The 3 Simple Rules For Perfect Health

Recently I got a shared article from a friend. It was about LeBron James' recent cramp failure he had during the Finals game against the Spurs. I didn't see the game but I read the story. Basically he had to leave the game with a massive leg cramp in the final minutes and couldn't help his team who went on to lose. The story my friend shared was about what electrolyte or mineral deficiencies might have brought that on and it mainly focused on magnesium which they felt was the culprit. It was an interesting read and I thought it was pretty thoughtful of my friend to think of me to share it. So we had some comments afterward and others got in what they were thinking... basic Facebook stuff.

The conversation turned to which sports drink on the market would be best for proper hydration and electrolyte, salt and mineral replacement. Gatorade was mentioned and another guy had a drink which was like Gatorade but with a little more of a natural healthy approach. I went on to comment that I thought Gatorade wasn't good because it is full of high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, chemical and preservatives. I haven't drank or looked at a Gatorade label in years. I said what I said based on what the product was made from to the last of my knowledge. After looking it up it turns out that the chemical I remembered it having (brominated vegetable oil) is no longer in the product. High fructose corn syrup had also been replaced with sugar. Although some were still saying that it isn't really sugar but still just HFCS under other confusing names. No one seemed to have a clear answer.. such is the internet.

Then my friend posted a picture of the label of the new drink that is better next to Gatorade's label. It indeed did say "sugar" and she also said that this one is free from food dyes. I realized now that I looked pretty misinformed and not very knowledgeable on the subject of sports nutrition drinks. I admit I am not.  I haven't used them in years and don't ever plan to. I suppose I spoke out of school on the whole thing. Nutrition is a subject that I like to talk about or in this case write.

Anyway.. from there I looked up a few things about the changes that had been made. It looks like the public outcry was enough for Gatorade (which is owned by Pepsi Cola) to change these things about their product. People were not satisfied with what they were buying, demanded change and received it. Sounds like a win for the people right? If you're asking me, I'm going to say no. I say no because it seems like a huge amount of trouble to go to in order to get this huge company to make changes.

*I will say this once now and be done... this is obviously my opinion on the matter. That's why I have a blog. So I can write whatever I think.*

My question I would be asking myself if I were looking at sports drinks is "What am I trying to accomplish here?" The answer is that I need to hydrate, replace salt, electrolytes, minerals etc.. So what should I eat and drink to accomplish this using single ingredient organic whole natural foods? I don't believe in or use any supplements. I don't subscribe to a reductionist approach to health. I don't believe that any supplement can serve my body more efficiently than a whole food.  I have figured my way through this hydration problem already because I do a lot of high endurance training. For me it is bananas, coconut water and fresh pressed juice with celery. That is the answer FOR ME. Maybe I'll come to find out the coconuts being used for my coconut water are GMO and grown in a landfill and harvested by enslaved puppies... but for now I think it's all good on the coconut front. When I read the label on the back of the package, there's one ingredient.. pure filtered coconut water.  I also have capsules with whole mineral ingredients I can take with me on extremely long runs which I can just swallow with water. Each person could come up with what would work for them and they will all be different yet similar.

In this case it's also a natural reaction for me to try to be courteous and say that I realize most people can't do all of this because it is time consuming and impractical.  The reality is that they can. They just probably won't. That's not to be rude or judgemental.. it's just realistic. It's easier to have things pre made and ready for purchase than to do all this work yourself. I realize that but I also realize that when we purchase those products we get what we get. It is a one size fits all product that more than likely is not going to be custom tailored to meet our specific needs. In the case of my friend she was talking about her son and what he wants being in compliance with what she feels is best for him. Tricky situation. I did say that I thought the one product was a much better choice than the other and in hindsight that wasn't being very true to what I believe. I just didn't see that what I really thought would be very plausible or accepted in that particular comment thread. Maybe best I didn't say anything. Hindsight.  I don't have kids and I won't even go into a "well if I had kids.." thing because that would just be me serving up a big bullshit sandwich. I don't know what I would do unless I were there. I know kids want to fit in and have things like other kids have so when the whole team is having Gatorade for example it would be hard for me as a parent to hand him/her a bag of bananas and coconut water and celery juice. Not sure that would go over well with too many kids. Alas, these are the challenges if someone wants to adapt to a whole food plant based diet. That's what this blog and page is about.

