Here’s the thing with royal jelly – if you’re going to do it, do it right. None of that shwaggy liquid stuff that goes rancid quickly at the store. Fortunately, a good friend of mine – Sean Lee Gardner – has created an epic product line and the signature product is “Bee Mana” – a certified organic, truly raw royal jelly that is in powder form. His bees are never fed sugar like most bee are! That’s worth repeating… Sean’s bees are NEVER FED SUGAR! (which is great for you!)
Why you want this food as part of your diet (top 3 reasons):
1) It’s known for balancing our hormones & addresses infertility issues
2) If you’re stressed or tired, it helps build stress resilience (contains the entire vitamin B complex, even human active B12 ) so you feel better!
3) It creates silky skin, luscious locks, contains anti-aging hormones (DHEA), and is an ideal supplemental food that has a long history of use for those wanting to look younger without botox injections
Sean has extended a sweet 10% discount for you to order his organic, raw royal jelly! It’s for orders over $99.95 and you’ll also get free shipping! Use the code EDIBLEGODDESS10OFF. Order here to get your 10% discount on this superb longevity food. (He’s also got some epic “Spirit Reishi” that will calm your nerves and soothe your soul faster than anything else.)
Juicy Fruit
Not the chewing gum, Juicy Fruit – although I did chew plenty of that crap when I was a little girl – but I’m referring to the real deal fruit that grows from organic trees. Nothing replaces it… even fruit powder blends or dried fruit, it’s just not the same and you don’t get the same nutritional benefits. I don’t go overboard with fruit, but it definitely has its place and serves me well.
My very favorite fruits include oranges, mango, blueberries, apples, and avocado (an easy to digest fatty fruit, and I love it!). I eat fresh fruits when they’re in season, either from the farmer’s markets and avocados year round. I do realize that mangoes come from far away, but I love them
I’m happy that my current neighbor has some flourishing apple trees.
If you’d like support in creating a winning strategy for you to pinpoint the foods that will serve YOU the most, I can help. Reach out to get the guidance you need and accelerate your results so you can enjoy the health you deserve!
What are the top 5 foods that keep you the healthiest, or that you cannot live without?
Activating our Potential through Nutrition (Guest Post by Ronnie Landis)
This guest post is written for Edible Goddess by Ronnie Landis; Ronnie is an author, health and personal growth speaker, nutritionist, and peak performance specialist. He is the author of the upcoming book, The Live-it Lifestyle: Dropping Diets Forever. His life mission is to be a voice for raw plant foods, super foods, raw chocolate, and a sustainable future for coming generations.
Activating our Potential through Nutrition
For every human being put on this Earth there is a set of skills and a way of delivering them that can inspire, amaze, and ultimately light up all who come in contact. Each one of us is special; we have an inner light that carries all the knowledge of the ancient world, conscious of its incredible energy awaiting permission by the holder similar to that of the samurai’s katana yielding impeccable craftsmanship, but can only be wielded by the one who understands its brilliance. The key idea that we all should consider is this question, “How can I activate my gifts in the world”.
“The most important skill of the future is being able to learn and master information immediately”
David Wolfe
We are accomplishment-driven creatures only truly satisfied when our energy is being poured into the focus of our desires. The unease some feel in life can be attributed to the direction they have chosen to focus their lives. I have been an avid student of personal development material for most of my life putting so much of my attention on the power of my mind. I heard long ago from success literature pioneer, Earl Nightingale, about “The Strangest Secret” which states, Thoughts are Things: we are what we think about. I believed for most of my life that this was the foundational law of the cosmos, that we could assume any circumstance through proper mindset alone. I soon realized that a critical piece of this equation was absent; the very fuel that may have the greatest influence over our most dominant thoughts. The law of You are What you Eat takes an immediate front seat to all other supporting ideas.
We are the result of what we repeatedly do; if this statement is true which I believe it is, then our physical makeup is the result of what we habitually think, say, do, and eat. Whenever you think a certain thought it creates a wave of information that is sent through the nervous system, with time the more thoughts and words of that nature will have physical effects because the body always follows the mind. The food or substances you put into your body over time will prove their worth. Physical deterioration is absolutely inescapable when you’re constantly picking up the bread crumbs that lead to its doors. If you have built up these habits, it is time to now start reprogramming your genetic makeup to work for you instead of against you.
The effect food has on our ability to create and sustain peak potential is nothing short of astounding. In terms of rerouting our thinking patterns in the direction we feel would be most optimal, we must look at living food nutrition as a launching pad. A great example is Tony Wright who holds the world record in staying awake the longest – 12 days straight! Tony is the author of the book Left in the Dark which focuses on the functionality of the right and left hemispheres of the brain and how we are effected through the modern day food supply.
