Most of the soy that is on the market is actually very hard on our systems.

Like all grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, soybeans have a phytate layer to stop the beans from sprouting unless there is adequate moisture and warmth. The phytate layer in soybeans is much thicker than in other grains and legumes and cannot be eliminated with soaking, sprouting or long slow cooking. This means that soybeans are very difficult to digest, and the phytic acid reduces assimilation of calcium, magnesium copper, iron and zinc.

Soy interferes with protein digestion, and the soy estrogens are endocrine disruptors, (by binding with estrogen receptors) potentially creating fertility problems and breast or uterine cancer in women, and reducing testosterone in men. These soy phytoestrogens also are anti-thyroid agents, causing sluggish thyroids, possibly thyroid cancer, and weight gain.

Soy increases the body’s requirement for B12 and Vitamin D. Soy food processing results in the formation of MSG, which is a well known neurotoxin (nerve poison), and soy contains high levels of aluminum which is known to be toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys. Unless labeled organic, assume that all soybean products are genetically modified.

It is worth noting that in January 2006, the American Heart Association reversed its position recommending the consumption of soy to lower the chance of heart disease, after reviewing 22 recent studies, and noted that the FDA’s original recommendation was based on a single study funded by the soy industry.

The soy that should be avoided are soy isolate products like:

• Soy milk
• Soy protein powder/bars
• Soy nuts
• Soy cheese
• Soy burgers
• Soy yogurt
• Soy ice cream
• Soy baby formula

If you just avoid all packaged and processed foods, you can be sure to avoid soy disguised on food labels.  Soy can be written as:

• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Textured plant protein
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• Vegetable protein concentrate
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Lecithin (usually from soy)
• Vegetable oil (usually from soy)
• Vegetable broth (usually from soy)
• Bouillon (usually from soy)
• Natural flavour (usually from soy)
• Mono-diglyceride(usually from soy)

Soy infant formula is a very bad idea, as the baby gets far too much phytoestrogen for its bodyweight, which messes with the baby’s hormones even more than in adults. The estrogenic effects of soy on infants can be irreversible, resulting in delayed or absent sexual maturation in males, and extremely accelerated sexual maturation in females. Soy formula predisposes females to breast cancer and fertility problems later in life.

For those of you looking for a great dairy alternative, try rice milk, almond milk (preferably homemade- so as not to contain vegetable oil) and of course organic coconut milk- one of my favorites  Yummy! (No, the fat in coconut milk will not make you fat – lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty-acid that is metabolized immediately by the liver, and is very healthful for the body due to its antibacterial and antiviral factors.)

There are ways to get soy into your body where it will not cause harm, naturally fermented and/or cultured ORGANIC soy (to avoid GMO) is very healthful, so look for foods like:

• Miso – try to find it with unrefined sea salt
• Tamari – wheat free
• Natto
• Tempeh
• Extra-firm Tofu with nigari
• Organic Edamame, cooked
• Organic Soybean sprouts

It doesn’t mean you can NEVER have soy again- like all the “Know no’s” in Get Naked Fast- it is simply information to carry around with you when you make choices for your life.

If you must have soy, have it in moderation. But be thoughtful about the amount (eat less of it) and the kind of soy you consume. A two-ounce serving of fermented and non-genetically modified soy two to three times a week is OK. It’s easier for your system to digest and won’t kill you.

In health and Love,

Diana

It’s time to stop the cycle of disease before it forms- it is time to Heal Your Gut.

Many of my clients come to me with questions about what to eat.  They list their average diet, which usually includes “gluten-free” crackers cookies, pies, breads and cakes.  These foods are not a solution to discomfort or disease.  You can not  rely on labels to steer you in the right direction, as they are not clear, accurate or reliable.  In fact, you can not rely on your doctor to even diagnose your disease, it is a known fact that lab testing and announcements are not accurate, giving false negatives and misdiagnosing gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease. The truth is, if you are feeling awful when you eat something- don’t eat it. You are your best doctor.

Begin to heal your gut by ‘stripping away the foods that weigh you down’- go back to basics- fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds.  Rest your body with a weekly cleanse, and perhaps even a 10 day detox- jump start your body into working with you- not against you.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

—Hippocrates

In health and Love,

Diana

Good Question.  If it is a trend then it has been trending for quite some time.  Once the general public discovers that going Vegan can improve health, decrease excess weight, create more energy for the individual as well as sustaining the earth’s energy…. it is bound to become the new way of thinking.

And, I believe it is.

Restaurants all over the country are creating gourmet-healthy, Vegan, sustainable ways to dine.  Vegan cafes and fast food places are being resurrected in some trendy locations.  What once was considered a “hippie” food is now considered “hippie chic”.  Legumes are replacing animal proteins, Coconut and Almond are replacing Dairy, and everybody is satiated and satisfied.

Some known plant-based diet superstars are:  Zooey Dechanel, Natalie Portman, Alanis Morisette, Tobey Maguire, Alicia Silverstone and Demi Moore:

“I feel like I’ve always been someone looking for the cutting edge of things that optimize your health and healing”

Why did she decide to go Vegan?  I suspect to look fabulous- because she does.

