My Secret On How To Feel Healthier and Look Better

You may have noticed that I've lost some weight in the past year. If not, take a look at some of my old videos and you'll notice a difference, especially in my face and waist. I owe it to focusing on a whole foods plant-based diet, which began with cutting out gluten and soy, and reducing the amount of processed foods I ate (including sweeteners and oils). Through this change in diet, I was inspired to cook more, which brought my health to a whole new level, reduced my carbon footprint, and saved me money. In a recent video series with Larry Cook, a health Author and Video Producer, I spoke about my health secret - check the first video out below.



Don't get me wrong, I do still enjoy eating out and splurging on the occasional pre-made meal a the grocery store, and you'll continue to see reviews on these companies. I still buy Daiya cheese on occasion (it's gluten and soy free). And I certainly recommend most vegan products to people with less restrictive diets than mine. But this is all in moderation - most of the time I cook for myself using ingredients from the produce and bulk sections, and I feel amazing from it on so many levels. To me, being eco-vegan mean considering the health of your body and the planet in every part of your life, especially when eating.

What's your biggest healthy lifestyle secret?

Berkeley Vegan Earth Day - Friday April 22nd

There are many events in the San Francisco Bay Area that take place in honor of Earth Day, but none that focus specifically on the positive effects of veganism on the environment. Vegan Earth Day presents a new tradition that celebrates the link between veganism and a healthy environment. Adopting a vegan lifestyle is the soundest way to make a positive impact on animals and the environment, but this event will explore reasons and ways to take that commitment even further.

Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings Shares Why You Should Hire Me As Your Photographer

Last week, for Valentine's Day, a new site launched: introducing Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings, a site devoted entirely to plant-based dieters and their special day. It's a beautiful website with lots of great information. I've always loved reading about how vegans plan their weddings (VegNews has some great articles on this), so it's nice to have it all in one place. Plus, if you're organizing the event and what to keep it entirely in line with your lifestyle, you can find all the vegan vendors in one place...including me!

Eco-Vegan Valentine's Day: digital simplicity

Two of the keys to being eco-vegan are:

• simplicity
• cutting out waste

This even applies to Valentine's Day, and I'm happy to report that this February 14th was in line with my standards. I created a digital card for my boyfriend using Photoshop and posted it on his Facebook wall for him to see when he woke up in the morning. Then we each surprised each-other with video messages via email, since we don't live in the same city. In his video he was planting some vegetables and herbs in his San Fran window-sill garden - talk about a perfect guy for me!

The Happy Herbivore: a healthy, easy, informative vegan cookbook

The following video really speaks for itself, but in case you don't have time to watch it I'll just say that I'm really impressed with The Happy Herbivore by my pal Lindsay Nixon.

• It's beautiful - lots of full page photos of delicious looking food. 
• It's informative - great "how to" sections and tips on vegan cooking
• There's something for everyone - whether you're looking for something fat-free, low in fat, gluten-free, soy-free, for kids, quick, or for someone unsure if vegan food tastes any good, you'll find a dish to make in this book.

I encourage you to get the ebook version if you have an iPhone, iPad, or Kindle, but you can pick up a copy of the pretty printed book on Amazon or bookstores like Barnes & Noble for around $11.