Protein Makes You Constipated

Somewhere along the line, a cultural obsession with protein developed along with the desire to look like this:

 

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Because that’s normal…

I know what bodybuilders go through to look like this and it involves a lot of dead chickens, food obsessing, no life outside the gym, fat burning pills, zero shits (but infinite fucks) and intentional dehydration. I don’t understand why this sounds appealing only to end up looking like The Hulk and forever shop in Plus Size (or not….)

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Aside from thinking bodybuilding is some weird shit, I want to drive home the point that we are a protein-obsessed culture. Friends and clients alike ask me all the time how I get my protein since I don’t eat meat or fish. Vegans will always pose the argument that we get substantial, if not excess protein from plant food because a lot of our leafy greens contain the amino acids necessary to build complete proteins in our bodies. One cup of spinach has 7 grams of protein! I mean, have you seen the guns on Popeye!

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Meat on the other hand, is a complete protein, which requires our bodies to break down the amino acids before assimilating it. Additionally, some of the proteins are destroyed from cooking. Heavy meat eating can also result in heart and kidney issues, so the healthiest way to get your protein is from your veggies.

So for all my protein-obsessed vegans, there are ways to get beefy without eating beef. My friend and idol, Mike Perrine (@EveryDayDetox), offers up his perfected protein shake recipe. Mike is the biggest fucking vegan hipster, foodie, health-nut kinda dude and yes ladies, he’ll make you some pickles (Tinder profile photo below. Popeye resemblance?).

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Follow his Snapchat to learn some invaluable shit, including how to make smoothies the right way and where to find vintage graffiti in NYC. After weeks of begging, he finally produced this recipe chock full of protein derived from hemp seeds. Hemp seeds pack a whopping 5 grams of protein per tablespoon along with 6 times more omega-3s than tuna, plus they’re rich in fiber and trace minerals. It’s pretty much a perfect food.

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THE PERRINE GREEN HEMP BROTEIN SMOOTHIE – makes 24 oz.

3 T hemp protein
2 T Vitamineral Green
3 Medjool Dates
3 Dried Turkish Figs
Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
3 C Fresh Almond Walnut Milk (wtf Mike! Who has time for this shit?!)
15 (16 is poisonous) Raw Cacao beans (optional)

  1. Check your dried fruits for bugs and pits.
  2. If you have the time, soak your dates and figs in the nut milk for twenty minutes to one hour.
  3. In a Vitamix blend the first six ingredients until smooth.
  4. Add the cacao beans and pulse for 5 seconds to create the chocolate chip effect.

 

 

Categories: Exercise, Idols, Supplements, Vegan Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Infrared Sauna

Yesterday, CBS News aired a segment on the benefits of infrared saunas starring yours truly. Watch me sweat and verbally express that I’m sweating. It’s quite riveting!

But seriously, infrared saunas majorly improve the texture of your skin. It is something I recommend for those doing my Skin Cleanse. Infrared saunas are different from ordinary saunas because they use infrared light (experienced as heat), which is the invisible part of the sun’s spectrum that has the ability to penetrate the human tissue and offer health benefits. It raises your core temperature (versus the ordinary sauna, which just heats the air), extracting toxins on a cellular level while speeding up metabolism and circulation. It has been clinically proven to lower blood pressure and shrink waistlines. In addition to giving my skin a healthy flush, I swear it smooths out cellulite too!

I am fortunate to work at DTX Cellular Evolution (54th Street between 3rd and 2nd Ave) in Manhattan on Tuesdays, where they have two beautiful infrared sauna rooms complete with showers for all of your sweaty needs. I make it a point to get my ass in the sauna every Tuesday for at least 20 minutes, depending on my mood. I’ve stayed in for as long as an hour, but usually after 20-30 minutes I already feel as if I’d spent the day at the beach!

Happy sweating!

Categories: Supplements Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gas Blaster

Bitters has come up a lot lately. You’ll find these herbal concoctions at your homeopathic pharmacy, health food store and your local cocktail bar. Today is the second time a client has mentioned using Iberogast, a bitters digestif formulated in Germany that is only sold on Amazon. My client’s gastroenterologist actually prescribed it to her and it has helped get rid of her gas when taken before meals. I personally haven’t tried it yet, but it is a very natural product with quality ingredients I thought you could possibly benefit from. Another client also believes this has been very beneficial with digestion without experiencing any harsh side effects common to laxatives. Cheers!

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Categories: Digestive Issues, Supplements

A Load of Crap.

I’ve been watching a lot of TV lately. Don’t ask me what, but the recurring commercials on my favorite channels are for vaginal mesh class action suits and those for prescription acne medication, Onexton and prescription irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) medication, Linzess. Pharmaceutical commercials are my favorite, especially the part where they whisper all of the side effects like the fine print of a used car commercial, half of which are the same or even worse than the original problem!

First let’s look at Onexton. Aside from bowel trouble, the most worrisome side effect if I were to even consider taking this medication for acne is swelling of the face! Choose: acne or swollen face? The list goes on to include bloody diarrhea, trouble breathing, and rash, none of which are ever of immediate concern when battling acne. I get it. I was on birth control for four years back in college and I could give a shit about blood clots and death as long as I didn’t get knocked up and then knocked out by my parents.

Now let’s look at Linzess. Many of my clients have taken Linzess with varying results. The truth is, this is a new drug and the counterproductive side effects are as follows: gas, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, severe diarrhea and more that are not currently listed on the website. So while you may take the medication because you suffer from gas, abdominal pain, distention and/or severe diarrhea, Linzess could potentially make it worse. Clients and friends of mine whom I’ve known to take Linzess for the most part, find it successful at first, but then its effects wear off and sometimes get worse.

My point of view on prescription drugs is that they are all experimental. In fact, they were most likely tested extensively on animals and you, my friend, are the human trial. You are taking a huge risk just to mask the root issue, which is almost always healed by addressing emotional health, food consumption, and overall lifestyle. If you receive my weekly newsletters, you and I both know that this bitch ain’t taking Linzess…

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Categories: Digestive Issues, Supplements Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Slippery Poops.

Let’s talk about slippery elm root powder, people! I’m not a fan of supplements because I’m cheap and lazy, but if there’s one or two things I suggest you take on the regular, it’s magnesium and slippery elm root powder. I feel like I’ve discussed magnesium at length, so today’s post focuses on slippery elm!

According to my box of Celebration Herbals Slippery Elm Bark Powder (purchased at Whole Foods), it has the ability to absorb 10 times its weight in water, forming a gel. And according to one of my idols, the late Dr. John O.A. Pagano, it absorbs gas in the body while coating the intestinal tract, preventing seepage of toxins. Furthermore, its gelatinous texture aids in bowel evacuation. Dr. Pagano considered the ingestion of slippery elm root in various forms, a critical habit in healing the intestinal walls and ultimately, any skin disorder. His instructions are very specific: Drink slippery elm root tea every morning at least a half hour before breakfast for ten days and then every other day. Steep 1/2 teaspoon of the slippery elm root powder in a cup of warm water for 15 minutes. Then make sure to drink it in the next 15 minutes before it spoils. It doesn’t really taste like anything. Additionally, you can keep a pack of Thayer’s Slippery Elm lozenges in your bag and eat them throughout the day. They’re delicious! I love the maple flavor best.

Warning: Do not ingest if pregnant or expecting to become pregnant as it can cause miscarriage.

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Healthy Candy!

 

 

Categories: Pregnancy Poo, Supplements Tags: , , , , , , , ,