A Whole New You.
Recently, "What the Health" has caused quite the stir in the health and wellness world. Challenging us to question almost every delectable thing we've grown to know and love, it broke my heart and left me scrambling for other options.
Fortunately, my answer wasn't far away and came in the form of two words: Tia Mowry. Her book "Whole New You" showed a medium between going to the extreme and going vegan and being blind to habits I needed to change.
Here are 3 reasons to read and become a "Whole New You":
1. It is raw, real, and relatable.
Many of us don't practice or maintain good health because the advice seems too difficult to obtain and comes from people who don't relate to our lifestyles. Tia takes away the doubt of unattainable health with openness and effortless transparency. From her trials with diet pills to her battle with endometriosis, she dissolves the Hollywood pedestal and takes a seat amongst all of us, ready to encourage and empower.
2. It breaks down why good health is important.
People perish because of a lack of knowledge and "Whole New You" makes sure ignorance is no longer a reason for our failing health. In the book Tia states, "we are encouraged to think of food as simply fuel, but it's so much more than that. Every time you eat, you are building your life-creating your next moment, your next mood, and even your future successes. Your choices matter!"
While highlighting the differences between slow and fast carbs, and "foods that heal" like whole plant foods (broccoli, bananas, brown rice) and organic protein, my eyes were opened and motivation began to rise within me. The ultimate kick-in-the-gut was learning how processed foods and dairy cause inflammation in the body. In turn, chronic inflammation can cause diabetes, heart disease and cancer to name a few. Through her words, Tia allows the reader to see the effects of the meal choices they are making, and hopefully create a plan of action to change them.
3. The recipes are yummy!
Now that we have the tools, we can implement them by following these delicious gluten-free or vegan recipes! From "Buttermilk Fried Chicken" to "Crispy Rice Treats" (a healthy twist on Rice Krispy Treats), Tia has a alternative for everything we think we might be missing out on.
In April, Tia took to Instagram as Bailey's Almande Ambassador, and offered a dairy-free, gluten-free "Spring Fling Smoothie" that can easily be used as a sweet summer treat:
2 oz Coconut water
.5 oz Agave
5 frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup of ice
1 oz Baileys Almande (if desired)
Honestly, if you're thinking about diving head first into clean-eating, you might want the full cocktail first (lol).
As Tia says, "being healthy isn't so much about following the perfect set of rules; it's not about making a Herculean effort to achieve some beyond-your-reach state of 'fitness'. Your body is fine, it's more than fine, in fact. Your miraculous body knows exactly what to do-on several different levels of mind-numbing complexity.....Your job is to get out of its way."
Order your copy and take a step towards better eating. I'm glad I did.
Live loved.
Mel