One of the points I am trying to get across here is that we don't have to buy the things that are put out there for public consumption. Recently there was an outcry against Subway for having some chemical in their bread that is also used to make yoga mats. I'm guessing that this chemical wasn't exclusive to yoga mats but that was the sensational spin that the media placed on it.I knew the name of the chemical briefly until my brain almost immediately moved it to it's spam folder. Anyway the public once again said "Hey Subway we're mad about what you are making us eat.. You have to change this!"   Umm.. what?  Last I checked every Subway has a swinging door in front that you can either go in or just keep walking. If you don't like yoga mat sandwiches then don't go where they serve them. Make yourself a sandwich that you know exactly what is in it or find a small independent cafe that focuses on quality whole foods and fresh ingredients. It seems ridiculous to me that everyone goes into a protest about this like they are on lockdown somewhere and have absolutely nothing else to eat other than Subway. This mindset of depending on and expecting others to feed us and feed us proper is a no win situation. Profit is always a corporation's #1 priority... it's never your health. Ever.

Starbucks is another major chain that has been under fire recently by healthy food advocates. Petitions are making their way around urging Starbucks to start using Organic/Non GMO milks in their drinks. Other petitions have gone around urging them to only use fair trade coffee. I saw another that urged them to control their waste to our landfills. Does this sound ridiculous yet? What's the solution? Same answer as how to avoid yoga mat sandwiches.. don't go there. Buy your own fair trade coffee and organic plant milks and make your own. Find a locally owned shop that carries these things and cares about the product they send out their door. I'm pretty sure they can use the money a little more than *$'s.

It's about choosing yourself to be in charge of what you eat and drink. It's about not complaining that the world's businesses just aren't feeding you to your standard and then stomping your feet and protesting til they get it right. You are in charge of you and everything you need to be healthy is here for the taking if you just will take charge of it. You! Choose YOU to feed YOU.

Three simple rules for perfect health. That's the title here... So what are they? They are the three simple rules we were assigned as humans since the dawn of man. They are rules of survival more than anything..
1.Eat
2.Drink
3.Breathe
That's it. That's the rules.
 EAT the foods that grow here on earth for you to enjoy. Our food literally comes up out of the ground and is ready to eat.  (or at least with a little prep time for some)
DRINK fresh clean water that we are lucky to have in the part of the world we live. Or drink juices from the fruits and vegetables that grow. Milks from the plants. Filter some of the water through tea leaves or ground coffee beans. These things are all here for the taking. Use them.
BREATHE deep breaths of clean air. Aerobically exercise your lungs and heart daily. Don't smoke and avoid being in the presence of people who are smoking.

It sounds corny I know. These three things are a little obvious aren't they? You'd think they are obvious but what have we done instead of these "obvious" guidelines? We ( and when I say we I don't mean me or you. I mean..y'know... others. *wink*wink*) have turned food into a catastrophe of indecipherable ingredients and chemicals. We have turned our fluids into the same as the food. Loaded with sugars and high fructose corn syrup or chemical sweeteners developed in a laboratory. While others excessively consume alcohol polluting their livers and entire well being. We don't exercise our lungs and heart. Instead we sit sedentary and some even smoke cigarettes, weed, crack, heroin...you get it. Others have found a new way to inhale chemicals through a vapor device that they carry around with them and suck on like addicts. We pollute our air without a thought. We pollute our bodies without a thought. And in turn we pollute our minds without a thought because when our bodies are sick our mind and spirit is sick right along with it.

Instead of eating some whole plant foods and drinking water  earth provides, we have invented things like Waffle Tacos or Chicken McNuggets to be washed down with new Mountain Dew with electrolytes or a "Diet" Coke and while you're at it... super size it! We have taken the simple foods that earth provides for us and manipulated them into poison and call it normal and then when we are sick, obese, depressed and dying we ask why.  I realize this is a rant. So what?! It is definitely a rantable subject.

I will stop the rant there though. I'm hungry. Should I head over to Subway and get a spicy chicken enchilada yoga mat sandwich and 44 ounce diet cherry vanilla Coke or make myself a green smoothie here at home?  I'm feeling lazy. I think I'll just stay home and have the smoothie...

Alcohol: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I spend a lot of time researching plant based nutrition articles and I see many about various meal plans and nutrient values of this food or that but I rarely see alcohol addressed. I mean I'm assuming we all know that alcohol isn't the best thing for you and is empty calories.. right? I do see studies saying that glass or two of red wine or a beer a day is beneficial to our health but then I can find just as many studies that will say that one or two a day is terrible for you. (see image above) What I'm left with is opinions and nothing more. So let's look at what we do know.