In health and Love,

Diana

But, I am not a Vegan (anymore) nor am I 100% Raw (anymore), and I wanted to let you all know that “I was born ‘Naked’”.  We were all born ‘Naked’.  We came into this world stripped of the discomfort and disease that we have placed on ourselves through our lifestyles that our parents passed onto us.  No blame there, they were only doing what they knew.  And, now I am ‘Naked’ once again, stripped of the foods that have been weighing me down for as long as I can remember.  In my opinion, being a strict Vegan is a comittment that works for some, and I admire the devotion to the cause.  It can also be a lifestyle that may strip you of some potentially necessary vitamins and minerals that can only be found in certain animal products, like honey or sea creatures.  And, being all RAW is a quest worth pursuing to clean and regenerate the physical body, the brain and the’ issues in our tissues’, but once we have reached a safe place where disease cannot live, some warm foods can nourish the soul.

I recently spoke at an EXPO where a woman expressed that she keeps trying to eat an all raw diet and after 6 months she inevitably fails.  She called herself a “failure” because she didn’t fit into a box, a label or a certain way of being.  With the deep compassion that one can only feel when someone places such high expectations on oneself, I immediately  reassured her that she was a success.  She has truly succeeded in trying out a new way of living, nourishing her body, and listening to herself when it wanted something else.

You see, “Getting Naked”- being aware of the foods that weigh you down is essential to success.  But, living life to it’s fullest without judgment is the only way to insure happiness during the process.  Whether you are a Vegan, a Vegetarian, a Paleo, Raw or simply ‘Naked’, know that making conscious and educated choices is the best way to live.

If you feel more comfortable defining yourself, here is a list to help you find your niche;

NAKED-  Stripping away the foods that weigh you down and incorporating more live foods into the diet.  (Foods that weigh you down- Dairy, Wheat, Meat, Sugar, Caffeine, and Alcohol)

RAW- Eating un-processed, un-cooked, organic food. Raw foodists typically believe that the greater the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits

VEGAN- Veganism is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. …

PALEO -also referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various human species …

VEGETARIAN -Vegetarianism is the practice of following a plant-based diet including fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, nuts, and seeds, with or without dairy products and eggs. …

SAD- is a dietary habit chosen by many people in developed countries, and increasingly in developing countries, characterized by high intakes of red meat, sugary desserts, high fat, and refined grains. …

Whatever you choose, love what you eat and it will love you right back!

In health and Love,

Diana

It is true that “lactose intolerance“,  is being realized all over our dairy consuming Nation.  What once seemed like a discomfort for a small percentage, is quickly creeping up the charts as an issue for many.

Even with warning signs that meat and dairy are contributing to the high levels of Osteoporosis (As many as 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass), for years people have done little to change their diets.  Slowly, in the past 3 years, the dairy consumption has been decreasing (milk sales are down 13%), and step in dairy free alternatives.  Yeah!

Move over cow-Got Almonds? -Almond Milks have made it into the refrigerated dairy cases,  and now taking over sales for our once “milk hungry” nation.

Even though we are becoming more privy to substitutions for our beloved milk, nothing beats the fresh quality of raw almond milks made from scratch.  As we are inching our way to a healthier lifestyle, It is important to note, that we are still in transition.  The ultimate treat to your health will be when we can purchase Raw (not roasted) almond milks in our dairy cases.

In health and Love,

Diana

I was a little worried about the fat content of the avocados, and felt a bit guilty, until I was reassured that it was good fat, and really, who am I to complain when there is fresh Guacamole staring me in the face?  And what a face, I mean my skin is glowing , my hair is shinier than ever, and would you believe I lost weight?   Certainly not what I was expecting after the amount I’ve been eating.

Studies have shown that avocado is excellent for weight loss and weight control.  And, yes, avocados are full of fat – but it’s full of good fat. Bad fat makes you fat; good fat keeps you from getting fat.

  Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat which has been proven to lower cholesterol as well as control weight as it affects how your body metabolizes blood sugar.

 Avocado also contains a unique weight loss friendly carbohydrate called mannoheptulose which is a rare form of sugar, found to lower insulin secretion.  The rise in insulin is the cause of weight gain.

The sexy side affects of eating avocados don’t stop at weight loss, Ancient beauties have long known  the avocado to be a wonderful beauty aid, rich in beneficial oils that rejuvenate the skin, reduce eye puffiness, and heal frazzled hair.  Ultimately a beautifying food from the inside out.

Here are a few recipes and tidbits we have been playing with in the kitchen:

Vitamin E Moisturizing mask :

1 half an avocado mashed

1 teaspoon Cold Pressed Olive oil

1 tablespoon Tocos Plus ( A rich vitamin E powder from rice bran: Tocotreinols)

Mix together and spread evenly over your skin and neck.  Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water

Cure for Puffy Eyes This works great. Just slice a peeled avocado half into quarter-inch crescent-shapes. Lie down with a few slices under each eye and rest for around 20 minutes. Amazing results!

Easy Avo- Facial Mask Just mash half an avocado and spread evenly on your clean face. Allow to remain for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. This is best for dry skin types.

Shiny Soft Hair Treatment

In a small bowl, mash and combine:

1 avocado (1/2 for shorter hair)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Apply to hair and allow to remain 30 minutes or longer, then shampoo and condition as usual. Amazingly silky, shiny, soft hair!

And don’t forget, Avocados make for a great fulfilling snack, a meal if you want, you can blend them into smoothies, dice them into salads or just eat them with a spoon- just sprinkle with sea salt and a squeeze of Lime juice or eat them plain.

Enjoy how sexy they make you feel!