Category: New on the Blog

Recent, new and updated articles from Chef V

Gut Health Survival Guide: Chef V’s 5 Tips For Success

Chef V

veronica eating soup

Good gut health – maybe you feel powerless on vacation and special occasions. With people getting out again and traveling,  you may run the risk of overwhelming your digestive system. So follow these 5 tips for a healthy gut.

Gut Health Survival Guide Tip #1: Eat one big meal a day

If you love to pig out during special occasions, I have great news for you. Feasting like a Roman gladiator is totally doable, if you know how to do it right. And here’s how. 

Step #1: When you wake up in the morning, don’t eat anything. Instead, first drink a tall glass of water. If you have electrolyte drops, add them to your water or sprinkle a teaspoon of sea salt and stir. The minerals in the salt or drops will help give your cells a zero-calorie energy boost. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon to give your liver a little helping hand in the detoxification process. 

Step #2: Roughly 30 minutes after you chug some water, break your fast with a low-calorie, low-sugar Organic Green Drink. If you’re not getting enough green leafy veggies in your diet, this is the easiest way to get ‘er done. There’s no excuse not to consume enough veggies when you get them delivered to your front door in cold-blended juice form!

Step #3: Eat a light meal or have a plant-based protein drink about an hour or so after Green Drink. 

Step #4: Eat one huge late lunch. At around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, eat whatever you want and as much as you want. Just make sure to avoid high-sugar junk. For dessert, treat yourself to some berries and a piece of dark chocolate. 

Step #5: You can have a very light snack no later than 7 p.m. A small portion of nuts, a piece of fruit or yogurt. Then don’t eat anything or drink anything with calories until 11 a.m. or later the following day. The beauty of combining one main meal a day and intermittent fasting is that you can eat as much turkey and stuffing as you want. Your digestive system will have plenty of time to work. For even better results, exercise in the morning before breaking your fast. 

digestive bacteria

Tip #2: Don’t Take An Antacid

If you have acid reflux because you ate way too much, taking an antacid may offer immediate relief, but it comes at a price. If you’re going to take an antacid once or twice a year, most likely that’s fine. 

But frequent use of antacid creates chronically-low stomach acid. If you don’t have enough stomach acid, you’ll have indigestion all the time; the very problem that antacids are supposed to eliminate. (And don’t get me started about Zantac, the most popular antacid of all time. It was pulled off the market because it contained a cancer-causing chemical.)

Tip #3: Take Digestive Enzymes

Instead of taking an antacid to help eliminate symptoms of indigestion, solve the root cause of indigestion. And what’s the root cause? You can blame it on sluggish digestive enzymes. 

Your body contains several kinds of digestive enzymes, starting with amylase. Before your food even enters your stomach, your eyes and nose spring digestive enzymes into action. Your sense of smell and sight sparks your salivary glands into action. Spit (saliva sounds so much nicer) contains amylase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates. 

There’s also lipase to break down dietary fat and pepsin for protein and several others. But if your digestion is sluggish, your digestive enzymes need outside help. Enter digestive enzyme supplements. Now, I’m not in the supplement business so I’m not going to recommend one brand. But I encourage you to do your research (read product reviews) and start taking digestive enzymes with every meal—especially the massive holiday ones. 

Chef v walking

Tip #4: Walk It Out

Been there, done that. Before I became a certified nutritional therapist, I would celebrate by overindulging. But then I read research studies that said walking right after a meal was a great way to control blood sugar and lose weight. 

It’s so easy not to do anything after a big meal. The furthest people want to walk after a big meal is from the dining room to the living room where the couch and TV are. 

But if you can just force yourself to go for a walk immediately after a meal, it’s really the simplest thing to do to prevent excess blood sugar from getting stored in the liver and eventually as body fat. See if you can get someone to join you. If not, listen to some good tunes or a podcast to make the time go by quicker. Even just 10 minutes will do your body and your gut some good. 

probiotics

Tip #5: Make Perfect Poop With These Helpers

In this article I wrote about preventing food poisoning while travelling, I mentioned a probiotic yeast that’s the best for preventing diarrhea. It’s called Saccharomyces Boulardii. Buy it and take it before you eat a huge meal. It’s always good to have on hand. 

This probiotic is the only one that’s a fungus. (Yeast is a fungus.) That may sound gross to take a fungus. But remember that edible mushrooms are the fruiting body of fungus and they are one of the best things to consume for immune support. Anyway, S. Boulardii is the best probiotic if your poops could use an image makeover. 

Tip #6: Have A Great Healthy life!

That about says it all!

The Most Important $7 You’ll Spend In 2023

Chef V

green drink skin benefits

Chef V is an industry leader in helping people restore their health after the holidays with cleanse and detox programs. But those metabolic reboots are short-term. To keep the health benefits going every day in 2023, Veronica Wheat, the “V” in Chef V, has a simple, perfect plan…

Think about all the frivolous stuff that you spend money on every day or several times a week. How many of those expenses are actually contributing to your overall health and happiness? 

Is the half-caf, extra-foam soy vanilla latte really necessary? What about all those meals at restaurants, where most of the time, your food is cooked in rancid canola oil? Have you counted how much you spend monthly on dining out?  

Hey, I get it. Life is short. Spend your money on things that make you happy. Go travel. Book a monthly spa day. Retail therapy shop once in a while. Just don’t neglect to invest in daily things that will support your total wellness. 

kale

The Best Daily Investment In Your Health For 2023

What a cluster— the last couple of years has been. Thankfully, for the most part, we have emerged from the fear- and anxiety-fueled dystopian reality of the pandemic. However, it seems that there’s no shortage of flus, viruses and other crazy current events that can lower your vibration. 

But what if I told you that for just $7 a day — way lower than the cost of eating out, and about the same for that latte with a tip for the barista — you can easily eliminate the physical and mental toxins we’re bombarded with on a daily basis and support your health in every way imaginable, including:

    • Having great, buzzing energy in the morning — no caffeine needed!
    • Feeling leaner and sexier 
    • Thinking more positively with no mood swings
    • Sleeping more soundly
    • Focusing more sharply
    • Superb antioxidant protection for your immune system 
    • Supporting your friendly gut bacteria 
    • Assisting your body’s Detoxification
    • Enjoying having more beautiful skin, strong nails and lustrous hair


success

Buying Juice From A Store Is Like Paying Someone To Poison Your Body

You decide: 3 grams of sugar per serving or over 50 grams of sugar per serving? 

It’s shocking how much sugar there is in big juice brands. I’m usually not one to name names. But this time I’ll make an exception: Naked, Odwalla, Suja, Evolution. I could go on and on. 

These corporate brands — Naked and Odwalla are both owned by Pepsi! — don’t care about your health; they care about their bottom line. That’s why they pump tons of blood-sugar-spiking fructose in their juices, even ones named Green Machine. (Naked Juice’s Green Machine has 53 grams of sugar per 15 ounce serving!) 

Store-bought juices trick customers into thinking that their products are good for them because the slick marketers give their products healthy-sounding names. But at the end of the day, these glorified fruit juices are only contributing to the obesity and diabetes twindemic. 

In comparison, with Chef V’s ultra low-sugar Organic Green Drink plan, you’ll  flood your 37 trillion cells with supreme nutrition every day. Think of your body as a high-performance sports car. Green Drink is the fuel your body needs to perform at peak levels every day!

Just $7 a day. Cheaper than the competition. Waaay easier than making your own.

Think about how much money the average person spends on dietary supplements and personal care products to receive all those benefits. It’s a lot more than $7 a day, I can guarantee you that!

All you have to do to FEEL YOUR BEST in 2023 is:

GET ON THE Chef V Organic Green Drink Plan. 

—->Learn more about the top 5 research-backed benefits of Green Drink.

green drink and digestion

Top Reasons You Need To Go Green in 2023

Oftentimes in life, we neglect the best things for us. For instance, we take our spouse or partner for granted and don’t tell them how much we appreciate them. We don’t spend enough time nurturing our soul in nature. The same could be said about a humble bottle of 7 certified organic leafy green vegetables. 

If you previously had a Green Drink Plan maybe you forgot how this simple solution supported your health and happiness day in and day out. Life happens. You get sidetracked and revert to old habits. 

I’m happy to set you back on the easiest and most affordable daily wellness plan. But don’t just take it from me. Check out the radical health transformation that customers like Michael, Pashelle, Carey, Gabrielle, and K.I. experienced from being on a Green Drink plan. 

Look, I realize you might be skeptical. “All these incredible health benefits can come from just a daily serving of Green Drink? Can’t I just buy some other veggie juice from the store once in a while or make my own at home?” you might be wondering? 

Totally valid questions. But here’s how Chef V is different than 99.9% of the juices out there:

    • Certified Organic (no pesticides) 
    • Delivered to your home (effortless health)
    • Made fresh every week
    • Less expensive per serving than most brand-name juices
    • No messy clean up, no prep work
    • No preservatives
    • Sourced from local farmers that Chef V has a personal relationship with
    • Feeds and supports your healthy gut bacteria because it’s raw and cold-blended
    • Never high pressure pasturized – that chills the nutrients
    • All store brands are produced with high pressure pasturization
    • Super low in natural sugar with zero added sugars

—-> See how Chef V Organic Green Drink Crushes Top Juice Brands

Support Your Total Wellness in 2023 Right Now

There’s a thousand and one excuses to not take advantage of this incredible deal of just $7 a day. 

But if you’re somebody who wants to live their best life in 2023 then take charge of your health right now and get on the plan. 

It’s the easiest, most convenient and most affordable way to support your health and happiness in every way possible. 

As a small business owner who literally gets her hands dirty in the kitchen, managing the Green Drink operations, I’m so excited for you to get back to feeling your best.

$7 a day. That’s all it takes to receive so many health benefits week after week.Your health and happiness is worth it. 

START (OR RENEW) YOUR PLAN NOW.

Chef V and kale

Raw Veggies Vs. Cooked: Does It Matter For Gut Health?

Chef V

what do I eat today liquids

We know that eating more veggies can boost the number of friendly bacteria in your gut. But what’s a mystery to most people is if how we prepare our veggies affects gut health in any way. “V” reveals if there’s a winner between raw veggies or cooked plant-based foods. 

If you’re a nutrition research geek like me, you’ve probably come across lots of studies on intermittent fasting, vegetarian diets, keto diets and other types of eating protocols. But if there’s one type of food study that’s as rare as finding a perfectly round pearl in an oyster, it’s this subject…

Is there a difference between eating raw plants versus cooked veggies? As I’m writing this, it’s August, or as I like to call this time of year, Rawgust! Because it’s so hot out, it’s the best time of year to consume a raw, plant-based diet. All I know is that when it’s 100 degrees outside, the last thing I want to do is slave over a hot stove, cooking up a huge slab of meat. Nope, this time of year, it’s all smoothies, mocktails and salads (and maybe a gazpacho or two).

So I like to go with my gut and listen to what my body is craving—as long as the craving is for something healthy. But beyond my intuition, is there any research to back up my craving for raw food? Will going raw any time of year support the trillions of friendly bacteria in my gut microbiome?

Well, it got me wondering? So I did my best nutritional Sherlock Holmes investigating. Unfortunately, the trail went cold. But I persisted and eventually found what is believed to be the first study to bring up this nutritional debate.

salad

Raw Vs Cooked Veggies For Gut Health

Before we get into the research, chew on this…

Horses don’t eat cooked food. Neither do chimps or gorillas. Yet they’re strong as bulls. In fact, humans are the only animals that cook their food. Many paleontologists believe our human ancestors developed bigger brains precisely when eating cooked food became the norm. In the hundreds of thousands of years since, our gut microbiomes have been influenced largely from cooking bones and meat.

It’s no wonder that there has hardly been any research looking into the effects of raw plants on the gut microbiome.

But finally, in 2019, researchers from Harvard University put that question to the test … at least in mice, not humans. And the results were not what I expected.

What the researchers discovered was that the mice who ate raw sweet potatoes essentially committed murder on several of their gut species.

But if there’s one thing that drives me a little nuts is when I hear people say that raw food is hard for the body to digest. That might be true if you’re trying to eat a raw, high-starch veggie like a potato or sweet potato. I’m definitely not suggesting eating raw potatoes.

Why the researchers didn’t give the mice lots of other raw veggies, like say, lettuce, I can’t explain. I also have no clue why more research hasn’t been done on the effects of raw veggies on the gut microbiome versus cooked veggies.

veronica and kale

Eating Raw in Rawgust: Benefits

Now let me ask you something. If you’ve been partying in June and July like it’s 1999 and your digestion, energy and skin need a reboot, what do you think is better for you: cooked meat or salad?

Of course a diet high in raw veggies is much easier on your system than cooked meat. Now I admit, there are a few veggies that you may have a harder time digesting raw rather than cooked. This is especially true of the nightshade veggies:

  • Peppers (it doesn’t matter what kind or what color)
  • Tomatoes
  • Egglplant
  • Potatoes (which we covered)

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of raw broccoli either. But when it comes to green, leafy veggies such as spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce, parsley, chard and dandelion, the research doesn’t lie. There are so many health benefits of the 7 leafy greens that are featured in Organic Green Drink that I could write a book about it.

In fact, I sort of did: a cookbook, Making Cleansing Easier, which features an intro that talks about several of these health benefits.

The bottom line is that if you want a health makeover, let the sizzling summer months be the perfect time to boost your intake of raw veggies. Your gut microbiome will thank you for it.


veronica

Chef V’s Spin On Energy Drinks and Protein Bars

Chef V

Another afternoon workday, another energy crash. It’s 3 PM and you finished lunch a couple hours ago but you’re hungry and tired and there’s a ton of work to finish before you call it a day. If you don’t want to rely on coffee for an energy boost, should you reach for a bar or energy drink? Here’s Chef V’s take…

energy drink

If you’re training for an Ironman/Ironwoman, go for it, have an energy bar because you’re going to need it. But for most people, relying on energy bars, meal replacement bars, protein bars and energy drinks are false friends.

I’ll explain what I mean by that. After you eat a bar or have an energy drink, you might feel like you can power through for the rest of the day. But as soon as the effects of the sugar wear off—and most bars have tons of sugar—what goes up must come down. In other words, you end up having an energy crash.

So how much sugar is in the typical energy bar, even those that make consumers believe they’re healthy because they’re labeled as “organic” “all-natural” or “preservative-free” and “gluten-free.”

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, 23 top-selling energy bars have more sugar than a regular-sized Snickers! And get this … all 23 bars contain over 20 grams of sugar. Moreover, some bars contain 100 percent or close to 100 percent of the suggested maximum daily amount of sugar, which is:

  • 24 grams for women
  • 36 grams for men

As for relying on energy/sports drinks to rely on a pick-me-up so you have the energy to go to the gym after work, well, it’s no different. In fact, according to SF Gate, an eight-ounce serving of the average sports drink contains between 24 and 29 grams of sugar. That’s over 2 rounded tablespoons of sugar per serving. To make matters worse, many people don’t just drink an 8-ounce serving. They have an entire 16-ounce or 32-ounce serving.

And it doesn’t take a certified nutritional therapist like yours truly to tell you that all that sugar is bad for you. Bad for your waistline. Bad for your pancreas. Bad for your teeth. Bad for mood stability, blood sugar levels and everything else.

Healthy Alternatives To Bars and Energy Drinks

Instead of bars and energy drinks, what can you have to power through those last few hours of the workday before you gotta go home and cook dinner, take care of the kids and everything else?

Here’s some options:

Eat a bigger lunch

Many people make the mistake of not eating enough at lunch. I’m sorry, but a sandwich might be quick and tasty but 2 slices of bread with a turkey slice, a small tomato and iceberg lettuce is not a balanced meal.

Instead, eat a European-style lunch. In Europe, lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day. Fill your plate up with a healthy grain like wild rice, quinoa, whole-wheat couscous with some lean protein (fish or chicken) and some avocado to get those healthy fats. If you’re eating a salad for lunch, make sure there’s enough protein and healthy fats to fill you up until dinner.

After lunch, take a 5-10 minute walk to stabilize your blood sugar levels.

Extra Serving of Green Drink

My secret to having a kick-ass morning is drinking a tall glass of lemon water first thing, followed 30 minutes later by an 8-ounce serving of Green Drink.

If you follow this ritual every day and eat a substantial lunch, you should have steady energy in the afternoon. But if not, try having an extra serving of Green Drink and a healthy snack like berries and nuts. You won’t feel a jolt of energy like you would from drinking Jolt cola, but you should feel energetically stable.

Chef V’s Low-Sugar Electrolyte Drink

If you’re addicted to energy and sports drinks, I can wean you off with a healthier alternative. In case you missed this recipe in my article about electrolytes,
here’s how you can easily and quickly make a drink that’ll give you some pep in your step:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup  fresh squeezed orange or mandarin
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Method:

Blend in a blender. Serve cold. Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.


Chef V

Yerba Mate and other natural energy drinks

Finally, if you can’t quit caffeine altogether, you can drink Yerba Mate, which contains about half the amount of caffeine as coffee but is all-natural and rich in nutrients.

You can learn more about Yerba Mate and a few other alternatives to sports-and-energy drinks here.

Here’s to fueling your day the healthy way!

Until next time,

Veronica “V” Wheat,
Founder, ChefV.com


Chef V

Dark Leafy Greens & Gut Health: What’s The Connection?

Chef V


Veroniva with blenders

The fact that dark, leafy greens are healthy isn’t exactly headline, groundbreaking news. We all know they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. But what you may not realize is how the 7 leafy greens in Organic Green Drink may improve your gut microbiome, that tiny universe that’s home to your trillions of bacteria.

If you want to be happy and healthy, you have to make sure your gut microbiome is in top-top shape. So let’s learn exactly what consuming Green Drink does for your gut galaxy of bacteria.

This is Your Gut Bacteria On Green Drink

Eating or drinking dark, leafy greens doesn’t directly make you healthier. There’s a middleman involved. Trillions of them in fact. And when you feed the trillions of bacteria enough dark, leafy greens, they feast on a compound that makes us healthier.

To enjoy a balanced immune system, flawless skin, a positive mood and abundant energy, you need about 85% of the bacteria in your gut microbiome to be friendly strains. At that percentage, the 15% potentially harmful bacteria don’t stand a chance to overwhelm the good guys.

When you consume dark leafy greens, your friendly bacteria feast on an X-factor compound that helps them reproduce. It’s only by continuously feeding your good bacteria that the dark, evil forces in your gut—harmful bacteria—can never emerge victorious. Remember, gut health is everything. I’ve probably said that a million times over the years but I can’t emphasize this point enough.

You can pop all the vitamins and other supplements you want. But if you’re not feeding your friendly bacteria dark, leafy greens, they won’t be able to “make copies of themselves” or have microorganism babies, or however else you want to put it. The bottom line is that the friendly bacteria you do have can only go to work for you if you feed it the best stuff.


Vernica and gd

SQ For Gut Health

If you’ve been reading my articles over the years, I’ve probably scared you away from consuming sugar. But every single food with carbohydrates, fruits and veggies included, contains sugar. And some sugars are actually great for gut health. Dark, leafy greens contain a carbohydrate (sugar) called sulfoquinovose or SQ for short.

SQ is the only sugar molecule that contains sulfur and this is a very important fact. This is because sulfur is the 7th most abundant mineral in the body and many people don’t get enough of it. Now, it might not seem that 7th place is very important. After all, who remembers who came in 7th place in an Olympic race. But let me tell you why sulfur is important…

Your body needs sulfur to build and fix your genetic material (DNA). Every day and all day, your body is constantly trying to repair your DNA and protect your cells from damage that can lead to premature aging and chronic diseases. So you can think of sulfur as superfood for your DNA.

Without sulfur, you wouldn’t be able to metabolize your food or have healthy skin and joints. And when you consume leafy greens, you’re getting sulfur in the form of biotin (vitamin H; bet you didn’t know there was a vitamin H!). Biotin is made by your friendly gut bacteria! So eat lots of leafy greens to get your daily dose of sulfur.


woman with stomach ache

Good Bacteria Love Protein, Too 

Who doesn’t love to sink their teeth into a tasty morsel of protein, whether it’s a carnivore tearing into a T-bone or the plant-based dieter enjoying tempeh tacos. Well, it turns out that our friendly bacteria love protein, too. They need amino acids just as much as we do. And it’s that X-factor compound, SQ, the sulfur-based sugar that produces amino acids for our good bacteria.

Some of the best sources of SQ include the 7 certified organic leafy greens in Organic Green Drink, which you can have delivered right to your front door. No wasting time on shopping, prep work and cleaning. Just drink it straight out of the bottle right into your gut, like superfuel for your friendly bacteria.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GREEN DRINK


store - new sign

How To Effortlessly Boost Collagen Levels For Beautiful Skin


Jean Yates

You’ve heard of collagen and know that it’s good for your skin. But let’s take a deeper dive with Veronica Wheat, the “V” in Chef V and find out exactly what collagen is and how to boost levels of it in your body so that your skin looks more youthful. And let’s improve our skin in healthy ways.

Have you ever seen a skyscraper under construction? Ever wonder how they build these monstrosities? With scaffolding just like this:

scaffolding

What does scaffolding and skyscrapers have to do with your skin?

Well, in order to understand collagen, you first have to imagine that your skin and bones also have a matrix (obviously on a much smaller scale, like invisible small).

Collagen Basics For Skin

The stretchy connective tissue that makes up your skin requires a strong, structural framework, just like skyscraper scaffolding. The framework that prevents your skin from completely sagging to the floor is called the extracellular matrix.

And there’s something that needs to provide structural integrity to this extracellular matrix. And that something is collagen—the most important protein in connective tissue (skin), not to mention your bones.

Out of thousands of proteins in the human body, collagen is by far the most abundant. Roughly 30% of all protein in the human body is one type of collagen or another.

There are 28 different collagen types, but when it comes to youthful-looking skin, we’re only concerned with collagen type I & III.

How Aging Affects Collagen

The aging process can be cruel to the skin. And what’s going on under the hood of our skin, so to speak, is that by the time you’re 25, your collagen levels in your body are already on the decline.

In fact, starting around age 30, 2% of our collagen stores will be depleted. By age 40, we have lost roughly 15% of the collagen we had when we were born. (But don’t let that depress you if you’re celebrating your 40th soon!). Then, once we turn 60, say goodbye to roughly 50% of your original collagen.

Going through menopause is especially a collagen killer. That’s because when you go through menopause, your estrogen levels plummet. Estrogen is vital for collagen production.

“Estrogen appears to aid in the prevention of skin aging in several ways. [It] prevents a decrease in skin collagen in postmenopausal women; topical and systemic estrogen therapy can increase the skin collagen content and therefore maintain skin thickness.” —The American Journal of Dermatology


How To Defy The Aging Process & Support Collagen Through Food

So there’s good news and bad news with collagen. I’ll start with the bad. While our bodies can make new collagen, as we age, we lose more of it than our body can rebuild and repair. And not only that, the collagen protein fibers that we do have start getting weaker. That’s why wrinkles develop.

The good news is that there are simple nutritional interventions that can help our collagen build back better.

Chicken Bone Broth



I’m not a strict vegetarian but I rarely promote meat. One rare exception is bone broth because it contains collagen. Bone broth contains collagen protein because the process of slow cooking bones for many hours releases collagen from the bones. So by consuming the collagen from animal bones, you’re helping revitalize your own body’s collagen.
In addition, bone broth contains other nutrients that help with collagen growth and repair such as:

Hyaluronic acid



According to the Cleveland Clinic, it helps skin stretch and flex and reduces skin wrinkles and lines; also reduces visible scars.

Chondroitin



This compound plays a major role in connective tissue and is essential for normal skin health and regeneration.

Glycosaminoglycans

Known as GAGs, these complex sugars—not the unhealthy kind you might think of in junk food—hold nearly 1,000 times their own weight. Translation: a moisturizing weapon for your skin you’ve never heard of. GAGs also support collagen and elastin, another important skin structural protein.

In addition, bone broth contains a great balance of minerals that support collagen production. But what if you’re a vegetarian? Thankfully, there are non-meat, collagen-building foods…

Green Leafy Veggies

Nearly everybody knows that green leafy veggies are among the healthiest foods on Earth. (Can’t stand eating them? Then drink them!)

But what you may not know is that green leafy veggies are a great source of a vitamin that hardly gets any attention: vitamin K. And it turns out that vitamin K is really effective at building that skin-and-bone scaffolding matrix I was talking about earlier, research shows.

Citrus Fruits & Berries

Citrus and berries contain good amounts of vitamin C. And vitamin C is a precursor (building block) of collagen. So make sure you’re getting both citrus and berries in your diet everyday.

Collagen Powder

Very few people like sipping on a piping hot mug of bone broth in the summer. And many people don’t like the meaty, savory taste of bone broth everyday. But you can get the benefits of collagen without broth simply by adding a scoop of collagen powder to a smoothie (or even your Green Drink!).

More and more non-meat-sourced collagen powders have become available, including marine collagen powder (derived from fish) and even plant-based collagen powders.

Botox For Collagen

And finally, no article about more youthful skin would be complete without mentioning botox. OK, so you can’t eat botox. That would be bad, and it’s the reason why babies can’t eat honey for the first year of life. (Both botox and honey have a toxin called botulinum.)

Obviously, people can go overboard with the botox treatments. But if you’re in need of major wrinkle reduction, there’s no doubt that Botox helps the skin build collagen. But don’t think that by getting a Botox injection, it gives you a free pass to eat like crap! You need to eat a high antioxidant diet every day otherwise the effects of Botox may be short-lived.

Bottom line, there aren’t enough long term studies on the effects of botox injections. We recommend getting as much collagen as you can in your diet, limiting your exposure to botox and trying a more natural route.


Chef V

Intermittent Fasting + Green Drink

Chef V

Trying to lose weight and get those abs to poke out? Try intermittent fasting AND breaking your fast with my Chef V Green Drink. Even better: do an early-morning yoga routine, before your first meal of the day. It doesn’t have to be very long. Even 10 minutes will do wonders. That combo works great for me … and you should see what my husband looks like. (Wink)

I’m having a little bit of a dilemma. Maybe you can help by telling me what you think.

You see, Brandon, my husband (and CEO of my nationwide Green Drink and Cleanse delivery operation) is looking like one of those Greek God statues you see in a museum.

Whereas in the past when “six-pack” was synonymous for Brandon with beer, these days, six-pack refers to his absolutely chiseled abs. Actually, 8-pack is more like it.

Brandon is absolutely shredded, chiseled and lean. He hasn’t put an ounce of flab on even though we’ve been under a lot of stress lately opening up our new Chef V store in New Jersey (NYC metro area).

So where’s the problem, you might be wondering? After all, isn’t every lady’s dream to have a gorgeous, sexy partner?

The problem is … he’s starting to look leaner than me. That ain’t right! So should I tell him to stop doing what he’s doing?

Actually, here’s what I’ll do. I’m going to put aside my petty insecurities and rechannel that negativity into something positive. And that’s sharing with you these 3 super easy things that Brandon has been doing these past six months that have resulted in his mad sexy physique.