Caloric value of alcohol:
Alcohol has a very high caloric value. When you ingest alcohol the liver breaks it down into a chemical called acetate (LINK). Acetate is then used as an effective fuel source in the body. A 1.5 ounce shot of liquor has between 100 and 200 calories. Beer and wine average 150 calories per serving. Mixed drinks which are generally very high in sugar have an average of 300 but as high as 800+ calories.

Vitamin and mineral content:
Alcohol itself has no vitamins or minerals whatsoever. Therefore the higher the alcohol content of a drink the lower the nutritional content will be. Beer has a small amount of the RDA for vitamin B6, riboflavin and folate. Unfiltered and craft beers are usually higher in these nutrients while processed commercial beers are very low. Wine also offers a small amount of B6 and inconsequential traces of various minerals. A single shot of hard liquor offers virtually no vitamins or minerals whatsoever. The only way any nutritional benefit can be gained from hard liquor is in the mixers used to make cocktails. (such as juices)

Fat, sodium and protein content:
Most alcoholic drinks offer little to no sodium or protein content. A serving of beer has no fat, a trace amount of sodium and an average of 2 grams of protein. (usually from wheat or corn) Wine and hard liquor have no fat, protein or sodium at all. Mixed drinks will vary according to mixers used and in special cases like a salted rim the sodium content will go up dramatically.

Nutritional benefits of alcohol:
Like I said earlier, there are various reports of moderate beer and wine use having some nutritional benefits that relate to cardiovascular health and longevity due to stress relief.  On the other hand there are reports that link any alcohol use at all to hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, liver damage and a weakened immune system. I could go on and on about the pros or the cons but obviously we have found some good along with some bad effects from alcohol use. Whenever "use" crosses to "abuse" the effects are always negative. It's my experience that most do not stay within the limits of moderate use. I say most because there really are some who do stay within the guideline but for the most part the majority do not.

Antioxidants in red wine:
Red wine contains antioxidants called polyphenols and also another called resveratrol. These contribute to cardiovascular health and reversing bad cholesterol. These antioxidants are also available in grapes, non alcoholic grape juice, 75% or greater cacao chocolate, most berries, green tea, and green tea extract to name just a few. So.. there are some that will swear by their glass of wine for the antioxidants but the truth is they could have gotten them from many other sources. Wine just seems like the most fun choice. (more on that later)

So those are the straightforward nutritional facts about alcohol which leaves me to add some conjecture of my own. I personally don't ever drink alcohol in any amount. I haven't for years. I was one of those people who didn't stay within the beneficial guidelines... which is putting it very very mildly. A large part of my family's life centered around drinking alcohol excessively when I was young and it continues to today. I would say it's a cultural thing but as I have put some space between me and the issue I've come to the opinion that this is nothing more than an excuse to continue an addictive pattern that takes an overwhelming amount of honesty and effort to correct. As I grew into a man, drinking became the focal point of my friendships and family life. There wasn't much chance that it wouldn't.  The fact that I say "drinking" in the sense that drinking is an activity indicates a problem. "Drinking" is something we do when we are thirsty (usually takes no more than 30 seconds to complete) just as we "eat" when we are hungry. If I were to consistently go out eating with my eating buddies and we ate non stop for entire evenings in several different eating establishments until the wee hours of the morning it would seem like I have a huge problem with food wouldn't it?.. an unhealthy relationship? Well that is how I used alcohol... like an alcoholic. An addict.

Alcohol metabolizes in the brain as well as the body so one of the effects is that we become drunk. Being drunk occasionally is not a great thing but it's also fairly harmless. On the other hand, being drunk often is a huge mental, physical, emotional and spiritual burden. It caused terrible damage to the welfare of each of these areas of my life. The result was ruinous to my relationships with family, friends and coworkers. Quitting alcohol was one of the biggest hurdles I've ever gotten over because after all the years of overuse and abuse I was addicted. I was addicted to the sensation of alcohol as well as the social crutch it had become. It was something that went from being fun and social to something that I hated about myself and couldn't stop doing. There is a long story here and for all the honesty I like to show in this blog I'm going to leave the dirty details alone. (I don't even know that it would be interesting to read so much as it would just feel uneasy) The bottom line is that in the end the "true I" emerged and went on a terror streak toward total wellness. For me personally, it's a matter of self respect. Respect for my physical health as well as a respect for my own ability to thrive without intoxicants of any kind in my body. Those things just kept me immature and incorrigible and incapacitated. I am a much better person than that and have way more to offer to life and myself. Alcohol kept the person I am anesthetized and unavailable. I feel like that was a shameful waste.