Through his research he came to some interesting conclusions such as when humans stray too far from their natural diet (raw foods) they become left brain dominant (linear thinking, calculating) and raw plant food could influence the imaginative, inspirational artistic right side of the brain to reemerge. Tied in with these findings by theory and his own unique experience he found that the left side of the brain expends so much energy synthesizing life experiences it requires tremendous rest, but the right side of our brain requires very little rest due to the childlike nature in which it operates.
The vast majority of people in the western world are grid locked in a critical mindset that has to rationalize and calculate its way through life. This causes tremendous constriction not only on our physiology but also our psychology and makes it exceedingly more difficult to express our true nature into the world we all wish for.
I am constantly blessed to meet amazing individuals in the health and living foods community that tell me stories of the lives they were living previous to their inner transformation. It is clear to me as we embark on cleansing our bodies of the residues of concrete society we all grew up in and begin to flood our cells with the intelligence of raw plant food and super foods it becomes near impossible to pursue a path of quiet desperation. As our blood vessels expand and open through oxygenation, the walls we have encapsulated our heart in begin to break down and the core meaning of our lives takes a form none of us could have imagined in our past life.
The 5 Must Know Steps About Growing Food
In my experience of growing my own food, there are 5 primary steps that I’ve found to be the most important. They may be obvious steps to some, yet notice the simple upgrades I’ve made to each. I want to share these with you because I’ve found that growing some of my own food, having an edible garden, and going above standards options for gardening by using amendments as discussed below, has been the best health decision I’ve EVER made. Read more
The Good Karma Giveaway Fiesta
7 days ago, I watched a video that I linked to from my friends Peter Ragnar & Katrina Mayer as part of their work with The Pro-Youthing Summit. This summit includes 3 free training videos for anti-aging, abundance, and spiritual wisdom that I highly recommend (you’ll see why). The first video I watched with Joe Vitale was very inspiring and really struck a cord within me. Read more
2011′s Top 10 Grateful List
I haven’t posted in months and yet have been making notes of blog ideas for potential upcoming posts. Which topic do I write on 1st? Gratitude is always a good place to start and with 2011 melting into the past and 2012 upon us, what could be more relevant than a years overview of gratitude?
This has been an “interesting” (aka: challenging) year for some and whether or not you consider yourself 1 of them, there are always plenty of reasons to count your blessings and show some appreciation for what ya have.
My Top 10 Grateful List for 2011 (“I am grateful for…”)
1) Formulating the best version of my Chocolate Goldies to date. They have reached a milestone in terms of quality, flavor, texture, and outrageously positive feedback. I’m very proud and excited for their future. I created what I wanted myself, and everyone else cannot get enough!
2) My ability to show & speak my love without resistance. Even when my super strong 75 lb dog was in a heated stand-off with 2 disgruntled & defensive 1200-1500 lb cows on Christmas day at the beach (I know, very random LOL), I ran to his defense to save him from what was an imminent disaster. Scary as hell, but all out of love. Real love overrides, I’m convinced.
3) All the people I learn from: self-development gurus / authors / speakers, women entrepreneurs making a big difference, cutting edge nutrition superstars & colleagues, and those that continue to spread the message they are here to share. Shine your light; I am listening. 
4) Listening to my inner guidance which of course resulted in a saving grace at the last possible second when looking for a new place to live earlier this summer. The synchronicity & goodness of it all is absurd; as it turns out, my new next door neighbor is the man behind the #1 nutritional bar in history (and continues to be today); his experience and generous insights have given us valuable perspective. And, we have a cozy space to live & an ideal space to grow food, for now. Yay!
5) My organic edible vegetable garden, which has changed my life for the better forever. It’s the best health decision I have ever made. I had no idea how much of an impact it would have on my emotional and physical health.
6) The body I have, the health I’ve earned, the mindset I’ve adopted, the attitude I’ve embraced, the life I’m creating, the positive impact I’ve had, and the continual discoveries I make about myself.
7) The immense support I received after a big & hairy change took place in my professional life at the very beginning of this year. Emails, messages & letters poured in with love, gratitude, positive mojo, blessings, and shifts in perspective. Thank you! I came to a deeper understanding w/ more clarity of all that I’m here to contribute and how I can best serve others (aiming to have a positive global impact seeking to uplift mankind). Much more on this in 2012…
8) The thoughtful email I received from a friend which led to a series of mini-miracles and extraordinary experiences ultimately connecting me with the inspiring mentor & coach I’ve been seeking for years. All because I trusted my intuition and acted on it. No coincidences folks!
9) The clients I’ve attracted into my life. Ideal would be the best word to describe these women. If you’re a coach or practitioner, you know how important it is to work with those you WANT to work with. I love their commitment to themselves & that they inspire me, too!