It seems so easy. And in fact, it is. I’ve actually been doing the three things he’s been doing, too. It’s just that my weight has stabilized and I’m not really looking to break a plateau or anything.

Without further ado here are the three things you can easily do to melt body fat….

intermittent fasting table 16:8 method

What Do Beyonce & Brandon Have In Common?

Besides a killer smile that seems to stop time, what Queen Bey and my hubby have in common is success with intermittent fasting.

Human beings have been intermittent fasting since prehistoric times. But as a diet, this is the one method that seems like it has the potential to kill the diet industry. In other words, it’s not a gimmick, like this:

Brandon, Bey, and thousands of other people, are experiencing very impressive intermittent fasting results.

And the reason why is simple. You’re not doing a crazy starvation diet like the Master Cleanse (fasting on lemon water for several days) or the hCG diet (500 calories a day plus an injection of a pregnancy hormone) or the baby food diet (no explanation needed).

Intermittent fasting restricts when you eat, not what you eat. There are a few different ways to do intermittent fasting (I.F.). Brandon prefers the 16/8 method. That’s when you eat only during an eight-hour window and fast for the other 16 hours.

Fasting for 16 hours is a form of mild stress. That might not sound good to you. After all, most people have too much stress to begin with. But the mild stress from intermittent fasting can actually help you live longer.

And there’s no doubt I.F. will make you leaner.

Making Cleansing Easier Cookbook

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

Researchers are now just starting to discover why intermittent fasting can help make you live longer. (If you want to geek out on how it works, read this article published by Harvard University.)

But I.F. might take some getting used to. This is especially true if you’re prone to feeling “hangry,” you know, that combo of feeling hungry and angry at the same time.

A lot of times, though, you think you’re starving when you’re actually not. What’s more likely is that you’re used to eating a lot of starchy and sugary foods and your brain/belly axis of evil is saying, “Mmmm, give me more … now!”

If you can lower the amount of sugars and starches in your diet, those hangry feelings will likely fade away like your waistline.

And here’s why….

Unless you’re running an ultramarathon, a good chunk of your meal will be stored as sugar (glycogen) in your liver. However, after not eating anything for 16 hours, your sugar storage tank, so to speak, will be depleted.

So what does your hot bod do for energy if it doesn’t have any sugar to burn? It starts using fat for energy. Specifically, your fat cells release ketones (fatty acids). These ketones are converted in the liver as usable energy for your brain. Ketones also get released into your bloodstream to supply the rest of your body with energy.

My book, Making Cleansing Easier, is full of recipes for foods with low, healthy levels of sugars and starches. Use it to reset your appetite.

Kickstart Your Fat Loss With Chef V’s Intermittent Fasting Cleanse! Need someone to hold your hand getting started with Intermittent Fasting? Want to maximize your body fat burning potential? Let me help! Introducing Chef V’s Intermittent Fasting Cleanse, where on each day (you choose: 4, 7 or 14 days), you get 16 oz. of Green Drink, one packet of Chocolate Protein Shake and one Detox Soup (alternates between Carrot Ginger and Sweet Potato Curry). And that’s just for your “break-fast.” For lunch and dinner, you’ll be using my Healthy Eating Guidelines, which includes the following 3 easy to follow things: Eat This, Not That Chart (takes the guesswork out of what to eat) Healthy Portions Chart (takes the guesswork out of how much to eat) Download of my recipe book Making Cleansing Easier, with delicious healthy recipes for smoothies, snacks, soups, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. Recommendations for non-caloric drinks to keep your energy up during your fasting window (including my recipe for Electrolyte Cocktail). Intermittent Fasting isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle! And with Chef V’s IFC, you’ll quickly learn how to combine time-restricted feeding with healthy eating habits you can use for the rest of your life.

Survival Mode But Not Starvation Mode

Sorry, I seem to have gotten carried away and slightly geeked out. All you really need to know can be summed up in one sentence: By not eating for 16 hours your body goes in survival mode and burns fat for energy.

Try fasting for 12-14 hours for a week or two before working your way up to 16 hours. That’s what Brandon did. (I tried calling Bey to find out how she got started but she hasn’t returned my call … yet. haha)

Just to be clear, I.F. is not a starvation diet. True starvation is going for many days without food. But since we’re still wired like our prehistoric ancestors, our bodies go into survival mode. And to survive, our bodies shift from burning carbs for fuel to fat.

Is it making sense now why I.F. is so easy? And you don’t have to be crazy strict about sticking to 16 hours of fasting. If you go one day cutting it down to a 14 or 15 hour window, you’ll still see results.

Jill Ramirez testimonial

Breaking the Fast Without Breakfast

And if you follow this second tip for easy weight loss success, you’ll experience even more impressive results.

You might be tempted to break your 16-hour fast by pigging out with a large breakfast. But there’s two reasons why you shouldn’t do it. First of all, your stomach’s holding capacity will shrink after not eating for 16 hours. Thus, you simply won’t feel like or be physically able to eat a large stack of pancakes.

Secondly, you don’t want your first meal of the day to put you in a food coma. Instead, drink a couple glasses of water first thing when you wake up. And when it’s time to break your fast, have a Green Drink. The seven certified organic greens will help wake up your belly and gently cleanse your system.


5/2 Weekly Intermittent Fasting

There are other methods of doing I.F. such as the 5:2 method. This is when you take a couple days a week and eat only 500 calories.

Regardless of what I.F. method you choose, always break your fast with a Green Drink. Another benefit is you’ll be providing good bacteria in your gut with food (prebiotic fiber) that they need to multiply and keep your immune system strong.

The healthier you are, the better your fat burning potential.

Yoga Before Breaking the Fast

And if you really want to accelerate your weight loss, do some moderate exercise before your first meal of the day. I prefer doing yoga shortly after I wake up. Depending on when I finished the previous night’s meal, I might take a 16 oz bottle of Green Drink with me to stay hydrated during class.
Keep in mind that having a Green Drink will break your fast even though it’s not a meal. The simple reason why is that it has calories and will provide glucose (blood sugar) for your liver to burn.

However, let’s say I’m done dinner at 8 p.m. If I’m taking a 10 a.m. yoga class, I might sip on a bit of Green Drink throughout the class. I’m not super strict about always doing a 16-hour fast window; that’s more Brandon’s thing.

But the key takeaway here is that you should give exercising before breaking your fast a try. You’ll already be in fat-burning mode. And light exercise like these 3 detoxifying yoga poses may help accelerate your weight loss. Just make sure not to do any strenuous exercise when you’re first getting used to I.F.

So there you have it. Three simple strategies for long-term weight loss success: try eating only during a 8 hour window (work your way up to a 16-hour fast); break the fast with Green Drink and do some yoga in the morning before breaking the fast.

Kickstart Your Fat Loss With Chef V’s Intermittent Fasting Cleanse!

Need someone to hold your hand getting started with Intermittent Fasting? Want to maximize your body fat burning potential?

Let me help! Introducing Chef V’s Intermittent Fasting Cleanse, where on each day (you choose: 4, 7 or 14 days), you get 16 oz. of Green Drink, one packet of Chocolate Protein Shake and one Detox Soup (alternates between Carrot Ginger and Sweet Potato Curry). And that’s just for your “break-fast.”

For lunch and dinner, you’ll be using my Healthy Eating Guidelines, which includes the following 3 easy to follow things:

  • Eat This, Not That Chart (takes the guesswork out of what to eat)
  • Healthy Portions Chart (takes the guesswork out of how much to eat)
  • Download of my recipe book Making Cleansing Easier, with delicious healthy recipes for smoothies, snacks, soups, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts.
  • Recommendations for non-caloric drinks to keep your energy up during your fasting window (including my recipe for Electrolyte Cocktail).

Intermittent Fasting isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle! And with Chef V’s IFC, you’ll quickly learn how to combine time-restricted feeding with healthy eating habits you can use for the rest of your life.

Chef V’s 3 Simple Tips For Great Gut Health

Jean Yates
woman with green drink

We often hear the phrase gut health. But what exactly does that mean and how can it be achieved? Veronica Kress, aka “V” of Chef V fame, shares how she’s been able to keep her tummy flat and keep her mind sharp despite the stress of running a demanding business. 

Gut health is everything. And by that I mean how you feel mentally, physically and spiritually is directly connected to a tiny universe in your gastrointestinal (GI) system. So if you wanna look and feel your best, you gotta have great gut health.

Whether your skin is flawless or blemished…

Whether you can have a cheat meal and not put on weight or just look at food and feel bloated…

Whether you can concentrate on work for hours at a time without any effort or feel brain fog just minutes into a task…

Whether you feel calm and steady or every day is a roller coaster ride of emotions…

All these wellness factors are determined by the state of your gut.

But what is gut health anyway?

Gut Health, Explained

Have you heard the term “gut microbiome?”

On a simple level, it’s a collection of the trillions of bacteria—both good and bad—that are living rent-free mostly in your large intestine (colon), and to a lesser extent in your small intestine. These bacteria help digest our food.

And while it’s kind of disgusting to think about it, when the bacteria help us digest our food, they poop just like us. You see, when friendly bacteria eat specific types of foods, they produce a healthy type of fatty acid called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

Feeling awesome day in and day out depends on producing enough SCFAs. Most people think that it’s probiotics that are vital for overall health. And by now, who hasn’t heard of probiotic supplements? Probiotics are specific strains of beneficial bacteria that have been clinically proven to offer health benefits to the host (the person taking the probiotic). This assumes the probiotic is of high-quality and can survive the acidic environment of the stomach.

But the surprising thing is that it’s not just the probiotics that provide us with good gut health. It’s their metabolic byproduct (poop), the short chain fatty acids I was just talking about.

Having good health means that you should have at least 85% friendly bacteria. When your gut microbiome is at that level, the friendly bacteria prevent the potentially unfriendly bacteria from crashing the party in your gut and leading to poor digestion, bad skin, brain fog, infections, and potentially chronic illnesses.

You might think that popping a probiotic pill is all you need to do to achieve great gut health. But that’s only one small piece of the puzzle. Here are 3 things I do to support my gut and overall health.

Vernica and gd

Organic Green Drink: A Natural Prebiotic

Every morning, the first thing I do after I wake up (and use the potty) is drink water and then have a Chef V Organic Green Drink about 20 minutes later. I’m not using this space as a shameless promotional spot. This routine that Brandon (my hubby) and I have been doing for over the past decade has served us well. Doing this not only continues the detoxification that occurs while we sleep, but it also does our gut good.

The reason why is because the 7 certified organic leafy greens in Green Drink contain prebiotic fiber. You can think of prebiotic fiber as your friendly bacteria’s favorite food. Unlike simple sugars that get digested very rapidly, prebiotic fiber resists digestion and gets gobbled up by friendly bacteria. This helps stimulate the growth of more friendly bacteria.

Many people don’t get enough prebiotic fiber in their diet. Again, you can’t just rely on taking a probiotic supplement, especially if your diet isn’t all that great. By drinking 8 to 16 ounces of Green Drink in the morning—as my breakfast—I know I’m fueling my trillions of friendly bacteria with their favorite food that will help them grow just like breast milk does for a baby.

Veronica urban

Fermented Foods: Natural Probiotics

Personally, I don’t even take a probiotic supplement, at least I don’t everyday. I might take one from time to time if I’m traveling and eating foods that I’m not used to. Or maybe I’ll take some in the rare instances I indulge in my vice: french fries. Not that I think probiotic supplements are overrated, I just think people rely on them too much without doing the other things necessary to achieve great gut health.

Instead of relying on probiotic supplements as a magic gut health bullet, I stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in my gut with natural sources of probiotics. I’m talking about fermented foods like no-sugar-added plant-based yogurt (cashew, coconut), sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), kimchi (sauerkraut with a spicy kick), and fermented soy like miso.

There is one fermented food that I think is overrated: kombucha. Some brands of kombucha have way too much sugar and they may not contain enough probiotics to contribute to gut health. But there are some brands of kombucha that are low-sugar. Just don’t rely on kombucha alone for adding more good bacteria to your gut microbiome.

kombucha

Avoid Unfriendly Bacteria Triggers

My third easy tip for having better gut health is avoiding certain foods and drinks that stimulate the growth of unfriendly bacteria. Here’s my “Don’t Eat This” list:

  • Gluten (avoid most products made with wheat)
  • Dairy (avoid conventional dairy unless it’s made with A2 protein and/or fermented organic, grass-fed dairy)
  • Beer (most of which contains gluten)
  • Sugar (for the most part, the only sugar I get in my diet comes from fruit; on occasion, I’ll add coconut sugar to my tea or healthy dessert)

So there you have it … 3 easy ways to support your gut. And when you support your gut microbiome, your “feel-good” hormones and neurotransmitters will be better activated. That means a healthier, happier you.

To your health,

V

store - new sign

5 Tips For Surviving The 2022 Holiday Season

Jean Yates

Veronica, Brandon, Coco on beach

The holiday season is a paradox: it’s the best of times and it’s the worst of times. It’s the best of times because everything is so festive and beautiful. 

But the holiday season creates anxiety for many people, whether it’s getting together with family that you don’t see eye to eye with or running around all over town buying last minute gifts. 

In the cold weather months, you’re more likely to get sick than you are in the summer. Yes, some of that has to do simply with weather; viruses thrive in colder weather and are able to circulate and replicate in stagnant, indoor air. But stress is just as much of a contributing factor, if not more so. 

So what can you do to manage your stress this time of year? Follow these 5 tips for surviving the holiday season…

yoga for stress

Take Mini Meditation Breaks

Not much of a meditator? Does keeping the mind free of thought seem like an impossible task? The good news is that you don’t need to be a Zen master to quiet your mind. And you also don’t need to meditate for hours upon end to become one with the universe. All it takes is a few minutes of consciously focusing on inhaling and exhaling. Stress managed! It’s really as simple as that. 

And if while you are sitting still (a chair is fine; you don’t have to go into deep Lotus pose), thoughts creep in, that’s fine. Just bring your mind back to your breathing. Five long seconds inhaling, and the same on the exhale. Try to inflate your chest and belly like a balloon on the inhale. Deflate on the exhale. 

Still thinking about all the bills you have to pay while you’re breathing? It’s fine. Do try and not let those worries consume your thoughts. But just remember the name of the game is not to rid your mind completely of thoughts. Rather, the goal is to focus on your breathing. Because breathing is healing. 

Take Mini Exercise Breaks 

Some people make the excuse that they don’t have the time to go to a gym or take a class because they’re so busy. But nobody should be so busy that they can’t take the time to take a mini-exercise break. 

Something fun I recently started doing is dancing for 3-5 minutes in my home while listening to a song on Pandora or Spotify. I also have a standing desk/desk riser and while I’m pecking away on my laptop, I sashay my hips from side to side. Yes, shaking your groove thing is possible while working. 

As the saying goes, sitting is the new smoking. Standing all day while working is impossible. And like sitting all day, standing for several hours is also bad for circulation. But alternating between sitting and standing several times a day is ideal for good blood flow and keeping the spirits high. 

You can also set a timer and do a three-minute yoga routine every 90-120 minutes. The bottom line is that you don’t need to exercise for a long time in order to manage holiday stress. You can do a few mini movement sessions per day and reap the same benefits.

grain

Eliminate Processed Carbs

This might be the holiday survival tip you dread. If you struggle with eating too many carbs, the good news is that you don’t have to completely quit carbs. I’ll explain in a sec. 

But first, let’s take bread as an example. For people who follow a low-carb lifestyle (Keto Diet), bread is a no-no. Eating bread raises blood sugar levels and puts more demand on the pancreas to release insulin. 

The more bread and other processed carbs you eat, the more insulin your body needs to keep blood sugar levels steady. If you keep eating bread, bagels, muffins, cereal and other baked goods made with white flour (wheat flour isn’t much better for blood sugar levels), your cells will become resistant to insulin. This places you at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

But not all bread is created equally bad. About 99% of supermarket breads are empty carbs. But artisanal sourdough bread contains beneficial bacteria for your gut. You can also buy 100% whole rye bread which contains a lot of fiber. When you see that a bread contains at least a few grams of fiber, it means that the blood sugar spike won’t be as high as bread with little or no fiber. 

If you’re at brunch and you’re considering getting a stack of pancakes, think of the pancakes as a giant bowl of sugar. Foods prepared with white flour break down very quickly, metabolizing into sugar. 

The problem with this is that sugar suppresses the immune system. Eating a tiny piece of cake at a holiday party is no problem. But if you have trouble controlling your portion sizes, it’s better to just say no than to indulge. Studies have shown that consuming sugar puts your body’s infection-fighting white blood cells to sleep for several hours!

So instead of eating refined carbs, eat whole grains like wild rice, farro, emmer wheat and quinoa (technically, quinoa is a seed but let’s not split hairs). 

beach yoga

Take A Social Media Detox

If you’re feeling anxious this time of the year simply because it’s the holidays or for whatever other reason, consider putting your phone down. 

Make a phone call, text if you have to, but in order to feel more peaceful, I recommend chilling out on social media for a while. 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that recent studies reveal that social media damages teenagers’ mental health. Even if you’re not a teenager anymore, chances are that keeping up with the Joneses or Kardashians on social is negatively impacting your life. Unless you’re using social strictly for work, consider a 3 Day Cleanse. (And if your body needs to physically detox, check out Chef V’s Cleanses.)

In the Dalai Lama’s Art of Happiness book, one of his tips for being happy is not to compare yourself to anybody else. When you’re on social media, it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. 

No News Is Good News 

Tip #5 for surviving the holiday season is much like my advice to do a social media detox. Unfortunately, news and politics have made us divided and no more is that evident than on social media. In addition to detaching from social media to avoid the news, do the same from cable news, newspapers, talk radio and magazines. 

And last but not least, under no circumstances should you discuss news and politics with family who don’t share your point of view. It’s not worth the energy. The more you get triggered, the more stress hormones circulating through your bloodstream. When stress hormones flood the blood, digestion slows down. And when digestion becomes impaired, you’re more likely to pack on the pounds. In light of that metabolic fact, is it really worth arguing about who should be president? 

Hopefully these tips will come in handy and make you a happier, healthier person for the holidays…

Love,

Chef V

Thanksgiving Food Coma? 5 Natural Drinks to Snap Out of It

Chef V

Thanksgiving food coma

These 5 Natural Energy Drinks Will Snap You Out Of A Thanksgiving Food Coma

Did you overdo it on the turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and stuffing? If the huge holiday meal made you feel like a hibernating bear, use one of these best, natural energy drinks. Sorry, coffee’s not on the list. 

I was curious exactly how much eating a typical Thanksgiving meal can spike blood sugar levels. So I turned to the foremost expert on that kind of info: Dr. Google. 

But Dr. Google disappointed. You see, I was looking for a specific number expressed in mg/dL or mmol/L, the same measurements displayed in an electric glucose meter. But I couldn’t find a specific number like after eating a Thanksgiving meal, your blood sugar spikes from 90 to 170 mg/dl two hours after feasting. 

On page 1 of my search query, though, I clicked an article that had some glaring Thanksgiving meal disinformation. Referring to eating turkey, the article said, “Naturally high in protein and when paired with carbohydrates and sugar, [turkey] will help prevent spikes in blood sugar and keep you feeling satiated.”

I call BS on that. And the reason why is that eating a large amount of protein in one sitting can also spike your blood sugar. That’s definitely one reason people fall into food comas after the holiday meal. So it got me thinking… 

What’s the best natural drink to feel more energetic after having a large meal? I came up with my top 5. Would you like to hear them? 

Here goes…

Veronica with GD and TGD

#1 Green Veggie Juice

Of course my Organic Green Drink or Tropical Green Drink top this list—and not just for the sake of a shameless promotional plug. Now, I wouldn’t necessarily have a Green Drink right after a heavy meal. But if you’re still dragging hours later or the next morning, there’s nothing better. 

The 7 leafy green vegetables in Organic Green Drink—2 types of kale, collard greens, dandelion, green leaf lettuce, parsley, chard, and a tiny bit of apple—almost instantly flood your cells with nutrients. Your cells get charged up and bam! … you feel alert and back to balance. 

When you eat a huge meal, your digestive system has to expend a lot of energy in order to break food down. Your digestive enzymes, which are specialized proteins that break food into amino acids, get overworked and that’s why food sits like a brick in your stomach. 

But when you have a serving of Green Drink, the cold-blending process used to make the juice essentially predigests the veggies for you. In this way, your digestive system uptakes the nutrients without working very hard. 

My “cure” for a Thanksgiving/holiday food coma is to wake up the next day and drink a tall glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon. Wait 30 minutes and then have an 8 oz. serving of Organic Green Drink to flood your cells and feel like you’re back to Earth and ready to conquer the day. Try to eat light the rest of the day. 

yerba mate

#2 Yerba Mate

A couple drinks on this list are caffeinated but they don’t contain nearly as much caffeine as coffee does. Plus, they’re alkaline on the pH scale, not acidic like coffee. 

Yerba Mate is an herbal drink that’s super popular in Argentina, Uruguay and some parts of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Bolivia. Related to the holly tree, yerba mate drinking is somewhat of a religious experience for South Americans. In the rest of the world, people have their ritual of drinking a cup of coffee. 

But in South America, yerba mate is an all-day affair. And you don’t just drink yerba mate out of a coffee or tea mug. In South America, you drink it out of a silver straw called a bombilla, which is placed in a gourd, which is the namesake mate. 

Yerba mate is high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Containing 85 mg of caffeine—less than half of a typical American serving of coffee—it may give you a buzz but you likely won’t feel anxious or jittery. 

matcha tea

#3 Matcha Tea

Another lightly caffeinated healthy beverage on my list, matcha tea differs from regular tea that comes in loose-leaf bags. Matcha is powdered whole-leaf tea and it’s much more concentrated than tea bags. And because it contains mostly every part of the tea leaf, matcha has more antioxidants than regular green tea bags. 

One teaspoon serving of matcha powder contains about 70 mg of caffeine. Like yerba mate, that’s much lower than a cup of coffee. 

Another benefit of matcha is that it contains the polyphenol antioxidant EGCG. This super nutrient benefits your gut health and immune system and helps prevent premature aging. Plus, it will give you an energy boost if you can’t get off the couch after Thanksgiving dinner. 

guarana

#4 Guarana 

Known as the cocoa of Brazil, guarana is the key ingredient in the name-brand unhealthy energy drinks you know so well. Is guarana a synthetic energy booster, a legal speed if you will? On the contrary, guarana is a fruit from South America but it packs an energetic punch especially when paired with the added caffeine in convenience-store energy drinks. 

In fact, ounce for ounce, guarana contains more caffeine than coffee. However, the health advantage to it is that the tannins in them cause the caffeine to be released more slowly than coffee. 

If you’re sensitive to guarana, don’t drink it at night. And make sure you choose a natural drink that doesn’t contain added sugars or added caffeine. 

dandelion root

#5 Dandelion Root Tea

This one’s a paradox. That’s because on one hand, dandelion root tea is the perfect substitute for coffee. But on the other hand, it is caffeine-free. So why should you consider drinking it if you’re hungover from the Thanksgiving meal? And for the longer term, if you’re thinking about eliminating coffee, why should you drink it if it won’t get you buzzed? 

The simple reason is that dandelion tea is chock-full of B vitamins. B vitamins directly impact our energy levels. But more than that, the taste of dandelion root tea resembles regular coffee. So for those people who enjoy the ritual of tasting freshly-brewed coffee in the morning, dandelion tea replicates the experience. 

Well, I hope I’ve given you some inspo to drink healthier energy drinks. And if you struggle to get enough leafy veggies in your diet, let me help you drink them down. Chef V delivers Organic Green Drinks throughout most of the USA. Learn more…

Omega 3s: Can You Get Enough of this Critical Nutrient From Plants?

admin

Omega 3’s in veggies such as those in my Green Drink are an excellent source of this critical nutrient. Lots of people know that certain fish are rich in omega 3’s. But did you know there’s plenty of excellent vegan and vegetarian sources as well? 

Before I became “Chef V,” I was–and still am–a certified nutritional therapist. A nutritional therapist works with people to alleviate (and prevent) diseases through food, and believes that the best way to correct imbalances in the body is through diet.

Out of any nutrient or topic in my nutritional therapy program, omega 3 essential fatty acids was perhaps the biggest bulk of the curriculum.

And for good reason. Most people eating a Standard American Diet (SAD; how appropriate is the acronym, by the way, right?) consume far too little omega-3s. And far too many omega-6s.

Both 3s and 6s are important for health. They are both essential, which means you have to get them from your diet; your body can’t manufacture them on its own.

But junk, processed and packaged foods are made with cheap cooking oils. These oils (the most common in packaged/prepared foods are cottonseed and soybean) contain way more omega 6s than 3s. And the problem with having too much processed forms of omega 6s is that it causes inflammation

Omega 3s in Veggies: Powerful Inflammation Fighters

Inflammation can manifest in several different ways, from weight gain to joint pain.

But Omega 3 essential fatty acids can help reduce inflammation in the body. They also help lower cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure, and increase insulin sensitivity.

Moreover, 3s can help prevent heart disease, prevent memory loss and even help women have a less painful PMS.

There are several other health benefits from omega 3s.

But what I want to focus on here is omega 3s in veggies. That’s because most of the attention given to this topic is from one food in particular: wild salmon.

Now, don’t get me wrong, as a nutritional therapist, I strongly believe wild salmon is indeed one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. I’ve created several recipes featuring it.

What to do, though, if you’re vegan or a vegetarian who doesn’t eat fish?

For one, begin your day with 16 oz. of Organic Green Drink.

There is no exact recommendation for how much omega 3s you should get from either supplements or food everyday. But experts believe you should have at least 500 mg. Organic green drink contains a very decent amount of 3s, over 20% of that amount per 16 oz serving.

If you have any health complications, you should probably have way more than 500 mg per day.

Omega 3s in Veggies: Good For Your Skin!

It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to realize that eating a diet consisting of mostly plants is better for your skin.

It turns out that omega 3s are an important nutrient for skin. These essential fatty acids help with skin hydration, and normalize the amount of oil. DHA is one of the three fatty acids in omega 3s. It’s the most important of the three for skin health, as it also can help prevent acne, wrinkles, and blemishes.

EPA is another omega 3 fatty acid. It also plays an important role in skin health. If you worship the sun like I do, you’ll be glad to know EPA prevents collagen damage when you’ve been in the sun too long.

Omega 3s in Veggies: As Good As Fish

Mainstream nutrition courses teach that EPA and DHA are more potent sources of 3s than ALA, the third fatty acid. Unfortunately, if you’re vegan, the conventional point of view is that ALA does not convert well into the more potent EPA and DHA.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t get the health benefits of 3s if you’re vegan. It might mean, however, you just need to eat more variety of foods rich in ALA.

Besides the veggies in my green drink, great sources of ALA are chia seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and spinach.

You can get sufficient omega 3s in your diet from vegan sources. However, if you do have a compromised immune system or other health problem, you might want to consider taking a supplement.