I realize this isn't the experience most have with alcohol.  Although for those that it is.. you will understand what I mean.  All I can do is give you the facts about the nutritional values and the returns that I experienced in my personal life. The difference in my quality of life without it has been remarkable. It has been remarkable from the standpoint I just wrote about and also the ability it has given me physically. I no longer fight the battle of working my ass off training only to snuff any gains the very same evening drinking. My weight was always up and down. My energy levels were horrible. My eating habits were awful due to poor late night food choices. My workouts were pathetic. My sleep patterns were erratic and poor. My digestion was consistently bad. My appetite was nonexistent. I had terrible inflammation throughout my body,,, blah blah blah... Do I need to go on?? If you are one of the people who can't keep it under wraps when you drink then I would strongly suggest doing the work to remove it from your life completely. (PM me and I'll tell you how) And if you truly are one of the glass or two a day people... Salud!!

16 Things You Should Know About Cancer

In 2004 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. (the Lance Armstrong one) I was lucky and it was treated early enough that it didn't spread. After a surgery and some radiation treatments I was cleared.  Knowing what I know now, I am sure that the whole thing could have been avoided. I was reckless as a younger man. I drank heavily, smoked cigarettes and my nutrition was abominable. I lived a high stress life with no rest. When I say stress I mean stress in the way that I never stopped. It was one big party...and then it wasn't. 

Too many people in my family have had cancer. One is too many as far as I'm concerned. At the moment my brother is recovering from his 2nd surgery in 6 months to remove cancerous tumors from his body. I won't go into detail about it because it isn't the time or the place here.  I mention it because I have high hopes for my brother's recovery. He is plant focused now and will be putting the right things in his body from here on out to make sure that cancerous growth doesn't have an environment where it can manifest itself any longer. I love my brother...well...like a brother. I'm happy he is getting better today.

The internet is FULL of information and misinformation. The 16 things I list here are from my own reading. I fully concur with each and every last one. It's nothing new...Eat plants, drink water, exercise, love yourself and let go of negative stress in your life.  And if you haven't yet... Read "The China Study" (link HERE)

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, a plant based diet will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiply such as animal proteins and acidic foods.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note:Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Raw organic  honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt is chemically treated to make  it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos (link HERE) or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By eliminating dairy and substituting with unsweetened plant based milk, cancer cells will be starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat a whole food plant based diet.  Meat also contains antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water–best to drink purified water.  Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health. Whole plant foods always provide optimum bio-availability meaning the body will use them more readily and efficiently.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A positive spirit will help those affected be a survivor. Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Strive to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising just 30 minutes daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. 

Eat Carbs!!

The energy we need for life is obtained through the foods we eat and the fluids we drink. They are broken down into 3 categories; carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is absolutely necessary that we get enough from each category. Carbohydrates are the very thing that the body (including your central nervous system) uses for fuel. When we ingest carbs they're stored in our muscles and liver as sugars (glucose, fructose and galactose). Glucose (aka glycogen) is how carbs are mainly stored.  It is the same principle as fuel in the tank of your car. Carbs=Energy > More energy=More endurance. Any carbs that can't be stored in the muscles and liver or used right away get stored as fat which is also used for energy.

Want the perfect pre/post workout food? Eat bananas. Eat lots and lots of bananas. One medium sized banana has a generous 26 grams of carbs for just 105 calories. It has 10% of your recommended daily fiber, 15% recommended potassium, 17% daily requirement of vitamin C and 22% of vitamin B6. B6 is critical in helping carry oxygen through the body. I don't usually like to get into breaking down individual foods and micromanaging nutrients like that but some people like to see numbers and I really like bananas and want you to eat them. So there you have it. Bananas are the ultimate workout fuel.

Fats are also used as a secondary fuel source during long and slow (aerobic zone) workouts but in order for the fat to be facilitated it requires the aid of glycogen (carbs) to help break it down for use. Adequate carbohydrate intake also helps prevent protein from being used as energy. If the body is short on carbohydrate intake then it will turn to breaking down protein to make glucose for energy. That doesn't sound like a big deal but it is.