10) My faith and trust in this next year to be exploding with ridiculous synchronicities, abundance, magic, miracles, love, peace, joy, well-being, unity, transformation, and transcendence. 2012 is the year it comes together my friends!
POST YOUR COMMENTS! WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?
The Best Health Decision I EVER Made
Ten & a half years ago, I lost my mom to the ever-increasing cancer battle that way too many people are familiar with. She had a super rare form of this dis/ease and witnessing her pain and body falling apart – literally dying as the days passed – had a deeply profound effect on me. It would anyone, and I know I’m not the only one with this story – but I am one of the rare birds who consciously spins things like this to my favor. Read more
Bethanne’s Personal Exercise Routine For Radiant Health
Is there a specific strategy to keep a girl really toned, trim, and fit? Other than the obvious – eat a clean diet and exercise regularly – what specifically can be done to whittle down the waist, slim down the thighs, and get rid of cellulite? I’ve been experimenting in the past several months with my exercise routine and have put together a list of my favorite activities that also happen to give me the best results.
My confession is that consistent and regular exercise is the 1 thing that has not always been consistent and regular. When I’m “on” – I’m ON. And when I’m in a phase of lacking self motivation – my body, energy levels, mood & thighs show me I’ve been slacking.
I’m happy to say that this summer I’ve been very inspired and motivated and know my commitment is paying off because I FEEL GOOD! Isn’t that what we’re all reaching for anyway?
Hiking: Trails are everywhere in Marin County, CA – so much so, that I could potentially find new trails to explore nearly every week. I love being so connected with Nature hiking in the woods and open country, it’s like a moving meditation for me. There are lots of hills with breath-taking panoramic views to enjoy while getting a great booty workout.
Rebounding: Typically 5-30 minutes per day, at times split throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening. I love doing jumping jacks and jogging on the rebounder. Just get on, jump up & down, twist, and hop around to move your lymph and detoxify the fun way! Then, I get off and do tricep pushups against the rebounder – my fav way to tone up that area.
Jogging: I’ve got a big sweet dog who never tires and his pace for walking/prancing is a nice jog for me. I usually go for a minimum of 30 minutes when I jog and at times up to 75 (of which I’ll jog about 1/2 to 2/3 of the route depending upon how hot it is and walk the rest). Jogging has to be 1 of the quickest ways I know of to get leaner thighs, but it’s not something I’m committed to every day. I go in spurts.
Biking: Got my bike tuned up after 2 years of it being more or less in storage and I’m riding 35-60 mins a day, everyday now since the cobwebs got dusted off earlier last month. I ride in flip flops, a tank top, and feel the breeze whiz by my skin. There’s no shortage of hills, and they are quite tolerable yet still offer a wicked leg workout.
Walking: 5+ years ago when I got my high energy dog, Java, I lost almost 10 lbs just from walking, playing, and running around with him. Get a dog that doesn’t tire easily if you need to lose weight – seriously – it forces you to commit and works like nothing else! And, take your furry love on long walks to allow yourself time to decompress, be with yourself, and think. The results for your body and mind are amazing.
Rollerblading: I’m obsessed with rollerblading. There’s something about it that’s thrilling and exhilarating for me! It’s also a bad ass workout to slim down legs that have trouble losing excess fat. I recently moved into a neighborhood that is perfect for blading and although I could go everyday, there’s so much else I do that I blade whenever the mood strikes. In Seattle, where I lived until I moved to Marin Cty the fall of 2009, there’s an amazing trail called the Burke Gilman that I’d blade on for 1-2 hrs. There’s a paved trail just 30 mins away where I live now so I can get back on my rollerblading joy ride! I just started taking my dog with me to burn his excess energy, too – good times!
Yoga: I’m a fan of Bikram and Power Yoga. Again, this is a moving meditation for me and I love the focus and determination it takes to make my way through a class. At home, I do yoga on the patio in the Sun w/ my boyfriend, which I love
MY OBSERVATION: I notice that I enjoy the types of exercise that feel freeing and even exhilarating to me – and therefore, I can maintain a more consistent and regular routine. I’m the type of person who HAS TO love the activity I do, otherwise it won’t happen. This is why I switch between all of the above and I keep my body guessing so it doesn’t become the same hum-drum exercise every day.
MY ADVICE: Find activities you cannot get enough of, rotate them, and do whatever it takes to get into the momentum and carry it forward!
Mastering the Art of Beauty Elixirs and Low-Glycemic Superfood Smoothies
Mastering the Art of Beauty Elixirs & Low-Glycemic Superfood Smoothies – Monthly Workshop Series in Beautiful Marin County, CA
With Bethanne Wanamaker and Christian Bates






