That obviously means that if you’re vegan, you’re not going to take cod liver oil or other fish oil supplement.

However, what you can take is an algal oil supplement. Marine algae is a sea vegetable, which makes algal (or algae) oil one of the best omega 3s in veggie sources on the planet, if not the best.

According to Berkeley Wellness, algal-oil supplements can produce similar improvements in blood DHA levels to fish-oil supplements. This was true both in vegans and had low levels of DHA to start and in omnivores, who had higher levels of DHA at baseline.

The only bummer about algal oil supplements is that they are more expensive than fish oil. But in the long run, the money that you’ll save preventing disease will be totally worth it.

Omega 3s in Veggies: Can You Get Enough Without Fish

If you’re not vegan and are able to eat wild salmon a couple times a week, you’ll probably consume enough 3s in your diet.

However, for those who consume no animal products, ALA is inactive in the human body. And as I say above, it doesn’t convert that well into EPA and DHA, the two other omega 3s that, in studies, have shown positive impacts on health.

That’s why if you are vegan or strict vegetarian, your eating philosophy should not only be not eating meat, but also eating plants an overwhelming majority of the time. Just like people who do eat meat should do as well.

I personally believe Mother Nature provided us with all the nutrients we need from plants. But EPA and DHA, which are abundant in salmon, might be my exception to the rule.

For this reason, if you avoid animal products, eat a lot of flax-, chia- and hemp seeds. To be on the safe side, splurge on an algae oil supplement.

And don’t forget to start your day with Green Drink!

Boost your Immune System: Eating Healthy

Jean Yates

Veronica working from home

Flu season might be severe this year, according to the medical community. So how to avoid getting it?

There’s no cure right now for the flu and the best way to fight it off is to increase your resistance. And that means eating healthy to boost your immunity.

I’ve built my little Green Drink and Cleanse/Detox empire over the last decade in part by telling people what to eat. A big reason why I created my Making Cleansing Easier Cookbook along with all the other Healthy Eating Resources you get when you’re on a Green Drink Plan is because when I first started Chef V, I was asked the question so many times, “Hey Veronica, what should I eat?”

More than anything, you need to keep eating healthy. When you’re stuck at home and bored, you start eating more.

Don’t buy what you don’t normally eat. Don’t stock up on cookies and chips and snacks but stick to healthy choices. If you don’t eat junk food normally you shouldn’t be eating it now.

Time to clean your body

While some people are going the snack route, a surprising number of people are saying – some of my friends have the flu – “this is the time to do a 21 day detox – its getting colder, I don’t want to eat a bunch of crap, so why don’t I have Chef V deliver a 21 Day Challenge to me for 3 weeks and make a huge change in my health.”

I think that’s sort of genius, and we’ve not advertised it, but so many people have been ordering a Detox or Cleanse from us.

Right now is a great time to cleanse – people are cleansing their houses, cleaning their surroundings, and it all fits together – cleansing to nourish your body and boost immunity. Plus you get everything you need for a 3 week Detox delivered to your door.

#1: Give Intermittent Fasting A Try

One of the reasons my hubby, Brandon, and I have kept the weight off is that we are doubling down on intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting not only works for weight loss, it makes your mind sharper and may even support your immune system and prevent infection as this study suggests. 

I’m not saying that if you do intermittent fasting, you won’t get the flu. But it’s interesting that some immunologists are exploring its protective effects. How intermittent fasting supports the immune system is the same way it can help you prevent weight gain while working from home. 

You see, when you don’t eat anything for 16 hours—the best way to do intermittent fasting is to limit your calorie-intake window to 8 hours a day, i.e. 12 noon to 8 p.m.; Brandon and I shoot for a 17-hour fast most of the time—your body starts repairing itself. Digestion takes a ton of energy. By giving your digestive system a rest, your body can focus on fixing itself. This process is known as autophagy. 

Technically, autophagy does not directly contribute to weight loss. But by making your metabolism more efficient, fasting can lead to weight loss. And the great thing about intermittent fasting is that if you feel like snacking while working from home, you don’t have to feel guilty about it. As long as you’re eating during your 8-hour window, snack away. 

For info on how to do intermittent fasting and its benefits, read this. 

green drink

#2: Lose Weight Working At Home By Eating More!

If you work a normal 8 or 9 to 5 day, your first main meal will be at around noon. Actually, before your first meal of the day, I recommend drinking some water with trace minerals to keep your energy up first thing in the morning. You can also have green tea or unsweetened black coffee if you must have your caffeine fix. Then, between 11:30 to noon, break your fast with Organic Green Drink. 

By having 8 to 16 oz of Green Drink, you’ll gently awaken your digestive system and flood your cells with high-nutrient-density leafy greens. 

After having your Green Drink, wait about 15-30 minutes, then go to town. Have at it. Eat all you want until your belly is full but not too stuffed. By eating a large meal, you’ll eliminate the temptation for frequent snacking. Like I said, snacking during your 8-hour eating window isn’t a nutrition faux-pas. But in general, it’s good to give your insulin-secreting pancreas a rest in between meals as well as your other digestive organs. 

If you eat your first main meal at noon, I recommend having your second large meal early in the evening like at 5 or 6. Your last meal can then be a light but satisfying one like yogurt with nuts and berries. 

Many people make the mistake of not eating enough at their main meals. This is what leads to over snacking in between meals and late-night snacking, which is terrible for your metabolism. Eating too often prevents your gut bacteria from being able to be swept down from the small intestine into the large intestine (colon). See my article on SIBO for more on this subject.

blueberries

#3: Are You Hungry Or Just Bored? 

True hunger is when you’ve gone 16 hours or longer without food. If your stomach is sending signals to your brain while you’re working that you’re hungry, don’t listen to the message right away. 

Your brain—and belly—could be the victim of a false signal. This is especially true if it’s only been two or three hours since you last ate. If your last meal was large enough and contained the correct ratio of macronutrients (a little bit of healthy fats like avocado, and sufficient protein and low-starch carbs like quinoa and veggies), then you shouldn’t need to eat more food. 

You can satisfy your sweet tooth after a meal by having a large handful of berries and a tiny piece of dark chocolate. This is why I emphasized eating a big meal above. 

But if you’re accustomed to snacking every couple hours, it’s probably not true hunger you’re experiencing. What’s likely happening is that the yeast in your gut loves feasting on the sugars in your small intestine, from the crackers and other carb-heavy snacks. And after the yeast digests your yummy snack, it will tell your brain to feed it some more. After all, your brain and gut operate in a continuous feedback loop (no pun intended). 

If you feed your gut low-sugar, low-starch foods, the yeast in your gut won’t proliferate; it will be kept in check by your friendly bacteria. And that means your belly—when properly nourished—won’t send your brain a signal to snack yet again. 

#4: Sleep, Exercise, and Stress

One of the most powerful weapons in your immune-boosting arsenal has to be one of the easiest – sleep! Not getting enough sleep can ruin your immune system. (If you have difficulty sleeping, a blended juice cleanse might be just what you need!)

Exercise, even in small amounts, is also great for keeping your immune system ready to go. Not only will exercise support a stronger immune system, but it can help you keep your weight low – and as we mentioned, high weight is an immune system risk.

One of the most important things is, of course, to simply not stress out too much about it. It might seem counterintuitive, but worrying too much about your immune system can… weaken your immune system. The mind and body are connected, so stress on one will affect the other. It sounds crazy, but stress is never good for your health in any way.

Veronica and Coco

Organic Pumpkin Purée

Jean Yates

It’s so easy to make your own pumpkin purée. Just cut the top off any pumpkin, cut into 4 quarters and remove all the seeds and guts. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pumpkin skin side down on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 F (do not use oil). Remove from the oven, rest for 5-10 minutes and peel off the pumpkin skin.

Place your pumpkin in Vitamix or blender and puree. Use this purée for my recipes or any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin puree. The difference is AMAZING! You can store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freezer for later use.

Use this recipe in my Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup.

pumpkin puree

Ingredients

  • 1 pie pumpkin

Directions

It’s so easy to make your own pumpkin purée. Just cut the top off any pumpkin, cut into 4 quarters and remove all the seeds and guts. Place in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 F (do not use oil). Remove from the oven and peel off the pumpkin skin.

Place your pumpkin in Vitamix or blender and puree. Use this purée for my recipes or any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin puree. The difference is AMAZING! You can store in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.

Pickleball: V’s Newest Obsession

Chef V

what do I eat today liquids

It’s never too late in life to get a new hobby. For “V” (Veronica, the “V” in Chef V), her new hobby is more like an obsession. And she’s not the only one who is mad about pickleball, the fastest growing sport in America.

You’d figure that an unbearable late summer humid heat wave lasting several days with temperatures approaching triple digits would deter V from pursuing her latest passion: pickleball, which if you don’t know is an exciting game that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

It would be one thing if V were playing pickleball indoors. But nope, she’s been playing pickleball al fresco, with not a care in the world that rivulets of sweat are pouring down her face. After all, the entrepreneur behind Organic Green Drink home delivery is a devotee of hot yoga.


lemon water

Pickleball: Serious Business

So why has V become so obsessed with playing pickleball, often testing her skills in matches six days a week for the past several months? Well, for starters she’s not alone. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball participation has grown nearly 40% of the past two years. Currently, there are nearly an estimated 5 million people who regularly play pickleball, making the sport the fastest growing in the U.S. for the second year in a row.

And if V continues to improve her game, watch out, because who knows, it’s never too late for another professional side hustle. In fact, pickleball is such a hot sport that there’s Major League Pickleball (MLP)… who knew? And MLP is no joke. We’re not talking about beer pong prize money here. The winning team from a recent tournament in Newport Beach, CA walked away with a prize of $100,000. Even former NFL quarterback Drew Brees owns a team in the MLP.

Pickleball is clearly not in the same league as beer-guzzling “sports” like darts, horseshoes and cornhole; it’s serious business. Don’t bother showing up unless you plan on bringing your A-game! (Or at least learn how to play with serious intent.)

berry parfait

Stay Out of The Kitchen

But let’s get back to V and why she was called to the activity, nay, sport, nay, way of life and obsession. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s an area of the pickleball court called the kitchen. And if you’ve been following V’s recipes over the years, you know she loves being in the kitchen. Although to be sure, in pickleball, it’s a no-no to volley the ball in the kitchen. Perhaps this is the rare time that V likes to be out of the kitchen.

creamy carrot soup

Immediately Hooked

Actually, V started playing on a more social level. So she and hubby, Brandon, went to a “learn how to play” pickleball lesson and subsequently went on to win 4 matches to advance to the championship game. And before she knew it, she was hooked.

“From the very first day I loved it and my goal was to immediately learn how to get really good and get to the next level,” says V.

While V hasn’t specifically mentioned an aspiration of making it to the majors (MLP), she does plan on dominating her “Chickleball” league, a pickleball competitive group for ladies in the region of San Diego where she lives. And how cute is this … wait for it … V personally named her team the Volley Llamas. (Get it?) An appropriate pickleball pun for someone who places as much emphasis on spiritual development as physical and business.


pumpkin hummus

Photo by Frankie Lopez on Unsplash

A Vehicle For New Customers

And of course it wouldn’t be V unless she quenched her thirst on the court with Organic Green Drink. V brings plenty of Green Drink with her, not only for herself and Brandon but for other pickleball players who have never experienced the crisp, refreshing taste. (So much more satisfying than water, especially in this recent heat wave.)

“The Green Drink has been a big social hit,” says V, adding, “When it’s hot and you need nutrients back in your system fast, it’s the perfect beverage.” And just as V has become obsessed, some of her new pickleball friends have become obsessed with Green Drink.


veronica

Calorie Counting vs. Intermittent Fasting: Which One Is Better For Weight Loss?

admin

Let’s say your best friend’s wedding is coming up and you’re the maid of honor. How best to lose those stubborn 5-10 pounds so you can squeeze into that sexy, new dress? Should you drastically cut down on calories? Or should you just eat whatever you want as long as you’re doing intermittent fasting for 10-14 hours per day? Which method does science say is better for weight loss? Keep reading to find out….

Calorie Restriction Vs Intermittent Fasting: The Latest Weight Loss Science Weighs In

Back in 1991, a group of 8 people embarked on an experiment of living in a self-contained artificial ecological environment near Tucson, Arizona. Think high-tech commune, but instead of hippies, the group consisted of a physician, as well as other doctors and researchers. They embarked on what was to be a two-year self-sustaining attempt at growing their own food. The domed facility they lived in was called Biosphere 2. The goal of the researchers was to assess the feasibility for future space colonists to grow their own food.

While the food-growing effort wasn’t as challenging as that of Matt Damon’s in the hit film, “The Martian,” in which Damon’s character survives by fertilizing the Martian soil with his own poop, nonetheless, the 8 researchers quickly realized that they wouldn’t be able to grow enough food in the domed environment to sustain them.

In just so happened that one of the researchers was a devotee of calorie-restricted diets and author of a book about the subject. What better opportunity to conduct on experiment on calorie restricted diets. The 8 people living in Biosphere 2 (4 men, 4 women) reduced their calorie intake 30%.

Although calorie restriction (CR) has been studied for over 100 years, the Biosphere group is believed to be one of the first (if not the first) experiments on CR on humans.

If you want me to cut to the chase and say if calorie restriction is good for quick weight loss, I have some good news and bad news. I’ll give you the bad news first…. There are no studies on calorie restriction conducted over a short period of time such as a week or two. However, long-term studies conducted on primates reveal that calorie-restriction diets prolong life span. In fact, in one experiment, rhesus monkeys who live in captivity and fed a regular diet typically live about 26 years, whereas those who live in captivity and fed a CR-diet, can live up to 40.

In addition, besides weight loss, humans on CR diets have also reported lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improved blood sugar levels. So clearly, CR is the way to go if you want to lose weight, right?

Well, hold on…not so fast.

(the photo below is a before after photo of a Biosphere experimenter who used calorie restriction while living in the biosphere.)

The Dark Side of Calorie Restriction

Although the scientists living in Biosphere 2, by the end of the two-years, had better health markers than before the experiment started, there was one huge downside to their calorie-restriction experiment: they looked like skeletons. One of the researchers had his weight drop to 119 pounds from 150.

More recent experiments on calorie restriction also show some potential pitfalls. For example, a 2008 study, involving 143 people on a CR diet revealed that some of the dieters experienced trouble sleeping, and had low libido and lower overall energy during the two-year trial. And here’s one more downside the experiment group faced: they were hungry most of the time.

Going two years feeling hungry most of the day is an awfully long time. In fact, some of the researchers who participated in the Biosphere experiment said they obsessed about food, mentally, for much of the two years. The takeaway is that while CR diets may improve some important health markers, not everybody will be able to stick to it for life; it’s simply unsustainable.

Even if you’re trying to lose weight for just a short time, there’s a better way than strictly slashing your caloric intake….Intermittent Fasting: Science Says Superior For Weight Loss

Although fasting has been practiced by humans since prehistoric times, studies on how fasting affects the body has only been conducted since the 1940s. As of late, intermittent fasting has become a popular way to lose weight, increase energy and focus and other health benefits.

My husband, Brandon, and I have been doing intermittent fasting for a while and we both love it. I even recently launched an Intermittent Fasting Cleanse, which combines the 16-hour fasting window with my Organic Green Drink, Protein Shake, Detox Tea and Detox Soup.

Intermittent fasting is a much easier and more liberating way to get leaner and stay lean than CR Diets. In fact, with intermittent fasting you don’t have to count a single calorie. But after you go 16 hours without eating anything, your tummy will shrink and you’ll get full much faster. So in the end, you’ll likely eat less calories anyway with Intermittent Fasting but you’re not starving or depriving yourself.

I still recommend breaking your 16-hour fast with Green Drink and then waiting a half hour or s

Although studies on 16-hour fasting are few, owing to the recent popularity of this diet (actually, I consider it more of a lifestyle than a diet), the research on it is encouraging. Studies show that a 16-hour fast does in fact lead to consuming fewer calories. But it also shows that it can boost metabolism, lower insulin levels and blood sugar, and yes, lead to weight loss.

So next time you need to drop some weight for a special occasion, or just because, don’t starve yourself. Eat whatever you want (within reason) until your belly is content. Just make sure you’re going at least 14 hours from the end of your dinner until your next meal (no snacking). Ideally, shoot for 16 hours before you break your fast. And for even better results, break your fast with Green Drink and try not to snack in between meals.

Going 16 hours without eating will force your body to burn its own stored body fat for energy instead of stored sugar. In comparison, even if you eat 30% less calories on a CR diet, if you’re eating throughout the day, you might not burn as much body fat. Plus, you run the risk of being malnourished.

The verdict is in: intermittent fasting is much better for you weight loss and overall health than drastic calorie restriction.

How To Make Nut Milk Creamy & Healthy

Chef V


woman with stomach ache at beach

Chef V reveals the surprising truth about problematic nut milk ingredients and lays down a recipe for a clean and creamy almond milk you’ll be sure to love.

It’s kind of weird if you think about it: humans are the only species on Earth that drink the milk of another species. But I’m not one of them. I stopped drinking regular milk years ago, even before becoming a certified nutrition therapist. Even if you’re not lactose-intolerant, conventional dairy milk can be one of the highest inflammatory foods. And you certainly don’t need cow’s milk to get your daily dose of calcium. You can get plenty of it from plant-based foods.

As more and more people realize the connection between dairy products and inflammation in the body, sales of plant-based milk have soared. In fact, the plant-based milk market is expected to be worth nearly $43 billion globally by 2029.

But just because it’s plant-based doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy or tasty. Many store-bought brands of plant-based milk have 2 big problems. First of all, some of them contain a very concerning ingredient I’ll tell you about. And secondly, if you’ve ever sampled a diverse range of almond, cashew, oat, coconut, rice and soy milk, many of them are so lacking in natural ingredients that they have the mouthfeel of water.

So keep reading because further down, I’ll share with you my recipe for homemade almond milk that’s so creamy and clean, you can have as many cups of it as your belly desires without worrying about bloating.

The Ingredient In Nut Milk That Gives Lab Rats Ulcers

Not all plant-based milks have this concerning ingredient I’m about to reveal. But many nut milks do. Even if you go shopping at so-called health-food stores like Whole Foods, this ingredient may very well be lurking in some brands of nut milk.

So, have you ever heard of carrageenan? It’s a food additive that actually comes from a very healthy source: seaweed. Sea veggies are probably the most underrated food in the west. But carrageenan is not the same as eating sea vegetables that are served in Asian restaurants.


veronica meditating

Food manufacturers add carrageenan to certain products like plant-based milk to thicken, emulsify (blend liquid ingredients that normally don’t like to blend like oil and water), and stabilize.

When it comes to controversial nutrition topics, carrageenan is right up there with cholesterol. There are some people who think the dangers of carrageenan are overblown. So what are those dangers? Well, I did some research because I wanted to see for myself what all the debate over carrageenan was all about.

And we’ll start with something that should make your stomach turn after reading this. So in this research study, it said that carrageenan has been associated with intestinal ulcers in animals that are used in experiments. And because of this, the researchers concluded that the pervasive use of carrageenan in Western food production should be reconsidered.

I don’t know about you, but that’s enough motivation for me to learn how to make my own almond milk!

And not only that, a study from way back in 1988, long before nut milks were booming, said that carrageenan damages the cells of the intestinal lining. So that means that carrageenan could be an ingredient that’s directly responsible for causing leaky gut.

These weren’t the only two studies I found that raised some big questions about carrageenan. But you get the idea.

Make Milk Healthy Again

So how can you tell if there’s carrageenan in the plant-based milk you like or are considering buying? Read the food labels. It’s as simple as that.

In general, when you’re buying any type of food or beverage that comes in a carton, bottle, jar, etc., it should contain only a handful of ingredients. That means it’s been minimally-processed.

You’ll notice that when you look at the ingredients label in many best-selling brands of nut milk, there’s a dozen or more ingredients.

I realize not everybody is going to have the interest or the time to make their own nut milk (It actually doesn’t take much time or effort!). But at the very least, if you’re going to purchase nut milk in the store, choose a brand with the least amount of ingredients, without carrageenan. And also choose a product that’s unsweetened to reduce your intake of added sugars.

Some nut milk producers have realized that carrageenan is a dubious ingredient. And so they have switched it with other stabilizers like gellan gum. I tried to dig up some negative dirt on gellan gum. But thankfully it seems to be fine for digestive health.


almonds

Make Nut Milk Creamy Again

I can’t stand the taste of store-bought almond milk. It’s basically glorified water with some synthetic vitamins and preservatives. You’re better off just drinking water and taking whole-food derived vitamin supplements.

Some brands of almond milk are so watered down that it should be illegal for them to call it “nut milk.” In fact, Blue Diamond, one of the most popular brands of plant-based milk, has been hit with more than one lawsuit over the years because of false marketing claims. In 2015, Blue Diamond was hit with a class action suit because its almond milk was found to contain only 2% almonds!

2% might be good when you’re talking about the percentage of milk fat in relation to the total weight of the milk (2% milk). But when it comes to almond milk, 2% of the ingredients being only 2% won’t cut it for making creamy milk.


homemade almond milk

Chef V’s Recipe for Creamy, Delicious, Preservative-Free Almond Milk

Thirsty for some healthy almond milk? Learn how you can easily make it by clicking here.

My homemade almond milk only contains two ingredients: organic almonds and pure water. You can actually taste the nutty richness of the almonds.

Welcome back to drinking milk!


store - new sign

Goji Berries: Health Benefits and Chef V’s Trail Mix Recipe

Chef V

Chef V Goji berry recipes

Trail mix is a healthy alternative to sugary commercial candy, loaded with artificial ingredients. My recipe includes super healthy goji berries, nuts and seeds.

Goji berries have been have been used in China and other Southeast Asian countries for more than 2,000 years. Both as a traditional medicinal herb and as food. But it’s only been about a decade since goji berries have caught on in the US. Especially in the yoga and natural health community. Yes, it’s true that some consider goji berries trendy, not to mention expensive.

But if you have the budget to treat yourself to goji berries, I strongly believe they are worth the money. (A bag of them costs about $10-$12 at a natural food market.) That’s because the health benefits of goji berries are impressive.

If you’re interested in learning about goji berry health benefits, keep reading. But if you’re only here for my Easy Trail Mix recipe, which is featured in my book, Making Cleansing Easier, I’ll indulge you.

Before I share the recipe, allow me to briefly share my inspiration for creating the recipe….

Making Your Own Healthy Snacks

One of the things I love about living in San Diego (besides the climate) is that not only am I within striking distance of the beach, but beautiful hiking trails as well. And when I go for a hike, I like to bring healthy snacks with me. And what better snack to bring on a long steep hike than trail mix….

Sure, I could go to the market and buy a bag of trail mix. But no thanks, I don’t want a bag that’s half filled with raisins. No offense, raisins, a handful of you is ok. But no more than that. This is why I like making my own healthy snacks. In this way, I control the ingredients and the flavor.

That being said, let me introduce to you my recipe for Easy Trail Mix. And make sure to stay tuned after the recipe to learn about the all-star ingredient, goji berries….

CHEF V’S EASY TRAIL MIX

My Tip:

Try different ingredients to create some fun mixes. I generally use one or two raw nuts, one seed, and one dried fruit. Some ideas for nuts: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans, or macadamia nuts. For dried fruit, always choose unsweetened and unsulfured fruits. My favorites include pineapple, apple, mango, and blueberries. And, of course, goji berries.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw walnuts

¼ cup unsweetened dried Goji berries

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, sprouted if available

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a resealable bag or a bowl. I keep a bag in my car and a bowl handy in the house for easy and healthy munching wherever I am.

Goji Berries Health Benefits

I’m no expert in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) . But I do find it fascinating. How did those ancient sages come up with the concepts of acupuncture and meridians? And how did they figure out how individual herbs affect specific organ systems? It’s mind-boggling. According to TCM, goji berries (Gou Qi Zi in Chinese) nourishes and tonifies the liver, kidneys and lungs. It also improves life essence (a concept in TCM called “Jing”) and enhances vision. Another health benefit of goji berries from a Chinese medicine point of view, they help balance yin and yang energies.

But goji berries also have the backing of modern research studies. And some of this research confirms what Chinese herbalists have known for over 2,000 years. Specifically, that goji berries help fight premature aging.  

Also known as wolfberry, goji berries, according to this research, show antitumor activity against various types of cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth. Moreover, they help normalize blood sugar levels and encourage insulin sensitivity. That’s great news if you have type 2 diabetes. The more sensitive to insulin you are, the less of it you need. Goji berries, says the research, increases glucose metabolism. And it turns out goji berries also benefit those with type 1 diabetes. That’s because the promote insulin secretion. In addition, they help make the cells in the pancreas that release insulin (beta cells).  

It also turns out that the ancient Chinese knew what they were talking about when it comes to goji berries benefitting the eyes. Research shows they protect cells in the retina against glaucoma.

Goji Berries: More Health Benefits

The compounds in goji berries also protect the liver. They do this by helping the liver detox, even from exposure to toxic chemicals. They also help reduce toxicity caused by radiation or chemotherapy.

And although promising research studies using mice doesn’t mean the benefits will occur in humans, it’s encouraging to see that goji berries may help prevent neurological diseases. The compounds in them lessen the symptoms of mice with Alzheimer's disease. Goji berries also help improve memory and cognitive abilities.

Here’s another goji berry health benefit I especially want my husband, Brandon (who helps me run ChefV.com), to pay attention to: better sperm health. You see, I may want kids one day. And it turns out that goji berries are beneficial to male reproduction. They increase the quality, quantity, and motility of sperm. The research also states that goji berries improve sexual performance. (Not that you need to eat goji berries for this reason, hubby! [wink]) And finally, in the bedroom department, goji berries help protecting Brandon’s own precious berries against what researchers call, “toxic insults,” whatever those might be. (Perhaps radiation from having your laptop on your crotch?)

Goji Berries: Worth the Price!

While it’s true that goji berries seem to some like an elitist superfood, as you can see the health benefits are tremendous. The berries also help fight body fat accumulation, protect the heart, and fight viruses and inflammation.

Sure, other fruits might be cheaper and offer antioxidant protection against disease and aging. But few fruits offer all of these impressive health benefits. Plus, goji berries are high in fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamins A & C. But don’t go overboard with them. Just eat a handful. Goji berries contain lots of fruit sugar.

The 5 Best Natural Supplements To Prevent Traveler’s Diarrhea

Jean Yates


woman with stomach ache at beach

After a very long two years, people are once again traveling all over the world. But when you visit an area of the world with microbes your body isn’t used to, there’s a good chance you can get an unwanted souvenir: traveler’s diarrhea. Sharing her wisdom gained by visiting Southeast Asia, Veronica “V” reveals her favorite natural remedies for prevention. 

It’s a near certainty that if you travel anywhere in the world, especially somewhere with a developing economy, your digestive system will be attacked by a pathogenic bacteria, virus or parasite. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 70% of people who travel abroad will become stricken with traveler’s diarrhea.