Protein's primary role is to work as the building blocks for muscles, bones, skin, hair, nails and all other tissues. By falling short on carbohydrate intake and relying on proteins for energy you are limiting  the body's ability to build and maintain tissues. Additionally you will be putting undue stress on your kidneys as they work harder to eliminate byproduct of protein breakdown. Protein is not a very good source of energy... so save that protein blast for after your workout if you feel you must add extraneous protein. (more on that later)

Now let's talk a bit more about fat in our food. All fats eaten are directly stored as fat. Plain and simple. The fat you eat is the fat you wear. The amount of naturally occurring fats in whole plant foods is all we need ever. There is a TON of misinformation out there about fat being good and carbs the enemy. It is bad information. Terribly mislguided and dangerous information. Eating bacon instead of fruit or putting butter in your coffee sounds like a really bad idea because IT IS! The caveman diet (I won't even say the "P" word) is a plan for people looking for good news about bad habits and is also nothing more than a fad. As if any of this matters...Cave men lived to be 25-30 yrs old, likely ate plant foods more than animal due to availability and lastly I'm pretty sure they didn't have bacon, coffee or butter. How a caveman became the yardstick by which some are measuring fitness (never mind wellness) is beneath my thinking.

Then we had the rage of the Atkins diet. (which is still popular but has different names now) It was a plan that eliminated carbs and focused solely on fat intake. The body, when deprived of the essential fuel of carbs (glycogen depletion), goes into a state of emergency called Ketosis. It is a survival mode that flips the switch to use fat as energy. Survival modes are meant for emergency conditions we may encounter as human animals. We are not meant to remain in a survival mode long term. Fat is poor quality energy but since it is the only option the body has then that is all it can use to survive. The result will be fat loss from your body along with clogged arteries, damaged kidneys, brain damage, nervous system damage and a destroyed metabolism to name just a few. It is the definition of a short term and unsustainable solution with "buy now pay later" consequences. Incidentally, Dr. Atkins (the mastermind behind all this) died of a massive heart attack. His family has much to gain from the fortune he built through the Atkins line of products. They have said he died from falling down a staircase. They leave out the part that he fell down said stairs after suffering massive heart failure. But I digress...

So with all that said... it leaves the question of how much of this or that should I be eating and drinking?? There are infinite answers to this eternal question which consume the internet. If you have read my blog you know by now that I will always point in the direction of eating a plant based diet. Plants, grains, legumes. seeds, etc provide the perfect blend of low glycemic carbohydrates. That is to say carbs that burn slow to provide sustained energy. If whole plant foods are eaten in a wide array then you will be getting all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) your body needs to create just the right amount of proteins that it needs for the specific load you are putting on it. All other fats and proteins will be ingested incidentally as you eat each plant based meal. It's nothing new that I am writing here... Eat Plants. 

If you don't see yourself eating 100% plant based that's okay. Maybe one day you will naturally be led in that direction but regardless of that if you are eating at least 50-75% plant foods for all of your meals then you will see a considerable difference in energy levels, weight, endurance and overall wellness. A conscious effort to cut your meat consumption by 50% is the best way at first. Start making meat a side dish and leafy greens, vegetables, fruits and grains the main part of your plate. It was my experience that as I made my way toward plant based eating I wanted less and less of that meat entree. In the end I didn't even know why I continued to put it on my plate. Old habits die hard I guess. Eventually I just laughed at myself and said "I'm done." At that point I was down to a little bit of dairy and just fish as my meat. It seemed silly to hang on to those small things. Self discipline in ridding those things completely from my diet has been very rewarding both physically and mentally. I'd also say that word "spiritually" but it causes people to run away quickly. (but that too) 

7 Easy Ways To Eat Plant Based On The Road

Traveling can be a stumbling block when it comes to  whole food plant based (WFPB) eating. If you aren't prepared when you leave the house, whether it be for a short trip or a long road trip, the chances of staying on track aren't very good. When I'm hungry... that's it.. I need to eat. If I'm not prepared I will settle for poor choices. I may even be able to technically keep the choices in the plant based category but it will most likely be junk. I find when I am within the area I live I at least know where I can find some okay options but once I am out of my space it gets trickier. Here are 7 quick tips to help you stay on track...