The good news is that the overwhelming majority of people who experience loose watery stools will have a mild case that will go away on its own after a few days.

So there’s no reason to panic about traveler’s diarrhea. Go on your trip and fully experience the food and culture! Don’t let fear of the runs stand in your way. Life’s too short to eat all your meals in the hotel restaurant. Live a little and eat some street food you’ve never tried before.

Still, experiencing traveler’s diarrhea is no fun. Most of the time, the culprit is bacteria. In fact, according to the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, bacteria is responsible for roughly 90% of all traveler’s diarrhea cases, with e. Coli being the pathogen most likely to cause it.

Viruses are to blame for about 10% of all cases. Nasty parasites might receive all the gory attention because they can wreak havoc on the digestive system and they can be really hard to get rid of. But thankfully, parasitic causes of traveler’s diarrhea make up a tiny fraction of all cases. The bad news is that with traveler’s diarrhea that lasts for over 2 weeks, the cause is almost always a parasite.

But fear not because I have 5 supplements that may help prevent being glued to the porcelain throne during your trip (or when you come home).


probiotics

Probiotics

Having a lot of friendly bacteria in your gut and lots of different varieties (strains) of probiotics are crucial for defending against pathogens. But not any probiotic will do. There’s one in particular that’s been the focus of many research studies on diarrhea prevention or treatment. And it’s the only probiotic that’s a yeast rather than a bacteria. It’s called Saccharomyces Boulardii, or S. Boulardii for short.

It comes in capsule form and you don’t need to refrigerate it so it’s really convenient for traveling. It takes a few days to fully build up in your gut so I start taking it about 4 days before I leave for an overseas vacation. I’ll continue taking it as long as I’m away and then I’ll stop taking it 3-5 days after I get back just to make sure all’s good back there.

You can take other probiotics at the same time you’re taking S. Boulardii. But for diarrhea prevention, only S. Boulardii is backed by extensive research.


grape root

Oil of Oregano

So the next supplement that may help prevent ruining your bucket-list trip is oil of oregano. It’s a very potent natural antibiotic. And remember, the most likely cause of traveler’s diarrhea is a bacteria (which is caused by consuming contaminated food and/or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces).

You can tell that oil of oregano is potent just by the taste. It’s so strong so don’t say I didn’t warn you. Some people put oil of oregano drops directly on their food just in case the food is contaminated. But talk about ruining a meal! I prefer to use it away from meals so I can actually taste the food.

It’s probably not a good idea to take oil of oregano for a very long time. So if you’re traveling for a few weeks or longer, use it sparingly, like maybe every other day or every few days.

Oregon Grape Root

Another herbal tincture, Oregon Grape Root contains the active ingredient berberine, which has been shown in research to help prevent diarrhea, and not just against bacterial pathogens that cause it but also viral, parasitic and fungal. So it’s like a broad-spectrum antimicrobial. And it doesn’t taste as harsh as oil of oregano.

Activated Charcoal

This is what they give to people (usually kids) in the ER at hospitals who accidentally swallow something poisonous. Activated charcoal, which is a black odorless powder,  binds to toxins and removes them out of the digestive tract. Personally, I wouldn’t use it for prevention but it’s one natural supplement I would consider for treating traveler’s diarrhea.


oregon grape root

Grapefruit Seed Extract

GSE is a liquid that some people squirt directly on their food to neutralize any potential pathogens. It doesn’t taste as harsh as oil-of-oregano, but it’s pretty close. Again, I wouldn’t want to alter the flavor profile of a meal I’m enjoying just to prevent a mild case of the runs. So GSE is something I’d use away from food or for treatment.

At the end of the day, a mild case of traveler’s diarrhea is no big deal. It’ll usually go away on its own within 1-3 days. But if you’re on a very long bus or plane ride, I wouldn’t blame you if you took an over-the-counter remedy to stop things up. I should also point out that if you do have bloody loose stools, call your doctor right away to get checked out.

But no matter what … keep on traveling!


store - new sign

2 Easy Hacks for Lowering Blood Sugar Levels

Jean Yates

walking for diabetes

Living with diabetes isn’t a life sentence. In fact, it is possible to reverse diabetes. Sure, it’s going to take a lifestyle adjustment, including getting regular exercise and diet modification. But with these 2 easy hacks, you’ll be on your way to managing your diabetes.

Hack #1: take a walk

A simple way to have your blood sugar return to normal after a meal is by taking a walk. It doesn’t have to be a super vigorous hike, but getting enough exercise is important for managing diabetes and this is especially true if you’re sedentary for most of the day.

Even more important than the advice to exercise is learning when to exercise. And if you only have time (or the motivation) to move your body once per day, research strongly suggests you should do it after dinner.

Most people eat their heaviest meal at night. And the biggest spike in blood sugar occurs after eating a large meal, especially if it contains lots of carbohydrates that have the potential of converting into sugar. (Think: pasta, bread, rice and other starchy carbohydrates.) Walking after a heavy meal is a proven way to improve blood sugar levels.

Consider this study from New Zealand. Two groups of people, most of whom had type II diabetes for 10 years, were compared. One group walked for 30 minutes a day for two weeks. The other group went for a 10-minute walk after each main meal. The results: blood sugar levels were significantly lower when participants walked after meals compared with the group who only went for one walk a day.

Meanwhile a different study compares exercising before a meal and after. The group with the lower blood sugar levels exercised after their meal, not before. This supports the first study that it’s vital to move around after eating a meal.

Hacks 1.1 and 1.2: When weather is bad, Use an App and watch lots of TV (while moving)

Hack 1.1 within this hack is to either set a timer or use an app to alert you to move and remind you to be more active. It’s important to emphasize that you just need to go for a walk. Not a power walk. And not a steep hike, or a jog. Or, God forbid, wind sprints. Just a casual stroll after each meal is all it takes to lower blood sugar. The problem with this solution of post-meal walks is that many of us are so busy that we often forget to go for a walk. The gravitational pull of the couch is so strong when you’re tired at the end of a long day. All you want to do is binge watch your favorite Netflix show.

Hack 1.2 is to beat the weather with a treadmill, or just walking in place.  Weather can prevent some people from walking after a meal. If it’s -30 degrees outside, the last thing you’re going to want to do is go outside. The easy hack: walk in place while you watch TV.  If you can make it a habit to just walk in place (or if you have a treadmill at home) while you watch TV, before you know it, you’ll have walked 30 minutes or even an hour. And you don’t need to be drenched in sweat to reap the benefits of a post-meal walk.

To reiterate, just move. Walk at a comfortable but not laborious clip. That’s all it takes to normalize your blood sugar level after a meal.

(Suggested reading: “Blunting post-meal glucose surges in people with diabetes”) 

medical cannabis

Hack #2: Eat Healthy Cereal – Easy Way to Lower Blood Sugar

Breakfast cereal is one of the most popular meals in the morning for people who need to quickly wolf something down before school or work. But most breakfast cereals are loaded with heavily processed grains (which are carbohydrates.) In fact, using as an example, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, just one cup (and who eats just one cup?) contains almost 50 grams of carbs. That means if you pour yourself a big bowl of cereal in the morning, and add some banana slices you’ll start your day with over 100 grams of carbs. And that’s not even counting the sugar from milk.

It’s no wonder that many people by 10:30 or 11 in the morning need their third cup of coffee just to stay awake and be productive until it’s time for lunch. That’s because high carb breakfasts such as cereal and bagels, toast, muffins, danishes, donuts, etc. contain too many quick-burning carbs. These carbs quickly spike blood sugar levels. And what quickly goes up must come crashing back to Earth. It’s these blood-sugar fluctuations that produce mood swings, not to mention chronic metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes.

So what’s a cereal lover to do? You can’t paint stripes on a donkey and call it a tiger. Telling someone to stop eating cereal who has been eating it for decades may not be the best coaching advice. Instead, try Chef V’s Recipe for Healthy Cereal.

We’ll be offering more easy blood sugar lowering hacks and recipes in the future. But for now, enjoy a bowl of this yummy low-carb cereal. The recipe comes from the cookbook, Making Cleansing Easier by Chef V, aka Veronica Wheat Kress, the first entrepreneur to offer nationwide overnight delivery of 100% certified organic, cold-blended Green Drinks.

Healthy Cereal Recipe With Chef V’s Raw Almond Milk

Healthy Cereal

  • ½ cup Chef V’s Raw Almond Milk – recipe below – or use coconut milk
  • ¼ cup crushed raw almonds
  • ¼ cup crushed raw walnuts
  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

To make the cereal, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.
 
Chef V's Raw Almond Milk
  • 3 cups raw almonds
  • 3 cups filtered water
  • High power blender (I prefer Vitamix)
  • Nut Milk Bag or Cheesecloth

Instructions

To make the almond milk, process 3 cups of raw almonds and 3 cups filtered water in a Vitamix until liquefied. Strain through a cheesecloth into a mason jar and seal. Will keep for up to 3-5 days refrigerated.

Wait Until You’re Hungry – Losing Weight & Keeping It Off With Green Drink

Jean Yates

losing weight with green drink

Having a Green Drink every day increases your chances for weight loss success—and keeps the extra pounds off in the long run. I share some tips on losing weight and keeping it off for the long run. Check out these inspiring success stories, too! – Veronica

Recently, I’ve shared with you reasons why my Green Drink can make your skin glow and look radiant.

And let’s not forget your hair and nails, too. If you have brittle nails or dull, frizzy hair, Green Drink is a potent nail and hair strengthener and tamer.

But can Green Drink help you lose weight? And if it can, can it keep the weight off for good?

Sure, plenty of our customers have had weight loss success with Green Drink. I’ve shared some of our amazing customer success stories with you, too. You can also check out our 450+ 5-star reviews on Yelp.

But in all this time, I can’t believe I haven’t explained to you why Green Drink works for weight loss.

In case you’re not sure what my Green Drink is, it’s seven certified organic green leafy veggies: black kale, green kale, collard greens, green leaf lettuce, curly parsley, green chard, and dandelion greens. It’s sweetened with only a tiny bit of organic green apple and organic apple juice with filtered water to aid in absorption.

Read K.I.’s heartwarming story of weight loss success!

weight loss success

Green Drinks For Weight Loss: Make It A Daily Habit

Even though I’m at a body weight I’m comfortable with, I want to keep it that way. That’s one reason I start each day off by drinking 16 oz. of Green Drink about 30 minutes after waking up and having some water.

I’m so confident that if you adopt this routine and combine it with intermittent fasting, you’ll see the extra pounds start melting within days, not weeks.

But is there any proof that the veggies in Green Drink can help you lose weight?

There is. I’ll summarize some of the research for you in a little bit. By doing so, I’m not merely trying to prove my enjoyment of geeking out on nutrition studies (after all, I am a certified nutritional therapist).


success

As Easy As….

On the contrary, my intention is by offering proof, you’ll feel motivated to start making Green Drink a part of your life. Seriously, I want Green Drink to be an easy, automatic routine for you like brushing your teeth, flossing (you are flossing every day, aren’t you?) and washing your hands.

You don’t even have to do one of my 3, 5 or 7 Day Cleanses and certainly not my 21 Day Detox Challenge to experience weight loss with my Green Drink.

The cleanses and detox provide you with four (4) Green Drinks a day. But I’m telling you all it takes is one 16-oz serving per day.

Obviously, if you eat three fast food meals a day, the Green Drink won’t have much as much impact on your health nor will it help you lose much weight.

However, having a Green Drink in the morning sets the tone for rest of the day. If you eat a donut, bagel, muffin or most commercial bread, you’re setting yourself up for weight loss failure.

That’s because after the yeast in your gut eats all the sugar from the donut, they’ll quickly send a signal to your brain demanding more junk carbs.

So, if you have a cold-blended veggie cocktail like Green Drink, you’re not giving the bad bacteria in your gut a chance to party.

Veronica and Brandon at the beach

Proof Green Drink Works for Weight Loss

“You want the truth, you can’t handle the truth!”

Sorry, Brandon, my hubby and Chef V CEO was just reading over my shoulder and suggested I put that one in. He loves “A Few Good Men.”

So here’s the truth and the proof about Green Drinks for weight loss….

Let’s start off with this study on kale. Besides numerous beneficial effects on health, it lowers your blood sugar levels after a meal. What does that mean for weight loss?

When blood sugar levels are high, your cells can no longer allow sugar from the bloodstream to enter. And as a consequence, the excess sugar gets stored as fat by the liver.

Unless you plan on doing several rounds of sprints or go for a long-distance run, that extra fat’s going to go where you least want it.

For this reason, kale is considered a superfood for people with type 2 diabetes.

Green Drinks for Good Gut Bacteria

Remember I was saying that when you eat a donut or other junk carb in the morning (or anytime of day), it feeds yeast in your gut? More specifically, it causes yeast to proliferate (multiply in number). And what this means is that you’ll end up with too much bad bacteria in your gut.

But this study proves a vegetable juice-based diet improves gut health. In the study, the participants consumed only a vegetable/fruit juice blend for three days. On the fourth day, the researchers observed a significant decrease in weight and body mass index.

And this weight loss was maintained until day 17. The only reason it wasn’t sustained for longer is that from day 4 onwards, the participants resumed their normal diet.

In addition, by day 4, the researchers noticed less harmful strains of gut/stool bacteria and more beneficial bacteria. Having enough friendly critters in your gut, as creepy as it may sound, is necessary for sustained weight loss.

Here’s one more study I’ll leave you with for now. It says that diets containing green leafy vegetables improve liver fatty acid profiles. The study is the first one to prove how green leafy veggies improve the liver health in animal predisposed to developing hypertension.

Your liver has to be in optimal condition in order to properly detoxify and break down dietary fat. If you have a “sluggish” liver, you’ll have trouble losing weight.

One of the green veggies in the study is collard greens, which is in my Green Drink. The study concludes that green leafy veggies not only improves liver health but also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Bonus points for Green Drinks! And all it takes as drinking one bottle a day. That’s one of the easiest, most affordable weight loss strategies you’ll ever find. 

Check out Dawn’s weight loss success!

Dawn's weight loss success

Chef V and kale

Despite Its Buzz, Are Doctors On Board With Intermittent Fasting?

Chef V

clock on plate

We’re all down with the Intermittent Fasting trend here at Chef V. My husband, Brandon, looks totally chiseled because of it. Several of our Customer Relations Specialists have lost lots of weight following it. And their cravings for sugary snacks have diminished like their waistlines because of following a time-restricted diet plan. And me? Well, I’ve been doing Intermittent Fasting before it was even recognized as a health trend. I credit it greatly for the reason why I wake up buzzing with energy.

But even though us Chef V peeps have had success with it, I wanted to see what the mainstream medical community thinks about Intermittent Fasting. After all, anybody can have short-term success when they modify how–and when–they eat. But that weight can quickly come back on and then some. And more than that, certain diets can have unintended consequences. Remember when low-fat diets were all the rage? People started eating tons of carbs instead, which has greatly contributed to the obesity and diabetes epidemic.

So, are doctors on board with Intermittent Fasting?

Health Experts See Great Promise In Intermittent Fasting

I don’t need a doctor to tell me that Intermittent Fasting works for weight loss. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve even read an incredible story in People about a physician who lost 125 pounds because of time-restricted feeding.

But beyond incredible weight loss success stories, I was really interested in finding out about the effects of time-restricted feeding on heart health. After all, many people who struggle with their weight also have other chronic health problems such as high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes.

I was happy to discover that Monique Tello, a medical doctor, who is a contributing editor with Harvard Health Publishing, is all in favor of Intermittent Fasting. She says, “[Intermittent] fasting, when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can be a particularly effective approach … for people at risk for diabetes.”

Dr. Tello was also impressed by a University of Alabama study, which concluded that after five weeks, the Intermittent Fasting group had dramatically lower insulin levels and significantly improved insulin sensitivity. The test group also had significantly lower blood pressure. Not only that, the group also had significantly decreased appetite.

Intermittent Fasting: It’s Good For Your Heart (And May Prevent Cancer)

Fasting for short periods of time isn’t just good for your belly. It’s also good for your heart. According to a web article on the highly-regarded academic medical center, Cleveland Clinic, temporary fasting can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, control diabetes and reduce weight.

These four health markers constitute the greatest risk for developing heart disease.

Cleveland Clinic even acknowledges that some studies also show that “fasting may help prevent cancer or increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment.”

The good news about Intermittent Fasting keeps rolling in. Consider this article in the New York Times, which says that more studies are showing that eating late at night and snacking during the day is a major culprit of weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. The recipe to break this cycle: time-restricted feeding.

The NYT article references a study of prediabetic men. The men who ate only during a six-hour window had lower insulin, reduced levels of oxidative stress, less nighttime hunger and significantly lower blood pressure.

Doctors Warnings About Intermittent Fasting

Just like everything else in life, there are pros and cons about doing intermittent fasting. From a health perspective, some doctors and researchers are warning people about temporary fasting. The reason? Not eating for, say, 16 hours (which is how long I recommend not having calories), can deplete your cells of electrolytes. Electrolytes are like spark plugs for your cell; they ignite cellular energy.

That’s why I recommend having a non-caloric electrolyte drink before you go to bed and when you wake up. A simple way to get electrolytes without breaking the fast is adding a teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt to a glass of water. Or buy some cream of tartar. (Cream of tartar tastes nothing like tartar sauce. In fact, it’s often used in baking.)

Another thing you should keep in mind about intermittent fasting is that you shouldn’t pig out when you break the fast.

“You don’t want to shock the system,” Dr. Haitham Ahmed tells the Cleveland Clinic. Ahmed recommends breaking the fast by snacking on a few dates or other dried fruit. Then take a break, he says, and then eat fruit and other light foods at first.

I both agree and disagree with Dr. Ahmed. I agree that you shouldn’t eat a huge meal when you break your fast. But eating dates and then more fruit after that? I strongly disagree. Just eating a few dates contains 25 grams of sugar. And eating more fruit? That’s going to add more sugar to your system. Sure, natural fruit sugar is better than added sugars in junk like soda, but isn’t the name of the game when it comes to weight loss and other positive health outcomes curbing sugar intake?

That’s why I recommend breaking your fast each morning with 16 oz of Organic Green Drink, which contains 7 leafy green vegetables, and a wee bit of organic apple and apple juice to sweeten things up. Containing only 3 grams of sugar per 8 oz., Green Drink is a great way to start your day and get your daily dose of disease-fighting antioxidants.

After having Green Drink, you can eat a sensible breakfast (example: an egg or two with low-carb/high-fiber bread and a slice of turkey bacon and a serving of fruit).

I’m sure most doctors would get on board with my recommendation to combine Green Drink with Intermittent Fasting.

Chef V

Add Length to Your Life with These Foods and Drinks

Chef V


hourglass

You know that eating certain foods are great for your health, like these 7 leafy green veggies you can conveniently drink and have delivered right to your home. But what you might not realize is the length of time that eating certain foods can prolong your life, in minutes. And on the flip side, if we knew that having a cheat meal would rob our lifespan by “X”  minutes, maybe we’d have an easier time thinking twice about eating fast food. 

But thanks to researchers at the University of Michigan, we can do just that. The researchers evaluated almost 6,000 different types of foods and ranked them by their potential to create disease in humans. The neat thing about their research, which was published in the journal, Nature, is that each food had a corresponding length of time that the food either added to or subtracted from a lifespan. 

For instance, if you’ve ever been to a baseball game and were bored out of your mind (guilty as charged) and tried to make the most of it by eating a hotdog, well that frankfurter just cost you 36 minutes of your life, according to the researchers. 

Instead of eating a hotdog, if you have sunflower seeds or peanuts, it will add nearly a half hour to your lifespan.


collagen

Foods That Make You—And The Earth—Live Longer

The cool thing about the research is that not only was the disease burden to humans measured, so was the environmental impact. One take away from the study was that substituting processed meat like chicken wings and deli slices for a mix of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and certain seafood like wild salmon can extend your life by almost 50 minutes. Moreover, doing this would reduce your dietary carbon footprint by one-third.

As I alluded to, the problem with nutrition advice is there’s not enough real world, consequential associations with food choices. In other words, can you imagine if every food you purchased from a supermarket had a plus or minus along with a number that corresponded to how many minutes of life you would gain or lose? That would really put things in perspective. 

Katerina Stylianou, one of the researchers in the study said, “Generally, dietary recommendations lack specific and actionable direction to motivate people to change their behavior, and rarely do dietary recommendations address environmental impacts.” So true!

Another thing I liked about the work by these researchers from UM is that they split the foods according to the three colors of a traffic light. Go for green foods, yield to yellow and stop and think twice before eating foods in the red category. 

Green foods are not only healthy, they have the lowest carbon footprint. They are: 

  • Field-grown vegetables, like the organic leafy greens Chef V uses for Organic Green Drinks. 
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Fruits
  • Whole grains
  • Legumes (beans, soy beans, lentils, peanuts)
  • Sustainably-raised, wild-caught seafood

Red light foods should be avoided as much as possible because they don’t contribute to a longer lifespan and also carry a heavier ecological burden. Foods in this category are processed beef and pork products. 

fresh veg

Think In Minutes, Not Calories

If you want to geek out and read the study, check it out here. I wrote this article because I really dig the concept of thinking about food choices in the context of lengthening your lifespan. 

For some people, hearing that a certain food has this many calories or that many grams of carbs or this many grams of sugar or this much fat rings hollow; it doesn’t sink in. I know it’s wishful thinking, but maybe this study will spark a movement for a lifespan ranking to be added to food labels. 

Look, I realize that it’s not shocking to say that organically-grown, fresh fruits and veggies along with other plant-based foods add the most amount of time to our lifespan. And the cherry on top is that they are the most environmentally-friendly. But maybe for those who struggle with food choices, placing more emphasis on whether eating a certain food will add to or shorten lifespan will have more of an effect than merely saying, ‘eat this because it’s healthy and don’t eat that because it’s bad.’ 

Add Minutes To Your Lifespan With Organic Green Drink

The same goes for my Green Drink. When you swap a typical American breakfast for Green Drink, just think that you’re adding at least half an hour to your lifespan with every bottle!


V in kitchen

Chef V Q & A – She Answers your Questions About Cleansing – Headaches, Hunger, Exercise

Chef V


veronica

Below, “V” answers your questions about how to maximize your CLEANSE success and why it’s so important to do a brief pre-cleanse. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say they are about to feast on fast food because they’re starting a cleanse the next day.

But if you don’t want a pounding headache or feel like you’re having a mild flu, make sure to check out my responses to our awesome Chef V customers below…


headache

Question:

I’m on day 3 of my 5 day detox…. Any tips on getting rid of a headache?  Everything else is going well.

V answers: 

I’ll admit that sometimes headaches are unavoidable. This is especially true if you did not do the precleanse for at least 2 days before Day 1. When you purchase a Chef V CLEANSE, you get clear instructions on exactly what to eat and what to avoid – check out my article – (EAT THIS/NOT THAT!). So make sure you stick to my recommendations to the “T” or “V” as I like to say (haha). Also, during the cleanse phase, take it easy on the exercise since you won’t be eating solid food. Walks are good. Zumba: not so good.

Question:

I’m on Day 1 of Day 5. I’m not very hungry, but I feel light-headed and my brain is ‘fuzzy.’ Are these normal detox symptoms? When will I feel better?

V answers: 

It depends on how your diet was before the cleanse. Obviously, most people do a cleanse because their diet before the cleanse is not super clean. Has your diet been nowhere close to clean?

And by that I mean plenty of low-starch veggies, moderate servings of fruit, whole grains, lean protein, a little bit of healthy fats/oils/seeds/nuts and no added sugars? The more processed foods, alcohol and caffeine you’ve been consuming, the longer the pre-cleanse should be.

Even if you follow my precleanse recommendations to a V for 2 days, there’s no guarantee you won’t feel detox symptoms—especially if you’ve been overindulging lately.

healthy foods

Question:

I ordered my 5 day detox and will start next week! HOW important is pre-cleansing? I live in a household where I am not allowed to cook. It’s complicated. Any ideas for what I could eat for a pre-cleanse dinner that does not involve cooking?”

V answers: 

The precleanse is extremely important to your success! It helps prep your system. If you drink alcohol and eat fast food and then start a cleanse the next day, your body will need to eliminate and detoxify that stuff first. So you won’t get as much benefit out of the cleanse. By eliminating alcohol, caffeine, red meat, gluten and dairy, you’ll kickstart the cleansing process.

As an added bonus, you’ll probably lose a couple pounds during the precleanse phase. And you’ll likely have less detox symptoms during the CLEANSE phase.

Now as far as what to eat during the precleanse, you can get some precooked chicken or salmon (prefer organic and wild) and eat that with a large salad of mixed greens and chopped veggies. You can also eat that with brown rice or quinoa and broccoli for another easy meal. A good low-sugar dipping sauce is honey mustard.

Finally, in addition to learning what to eat and avoid during the pre-cleanse, this may be a good time to start learning how to prep some easy healthy meals for yourself. For some healthy recipes that Brandon and I love, check out my cooking videos. Wishing you much success!


cooking videos

Question:

I’m on day 11 of my 21 DAY DETOX. I have lost 20 lbs. Did I read somewhere that it is okay to drink coffee in moderation on Healthy Routine days?

V answers: 

First of all, Wow! Congratulations on your amazing results. So inspiring!!!

Now look … I realize how challenging it can be giving up caffeine, at least temporarily. And caffeine isn’t really toxic on its own. The problem is that during a CLEANSE or longer 21 DAY DETOX, the goal is to reboot the body’s digestive organs. Caffeine over-reliance is a sign that the body needs to detox. So I don’t recommend any caffeine on the 21 day challenge. You can have decaf if you need to but it’s best to supplement organic herbal tea. If you absolutely MUST have green tea you can have a little bit.

Question:

Can I take a probiotic supplement on the cleanse and if so when’s the best time? Thanks!

V answers: 

You can take a probiotic supplement before or after your cleanse. But I don't recommend using any probiotic or supplement during the cleanse. I ask you to stick to just what we give you.

probiotic

Question:

Just wondering why eggs aren't allowed on the pre or post cleanse. What is bad about them?’’

V answers: 

Eggs are a major food allergen. Most people don’t know they’re allergic to them. So for this reason we are cutting it out of the cleanse to help heal the gut.

Question: 

Day 3 on the 21 DAY DETOX. I actually have struggled more than I ever thought. First days days were rough. I felt ok in the morning but by late evening I had headaches and nausea due to hunger. I've done lots of cleanses but never purely liquid. The support is needed. The good news is I’m down 5.5 lbs and looking less bloated. My husband commented on this morning.

V answers: 

Typically hunger is in the mind not in the stomach. True starvation is in the stomach whereas our brain often tells us we’re hungry because of boredom, emotions or habit. This cleanse will teach you to listen to your body, not your mind (which is filled with tons of marketing bs around food). I have confidence this cleanse will really help you! If you absolutely need something, have a piece of fruit, or a handful of raw nuts. Or if you can hold out until dinner and add some avocado or coconut oil to your soup at night, it won’t derail your efforts.

Question: 

I’m new to cleansing and trying to be more proactive about making healthier choices. My metabolism took a nosedive once I had my baby so now I need to work harder at eating better. My question is after you cleanse, do you eat less carbs? Follow a lean diet? I guess I'm trying to ask what kind of meal plan (diet) do you follow to continue losing weight?

V answers: 

When it comes to carbs, choose smart carbs like fruits and veggies and whole grains.  Avoid high starchy carbs like white bread, wheat pasta (gluten-free & corn-free pasta like brown rice, quinoa or lentil pasta is ok) and potatoes (sweet potatoes are ok). Also avoid processed foods. Stick to Whole Foods, a little protein, veggies and some rice or quinoa. I hope that helps!

To your cleansing success,

Love, V

veronica

Chef V’s Mason Jar Salads

Jean Yates

mason jar salad

Mason jars are my favorite accessory. I use them every chance we get – filling the empty jars with fresh cut flowers, refreshing drinks or a variety of veggies for delicious salads on the go.

Below I share with you my foolproof guide for creating the best and most nutritious mason jar salads that you – and your kiddos – will love, as well as three of my go-to mason jar summer salad recipes. – Veronica

added sugars

How to Build the Perfect Mason Jar Salad

  1. The Dressing. Add about 2 tbsp or less
  2. The Veggies. Select ones that won’t absorb the dressing (i.e. onions, carrots, beans, snap peas, etc.)
  3. The Fruit (or more veggies). Another layer of your favorite fruit or veggie
  4. The Grains. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cooked and cooled quinoa or rice
  5. The Greens. Add about a cup of your favorite leafy greens
  6. The Protein. Top it off with your choice of protein – nuts, cheese or meat

Layer all ingredients from bottom to top. Start with the dressing on the bottom. If using chicken or other meat, add it to the jar the morning you want to eat it.

mason jar salad

Chef V’s Garden Salad

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup garbanzo beans or kidney beans
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onion
  • 1 tbsp fresh chopped cucumber
  • 1/4 cup chopped apple (i.e. Fuji, honey crisp or gala)
  • 2 thinly sliced radish
  • 1 cup lettuce (spinach, mixed greens, kale, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup grilled chicken (optional)

Directions: Layer all ingredients from bottom to top. Start with the dressing on the bottom. If using chicken or other meat, add it to the jar the morning you want to eat it.

nutrition facts label

Chef V’s Mexican Salad

  • 1 tbsp Chef V’s Spicy Cilantro Dressing (see below)
  • 1/4 cup black beans
  • 1/4 cup chopped mango
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onion
  • 1/4 cup cooked and cooled brown rice
  • 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup fresh arugula or spinach
  • 2 tsp raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup grilled chicken (optional)

Directions: Layer all ingredients from bottom to top. Start with the dressing on the bottom. If using chicken or other meat, add it to the jar the morning you want to eat it.

Spicy Cilantro Dressing

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 small jalapeno
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup filtered water

Directions: blend ingredients together in a Vitamix or blender for 1-2 minutes until well blended.

Chef V’s Thai-Noodle Salad

  • 1 tbsp Chef V’s Spicy Cilantro Dressing (see above)
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onion
  • 1 tbsp shredded carrot
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cucumber
  • 1/2 cup cooked and cooled brown rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup green cabbage
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint
  • 1 tbsp chopped raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup grilled chicken (optional)

Directions: Layer all ingredients from bottom to top. Start with the dressing on the bottom. If using chicken or other meat, add it to the jar the morning you want to eat it.


Chef V Green Drink Plan

Summer 2022: What’s Chef V Up To?

Chef V


Veronica and Brandon

Is V living the glamorous life of an entrepreneur, jet-setting to Paris for lunch, then off to the Greek Islands for a 2-week idyllic escape? Well, not exactly. But for someone who works her tail off, V knows how to have some fun on the road—even while she’s working. Let’s check out what V’s been up to this summer…

JUNE: Cape Cod & Newport, RI

When V was living in West Caldwell, NJ—CHEF V’s East Coast hub—for a few years, she regretted not exploring more of the beautiful parts of the East Coast. Thankfully, she can now cross off some of those sights off of her bucket list.

After leaving the CHEF V store in NJ, V, along with husband Brandon, and Coconut, explored the charming port town of Newport, Rhode Island, a seemingly entirely different planet than the desiccated, searing heat of Palm Desert, CA, where V grew up.

Picture V and Brandon as the Kennedys of the blended juice world, enjoying boat rides from one marina to the next, from one charming port town to another, sipping not on champagne but on Green Drinks.

That’s not to say V and Brandon didn’t indulge a little in the local fare. In Newport, they ate healthy, fresh seafood, which is to say, they just said no to greasy lobster rolls.


golf

From Newport, V went to Cape Cod for the first time, calling the quaint town of Harwich, MA home for a night, melting the stress away at a little resort called Wequassett and playing 18 holes at Cape Cod National Golf Club, a really difficult course with tall grass above your knees. “I lost lots of balls,” V jokes.

While on the Cape, V and Brandon took a 90-minute boat ride and enjoyed perfect 75-degree, low-humidity weather and enjoyed some of the best meals of their lives. That’s saying something considering V herself is a seasoned chef.

“One of the best mouth explosions I’ve ever had was this amazing oyster dinner, each one topped with caviar, fresh tuna and lychee puree. It was phenomenal,” says V.

Another indulgence V shamelessly enjoyed was a pasta dish, which is something she rarely has. But a lobster carbonara was a delicious splurge she couldn’t resist.

Did V fall off the wagon and stop practicing what she preaches? Hardly.

Says V, “On vacation I’m adamant about sticking to a routine. Each morning, I still have lemon water, Green Drink, and practice 30 minutes of yoga. And when I follow the routine on a trip, I feel that the rest of the day I can be more relaxed about what I choose to eat and drink.”

Hamptons retreat

July: Colorado River & Paso Robles Wine Country 

Parker, AZ

Enjoying the outdoors when it’s 115 degrees? No problem! Not when you’re hanging out with friends on a pontoon boat on the Colorado River. Just jump in the 80-degree water to cool off. Rinse and repeat.

V grew up going to Parker, AZ, which has a much more family-friendly vibe than the nearby, debauched Lake Havasu. V whisked Brandon away to Parker in early July for his first trip there.

Unlike most people who party on the river, with an IV of beer hooked up into their veins, V made healthy smoothies, veggie plates with hummus and fruit plates for herself, Brandon and friends. She also cooked healthy meals for everyone on the boat.

Hamptons retreat

Hamptons retreat

Paso Robles, CA

Then, on July 30th, V and Brandon’s sixth wedding anniversary, the couple spent time in California wine country—Paso Robles to be exact.

“I love Paso. It’s more laid-back and not as snooty and pretentious as other towns in  more well-known wine areas of California like Napa,” says V, who has a decent knowledge of wine from spending a couple years in the industry years ago.

V doesn’t drink wine very often, but when she does, she knows exactly what she’s looking for. While in Paso, V played golf at Hunter Ranch where, unlike her mulligan-filled outing in Cape Cod, she played rather well.

V and Brandon hit a winery of note, Tobin James, where they enjoyed ambience and the wine. Then they went a French restaurant, Le Petite Canailles, that served a deboned Dover sole seasoned on a wood plank, topped with edible flowers. For a side: V describes it as “bougie tater tots with caviar.” It was phenomenal!

A splurge? V’s bank statement says yes but at least it was a healthy one. And hey, when you’re working your tush off, you deserve to treat yourself.

Hamptons retreat

Hamptons retreat

V and B also hit J. Lohr vineyards, Daou, and to celebrate their anniversary, the couple visited JUSTIN vineyards and enjoyed a four-course tasting menu with paired wines, featuring a trout tartarte with edible flowers, and a pasta agnolotti with truffle.

Again, another well-earned splurge!

“I like to have fun, too. So many people think that I’m a flawless saint when it comes to nutrition. I still take care of myself with Green Drink and my routine but I do enjoy myself,” V says.

Rawgust: Oregon 

V’s hubby, Brandon is originally from Lake Oswego, Oregon just 8 miles from Portland. Since Covid, the couple has driven (with Coconut of course) up there every year and has come to enjoy the ride. So recently, the trip hit the road from San Diego for the long haul.

V’s “Nana” lives in Southern Oregon near the Rogue River so they stopped there first. Then, the couple went up to Lake Oswego for an annual boat party on the lake with 8 floating docks, live music and a floating dance floor.

It might not be St. Barts but to V, this is a slice of heaven—and she’s earned it.

It’s RAWGUST! Summer is the Best Time for Raw Food

Jean Yates

raw food for summer

Thinking about doing a cleanse? Going raw vegan in summer is easy and can help detoxify your body before, during and after the cleanse.

There’s a misconception about me….

Some people describe me as a vegan chef.

Maybe it’s because another Chef Veronica out there. But she’s a low fat vegan chef. Personally, as a certified nutritional therapist, I don’t think low fat diets are very healthy.

Or, maybe because my first job, at age 15, was working at a vegetarian restaurant.

But I’m not vegan nor 100% vegetarian. 

However, I do love and advocate the vegan diet.

Going raw and vegan in summer (or anytime of year, really) is like pouring fuel cleaner into your car.

Meat, especially non-organic meat, gunks up your transmission; it’s much harder on your digestive system. Consequently, when you eat lots of meat, it can slow down your liver’s natural detoxification abilities.

So you can use my recipes for giving your system a cleanse while feeling like your indulging.

Especially now because as I write this, it’s the heart of summer: the best time to do a cleanse.

One of the keys to successfully doing a cleanse—anytime of the year—is to not feel like you’re missing out.

raw veggies

Going Raw Vegan in Summer

And when you learn to make raw vegan recipes that taste just as good as their non-vegan cooked alternatives, you definitely won’t feel like you’re punishing yourself doing a cleanse.

Eating raw makes you feel lighter. Which helps if you’ve fallen off the wagon as of late, like I did during my three-week trip to Europe eating decadent meals.

Here’s another plus of going raw in summer: cutting down on electric bills. The last thing you want to do when it’s really hot outside is turning on the oven to 425 degrees to bake, say, a salmon fillet.

Sure, you might have air conditioning. But where I live, in San Diego, many people don’t have it. Especially those people who live near the coast. Even if you do have A/C, though, you’ll save money by not using your oven.


vegetarian food prep

What is Raw Food?

Technically, raw food is prepared at a temperature that won’t destroy naturally-occurring compounds and enzymes. There’s some debate as to what that magic number is.

But most raw foodists consider 104 degrees (fahrenheit) to be the maximum cooking temperature.

Therefore, if you like broccoli but not when it’s completely raw, you can lightly cook it.

You can also buy a food dehydrator to make raw food snacks such as dried fruit. However, here’s where the raw food temperature debate comes into play.

Dehydrated raw food still qualifies as raw by some people even though the dehydration temperature is usually between 105 and 115.

And don’t get me started about raw almonds. That’s for a whole other blog topic.

(Raw almonds really aren’t raw; they are pasteurized.)

Don’t get caught up in the technicality of what is and isn’t raw food.

If it’s something that comes directly from the ground or a tree, and is, at worst, very minimally processed, then I consider it a raw food.

In other words, if it’s a fruit or vegetable or nut or seed, it’s raw. Or, if it’s a byproduct of any of these, cooked at an ultra low temperature, it’s also raw to me.

raw vegan greens

Going Raw Vegan in Summer: Isn’t Going Raw Enough?

Most raw food is very easy for your belly to digest, with maybe the exception of nightshade veggies like peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.

That’s why introducing plenty of raw vegan foods into your diet when you are cleansing is smart.

But isn’t going raw enough? Why also vegan? Can’t I eat raw cheese during a cleanse?

Great questions! Glad you asked 🙂

Yes, raw dairy is an option. But like raw almonds, raw dairy really isn’t raw, according to raw foodie purists.

The more important point is that dairy, even if it’s raw is not ideal for cleansing. In fact, I suggest you completely avoid dairy for at least 3-7 days before you start a cleanse.

Dairy gums up the works. If your liver is sluggish, eating cheese certainly isn’t going to help it release toxins faster.


Chef V's cleanse

Going Raw Vegan in Summer: Here’s What I’m Eating Now

Hardly anybody wants to eat hot soup in summer. Or drink scalding bone broth.

But a light yet satisfying cold soup is just what Mother Nature calls for this time of year.

That’s why I love gazpacho in summer.

And here’s one of my favorites: Raw Cucumber Cilantro Avocado Gazpacho. I know, sounds like a mouthful, right? Well, it’s got a huge taste.

For a main course, how about some pasta. Pasta … That’s not raw, is it? And it’s not vegan if it’s got ricotta in it.

But my Raw Pesto Lasagna with Macadamia Ricotta contains zoodles, not noodles. Check out the recipe to see how I make a raw vegan ricotta!

Finally, it’s time for dessert. I’m a sucker for cheesecake. But obviously, regular cheesecake is a no-no when you’re cleansing.

To get my healthy dessert on, I’m making this Raw Caramel Cheesecake.

Yes, it’s possible to enjoy a decadent-tasting dessert while doing your own cleanse?

Now, I feel I have to clarify something important here. If you’re doing one of my 3, 5 or 7 day cleanses, you’re sticking to Organic Green Drinks, Vegan Protein Shakes and Detox Soups.

But before and after the official cleanse is over, treat yourself with one of these delicious raw vegan desserts.

Follow these recipes to a T, or, pardon the corny pun, to a V, and you’ll have no problem going raw vegan in summer!

Chef V, Coco and kale

The Dangers Lurking In Natural Meat (Nitrite Free)

Jean Yates

kale

Let me get something out the way here: I’m not a militant vegan. I do eat a 95%-plus plant-based diet. But I would never ever tell anybody to give up meat altogether. I believe that’s a highly personal decision; it’s one that’s just as sacred as religious beliefs and convictions. 

But I recently learned something deeply troubling that’s making me think twice about eating even natural meat. 

First, take a look at this image of the package of Oscar Mayer’s “Natural” slow roasted turkey breast:

"natural" meat

Sounds like good stuff advertised by the good folks at Oscar Mayer, right? 

Let’s see, “no added hormones.” We like that! 

“Give me added hormones in my food,” said nobody ever. 

No gluten. No artificial ingredients. No artificial flavors or colors or preservatives. 

Just how turkey slices should be, right? 

If we could just know that the turkeys lived the high life, with abundant, easy access to the outdoors, we can feel good about eating the occasional slice of turkey, am I right? Obviously, if you’re vegan, you strongly agree. And I get that. But I’m talking to those who do eat meat and think that eating “natural” or even “organic” meat is far superior than factory-farmed meat.

But after you finish reading this, I think you’re going to be eating even less meat. 

I’ll explain why in just a little bit. 

Veronica and Coconut and kale

The Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Meat

Processed meat contains nitrites. Nitrites are added to prevent food-borne pathogenic diseases like botulism. That sounds like a good thing. Botulism is food poisoning, which strikes roughly 1 in 6 Americans every year, hospitalizing over 125,000 people and killing 3,000. So from that perspective nitrites sound like a good thing to add to food. 

Nitrites are also added to processed meats as a preservative; it keeps the meat from going bad much sooner than it naturally would and also preserves the color. 

But there’s some really bad things about nitrites. And maybe you’re already familiar with the fact that nitrites in processed meats are carcinogenic. Sorry to burst your bacon-loving bubble, but yeah, that means bacon and sausage can cause cancer. So does lunch meats (deli slices), hot dogs, and even those fancy cured salamis that you see in the wine and cheese section of Whole Foods. 

Vitamin K

Does Natural Meat Have Nitrites?

Take a look again at the image above of the Oscar Mayer “natural” turkey breast label. There’s one more major selling point listed that has to do with nitrites. Can you spot it? 

In case you don’t have a magnifying glass or don’t know how to zoom in on a pic, I’ll spell it out for you: “No nitrites or nitrates added.” 

(Nitrates can chemically change into nitrites but don’t worry about that technicality for now.)

Under where it says no nitrites, it says, “Except those naturally occurring in celery juice and sea salt.” 

Because the nitrites come from celery juice it must be harmless, right? 

Well, when you drink freshly made celery juice, the nitrites in celery juice are harmless because they haven’t oxidized (turned rancid). 

However, when you cook meat, especially on the grill, the heat causes the nitrites to oxidize. 

Cutting to the chase, what this means is that food manufacturers are getting away with a big lie. In effect, naturally-occurring nitrites from celery juice and sea salt are the same as those that are naturally-occuring in meat. 

Eating turkey breast is probably less risky than eating bacon or grilled hot dogs. That’s because turkey breast takes longer to oxidize. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the claim “no nitrites added” is keeping you safe from cancer-causing chemicals in meat. 

nitrites and lung health

Want Healthy Lungs? Avoid Nitrites!

In lab studies, the poor experimental rodents that were forcibly fed nitrites developed respiratory issues such as emphysema and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). 

In essence, eating cured/processed meats may be just as bad for your lungs as smoking! In fact, nitrites are formed from the combustion of tobacco smoke. 

Could it be that the rising prevalence of asthma in kids is attributed to processed meat? I think it’s part of the reason for sure.

Don’t Believe the Nitrite-Free Hype

Unfortunately in this country, food manufacturers have an easy time getting away with false or misleading advertising. Leading consumer advocacy groups are trying their best to stop this deceptive practice of labeling “natural” meats as nitrite-free. It’s like the nutrition facts label of a box of cereal saying “no sugar added” with an asterisk that says “except for those naturally-occurring from cane sugar.”

I admit, for years I was fooled by this. Luckily for me, I hardly eat meat so I don’t need to worry about it. But hopefully after reading this, you are a better informed consumer.


Chef V's Green Drink Plan 50% off

These 6 Spice Ingredients Prevent Belly Bloating & Improve Digestion

Chef V

spices for health at the holidays

If variety is the spice of life, I say a variety of spice ingredients is the key to a long, healthy life. Herbs and spices improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and may even prevent cancer, along with other benefits. I’ll share with you my favorite 6 herbs and spices for optimal digestive health.

Feeling a little bloaty and gassy? Having a hard time buttoning your jeans? The 6 ingredients – herbs and spices – I’m about to share with you can dramatically improve your digestion. These spices are so good for you I recommend using them every day.

Dandelion

Did a rich dessert back your system up? Then sip on some dandelion tea. The reason why is dandelion root is really good for relieving constipation. Not only that, it reduces the amount of time food sits in your belly. In fact, one study suggests it’s better than a drug at speeding up digestion.

And if you’re a little down in the dumps because you put on a couple pounds, here’s how else ingredients like dandelion help….

When we overindulge, it’s really easy for water and metabolic waste to accumulate in our digestive system. But dandelion comes to the rescue by acting as a diuretic, removing excess water from your gut.

dandelion

Turmeric

Is it me or is turmeric becoming more popular than ketchup? Turmeric has been blowing up the Internet because of its inflammation-fighting and blood-sugar lowering actions. But did you know it’s also great for digestion? Here’s why I love adding ingredients like turmeric spice to my smoothie, tea and meals….

Sometimes when we’re invited to a dinner party and eat something we don’t normally have, toots happen. It’s a part of life. Nonetheless, flatulence is embarrassing. But turmeric is a potent fart-fighter! The very uncomfortable post-meal combo of gas and bloating can be greatly reduced just by adding a teaspoon or two of turmeric.

Turmeric may prevent embarrassing gas and uncomfy bloating because it helps digest fats. It also helps your belly keep its supply of stomach acid. Many digestive problems are caused by not having enough digestive juices to break down food.

I realize it might not be practical for you to carry a bottle of turmeric spice in your purse to a dinner party. But you can easily drink some tea or a smoothie before you head out for the night. You can also take a turmeric supplement before the dinner party.

Keep in mind turmeric is fat-soluble. That means you need to consume a little fat in order for your body to absorb turmeric. That’s not a problem if you’re adding it to a meal. But if you’re having a smoothie, make sure you add a tablespoon of olive oil or other healthy fat.

My next favorite spice for digestion also helps your body absorb turmeric….

turmeric

Black Pepper

Without black pepper, your body doesn’t absorb turmeric very well. But adding just a pinch or two of this ingredient, fresh ground black pepper, can increase your body’s absorption of turmeric by 2,000%!

Not only that, there’s something in black pepper called piperine, which is great for digestion. It helps you break down all the tryptophan and other amino acids in holiday turkey. It also helps you get rid of excess water and it stimulates your belly’s release of hydrochloric acid, the main digestive juice in your gut.

But to get your belly feeling better with black pepper, don’t cook with it. Just sprinkle some fresh ground pepper corns in your tea or on your food.

black pepper

Ginger

ingredients: Ginger is Mother Nature’s weapon against indigestion, stomach pain and nausea. When I go for sushi, I always ask for extra ginger. Not only does it cleanse the palette in between bites of a rainbow roll, it’s also great for digestion. It helps move food through the digestive tract so all that rice and fish in the sushi doesn’t just sit in your gut for hours, leaving you bloated and gassy.

Here’s an easy digestion hack you can try with ginger that’s been used for thousands of years in India’s ancient traditional system of medicine (Ayurveda): try eating some fresh ginger slices about a half hour before your meal. This will activate your digestive fire. Or better yet, have a cup of ginger tea.

(If you take a blood-thinning drug, don’t use too much ginger as it can negatively interact with the medication.)

ginger root

Cardamom

I do love me a cup of low-sugar chai tea. Each sip delightfully awakens my taste buds. But more than that the ingredients in chai tea like cardamom are great for digestion. Cardamom is like ginger’s cousin. Like ginger, it can help prevent gas and bloating. There’s also some research that shows it can help if you have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Not only that it can help if you have belly cramps, diarrhea or constipation.

If your bottle of cardamom spice is gathering dust in your pantry, move it to front and center of your spice rack. And if your local coffee shop can do a low-sugar chai spice tea, go for it. Besides cardamom and cloves, traditional chai spices also include ginger  black pepper, and cinnamon.

Speaking of which, here’s the final of my favorite spices for digestion….

cardamon

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is an ingredient miracle. Not only can it make bland oatmeal taste great, it’s also good for digestion. It can help with indigestion, gas, heartburn, nausea and stomach cramps. Now, obviously, sprinkling cinnamon on stuffing, turkey or mashed potatoes is … let’s just say, weird.

But what you can easily do, if you know you’re going to be indulging, before you head out for the big holiday meal, is make a cup of tea and sprinkle some cinnamon in it. Or, you can make yourself a cup of Golden Milk.

Golden Milk (click here for my recipe) is a dairy-free drink that I make with almond milk and features several of the spices above. My recipe for Golden Milk includes turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and of course, a pinch of fresh ground black pepper.

If you’re going to indulge a little, no worries, you’ll get back on track. Just make sure to start using these spices every day to help you digest those heavy meals.

Love,

Veronica (Chef V)

P.S. Having a daily 16 oz. serving of my Green Drink will also do wonders for your digestion. That’s how I start my day, even on the holidays.

Brandon, veronica and Coco

Why Eating Seasonally Is Important For Our Health (And the Earth’s)

Chef V


Brandon and Coco

You’re starting to watch what you eat. You’ve reduced added sugars, alcohol and gluten. Now it’s time to step your healthy eating up a notch by eating seasonally. Here’s why it matters and why you—and planet Earth—will benefit. 

It’s healthy to be a nutrition skeptic. For instance, does eating organic food really matter? I remember a handful of years ago there was a media assault against organic food and how it really was no more nutritious than non-organic food. Yet those reports barely ever mentioned the greatest selling point of organic food: it contains way less chemicals.

But what about eating seasonally? Thanks to global trade, we can enjoy any single food at any time of year. Does it really matter if you’re eating foods grown locally to your region and in season? What’s wrong with eating bananas or pineapples in winter even if you live in Alaska?

Eating foods out of season and eating foods that aren’t locally grown isn’t a high crime and misdemeanor. But I’d like to share with you some food for thought on why eating seasonally is good for your physical health. And, of course, in season/local is so much better for the environment.


berries

The Health Benefits Of Eating Seasonally

Now that it’s summer you’re probably craving lots of raw foods like salad. This time of year, I love topping my homemade salads with a handful of berries. Strawberry slices are my favorite. Now, I rarely eat cheese. But on the rare occasion that I do, I’ll add a little crumbled feta and the juxtaposition of this creamy cheese with strawberry slices is just heaven.

But there’s more to the benefits of eating strawberries in the summer than the taste. Not only are berries more flavorful now than in winter, they are also higher in antioxidants. The more naturally sweet and fresher the taste, the more disease-fighting plant chemicals are contained in the fruit.

This is super important if you worship the sun. You’ll need that extra dose of flavonoids and carotenoids to help prevent a sunburn—and detox from the previous night’s party perhaps.

Have you ever purchased strawberries in winter from a supermarket and felt like you were getting ripped off? Not necessarily because the price was so high (although now with inflation, that could certainly be the case)… Rather it’s because it had virtually no taste.

The longer produce has been plucked from the ground or the vine, the more it loses its taste and its nutritional quality.


summer foods

Eat Fruit That’s In Season To Avoid Chemicals

While eating strawberries in winter is better for your health than eating a Big Mac, you’d be better off eating citrus fruit in winter, when oranges and the like are at their ripest and most nutrient dense. In addition to berries, another type of fruit I’ll be eating more of this time of year are stone fruits (fruits with pits) like apricots, peaches and plums.

I’m blessed to live in San Diego (with the exception of the ridiculous cost of living) because there’s access to delicious produce year-round because of the long growing season. But even in San Diego, I’ve learned to stay away from certain fruits and veggies at the local farmer’s markets. You can ask the farmers what’s in season if you’re not sure.

Another great way to make sure you’re getting access to the freshest and therefore most nutrient-dense produce is to join a CSA (community supported agriculture). Just like my Organic Green Drink delivery, a CSA will drop off a box of the freshest, in-season produce right to your home.

Think about all the time—and greenhouse-emitting gas—it takes for produce to reach your home. Blueberries from Chile? Tomatoes from Mexico? How does that produce stay seemingly fresh for so long?

The dirty little secret is that many types of produce are sprayed with chemicals like sulfur dioxide and benzoic acid. (Ethical Foods has a great post about the chemicals that are sprayed on produce to keep them fresh. Seriously, just scan the article and you’ll get inspired to buy locally and in season.)


spraying fields

Eating Seasonally Benefits The Soil

Besides all the fossil fuel it takes to get imported produce to market, there’s another benefit to eating in-season and local produce: it’s better for the soil. Monoculture farming, which as it sounds, means that only one major crop is grown like corn, soy or wheat. This practice is terrible for the soil because the soil never gets a chance to regenerate and regrow essential minerals. Not to mention the fact that monoculture farming uses herbicides and pesticides.