1. The best thing I can do is have food with me. I have heard the remark when I suggest this that "It takes too much time to have to pack all of that every time I leave the house". Yes, it does take time. So does stopping somewhere to eat. Consider the time packing the same time you would have been spending grabbing an unhealthy meal elsewhere. I have 2 coolers. One is small enough to carry like a lunch box and the other is a standard tailgate style cooler. Which one I pack and bring is determined by how far and how long I'm going to be gone. In the cooler I can put fruits like apples or bananas, veggies like cucumber slices, celery, carrots etc.., almond butter sandwiches. It varies every time and you can be as creative with it as you want.

2. When we are traveling and staying in a hotel my best option is to find a grocery store for meals. (I always try to pick a hotel that has a refrigerator and microwave in the room. The info is usually on their website where they show the rooms. If not you can always call.) Whole Foods is the nicer (and priciest) option. Their salad bar is usually phenomenal and always filled with organic whole food choices. They also have really good plant based soups. If Whole Foods isn't available or you don't want get involved in a $20 salad and soup then any chain grocery (Trader Joes preferably) will usually do. Every store has a produce section, raw nuts, healthy breads, almond butter etc.. Canned organic beans are always available and the single serve brown rice or quinoa microwave packs are awesome. Pick up some avocado and you got easy bean and rice bowls with avocado.

3. If you don't have a Nutri Bullet (link HERE) it's a great investment to get one. My Nutri Bullet comes with me on every trip. It is small enough to easily pack and easy to clean. I bring my smoothie additives also...Green Vibrance(link HERE), spirulina powder, Maca powder etc. Then once I've gone to the store and bought some fresh greens, veggies and fruit, I have everything I need for smoothies throughout my trip.

4.  Another great investment is a good old fashioned Thermos. I'm pretty sure there are some fancier versions out there now that do the same job for twice the price and half the durability but I personally like a Thermos. I use mine for fresh pressed juices. It keeps it cold and if you fill it to the top so there is hardly any air in the container it will keep those live enzymes alive for up to 24 hours. It's not the same as straight out of the juicer but hey we're on the road so it's still a pretty good deal. I also use it to put green smoothies in. Same idea...fill it to the top! This can also be an idea for around town if you know you are going to be out all day, to bring to work, to take on a hike, to the beach..whatever. You get it. Here's a picture of the one I use. I think it fits about 40 ounces, so it's a nice amount..

5. So OBVIOUSLY when you travel you are going to want to eat out. For this all you need to know is http://www.happycow.net/   It's like "Veggie Yelp". Yelp is good but sometimes it's a bit sloppy and will send you places it considers to be plant based because they have a baked potato on their menu. Happy Cow will direct you to restaurants and cafes that are high quality legitimate plant based eating. Check em out!!

6.  Water! Water! Water! Drinking enough water is challenging enough but when you are traveling it can be almost impossible sometimes. Keep a gallon or two in the car for road trips. It'll save you from sugary truck stop/gas station drinks. It'll also save you a few bucks.  When you get to the hotel it's the same story. I recently stayed in a hotel that had vending machines on every floor (as usual) but no water in any of them. Besides, at a buck a small bottle and as much water as I drink, even if the machines did have water it wouldn't be a realistic option. The room had a bigger bottle (which still wouldn't have been enough) for I think $9....Take that $9 and buy 9 gallons of water at the store and bring it to your room. You'll be glad you did. I always run more than usual when I travel because it's a great way to see the cities I'm visiting so the more water I have the better. I carry my water bottle everywhere with me and just fill up whenever I can..

7. Lastly..Always! Always! Always bring some food with you whenever you leave the house.(Sound the same as #1? It is. It's important.) Even if you think you are only going to be gone an hour. Eating plant based is very satisfying but in my experience you need to eat VERY often. I like that aspect of it since I love to eat. But it was a challenge at first to plan accordingly and remember to bring enough food with me wherever I went. If you've read my blog, I'm sure you have read over and over that this a new way of eating and it takes thought and care. I write that repeatedly because it's the truth. I like that aspect of it though. There isn't much thought, care, self respect or self discipline behind junk food and fast food.  Once you've experienced the better quality of life that goes along with WFPB nutrition, all that trash really stops ever being an option. It takes some time to get crafty about all this but there is ALWAYS a healthy way. The WFPB options are usually just not visible from the freeway and don't have bright signs and convenient drive-thrus... Yet.