But seasonal farming gives the soil a break so that minerals can grow back richer than ever and benefit our health. And the cherry on top is that eating produce that’s grown locally and in-season requires less water.


healthy seasonal foods

Chef V’s 3 Men’s Health Tips: Gift-Wrapped For Father’s Day

Chef V


Brandon and Coco

What better present than giving the gift of health. If you know a daddy or a childless dude that could use a health makeover, give them the gift of an Organic Green Drink subscription. And for a sweet cherry on top, share these 3 men’s health tips, courtesy of “V” herself…

Hey guys, I’m sorry. It’s been a while since I focused my attention on you. With Father’s Day around the corner, it’s the perfect time to dispense some health tips to make sure you’re living your best life. So let’s jump right in…


mens hands with beer

Alcohol In Moderation

Is it gender bias to think that men drink more alcohol than women? I think not. Let’s be honest, guys toss ‘em back way more than the ladies. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m all for enjoying an occasional glass of wine. But I think there are far too many guys out there who are drinking way too much.

Do I really need to explain what the risks are of consuming alcohol excessively? Maybe you won’t end up needing a liver transplant, but drinking alcohol can elevate cholesterol in the blood. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attacks.

Really, I’m not trying to be a buzzkill but it seems to me that because of the increased levels of stress—because of the pandemic, tribal politics, economic hardships, etc.—people in their 40s and 50s are tossing them back like they’re back in frat boy mode.

I would also pay attention to what kind of alcohol you’re drinking, fellas. Many guys I know love beer. I live in San Diego, which has become a microbrew Mecca. The greater San Diego area is home to over 150 craft beer joints (microbreweries).

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying one or two IPAs every now and then. But having a few pints several nights a week can lead not only to high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, it can also cause fatty liver disease.

Even if fatty liver disease doesn’t manifest, all that gluten and empty calories in beer can bloat the belly and cause systemic inflammation in the body. I’ve run into guys I haven’t seen in a few years who used to be thin now appear bloated, with puffy chipmunk faces. I’m telling you it’s the beer! Personally, I think if you’re going to drink, you’re better off having one or two high-quality shots of an expensive spirit like vodka, whiskey or mezcal; something that won’t go right to your waistline.


checking exercise on phone

Get Checkups

Another thing guys tend to do is put off medical appointments. Again, I don’t want to perpetuate gender stereotypes but this neglect of medical care is something I have seen more often in men.

If you’re a guy of middle age, say 45 or older, get an annual checkup that includes basic metabolic blood work for cholesterol, vitamin D, thyroid hormones and sex hormones. This is especially recommended if you’re feeling sluggish. I also recommend getting a full-body scan at the dermatologist. Skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer.

Another type of cancer that affects men and is even more common than skin cancer is prostate cancer. Which is why men 50 years of age and older should get a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test to screen for early detection of prostate cancer. It’s not a perfect test but it’s the best thing most doctors have access to.

Also at the mid-century mark is when guys should think about having a colonoscopy. It’s not fun to think about getting digitally probed but as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.


man doing yoga

Exercise The Right Way

It goes without saying that both men and women need to exercise. Although women do the very thing that I’m about to call men out on, I’m seeing this pattern more often in men. Here’s what I’m noticing… Increasingly, more men seem to be doing very high intensity exercise whether it’s CrossFit, Jujitsu or Ironman training.

Hey, it’s certainly better to train like a warrior than be a couch potato. But some men (yes, and women, too) lead very hectic lives, juggling very demanding jobs. For anybody, male or female, that has a very stressful lifestyle, the object of exercising should be to lower levels of stress hormones, not burn the adrenal glands out.

If you’re a guy with a type A personality and lifestyle to match, maybe you’re better off doing a more mellow form of exercise like yoga or hiking? It’s just food for thought.

And on the flip side, there are far too many great guys out there who don’t devote enough time to staying fit. Not to get all preachy on you, daddy, but if you want to witness not your child’s wedding and your grandkids graduate from high school, you need to start getting regular, moderate-intensity exercise every day.

Eat real food at least 90% of the time and keep a positive, grateful attitude.

Happy Father’s Day!


store - new sign

What’s Chef V Been Up To In 2022?

Jean Yates


Veronica and Brandon

Like most people, Veronica Wheat Kress has embraced 2022.

The entrepreneur behind ChefV.com has been thrilled with life returning to a semblance of normalcy. For her, that has meant a return to in-person yoga classes, golf, running transformational health retreats for women and traveling.


retreat

The first quarter of the year witnessed Veronica making up for lost time. In February, she co-hosted a retreat in Santa Ynez, which is the gorgeous wine and ranch country not too far from coastal Santa Barbara. Veronica cooked every meal for her small group of lady guests, partook in deep-breathing kundalini yoga classes at 6 a.m., went horseback riding, and of course, indulged in a healthy, moderate amount of wine tasting. “We all had an amazing time connecting and sharing supportive stories. It was an awesome, empowering retreat,” Veronica recollects.

Based on the success of the Santa Ynez retreat, Veronica has been busily preparing for another women’s retreat this summer (June 24-27) in the exclusive Hamptons near NYC.

Hamptons retreat

After a trip to Cabo San Lucas in March, Veronica and husband, Brandon, went to Hawaii in April. Because Brandon’s father grew up in Hawaii, luckily, the pair have connections there and have been going for the last 12 years as a couple. This time around was Veronica’s first experience in Maui, where she, as an avid golfer, was stoked to have played at Kapalua’s Plantation Course, one of the most majestic—and challenging—golf courses in the world. Veronica had an amazing time playing there despite the extremely challenging changes in elevation and blustery conditions.


Planation course


surfing

Also on that trip, Veronica and Brandon did something called E-foiling. Picture a surfboard with a submerged boomerang operated by electric power and there you have E-foiling. It’s catching on in the surfing world but Veronica and Brandon tried it out for the first time in the placid water of Oahu’s Turtle Bay, where she says she also enjoyed her one daily indulgence: a Mai Tai.


mai tai

On the business side of things in 2022, things are on the up and up. Veronica has expanded her operations on the East Coast. Her West Caldwell, NJ storefront increased in size, allowing her to take on more orders in the NYC metro area and beyond. She’s even contemplating expanding her San Diego-based warehouse.

And before the year is up, Veronica says she plans on starting her second cookbook, which she promises will be less restrictive than her recipes in Making Cleansing Easier.


store - new sign

Unfortunately, because of the economic climate and inflation, 2022 was the first time in 12 years of running ChefV.com that Veronica and Brandon saw no choice but to raise prices, albeit modestly.

The good news, says Veronica, is that the new prices will not affect legacy or current Green Drink subscribers. And Chef V’s Green Drink plan will remain highly affordable at approximately $7 per day for new customers.

“At farmer’s markets in the San Diego and NYC area, it’s pretty common for juices to cost $10 or even $12 a bottle and they’re not even certified organic like Chef V Green Drink,” says Veronica.

So what’s in store for Veronica in the second half of 2022? Stay tuned…

Veronica Wheat: Chef V’s Rising Media Star

Jean Yates

-> GO TO BLOG HOME PAGE

Veronica Wheat, Chef V

10 Years & Thousands of Green Drinks

The “V” in Chef V usually stands for Veronica, after Veronica Wheat Kress, the entrepreneurial force behind the nation’s first and largest Organic Green Drink and Cleanse delivery program, ChefV.com. 

But after helping thousands of customers easily cleanse their systems and feel healthier, the “V” now stands for visibility—high visibility, that is. 

Having just celebrated a decade in business, “V” as she likes to be called, has positioned herself as an industry thought leader. She’s been featured in numerous interviews, won awards and recently launched her own cooking video series on YouTube. 

Expect to hear, read and see more from Chef V in the future. In the meantime, we thought we’d take a look at some of V’s media highlights over the last few years.

Chef V Featured On Good Morning LALALand

Good Morning LALA Land, is the nation’s first live-streaming daily talk show. Filmed in Los Angeles (aka LaLa Land), the show has received well over 100 million impressions and our own Chef V had the incredible opportunity to showcase her cookbook/healthy living hardcover, “Making Cleansing Easy.”

Not to give the whole segment away, in case you want to watch the 5-minute interview, but V talks about the origins of starting the nation’s first Green Drink delivery business. 

Before launching Chef V, V got her start as a private chef in San Diego. V describes how she literally forced her clients to drink her homemade Green Drink to get an “influx of nutrients” before eating a meal. Demand quickly grew and the rest as they say is herstory. 

Watch V kill it on LaLa Land  


Best Green Drink in New York

Best Juice Cleanse in New York Winner: Chef V

WLNY/Channel 2 New York, NY, a CBS News affiliate, listed Chef V as “Best Juice Cleanses in New York,” stating,

“Chef V offers a three-, five- and seven-day cleanse, a combination of juices and shakes. Everything is totally vegan, certified organic and gluten-free. Serious cleansers might want to check out the 21-day detox, a veritable master plan to get your health on track, combining sensible meals with the signature Green Drink and protein shakes. The aforementioned Green Drink packs—count ‘em—seven greens and apples into the bottle, practically guaranteed to boost your immune system and your spirit.”


Chef V cutting ribbon on New Jersey store

Veronica Wheat  Expands Chef V Operations On The East Coast

In 2018, V expanded her East Coast operations, which for the previous five years was located in NYC. Outgrowing the NYC facility, V opened both a larger warehouse as well as a brick-and-mortar cafe/juice bar in New Jersey to better serve her customers on the East Coast. 

The borough of Essex Fells, NJ is located right next to West Caldwell, home of Chef V’s cafe. Essex Fells Magazine featured Veronica in the publication’s Feb. 2021 issue, writing that shortly after her arrival to the township, “All the Caldwells went crazy with excitement over this super healthy organic product right around the corner from home.”

Read the article here.

Best-Selling Author & Transformation Coach, Chuck Garcia

In the world of personal transformation experts, Chuck Garcia is literally at the top of the mountain. A professor, best-selling author, public speaker and mountain climber, Garcia has coached hundreds of clients, including Fortune 500 CEOs. One CEO Garcia recently interviewed was V. 

Garcia’s interview with Veronica Wheat focused on her leap of faith, scaling up a local meal delivery/private chef business and transforming it into her passion project, ChefV.com. 

Want more interviews with V? Check them out here. 


Veronica's Chef V YouTube channel

Get Cookin’ The Healthy Way With Chef V Life

Hey, when you’re a busy entrepreneur, taking the precious time to produce cooking videos is a luxury. But that’s just what V is committed to. Through her Chef V Life channel on YouTube, V will feature more quick healthy-meal planning tutorials as well as cleansing tips, interviews with customers and much more. 


follow us on Facebook

Meet The Chef: Chef V’s Private Facebook Group

Chef V customers never feel like they’re alone and confused about how to stay healthy. The Chef V Community is a private facebook group personally curated by V, where customers’ questions and concerns are answered directly by V. Customers also share recipes, tips and success stories. 

Here’s to another 10 years of success. And most importantly to V, here’s to lots more people feeling healthier—for life.

Taking A Risk: How Veronica Kress Overcame Fear & Doubt To Expand Chef V

Jean Yates


Veronica and Brandon

Would you take this leap of faith?

In a multi-billion juice market that’s completely over-saturated and dominated by corporate Goliaths like Odwalla, Naked Juice and Bolthouse Farms, you decide to enter the market with only a slingshot to tackle the giants being a recipe for a green veggie drink that a few dozen clients in the San Diego area are addicted to.

In an interview with CanvasRebel.com, a leading forum for small business entrepreneurs, the face of ChefV.com, Veronica Wheat Kress, talks about the giant leaps of faith she took to start and expand her business.

First, the challenge was to launch a business that was already insanely competitive. Before founding ChefV.com, Veronica was a private chef for clients in the San Diego area. Her ultra low-sugar recipe for Organic Green Drink with seven leafy greens quickly gained in popularity beyond her chef client list.


clothes

So why not launch a healthy Green Drink business? Veronica gives credit to the audacious idea to her supportive husband, Brandon, who would eventually help her run  ChefV.com as the CFO.

It’s not easy starting any business. But especially not one with a ton of competition. Juice bars were becoming as ubiquitous as coffee shops; independent and large-chain juice storefronts were seemingly sprouting on every corner.

So rather than squeeze into a crowded marketplace, Veronica, like any entrepreneur worth their salt, saw a unique opportunity.

Bring healthy juice to the people. By offering the convenience of raw, low-sugar, high nutrient-density green veggie juice home delivery, Veronica found a niche. With juice home delivery, customers no longer have to spend time shopping for produce. And no time wasted chopping up veggies and cleaning the blender.

Despite the innovative idea, Veronica realized that if you build it, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will come. In order to scale up a business that has both an online component and a brick-and-mortar storefront, Veronica and Brandon took the risk of spending a significant chunk of their savings on SEO and securing a high-end production facility that doubled as a juice bar to build a local, grass-roots following.

opening a chef v delivery

Veronica expanded her business from Green Drink only to include single- and multi-day cleanses as well as a 21 day detox program with vegan protein shakes and soups.

Once success was achieved in San Diego, the next risk was to replicate the achievement in other nearby high-urban-density areas such as Orange County and Los Angeles. Done and done. From there, in order to expand the client base and better serve customers located on the East Coast, Veronica and Brandon packed their bags for New York City.

Using nothing but instinct and sheer guts and determination, Veronica and Brandon found a commercial kitchen and secured an organic produce vendor before noon on the very first morning in NYC. They also found a tiny apartment and an even smaller kitchen, all 200 square-feet of it.


West Caldwell

The move to the Big Apple greatly expanded ChefV.com’s customer base. But as a result of the growth, Veronica quickly outgrew her kitchen. So another risk was taken when she relocated her NYC commercial kitchen to a 800 square foot facility. But after 5 years, the walls started to close in once again; it was time once again to expand.

Having no clue where to relocate, and once again using instinct rather than being bogged down by statistical analysis, Veronica decided to move outside of NYC to a town in New Jersey she had never even heard of before, West Caldwell. “We couldn’t have picked a better location had we tried,” says Veronica of the move. The affluent area is within striking distance to NYC but because of having more room for a new facility, Veronica was able to launch a wildly successful storefront that features almost two dozen bowls, smoothies and juices, helping her garner a large following in the NYC metro area.

From launching a Green Drink delivery business and securing 100 customers within one month, to expanding and securing dependable delivery drivers and new production facilities, Veronica has been guided by her passion for natural health and her desire to serve the greater good by supplying home delivery of nutrient-and-probiotic-rich Green Drinks, cleanses, vegan recipes and more.

When you follow your heart—and your gut—it makes taking risks easier.

“It’s not all fun and games but at the end of the day when I read glowing customer emails talking about their health transformations, it reminds me of my higher purpose,” says Veronica.


V in kitchen

Yoga for Beginners: What’s the best class to take?

Chef V

From Ashtanga to Yin Yoga and Hip Hop Cardio, there's dozens of different styles of yoga. Chef V has tons of experience practicing and teaching yoga. Here, she recommends the best types of yoga for beginners.

Many people know me as a chef, of course, as well as author and nutritional therapist. But I also have an extensive yoga background. In fact, I’m a certified yoga instructor.

Yoga is so good for you on so many different levels. It is one of the safest types of exercise you can suggest to family, and even the most out of shape friend can gently find a path to better health.

But many people who are new are overwhelmed with all the different types and dizzying amount of yoga information and classes and never take the healthy step and attend a class.

For you and yours, I have some advice….

Best Class for Absolute Beginners

Don’t know a downward dog from a cat/cow? Scared to bend and twist into a pretzel pose. No worries, there’s a yoga style that’s perfect for you. Many gyms like LA Fitness or your local YMCA offer gentle yoga classes. In a gentle yoga class, you won’t feel intimidated surrounded by hyper-flexible, rail-thin advanced yoginis.

Gentle classes are also great for advanced practitioners. Without doubt though, most people who take gentle yoga classes are beginners or those with physical limitations. The great thing about gentle classes is that you really don’t need to be an expert to feel like you’re getting a good workout.

That’s because when you focus on your breath, you can really move a lot of energy through your body. I’ve taken gentle classes and felt an out of this world experience at the end of the class. Your mind feels clear and your body tingles with great energy.

When you try poses that are too difficult, you have a tendency to not breath. That’s why it’s super important that you pick a gentle or introductory class so that you can focus on breathing steady, not on how deeply you can stretch into a pose.

Best Class for Athletic Beginners

Never taken a class but you can easily do 20 pushups followed by 20 jump jacks? Give a Vinyasa class a try. “Vinny” is usually a flow sequence, meaning that one pose logically progresses into another flow. With the exception of a few go-within meditative breathing breaks, a Vinny class is continuous. That’s why it’s not recommended if you’re really out of shape.

For some beginners, Vinny’s fast pace can be overwhelming. However, if you need a breather, nobody will judge you for taking a break. Simply rest in child’s pose (sit on your knees, with your knees hip-width apart and fold over stretching your arms). This is true of any class you choose.

Best Class for Emotional Recovery

Let’s say you just went through a rough break up. Or lost your job. Or something else traumatic. Any type of yoga can help you keep your center. But perhaps the best type of yoga for periods of extreme stress is a Restorative class.

In this rejuvenating class you hardly move. Instead, you use blankets, pillows, blocks and other props and stay in gentle poses for long periods of time. Remember I mentioned the parasympathetic nervous system? When you’re really stressed, you’re activating the opposite of your parasympathetic side, which is your sympathetic nervous system. Although sympathetic sounds nice, it’s not the sympathy you might be thinking about. On the contrary, your sympathetic nervous system is your flight or fight mechanisms. And when you’re going through a lot of turmoil, you don’t need more flight or fight. You need to rest and relax.

Best Class for Type A Personalities

One of the many health benefits of yoga is that this ancient discipline brings your life back into balance. But take a look at what many fast-paced, always on the go people do for exercise. Their exercise routines mirror their type A lifestyle. CrossFit, Mud Runs, intense spin classes, Iron Mans and other triathlons, etc….

Intense exercise is a form of stress. Stress is stress. Therefore, if your life is hectic, you need a Yin yoga for your Yang lifestyle. Try finding a class that’s moderately laid back and focuses on breathing. An introductory Hatha class will stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system. That’s your rest and digest operating system.

If you absolutely need a challenge, try an Ashtanga class. Theoretically, it might not be the best for a type A lifestyle but doing an athletic, advanced style of yoga is better than doing no yoga at all.

Best Yoga Class for Beginners: Conclusion

There are dozens of other types of classes. But these styles above have become very popular and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a class.

To your health,

Chef V

Eat This, Not That … In The Summer

Chef V

Veronica slicing cucumber

Are you stoked to finally be able to gather with friends and family this summer? You should be. After the summer of 2020 deprived many of us of pool parties, backyard barbecues and trips to the ice cream store, we should have a newfound appreciation for these favorite summer pastimes. 

I don’t blame you for celebrating life to the fullest. But before you party with reckless abandon this summer, there’s a danger posed to your health with every summertime gathering. No, I’m not referring to the C-virus; there’s already enough media attention surrounding that … you don’t need to hear it from me, too. 

The danger I’m talking about isn’t potentially lethal like the C-virus, but it can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms better left unspoken at the dinner table. And I’m not talking about the side effects of partying too much. Obviously, chugging beers by the pool under the blazing sun can make you feel like you’re dying. 

traditional Chinese Medicine

Worst Foods To Eat In Summer

What I’m talking about is a 5,000 year-old concept from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It’s called Damp Heat. What does an esoteric ancient philosophy from the Orient have to do with grilling it up in your backyard with friends? 

You see, eating fatty, greasy food isn’t a recent health problem. Thousands of years ago, ancient Chinese enjoyed finger-lickin’ good pork, sometimes to excess. The ancient Chinese philosophers and doctors of their day noticed that just as the air outside can be hot and sticky, eating and drinking certain things in excess can create heat and dampness in the body. 

Not to get too textbook-y here, but the basic theory of Dampness in TCM is that it occurs when there’s too much moisture or water trapped in the body. Anybody who feels like they have swollen extremities (edema) can relate. 

Unfortunately, many of the most common foods and drinks people have in the summer can create excess Damp and Heat in the body. The offenders include: 

  • Dairy (ice cream)
  • Grilled meats (barbecue)
  • Alcohol (beer)
  • Added sugars 
  • Ice-cold drinks

Am I saying you should never have ice cream? No, I’m not that puritanical of a certified nutrition therapist. But what I am recommending is that the next time you get invited to a backyard gathering, don’t have ice cream and 3 beers and 3 burgers. As always, moderation is the key. 

Another thing that Chinese medicine textbooks say to avoid in the summer is lots of raw food like salads. Wait, what? Aren’t salads super healthy and really desirable this time of year? Well, for starters, I sure eat a ton of salads and my digestion is fine. 

But the reason you’re not supposed to eat lots of uncooked veggies, according to the theory, is that it requires a lot of energy for your Spleen organ system to process. In Chinese medicine, the Spleen is the organ that’s responsible for transforming nutrients into usable energy. No double pun intended, but this is an instance where I go with my gut and throw theory to the wind.

summer vegetables

Best Foods To Eat In Summer

Yes, I’m totally throwing salads on this list, despite what traditional Chinese medicine theory says. But by all means, if you notice that after you have a big salad that your digestion is off, maybe dial it down and have a much smaller one. And start taking digestive enzymes.

Here’s some other foods I love to feast on this time of year:

  • Berries (I top them on my salads)
  • Avocado and guacamole
  • Corn (Buy organic; over 90% of the conventional corn grown in the USA is genetically-modified.)
  • Zucchini
  • Melons
  • Cucumber
  • Asparagus
  • String beans
  • Celery
  • Tomatoes
  • Spinach and other leafy greens (I drink leafy greens every morning doing this.)
  • Apricots
  • Quinoa
  • Other low-starch grains
  • Lean fish like mahi-mahi, poke, sashimi
  • Eggplant (Want to get your barbecue on, plant-based style? Grilled eggplant is one of my faves.)
  • Mango (My go-to healthy dessert; I’m only human so sometimes I top it with whipped cream; whipped coconut cream that is!)

Any seasonal fruit and veggie should be high on your list of foods to eat this time of year. Support small family farms by shopping at local farmer’s markets. 

And make sure you don’t overdo it by eating typical summertime unhealthy foods. Not only does barbecued meat have the potential to cause Damp Heat in the body, it also produces Advanced Glycation End (AGE) products in the body. “AGE” is a very appropriate acronym because having lots of AGE products causes premature aging. 

To a happy, healthy summer!

Chef V and tropical green drink

Better than Celery Juice for Headaches

Chef V

headaches and celery juice

A More Affordable And Less Messy Alternative to Celery Juice For Headaches

Some health trends come and go. And some stick around. A couple years after writing about the celery juice bandwagon here and here, it seems like going to the store and stocking up on stalks of fresh celery and making an absolute mess in your kitchen juicing it, shows no signs of slowing down. 

The reason why the celery juice trend is evergreen (no pun intended) is thanks to Anthony William, aka “The Medical Medium,” who I detailed in my article, “Celery Juice Part 1 – Miracle, Hype, or Both?”

The more I’ve read in The Medical Medium’s books, the more I am convinced that he is some sort of natural health savant. And the reason why I wanted to revisit the topic of celery juice is that many people are using it as of late to prevent or cure headaches. And keeping your electrolytes in balance is a better way to keep headaches away.

celery juice and headaches

What Causes Headaches?

You’re not normal if you don’t ever get headaches or migraines. But there’s the thing about these nuisances, which can actually be so intense, they become debilitating conditions…

Headaches and migraines might be common, but they are not normal. If your body is functioning in a state of homeostasis (perfect balance), it’s impossible to get a headache.

The Medical Medium says that there are many causes of headaches. 

That analysis doesn’t exactly make him a genius; almost everybody knows that. 

But there are a few root causes that William offers that your doctor won’t tell you about. Even a functional medicine doctor or naturopathic/alternative/holistic health practitioner may not be familiar with William’s explanations. 

One of the root causes of headaches, according to William, is neurotoxins caused by the shingles virus. Or more accurately, viruses. William claims there are more than 30 types of shingles (who knew?), which itself is caused by inflammation of three nerves in the body: phrenic, vagus, and trigeminal. 

Another reason headaches are a frequent occurrence these days isn’t just because stress has gotten worse. 

William says the reason headaches are common stems from toxic heavy metals in brain cells. Mercury and aluminum impede the brain’s circuitry flow. This inefficient electrical impulse firing causes the brain to heat up, which requires you to use more energy to process information: “How do I use this damn TIVO? Frickin’ A … my head is killing me.” 

Yet another cause of headaches William alludes to is no shocking revelation: dehydration. A lack of oxygen from “dirty blood” causes the liver to become sluggish, William says. Despite the popularity of keto diets, William says that high-fat diets, coupled with a sluggish liver lowers oxygen levels in vital organs such as the brain. 


shingles, celery juice, and headaches

Can Celery Juice Cure Headaches?

The Medical Medium doesn’t outright say that celery juice is a cure for headaches. If he did say that on his website, he would likely get a warning letter from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). But William—or his attorneys—is expert at dancing around health claims. The Medical Medium website has a disclaimer that’s over 300 words long, or six times longer than the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. 

“Drinking celery juice daily in the way I recommend … is so important for these health problems and so many other chronic illnesses and symptoms for these undiscovered reasons and many more,” William says. Notice he doesn’t say that celery juice can cure headaches or chronic diseases. If he could, he would, but he can’t so he smartly tiptoes around the health claim. 

But you have to be careful drinking celery juice. People tend to go overboard with things, even when it’s something healthy. Drinking a lot of celery juice, some people report, actually may cause headaches. How much is too much celery juice? It’s hard to say, but let’s just say several stalks a day may not keep the doctor away. 

Blending For Headaches

If you’re not stoked about how expensive celery juice has gotten (thanks in big part to The Medical Medium) and how messy it is, there’s a far easier solution. 

The Chef V Organic Green Drink Plan delivers directly to your front door a weekly supply of cold-blended juice, consisting of 7 leafy greens.

Imagine getting your daily dose of antioxidants and not having to go to the supermarket every other day and worrying about using all your produce before it goes bad. And just picture all the time and energy you’ll save by not having to wash your veggies, chop them up, blend them and clean them. 

And don’t get me started about cleaning your juicer after juicing celery! That itself will cause a headache!

Many juice cleanses are just high-sugar fruit juices in disguise. All that fructose spikes your blood sugar. And when your blood sugar levels are all over the place, guess what happens? 

That’s right, you get a headache!

But my Green Drink contains only 3 grams of naturally-occurring sugar per 8 oz. serving. 

So save yourself the headache of juicing celery everyday. Instead of supporting your health with just one veggie, get 7 nutrient-dense greens per serving. 

LEARN MORE

Chef V and kale

How Long Does (And Should) Organic Green Drink Last?

Chef V


Time is of the essence. A perfect looking piece of green kale—one of the 7 leafy greens in Organic Green Drink—has just been plucked from the ground. As soon as produce leaves the mineral-rich cozy confines of healthy soil, it starts losing nutritional value. 

In this article, Chef V explains the optimal shelf life of juices made from dark, leafy greens—and the most nutritious method to make green drinks. Think your store-bought juice is healthy? You may be in for a surprise!

centrifugal juicer

above, commercial centrifugal juicer

Centrifugal Juicers

Centrifugal juicers extract juice at super fast speeds. Where’s the harm in that? After all, if you have thousands of customers, you need fast production. The problem with warp-speed juicing is that the high velocity of the juicer creates a tremendous amount of heat in the juicing blades. 

When it comes to cooking oils and produce, there’s no greater nutritional killer than heat. The heat generated in the metal blades of conventional centrifugal juicers destroys some of the enzymes in the oranges (and green leafy veggies, in the case of mega corporation green juices). 

Another problem with juicing produce is that the high heat causes oxidation. Oxidation is the chemical reaction that turns a partially-eaten apple that’s left out into a brown, unappetizing, rancid-looking piece of rubbish.  

Chef V blending

Cold-Blended Green Drinks

When I decided to take the plunge as an entrepreneur over a decade ago, I was committed to providing the most nutritious green drink available. And what I discovered was there was indeed a healthier way to turn a bunch of the healthiest dark, leafy green veggies into a juice—without losing any of the nutritional value. 

You don’t have to have a degree in chemistry to figure out that cold-blending is a technique that involves no heat. Therefore, all the enzymes, nutrients and phytochemicals in the leafy greens are preserved. Cold-blended juice is basically as close as you can possibly get to having a salad with the same leafy greens. 

Yes, speed is sacrificed with the cold-blended process. But my motto with Chef V isn’t “Over 1 billion Green Drinks served.” I may not be able to whip up a juice at 10,000 revolutions per minute like a conventional chain juice bar. But taking only a few seconds to achieve salad-level nutritional quality will most likely never be a reality, at least not in my lifetime. 

Thankfully, however, juicing technology has come a long way. Here at Chef V headquarters, we have some of the biggest and most powerful industrial juicers available. The powerful technology of modern blenders allows us to make your Green Drink fresh—without any nutrient-zapping heat!

Raw Vs Pasteurized Juice

The other raging debate in the world of juicing involves unpasteurized (raw) versus pasteurized juice. Now don’t get me wrong. I think Louis Pasteur was a genius for the invention of his eponymously-named method to rid food of harmful bacteria. But pasteurization was introduced in 1863—long before modern refrigeration greatly eliminated the threat of becoming ill because of food-borne microbes. 

Juice sold in supermarkets has to be pasteurized by law. But pasteurization kills the beneficial bacteria in the dark, leafy greens. When you purchase veggies from a supermarket, they are not pasteurized. So why would you want to consume pasteurized kale, chard, collard greens, lettuce, parsley, and dandelion greens? 

The pasteurization process also denatures some of the natural enzymes. But hey, if you like your bottle of juice to be able to sit in your fridge for several weeks, go ahead and purchase pasteurized juice.

Some juice brands proudly claim that they use flash-pasteurization. This is an ultra-fast method of killing microbes. But the truth is that all types of pasteurization involve nutrient-killing heat. Yes, there is also something called cold pasteurization, but I don’t know any juice companies that use this method. But according to this research article, even cold pasteurization leads to the inactivation of enzymes in the food and extends the shelf life.  


tropical green drink

How Long Should Green Drink Last? 

How natural does it seem to you that a bottle of juice can stay preserved for weeks? Do you think that’s how Mother Nature intended us to eat? Sure, refrigeration is a modern convenience, a miracle really. But no nutrient-dense green juice should be viable for weeks. 

Cold-blended ORGANIC GREEN DRINK stays fresh for up to 7 days. You can think of CHEF V GREEN DRINKS as direct to consumer. When you buy brand-name juice, you’re most likely consuming a high-sugar, nutritionally-dead food. (Well, if not totally dead, then nutritionally in a coma.)

Pure and Clean Ingredients

With CHEF V ORGANIC GREEN DRINK, there are no preservatives, fillers or GMO ingredients. It was my mission when I launched my company—and will always be—to provide the seven leafy greens as close to their nutritional value that Mother Nature provides. 

What’s in your juice? 

To your health, 

Chef V


green drink plan on sale

Enhance Your Detox With These Enjoyable Treatments

Chef V

older woman hiking

In addition to our Green Drinks there are other great ways to enhance your detox. Some of them can be done – with precautions – at a day spa, at private appointments, or at home. Here are a few of Chef V’s favorites….

Embarking on a 21 day detox will be one of the most transforming journeys of your life.

If it’s a struggle for you to stick to a healthy eating plan, our cleanses and 21 Day Detox will motivate you to eat healthy long after your cleanse is over.

If you’re reading this because you tried every gimmick under the sun that only had short-term success at best, like the Master Cleanse Detox diet, I understand your cynicism.

But please read on….

I, along with the Chef V team, will be with you every step of the way to support you.

My mission is to make it as easy as possible for you to breeze through. Whether it’s the 3-day intro cleanse or the 21 Day Detox Obsessive.

Our Green Drinks, Protein Shakes, Detox Soups, meal plans, and recipe book will nourish and guide you.

But there are other things you can do to support and enhance your cleanse.

Let’s take a look at some tips for a better cleanse. (They’re certainly more enjoyable than a strict master cleanse detox.)

To be sure, if you don’t follow any of these tips, you will still see great results from following our Cleanse and Detox programs.

stomachache

Enhance Your Detox: Colon Hydrotherapy

I’ll admit something. For those unfamiliar with colon hydrotherapy, the idea might sound not so, well, appetizing.

Here’s basically how colon hydrotherapy (also known as colon irrigation) works:

Save You lie on your side in the fetal position. A colon hydrotherapist ever so gently inserts a tube into your colon. Don’t worry, it’s not painful. Next, you sit up with your feet flat on the table. Then, gallons of water gush into your colon. The water navigates up towards your intestines.

After a short while, you will feel pressure. Before it becomes unbearable, the hydrotherapist will pull out the tube. Then, the detox flush occurs.

You can actually watch your toxic waste pass through the tube. This process repeats a few times during the average hydrotherapy session, which lasts about an hour.

I wholeheartedly believe in doing occasional colon hydrotherapy. Especially if you struggle with constipation, bloating, low energy or skin problems.

Your colon is a muscle and it needs to work out every day. So if you’re only going #2 every few days, the muscles of the colon wall weaken.

And as you can imagine, when you don’t poop regularly, toxins accumulate.

Keep in mind that staying hydrated is vital when doing a hydrotherapy session. Your therapist will likely discuss with you how much to drink (at least a half gallon) before the session. In addition, you’ll also need to fast for at least a few hours before.

Moreover, you’ll need to watch what you eat before your session. In the days leading up to and after your hydrotherapy session, you gotta eat clean. It’s the same with a Chef V cleanse or detox.

Although you may think that’s obvious, consider this unbelievable fact: I know people who actually ate a bacon cheeseburger the same day as their hydrotherapy session!

detox

Enhance Your Detox: Sweat Your Butt Off in a Sauna

Ah, shvitzing in a sauna … sounds more relaxing than having a tube stuck up your bum, huh? Though personally, I’d rather have a colonic instead of doing a master cleanser detox diet.

Indeed, soaking in a sauna is not only relaxing, it can also help you detox.

Byproducts of metabolism seep out your sweat pores in a sauna. This dietary waste includes lactic acid and uric acid. Your body also stores fat in the toxins. When you profusely sweat, toxins deep down under the skin move up closer to the skin surface. Keep sweating and some of these toxins escape to the nearest exit, which is out of your skin.

Sitting in a sauna also improves your blood circulation. And when your blood flows better, toxins can move the elimination organs more effectively. In fact, if your blood flow is stagnant, it’s not that different from a sluggish colon imitating a backed-up septic system.


steam

Enhance Your Detox: Open your Pores With Steam

Spending about 20 minutes or so in a steam room is another satisfying spa routine for detoxing.

Who says cleansing has to be a pain in the butt (no pun intended)?

Steam rooms for detoxing works for the same reason that saunas help purify your body. The main difference between sauna and steam is humidity. Saunas produce dry heat while steam rooms feel like a tropical, well, steam bath.

Here is how a steam room can help you detox. The hot steam can increase your metabolism even if it’s temporary. And once you start sweating, this means that toxins are coming out your pores.

In addition, there’s another benefit of steam rooms. They open your mucous membranes. This is a great thing if you battle with congestion frequently.

Another benefit of steam rooms is you’ll lose weight. However, it will be all water weight.

As a side not about weight loss, remember this: when you step on a scale, your weight is not telling you the whole story. What you want to feel is lighter and thinner and more energetic.

However, if you’ve got a wedding or event for which you want to squeeze into a tight-fitting dress, losing a few pounds is a bonus. Just remember to rehydrate!


facial

Enhance Your Detox: treat yourself to a facial

Spending about 20 minutes or so in a steam room is another satisfying spa routine for detoxing.

Who says cleansing has to be a pain in the butt (no pun intended)?

Steam rooms for detoxing works for the same reason that saunas help purify your body. The main difference between sauna and steam is humidity. Saunas produce dry heat while steam rooms feel like a tropical, well, steam bath.

Here is how a steam room can help you detox. The hot steam can increase your metabolism even if it’s temporary. And once you start sweating, this means that toxins are coming out your pores.

In addition, there’s another benefit of steam rooms. They open your mucous membranes. This is a great thing if you battle with congestion frequently.

Another benefit of steam rooms is you’ll lose weight. However, it will be all water weight.

As a side not about weight loss, remember this: when you step on a scale, your weight is not telling you the whole story. What you want to feel is lighter and thinner and more energetic.

However, if you’ve got a wedding or event for which you want to squeeze into a tight-fitting dress, losing a few pounds is a bonus. Just remember to rehydrate!

Enhance Your Detox: treat yourself to a massage

How can I almost forget enhancing your cleanse by getting a massage! It’s yet another oh so satisfying way to detox. I recommend it at least once a month if you can budget for it. Getting a massage releases metabolic waste from your tissues and improves your blood circulation.

Got any other tips for a better detox? Do you think these detox tips are better than the master cleanse detox? Got any detox cleanse recipes you’d like to share? Contact us below or post a comment on our Facebook page.

To your health!

Chef V

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Digestive Bitters: Don’t Be Sad If You’re Bloated, Get Bitter

Chef V

older woman hiking

If your belly feels like you’re in the first trimester of pregnancy after a meal, don’t get down, just get bitter, digestive bitters that is. Chef V highlights a handful of her favorite bitters. 

I’ve been bitter these days. No, it’s not because of the new scary variant (“scariant”?) or anything like that. I’ve hopped on the bitter bandwagon because lots of my lady customers are of a certain age that let’s just say brings changes. 

And when the changes come, one of the first symptoms to manifest is compromised digestion. When your hormones are out of whack, it gets more difficult for the body to detox. It also becomes more difficult to lose weight and keep it off. 

That’s why I recommend digestive bitters for any age really, but especially for mature ladies. 

image above is of Gentian, an edible bitter herb

bitter face

What Are Bitters? 

Out of the roughly 10,000 taste buds tickling your tongue, you’re probably only getting a steady dose of sweet and salty. Unfortunately, that’s the American Standard Diet for you. 

Maybe if you eat a little yogurt, your sour taste buds will spring into action. But out of the five tastes our tongues can detect—savory is fourth—if it’s a slimmer belly and weight loss you want, seek out the fifth taste: bitter. 

There’s a good reason why the back of your tongue is reserved for bitter taste. If your bitter buds were in the front of your tongue, you’d have a perpetual bitter beer face. (Remember that funny commercial?) In fact, the four other tastes are peppered throughout the tongue. But it’s only bitters that are relegated to the back of the tongue, which, fun fact, is technically considered a digestive organ. 

We have an innate recoil response towards bitter food. Would you stuff your face with a head of the radicchio or an endive? No. But that doesn’t mean we should avoid bitters. Digestive bitters are bitter-tasting herbs that people have been using for thousands of years for bloated bellies and other digestive upsets.

red beet hummus

Chef V’s Favorite Bitters

Kale and dandelion are a couple of my favorite bitters. That’s just one of many reasons they are staple ingredients in CHEF V ORGANIC GREEN DRINK. 

Now, my next favorite bitters aren’t necessarily meant for weight loss, but they do have a part in a balanced diet: dark chocolate/raw cacao and red wine. Isn’t it nice to know that if a little square of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine is your only indulgence, it’s actually a very healthy one? 

If you want to experiment with digestive bitters, the best ones for bile production and metabolism that I recommend are:

● Citrus peel

● Ginger root

● Milk thistle (You can buy this as a supplement; take it if you drink alcohol because it’s great for liver detox!)

● Gentian root

● Chicory root

● Wormwood

Oh, and how can I forget the most widely-used plant-based bitter on the planet: coffee? Personally, I don’t drink coffee, but I’m certainly not going to judge you if you do. I don’t think coffee is good to drink when you’re trying to cleanse. But if you have a cup or two every day, it may even do your body some good. But I recommend cold-brew coffee instead of hot as it’s 60% less acidic and is much easier on your esophagus and digestive system.
In fact, women who drink coffee have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than women who don’t drink it. 


coffee

Conclusion

If you’re having trouble with weight management and no matter what you’ve tried, nothing seems to work, try adding more digestive bitters to your diet. There are several others, from broccoli to grapefruit, arugula and lots more. 

So don’t worry and don’t get mad if your digestion is off. Just get bitter.

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Cleansing In A Winter Wonderland

Chef V

Veronica, Brandon, Coco on beach

It’s easy to do a cleanse in August, or RAWGUST, as Chef V calls it. When it’s warm, eating lots of light, raw foods like salad seems so satisfying and appropriate for the season. But in mid-winter, what are you supposed to do if you’re looking to give your digestive system and liver a fresh start? Chef V dishes out the tips for winter cleansing…

It will probably come to you as no surprise that most of my customers begin a CHEF V CLEANSE or 21 DAY DETOX in the summer. When it’s so hot you don’t even feel like eating and certainly not cranking up the oven to 425 degrees, it’s simple to go raw. 

But how can you give your digestive system a reboot and stay warm in the winter? This is the time of year when we crave starchy carbs like mashed potatoes, pasta and bread. 

For carnivores, the dilemma gets even more complicated. Freezing cold weather leads to cravings for red meat. But if your elimination is sluggish, eating a steak is like throwing more toilet paper into a backed-up toilet. 

The good news is that you can gently detox your digestive system with these smart winter cleansing hacks…

detox tea

Winter Detox Tip #1: Warm Yourself Up From The Inside Out

When you’re following a cleanse program like this one, it’s a good idea not to exercise too hard. That’s because you’re going to be consuming less calories than you ordinarily would. So it’s best to take it easy whether you’re just doing a 1 day cleanse or a 3-day or 5-day one. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t crank up your internal thermostat without hardcore exercise. 

One of the easiest ways to quickly go from frozen to toasty warm without moving your body all that much is through kundalini breath of fire exercises. Just do a search for kundalini breath of fire for beginners on YouTube and you’ll come across several free videos. 

These breathing exercises involve short and powerful inhalations and exhalations and as a bonus, your abs get a workout. Practicing the breath of fire pattern for a few minutes will heat your body up and you might even feel tingly all over. 

You can also do a light yoga posture flow going from cat/cow to downward dog or full sun salutations for 5-10 minutes. 

Another simple tip for staying warm while doing a cleanse/detox in the winter is sipping hot beverages throughout the day. Duh, right? But not just any plain hot tea or water will do. To generate internal warmth, add a dash of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, cayenne pepper and ginger to herbal tea or water. 

And what to do about sipping on Organic GREEN DRINK? After all, on a CHEF V CLEANSE, you drink four of these refrigerated drinks on each day that you’re cleansing. If you’re lucky enough to have central heating in your home, maybe it’s not a problem to drink cold GREEN DRINK. 

But even if your cozy comfy home is set to 72 degrees, just knowing that it’s frigid outside might not put you in the mood for a GREEN DRINK straight from the refrigerator. 

So here’s what I do. In the morning after I wake up, one of the first things I do is pour myself a glass of green drink. I pour it in a mason jar and seal it with a lid to reduce oxidation. I let the jar of GREEN DRINK sit at room temperature for about an hour so it’s not so cold. 

Important side note: Make sure you put the bottle of GREEN DRINK you’re not using back in the fridge right away. Each GREEN DRINK is made fresh and because it’s raw to preserve all the phytonutrients, it has a shelf life of 7 days unlike dead, pasteurized commercial juice that never goes bad.

red beet hummus

Winter Detox Tip #2: We’ve Got The Beet

Beet juice is not a staple in a CHEF V CLEANSE. (You get 4 Green Drinks, 2 vegan protein shakes and 1 Detox Soup with your juice cleanse.) But I feature beets in many of my recipes including red beet hummus. For my customers who want a longer program to reset their metabolism, my 21 Day Detox features some of these recipes with beets. 

So why are beets one of the best winter cleansing foods? The answer is that because of the winter holidays, many people overindulge in added sugars. The excess sugar gets stored as body fat by the liver. If the liver is already overworked, this is bad news. Beets are a cleansing superhero because they protect the liver (this study shows). 

Sure, you can eat beets any time of year. You can add them to summer salads. But in winter, you can add them to a veggie soup.


bone broth

Tip #3: Sip On Bone Broth

Now, with my guided cleanses, I recommend going meat-free for the duration of the 1, 3 or 5 day cleanse and the 21 Day Detox. But if you’re following all my other instructions to the “V” I think it’s perfectly ok to add some chicken bone broth that you can sip on during the day to stay warm. 

If you want to learn how to make your own chicken bone broth, check out my video recipe here. 

Tip #4: Drink Your Greens & Cook Your Greens

In order to support my digestive system, I make ORGANIC GREEN DRINK a part of my daily routine 365 days a year. Even when I travel, I take GREEN DRINKS with me. But in the winter, I also make sure to eat a ton of cooked leafy greens. I sautee the leafy greens in a cast iron skillet with avocado oil. To feel full, I’ll add a scoop or two of healthy grains like quinoa or wild rice. 

Again, the CHEF V CLEANSE includes 4 Green Drinks, 2 vegan Protein Shakes and 1 Detox Soup per day. But you don’t have to do an official Chef V cleanse to give your digestive system some cleaner fuel. 

(But if you do want the quickest transformation then follow a CHEF V CLEANSE…) 

Eat a few servings of cooked leafy or cruciferous greens every single day in the winter. The healthy fats in the avocado oil and the clean-burning carbs from the quinoa, brown rice or quinoa will keep your tummy satisfied and give your digestive system a break from all those Christmas cookies and eggnog. 

To your health, 

Chef V

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Chef V Predicts 2022’s Top 5 Natural Health Trends

Chef V

Veronica, Brandon on beach

Move over yogurt, kombucha and DIY sourdough bread. Y’all were so 2020. OK, so those three aren’t going away anytime soon. But what will be the biggest health trends next year? Chef V gazes into her crystal ball and offers her predictions for the biggest natural health trends of 2022. 

It’s been a whole year since I made health trend predictions. And I bet you dollars to gluten free, apple-cider-vinegar donuts that 99 out of 100 people wouldn’t remember what I predicted for 2021. Chances are, some of the biggest natural health and food trends of 2022 will be the same as I predicted last year: low-carb diets, prebiotics/postbiotics, mushrooms, vitamin D and adaptogens. 

So I could have pulled a fast one on you by just rehashing last year’s article. Of course I wouldn’t do something disingenuous like that. But in case you didn’t read last year’s predictions, you can do so here, after reading 2022’s predictions. Without further ado, here’s what I’m seeing for next year’s top trends…

gut health

Top Natural Health Trends 2022 #1: Armoring Up

All five predictions I made for 2021 (see above) relate to supporting the immune system. I don’t know about you but I sure miss the days when worrying about the immune system was just a seasonal issue. 

But the silver lining today is that if you’re more health conscious than you were before, the global health crisis has probably made your immune system stronger. 

Because of the pandemic, more people are focusing on armoring up their immune system. That means eating a zero-added-sugar-diet, doing intermittent fasting, and the other recommendations I made last year. 

“Armoring up” also means taking gut-health supplements like probiotics because 70% to 80% of immune cells are in the gastrointestinal tract. Supporting your immune system 365 days a year isn’t cheap. It requires budgeting if you plan on taking immune-support supplements like zinc, vitamin D, quercetin, Chinese herbs, etc. 

I’d rather spend a little less money on entertainment and more on things that will support a robust immunity all year. Instead of paying for cable TV, splurge on a yoga retreat and armor up with immune supplements. 

robot meat

#2: Robot Meat

Is lab-produced meat coming soon to your supermarket shelves? The future may be sooner than you think. Today.com says that Artificial Intelligence or AI is helping food companies create things we could have only dreamed of a couple of years ago. 

For example, one food technology company is perfecting a vegan dairy doppelganger. In other words, it’s a protein that looks and tastes identical to dairy protein yet 100% plant-based. 

AI will likely introduce faux eggs that if we didn’t know it, we’d swear it was from a backyard hen. The company behind the vegan eggs found a way to isolate a protein from mung beans to create the chicken-free eggs. 

Today.com also references a company using AI to make a vegan milk that “froths, foams and blends just like dairy.” The plant-based milk is made from pea protein and cabbage juice, and other vegan ingredients. 

I’m conflicted about these lab-created foods. On one hand, reducing the number of animals exploited for their meat seems humane. And in comparison to factory farming, fake meat and other engineered vegan food seems at first glance much more environmentally friendly. 

But I also believe, even as someone that’s about 97% vegetarian, that animal products provide ecological balance—if the meat and dairy are raised in a way that I predict will be another huge health trend in 2022. See top natural health trends #5, below.

golden milk

#3: Functional Beverages

People need something more fun to drink than plain, purified water. Even a regular cup of coffee and tea are in need of an upgrade. With more people working from home, experimenting with water, coffee and tea has become an art. And it’s not just the taste people are altering. It’s the nutritional quality. A functional beverage means that it’s a drink with added ingredients that may (or may not) provide extra health benefits. 

For example, coffee or tea with mushroom powder. CBD-infused seltzer. Golden Milk. 

As for ways to make drinking water more palatable, add cucumber slices and infuse the water with little pieces of strawberry. It’s like drinking spa water. Have you ever been to a spa that offers this first-class treatment? Treat yourself to spa water at home.

And if you want a functional beverage with some of the world’s most nutrient-dense veggies on the planet, try Organic Green Drink. It’s great for breaking your intermittent fasting or replacing breakfast. It gets delivered to your house fresh so you don’t have to shop, chop and clean up. 

#4: Veggies From The Sea

If you eat sushi and have a kid who loves roasted seaweed snacks, then eating sea veggies is nothing new for you. But most Americans never eat any sea vegetables such as seaweed and kelp. 

And that’s too bad because sea veggies are ounce for ounce the most nutrient-dense substances on the planet. They are super rich in minerals. Because of stress and the typical American diet, most people don’t get enough minerals. 

I predict that seaweed snacks will continue to rise in popularity. But I also think that we’ll see more fresh seaweed products featured on supermarket shelves in 2022. For my vegan customers, I highly recommend kelp because it contains phytonutrients that are really hard to get without consuming sea veggies. 

#5: Regenerative Agriculture

I’m totally in support of 100% plant-based diets. But I’m also a realist. We will likely never live to see a future where everybody swears off eating meat for good. So we may as well support animal products that are grown in the most environmentally-friendly and humane way possible. And this is what regenerative agriculture is all about. 

Already, I’m seeing more vendors at local farmers market advertise their 100% grass-fed beef products as having been produced using regenerative farming practices. In a nutshell, “regenerative ag” increases soil biodiversity and organic matter. This creates healthier soil. The majority of the food that you eat is grown in soil that is lacking in minerals. Healthier soils are better able to resist the detrimental impacts of climate change such as flooding and drought. When we eat any food grown in soil using regenerative agriculture, be it animal- or plant-based, we consume the nutrients from that healthy soil. 

I previously wrote about regenerative agriculture here if you want to learn more about it. I predict we’ll be hearing much more about it in 2022. 

To a happy, healthy 2022!

Love, 

Chef V

Swap-Out Makeover: Ingredient Swaps for a Healthy Winter

Chef V

swap out makeover

The smallest things matter the most and in this case, small changes can make a big difference. Simple ingredient swaps this fall and winter will help you stay on track while eliminating at the feeling of indulgence guilt. Whether it’s an appetizer or a dessert, these easy changes will help you avoid that pesky holiday weight gain we all hate.

And we promise, you won’t even miss the butter or white flour, in fact, a lot of the time these substitutions will enhance the flavors of your favorite dishes. We’re here to help you make being healthy easy and we can’t wait to see what you cook up this holiday season.

pumpkin skin mask

pumpkin skin mask

Chef V

Beyond Sustainable: How Regenerative Agriculture Will Heal The Planet

Jean Yates

Veronica working from home

If you’re really worried about climate change, first of all take a deep breath and know that everything is going to be ok. But in order to curb greenhouse gas emissions, we need food-growing solutions that are beyond sustainable.

I’m sharing what I’ve learned about regenerative ag with you because I’m concerned about making sure that my Green Drink company supports healthy agriculture. And I want you to know about it as well.

Chef V’s Commitment to Healing the Planet

Next time you eat a salad or enjoy a Green Drink, I really want you to reflect for a moment on where your food came from and how it was grown. And the best way to do that is to think about your gut. 

You see, if you have a healthy gut, that means your large intestine is populated with lots of friendly bacteria from a wide variety of strains. 

It’s the same thing with soil. In order to provide you with abundant nutrients, the veggies you eat have to be grown in healthy soil. Unfortunately, the majority of the soil where our broccoli, sweet potatoes and other veggies is grown is mineral-deficient. The same goes for dairy and meat. Personally, I hardly ever have regular dairy or meat, but if I did, I would only consume it where cows are grazing on grasses grown with beyond-sustainable farming techniques such as regenerative agriculture, which I’m about to explain in just a little bit. 

But most of the dairy and meat comes from cows that are trapped in industrial feedlots. Or, if the cows are given access to fresh air, they graze on mineral-deficient grass. Grass contains beneficial nutrients such as Omega-3 essential fatty acids. So when you’re consuming conventional dairy or meat, you’re hardly getting any of those beneficial nutrients and you’re taking a gamble on your health with inflammatory issues.

It’s no wonder that more and more people are having digestive issues and health problems. If we’re eating food, even if it’s something healthy like kale, that has been grown in poor soil, we’re eating mostly dead food. 

And it’s not just our health that suffers when we eat food grown in poor soil. The health of our planet suffers as well. But if every farm on this planet switched to regenerative farming techniques, we could feed our gut with food that’s rich in vitamins and minerals and all those other amazing phytochemicals that aren’t listed on food labels. This would not only make us healthier, it would make our planet healthier. 

Veronica farmers market

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

How does having healthier soil improve the ecological health of the planet? Well, regenerative ag may actually help reverse climate change by acting as a carbon sink. This means that this beyond-sustainable farming technique can remove excess carbon that otherwise would get released into the atmosphere. If we’re able to remove CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere, the theory goes, the planet will not warm to the accelerated levels it has been.

So what is regenerative ag? According to California State University at Chico, it’s using farming methods and ranch management techniques that restore degraded soils. “By rebuilding soil organic matter and soil biodiversity we significantly increase the amount of carbon that can be drawn down from the atmosphere while greatly improving soil fertility and the water cycle,” CSU-Chico explains. 

This is not meant as an insult, but many people are so out of touch with how food is made. Before I started Chef V, I was one of them. I had no clue about modern food cultivation practices like tillage. 

Tillage basically uses equipment to dig deep down into the soil—up to 10 inches—

before crops are planted. This allows for farmers to effortlessly plant more seeds. Tillage is sometimes necessary to plant new crops in a new season, but the practice is too pervasive and kills fertile soil. 

In fact, Regeneration International predicts that within 150 years, there will be no fertile soil left unless farmers adopt regenerative ag practices. 

farmer with regenerative ag soil

How Does Regenerative Farming Work?

The 7 certified organically-grown veggies in Organic Green Drink are farmed the old-fashioned way without large-scale industrial farming methods that strip nutrients away from the soil. 

Thankfully, modern farming equipment makes it easy for people who grow food to use no-till regenerative agriculture methods. This is essentially how food was grown starting about 12,000 years ago. Besides no-till, regenerative ag methods include crop rotation, composting, and fertilizing with animal manure instead of toxic pesticides. 

What is Monoculture Farming?

Take a look at the produce in a conventional supermarket. There’s a good chance that most of the veggies on display were cultivated using monoculture farming techniques. As the name implies, a monoculture farm only grows one crop like soybeans. Is this a bad thing? Mostly, yes. 

And the reason why comes back to your gut bacteria via the bacteria in the soil. You see, when only one type of plant is grown in a field, the ecological diversity of the soil becomes unbalanced. When you add tillage farming to monoculture farming, you get a recipe for dead soil. 

How Popular is Regenerative Farming?

Even though it’s really the original way people grew food, it’s only now making a comeback. The number of farms that are using beyond sustainable growing techniques like regenerative ag are still a drop in the bucket in comparison to conventional and factory farm operations. 

But the good news is that corporate food is beginning to wake up. The giant food conglomerate, General Mills, for instance, announced that by 2030, it will use regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres of farmland. 

blueberries

Healing The Planet With Regenerative Ag

Now I don’t want to bore you with more technical details about regenerative ag. I just wanted to introduce the concept to you, so that when you purchase food you can make the most informed decisions to best support your health. 

The lesson here is that conventional farming practices need to go back to their roots. And from what I’ve read, the good news for farmers is that regenerative ag is more economically viable. The bottom line is that if we want to decelerate global warming, not even sustainable farming will cut it. We need beyond-sustainable farming, where carbon is sequestered in the soil and won’t escape into the atmosphere. 

What’s needed on a massive scale is the restoration of Earth’s soil to capture all those greenhouse gasses that are heating up the planet. And the way we get there is by growing food through regenerative agriculture. 

Veronica green drink

CBD for Pets? Don’t Give Until Reading This!

Chef V

CBD for pets - Veronica and Coco

CBD for pets? Got a furry friend that’s in need of some healing? Whether it’s anxiety or arthritis, seizures or nausea, or even cancer, pot for pets has gotten lots of attention lately. But before you dose your dog with cannabis compounds, here’s what you need to know….

I would personally need to take CBD for anxiety if I couldn’t spend lots of time with Coconut, my absolute best friend in the world (no offense, hubby, Brandon). Luckily, being my own boss, I can bring Coconut with me to work.

But what about when I travel abroad? I’m sure Coconut isn’t as content not having us around. And what about when Coconut inevitably gets to 10 or 12 years old and begins suffering from arthritis? How is he going to live to the ripe old age of 18 pain-free? (I’m projecting longevity- and health-consciousness on him.)

I’m not giving Coconut CBD now, but I want to know about it. Does CBD oil for pets work? Is it safe for Coconut to take if he needs it one day?

Cats and cbd oil

CBD For Pets: Miraculous Anecdotes, Limited Research

I’ve heard miraculous stories about pet owners giving CBD tincture to their dogs or cats as a last resort.

In one case, I saw a segment on the Today Show in which a pet owner said her dog was diagnosed with cancer and given two months to live. After spending thousands of dollars on traditional remedies like prescription drugs, she gave CBD oil a try. All she did was add a few drops of CBD oil to her dog’s food. The dog’s owner swears that after being on the brink of death, the dog is now cancer-free.

And on CNBC, I watched a video in which a pet owner claims his dog’s seizures were cured because of CBD oil. Moreover, his doggie, who previously had very little appetite, was devouring all the food. All for the cost of about $40 a month.

However, before you start dosing your dog with CBD, keep in mind that there are possible side effects. CBD oil may indeed be a miracle worker for some pets. But there have been relatively few studies done on CBD and pets. So until there are large studies, we can’t say for sure that it’s perfectly harmless—or effective.

coco and green drink

CBD For Pets: Possible Side Effects

Before I would  ever start to give Coconut CBD oil, I would research it thoroughly. I decided to take a look into the research and possible side effects.

The good news is that there doesn’t seem to be any really serious side effects. The American Kennel Club lists dry mouth, low blood pressure and drowsiness as possible side effects. But that’s only in the case of large doses.

CBD seems to be way safer than medications given to pets. Reported side effects from prescriptions for pets include kidney and liver damage.

One preliminary study suggests CBD can curb inflammation that causes allergies in dogs. Another small study shows CBD prevents convulsions and has anti-epileptic properties in dogs, while this study demonstrates that industrial hemp oil (CBD) is effective for pain-relief in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA).

CBD and pets analysis

CBD For Pets: Dosage

In the above studies, a dose of CBD oil at 2 mg per kilogram of the pet’s weight, given every 12 hours was used.

However, one of the studies suggests getting your pet’s liver enzyme values tested (especially ALP), if your pet starts taking CBD products. This is because dosage standards have yet to be established.

My recommendation is that if the tincture dose says 5 drops, start off at a lower dose like 2-3 drops. That’s probably what I would do if I ever gave it to  Coconut.

Where to Buy CBD For Pets?

Even in California, where recreational pot is now legal, a veterinarian can’t write your furry friend a prescription. You have to get it yourself from a dispensary. There are some products that are veterinarian-formulated. If I decide to buy some CBD for Coconut, that’s what I’ll look for.

I’ll also make sure the product is organic. It’s bad enough when we eat food that’s laden with pesticides. But small fluff balls like Coconut are even more sensitive to agricultural sprays.

cbd legal states

Quality Matters

And keep in mind your pet deserves high-quality stuff. I’m fully aware that having a pet is like having a kid. Pet food can be just as expensive as buying organic food for a child. But you wouldn’t feed your kid TV dinners every night, would you? Keep in mind that a dog or cat requires food that has a moisture content of approximately 80%. Do you know what the average moisture content of dry pet food is? Try 15%. That’s why I try to mix raw, wet food with Coconut’s dry food.

I realize I’m on a tangent here, talking about pet food. But with buying a CBD product, it’s the same thing. If you buy a cheap CBD dog treat, it’s probably not going to have much positive effect on your dog’s health. In fact, it may not have much CBD at all.

Make sure you can confirm that the CBD product you purchase (I think tinctures are best) for your pet has a verified amount of CBD. The high-quality products will include 3rd-party verification.

One final piece of advice: make sure whatever CBD product you buy is very easy to measure the dosage. You want a CBD product that not only is effective but one that also won’t make your pet lethargic.

To your furry friend’s health!

Chef V

Chef V, Coco and 21 day detox products

So Many Types of CBD! What’s The Best Kind To Use?

Jean Yates

So many types of CBD! Biker uses cream

CBD, which comes from cannabis but doesn’t get you high, is supposed to ease tension. But with so many different products and kinds, choosing which CBD to take can induce a headache. Chef V breaks it down for you…

Are you CBD-curious but totally confused by all the different types of products with it? And are you totally confused by the different kinds of CBD to take? 

I don’t blame you. A few years ago, I was totally intrigued by CBD. Being a certified nutritional therapist and passionate devotee of all-natural healing, I was determined to learn more about it. 

After talking to some people I know who tried it and claimed CBD helped ease anxiety, I tried it myself. But back then, CBD was in just about everything, from shampoo to toothpaste. The CBD bandwagon was out of hand and the green gold rush was on. 

The problem was that the therapeutic effects of CBD are only felt if the CBD is of good quality. But there have been lots of shady business practices in the CBD business over the years. The general rule of thumb is that if you see a product with CBD sold at a gas station for cheap, don’t expect miracles. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. That doesn’t mean the more expensive a CBD product is, the better it is. But you get the idea…

There are still plenty of substandard CBD products out there. CBD is unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so anybody can claim that a certain product contains X amount of CBD and you can be left holding the bag. 

But in this article, I’ll tell you:

  • What type of hemp extract is considered therapeutically the best (CBD comes from the hemp plant)
  • What’s the best product for specific health concerns
  • And what to look for in a reputable brand

Before we dive in, however, let me give you a mini crash course on CBD just in case you’re still not 100% sure what it is. 

CBD oil by mouth

What is CBD? 

It stands for cannabidiol. CBD is an extracted molecule from the hemp plant. Hemp belongs to the cannabis family of plants. Marijuana is also a plant from the cannabis family. CBD is in marijuana but it doesn’t get you high. In fact, CBD counteracts the psychoactive properties of THC, which is the most abundant chemical in marijuana. 

CBD is actually the second-most abundant molecule in marijuana, and is just one of over 100 molecules that have been discovered in cannabis. These 100 or so molecules (I think it’s 134 that have been identified to date) are known as cannabinoids. 

Cannabinoids are phyto- (plant) chemicals that helps stimulate a system in your body that’s responsible for keeping you healthy and balanced. That system is known as the endocannabinoid system. 

When you get hurt, your endocannabinoid system springs into action to help relieve the pain. The problem is the effects of each receptor in this system is very short lived. That’s why some people believe CBD is helpful in keeping the endocannabinoid system going strong. This is especially true if you have anxiety or lots of stress. 

In 2018, industrial hemp became legal under federal law as an agricultural commodity. That means hemp pants might be back in style soon, for the first time in like 300 years. CBD comes from industrial hemp and contains a tiny amount of THC. But it’s such a small amount you won’t feel it. 

CBD gel capsules in hand

Different Types of CBD

When it comes to the different types of CBD, here are three terms you’ll hear a lot:

  • Broad spectrum
  • Full spectrum
  • Isolate

If you’re going to start using CBD on a regular basis, it’s best to know the difference. CBD isolate contains no THC. If you’re one of those rare people who get a contact high from pot from someone smoking 500 yards away, then maybe CBD isolate is right for you. Remember, CBD has trace amounts of THC. So if you work for the CIA and don’t want to risk being nailed on a drug test for THC, you may want to start with CBD isolate. 

But for most people, I recommend not using CBD isolate. Broad spectrum also contains no THC. But it does contain other cannabinoids like CBN. In hemp extracts, CBD is by far the most abundant cannabinoid.

However, the trace amounts of other cannabinoids has a synergistic energy that works with CBD. This is called the “entourage effect.” People who swear by CBD believe that these lesser cannabinoids are vital for helping ease anxiety, pain and whatever else is ailing them. 

If you want the full entourage effect, choose full-spectrum CBD. It’s got all the cannabinoids of broad spectrum, plus the trace amount of THC. Just to emphasize again: it won’t get you high, and it’s not the same as medical marijuana. 

So to sum up, the best type of hemp extract in my opinion is full-spectrum CBD. I’ve tried CBD isolate before and it didn’t really do anything. But I’m sure for other people, CBD isolate or broad spectrum has some effect. 

Now that we have our type of CBD chosen, let’s go shopping for some product…

CBD gummies

Best CBD Products

Until I have my own line of CBD—no plans as of yet—I’m not in the business of name-dropping brands. But at the end of this article, I’ll give you some pointers on what to look for when choosing a reputable brand.

Best for Sleep

When it comes to CBD products, gummies are all the rage. And why not. It’s therapeutic candy. What could be more fun? 

But there are a couple things I don’t love about gummies. Most of us consume far too much sugar and most gummies have sugar added to them. Plus, many brands have artificial food coloring. Numerous health problems have been associated with fake dye, especially attention-deficit disorder in kids. 

However, if I had occasional sleeplessness and had success using CBD gummies before bedtime, I’d keep at it. Just remember to brush those teeth before bed and cut down on the rest of your added sugars.

Best for anxiety & stress-relief

When it comes to easing nervous tension and anxiousness, I’m a believer in using the purest form of CBD possible: oil. Also called “drops”, CBD oil is pure hemp extract with nothing added to it other than MCT oil so it can be better absorbed. 

The best way to use full-spectrum CBD oil is to squeeze some drops of it under the tongue and hold it for about a minute before swallowing. This will help with the absorption. 

Warning: the purest of the pure CBD oil tastes super earthy and hempy. You can tell if it’s good quality stuff if it smells like weed a little bit. 

Best for soothing achy muscles and joints

I think daily use of high-quality CBD oil is the best for general wellness and mental well-being. But when it comes to taking care of your bod, let’s get topical. In the last couple of years, CBD roll-on bottles have become trendy and I think that’s fantastic. Who thought it would have taken so long for someone to come up with a purpose for roll-on bottles other than masking stinky pits? 

There are other forms of topical CBD like creams, lotions, salves, balms, etc. But you have to look at the ingredients to determine if it’s a good product. 

In addition to premium hemp extract, there should be many other healing botanical helpers like capsaicin, menthol and essential oils to name a few. But don’t expect your pain will miraculously vanish. Topical CBD may work for alleviating or masking pain but it’s not a magic potion. 

And what about trendy bath bombs, you may be wondering? Go ahead and try it. Get your luxury bath treatment on. If it’s a good quality bath bomb, you might just feel blissed out. 

woman looking at cbd oil in bottle

Tips for choosing great CBD

Any reputable brand will get their products tested by a third party and prominently display those tests on their website. Each batch of hemp extract should be tested for heavy metals, pesticides and fungus. And each lab report should show the molecular profile. That means the report will give you the percentage breakdown of all the cannabinoids like THC in the batch. 

By law, CBD can’t have more than 0.3% THC. And when CBD comes from hemp, it won’t contain more than that. CBD from marijuana is not federally legalized.

Conclusion

So now that you know what to look for in a great CBD product, get shopping. Read customer reviews, talk to your friends and experiment. That’s the fun of CBD, and remember, experimenting with CBD won’t get you high. 

Chef V

Can CBD Oil Help You Lose Weight & Feel Great?

Chef V

CBD oil

Move over, coconut. You, too, avocado and olive. The latest, greatest oil I’m making room for in my kitchen is CBD oil. It’s extracted from the marijuana plant, but don’t worry because it won’t get you high. That is, unless you experience the natural high you’ll feel from the relief of pain, insomnia, anxiety, and the other potential benefits CBD oil may offer. Just make sure it’s legal in your state!

A few weeks ago, I described the stress I was experiencing opening a new commercial kitchen in New Jersey.

But hey, it turns out New Jersey ain’t so bad. At least it’s one of the states where CBD oil is legal.

Too bad I didn’t get turned onto CBD oil last month. Brandon (my husband) and I could have really used a squirt of CBD oil in our Green Drinks to cope with the stress.

As a certified nutritional therapist, I could no longer ignore looking into the benefits of CBD oil. Now that we’ve had our grand opening for our new commercial kitchen, I’ve had the time to get back to one of my favorite extra curricular activities: geeking out on nutrition and natural health articles.

Sure, I’ve heard all the hype about CBD oil over the last couple years. But I wanted to see for myself if the glorified testimonials were legit.

Here’s what I found….

Sample Code

Limited Research But So Far Very Promising

If you’re not familiar with CBD, it’s one of over 100 chemical compounds in marijuana. THC is the compound in marijuana that makes you feel high. But CBD itself doesn’t have any psychoactive properties. In fact, it can counteract the effect of THC.

And that’s a good thing, considering that CBD seems to offer the most benefit when it’s combined with at least some THC. But here’s what we know about CBD oil thus far, although there’s a limited amount of research. It helps to:

  • Reduce the number of seizures caused by epilepsy
  • Fights inflammation
  • Lessen the severity of muscle spasms
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Ease anxiety
  • Normalize blood sugar
  • Help treat drug addiction
  • Aid in treating psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia

In addition, preliminary studies on CBD shows it possesses anti-tumor potential. One day, it might even be part of a regimen doctors use to fight Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Another thing that really intrigued me about the potential of CBD I read is its ability to regulate metabolism and body weight. In fact, in one study on mice, it even lowered the incidence of diabetes. Granted that study wasn’t on humans, but, and excuse me if this sounds creepy, the protein-coding regions (the area from which we inherit our characteristics) of the mouse and human genomes are 85 percent identical. So, squeak, squeak, y’all!

Adding CBD Oil to Green Drinks

All this research on CBD is relatively new. That’s because CBD itself wasn’t extracted from the cannabis sativa plant (aka, weed) until just a couple decades ago.

But what if the preliminary research proves to be legit … could CBD help people lose weight?

We already know that certain fats can actually help improve your metabolism. Many CBD oil products contain coconut oil. That’s because coconut oil is very high in fat and CBD is fat-soluble. That means in order for you to absorb it, you need to combine it with fat. Coconut oil contains MCT’s, which stands for medium-chain triglycerides. Perhaps you’ve heard of MCT oil? If you haven’t it’s become popular because it’s good for both your brain and your metabolism.

(Two important side notes: be careful not to eat too much coconut oil if you have very high cholesterol. Also, don’t buy hemp-based CBD products like hemp seed oil because hemp contains far less CBD than cannabis-based CBD extract.)

So this got me thinking….

What if people starting adding CBD oil tincture to Chef V Green Drinks? I really think that adding a little bit of this therapeutic oil has the potential to help you lose weight. Plus, the fat from the coconut oil will help you feel fuller for longer.

In fact, if you’re doing one of my cleanse programs  adding some CBD may even enhance your cleanse. How? For starters, it will help you relax. And also, other research shows CBD can stimulate genes that can help you breakdown fat; increase metabolism and slow down new fat cell generation.

medical cannabis

But is CBD legal where you live?

Truth be told, I’m not going to make CBD oil an ingredient in my Green Drink or feature it in my cleanse anytime soon. Primarily, it’s because according to federal law, CBD oil is still illegal.

But depending on the state in which you live, you might be able to buy CBD oil. I checked this source and here’s what I found….

If you live in these 6 states, where CBD in all forms is illegal, you’re out of luck: Idaho, South Dakota, West Virginia, Nebraska, Kansas, and Indiana.

As for these 16 states, you likely need a legit serious medical condition for buying and using it: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

However, in the rest of the states, you will likely be able to use CBD oil products with no problem. Currently, nine states allow recreational and medicinal marijuana. And 30 states have legalized medicinal pot.

Weed Wild Wild West

Just keep in mind that not all CBD products are created equal. And none are regulated by any federal guidelines (because it’s illegal).

Therefore, if you’re going to buy some CBD oil or any products with CBD (it’s even in lip balm these days), choose a brand that’s been 3rd-party tested for purity and strength. Lots of companies are trying to cash in on the cannabis craze. It really is a wild wild west green rush. And like the gold rush era of the mid 19th century, when lots of people got burned by speculators, lots of people are buying CBD products that contain very little CBD.

I should also mention that if you have a serious medical condition, of course, it’s always best to first check with your doctor or other health professional. And remember, the most therapeutic CBD seems to also include some THC. So go easy and start with a very low dose and scale up gradually.

To your health!

Love,

Chef V

Leptin function

Chef V’s Interview with Rough Day in Showbiz

Chef V

Rough Day in Showbiz interview with Veronica Wheat

Chef V is in the house! This interview has Boss Veronica telling Rough Day In Showbiz stories about dealing with the catch-22’s of morning show interviews, chaotic days producing her own content, having to reshoot all the food pictures for her cookbook in two days, the nightmare of a shipping truck breaking down mid-transit, and her encounters with terrible customers leaving negative reviews on Yelp.

Veronica’s interview also provides excellent nutritional advice and valuable tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. This is a green episode!

On Apple podcasts: https://apple.co/3lD8kXx
On Spotify: https://anchor.fm/rdis


listen to the podcast

Top Ways to Successfully Detox with Chef V

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Thinking about doing a 21 day detox? With most detoxes, sticking with 21 days is a challenge. But we have some great tips for you to make sure you successfully and safely complete a 21 day detox.

Many 21 day detox programs set you up for failure even before they start. They don’t tell you what to eat before the cleanse. They don’t tell you what to eat after the cleanse. And they typically don’t include enough nutrients. When you go several days of feeling deprived, major temptation kicks in. It’s hard to stick to a 21 day cleanse when you have intense cravings. But the rewards can be amazing.

Let’s start with an inspirational story –  Mackenzie (photo above) says: “During my 21 day detox I lost 19 lbs! My BMI went from 24.0 to 16.9! I am super excited for when I do my next detox because I will be doing the expert challenge! LOVE LOVE LOVE Chef V.”

Do a 21 day detox with a friend

Friends help each other stay accountable. It’s much easier to do a 21 day detox if you’ve got a good friend to help keep you in check. Craving ice cream? Your friend can slap some sense into you. Not literally. That wouldn’t be nice of your friend to slap you. But a good friend will help you realize that instant gratifications are false friends. And likewise, you can return the favor. You can remind your friend why the two of you are embarking on this 21 day cleanse challenge. You and your friend can remind each other of the benefits of a 21 day detox, including:

  • Cleansing vital organs and ridding harmful toxins from the body
  • Burning fat more efficiently
  • Feeling more energetic
  • Thinking more clearly (no more brain fog!)
  • Sleeping better
  • Relieving stress
  • Improve digestion
  • Normalize blood sugar
  • Lower bad cholesterol levels

It’s the rare person who would want to take a 21 day camping trip alone. Most people prefer to take a trip with a partner or friend. Likewise, think of your 21 day detox as a journey. It’s always better to travel with a friend to share the experience. A long cleansing program can indeed be a life-changing journey. Many people have miraculously transformed their lives because of a 21 day cleanse. You can safely lose 1-2 pounds a day doing a detox. And you can feel great doing it, as long as you’re doing it the right way. Having a friend to hold your hand, either literally or figuratively, is one way to successfully make it through a 21 day detox.

detox with a friend

Pre-cleanse before your 21 day detox officially begins

It’s extremely important to eat the right foods before your detox starts. Even foods that you might not think are bad for you may make you feel lousy during the detox. But many detox programs don’t even bother to tell you what you should eat before the detox begins. And that’s a big problem. Negative detox symptoms are awful to experience. If you eat lots of junk food before your detox starts, you may experience some of these detox symptoms:

  • Headaches
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Skin breakouts
  • Indigestion
  • Insomnia

Can you see why it’s important to eat the right foods before your 21 day detox starts? In order to avoid these symptoms, here’s a partial list of what you should and shouldn’t eat:

Do Eat:

  • Fresh or frozen whole fruits and veggies
  • Unsweetened milk substitutes such as hemp, rice, almond, coconut
  • Coconut oil
  • Non gluten grains and starches (rices other than white rice, quinoa)
  • Lean, grass-fed or wild animal proteins in small amounts (salmon, organic chicken, grass-fed beef)
  • Legumes (beans)
  • Raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, macadamias, pumpkin seeds)
  • Healthy oils (extra virgin olive, flax, avocado)
  • Healthy drinks (Pure, unbottled water; green or herbal tea, organic green drinks, mineral water)
  • Zero- or low-glycemic sweeteners (Stevia, coconut nectar, yacon)

Don’t Eat:

  • Fruit juices, high-sugar fruits (bananas, strawberries, grapes, oranges)
  • Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant)
  • Starchy grains (white rice, wheat, corn)
  • High-fat meats and factory-farmed animal protein
  • Processed soy (soy sauce, soybean oil)
  • Peanuts and peanut butter
  • Dairy of any kind, even if it’s organic!
  • Eggs
  • Butter and vegetable and seed cooking oils
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Soda
  • Conventional fruit juice
  • Refined and artificial sugar
  • Chocolate
  • Ketchup

Post Cleanse: Don’t fall back into bad habits

 Think the Don’t Eat category is too strict? Maybe you think some of the foods you shouldn’t eat before a 21 day cleanse are healthy? Grass-fed butter, organic eggs, tomatoes. So why can’t you eat those? To give your body the best chance to eliminate toxins, it’s best to take a break from these foods. But don’t worry. After the 21 day cleanse is over, you’ll be able to eat some of these foods again. Who knows, though … you might feel so great, you might not want to.

And after your 21 day detox is over, it’s also important to eat the right foods. In fact, for both at least a few days before and after your detox, stick with the eating guidelines above. Many people mistakenly think that just because they’ve done a 21 day detox, they can eat whatever they want after. But you’ll likely feel awful if you introduce unhealthy foods back into your diet. The same detox symptoms from above may rear their ugly head if you don’t continue to eat clean.

Eating processed grains and cookies and other unnatural foods will quickly backfire on you. You can indulge a little here and there a few days after your detox is over. Think you’ll really miss coffee during your detox? Go ahead and drink one cup after it’s over. You won’t undo all the great things you’ve done for your body. Craving cheese? Have a slice or small chunk (hopefully it’s organic or raw).

Bottom line: pay close attention to the foods you eat before and after your 21 day detox.

Don’t skip the protein!

Many fad detox programs don’t include enough protein. Some don’t include any protein at all. That’s great if you lose a lot of weight during a 21 day detox cleanse. But is it healthy weight loss? If you don’t eat enough protein, you are literally starving yourself. Your body could begin to lose muscle mass if you don’t consume adequate protein.

You don’t need to eat a whole T-bone steak to get your daily dose of protein. But you need a minimal amount of protein for your body to perform its basic functions. A safe, gentle cleanse can include a protein shake. A very easy-to-absorb protein powder is pea protein or brown rice. You can have two protein shakes each day during your detox. Pea protein and brown rice protein mix easily with healthy, unsweetened milk substitutes (see examples above).

Make it a fresh & organic 21 day detox

Healthy weight loss and detoxing your body largely depends on the quality of ingredients. If the fruits, veggies and protein you consume is full of chemicals and pesticides, you won’t succeed in detoxing. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a short 3 day-cleanse, or a 21 day cleanse. Your detox program needs to consist entirely of fresh and organic ingredients. When a vegetable is plucked or harvested from the ground, it quickly loses its nutritional value within days. To solve this problem, we’ve created a safe, gentle 21 day detox program. We deliver fresh, organic green drinks to your door. The veggies are only pulled from the ground a day before you order.

Our 21 day detox delivery program also includes protein shakes and detox soups.

Your chances of successfully sticking with a 21 day detox not only depends on the quality of the ingredients, but the taste and satisfaction. We make it super easy for you and very enjoyable. Learn more about our 21 day detox here.

Chef V Challenge Clinically Proven

Jean Yates
© 2021 Chef V, LLC.