by Christina | Oct 8, 2016 | Wellness
This might ruffle a few feathers. But I think it’s an important topic to bring up, because we live in a world where there is a lot of conflicting information floating around. And a lot of disease, too.
Just because someone is a doctor does not mean that person is automatically right about everything he or she says. Doctors do not know everything. No one knows everything.
When we have a health concern, we turn to doctors for help and advice. We put our health in the hands of an expert, and we trust in that person to tell us what to do so we can move forward.
Don’t get me wrong – doctors have our best interest in mind. I really don’t think anyone would bother going through that much schooling and spend that much money just for kicks.
The thing is, though, that sometimes doctors are wrong. Or maybe not necessarily wrong, but sometimes they don’t know all of the relevant information. Not all doctors are aware of the latest research. Sometimes they stick with what they learned in medical school, which might be outdated, or taught from a very narrow, specific perspective. Or maybe they do keep up with the latest research, but there’s no way for a doctor to do everything he or she has to do in a day while also reading all of the latest research on every single health issue that exists. It’s just not possible.
On the other hand, sometimes doctors are aware that they don’t know the best treatment plan or don’t have the best tools to help you, but they don’t always want to refer you to someone else. Sometimes it’s a pride thing – no one likes to admit that they don’t know enough. Sometimes it’s a money thing – no one wants to turn away money. I’m not saying that this is the RULE – I’m just saying it happens.
I have learned a lot about healthcare in the past few years of my life. When it comes to doctors, the most important thing I learned is how crucial it is for me to be in charge of my own health. I learned not to depend on a doctor to diagnose me or fix me. Yes, a doctor is important. But a doctor is a tool. A crucial tool, but not a black and white answer. I learned it is imperative for me to be as informed as possible by as many resources as possible. It is, after all, my own body. No one is more invested in my health than me.
When I have a problem, I become an expert on it in the hopes of finding a solution without anyone’s help. Obviously, that is not always realistic – especially when it comes to health. I like to fix things by myself when I can. I’m stubborn like that. So when my health issues started, I went to work. I have pulled way too many all-nighters researching my symptoms, my diagnoses, obscure diseases, and any other health info I could find in order to better understand my health and my body. I have read hundreds of books, scientific journals, magazine articles, and blogs about the various health problems I faced. I’ve spent hundreds of hours watching movies and listening to podcasts about those topics, too. I quickly gained a lot of knowledge about what I was dealing with, as well as about diagnoses I hadn’t received yet but expected to.
I quickly realized that I knew as much as, if not more than, many of the doctors I was visiting when it came to my specific diagnoses. And they realized it too. They told me so. I’ve been told multiple times, “I think you know more about this than me…” This was a blessing and a curse. It was a curse because visiting doctor after doctor and realizing that you are just as knowledgeable as that person about a certain topic feels very defeating when neither of you know what to do. I had to jump from doctor to doctor as I searched for someone who could give me valuable information. I needed more than what I already knew. It was a blessing because I didn’t waste my time on doctors who didn’t know enough information to help me. Had I not gone into appointments with my stacks of research, my pages of questions, and my list of tests I wanted, I would’ve probably followed a treatment plan put together by someone who didn’t fully understand how to help me.
I’m very fortunate to have found the doctor I am currently working with. He’s a badass and a genius, and I trust him completely. However, it took me a long time to find him, and I wasted a lot of money on doctors who honestly just didn’t know what they were doing. To be frank, I find most of the issues to be with traditional Western medicine doctors. NOT ALL OF THEM. I obviously have not seen every single doctor in the United States. But I do know out of the MANY I’ve seen, none gave me the help I needed. And I was seeing people who “specialized” in my issues. It was only when I turned to holistic, functional medicine that I found someone who was willing to look at the whole picture from every angle and figure out what was wrong.
I’m bringing this up because a lot of people talk to me about their health, and we often chat about their treatment plans. Many people suffer with the same things I suffered/suffer with – IBS, Candida, SIBO, gluten intolerance/Celiac disease, insulin resistance, reactive hypoglycemia, adrenal fatigue… all of the things. So it kills me when I hear what their doctors are having them do, and I know that it’s not going to help them get better. I never really know what to say. No, I’m not a doctor. But sadly, I might know a lot more than your doctor does about SIBO, for example, simply because I’ve spent hundreds of hours studying it. And if your doctor talked to me, he or she might agree.
Sometimes the problem is that doctors don’t even know about certain tests or diagnoses. People will tell me their symptoms and I’ll say, “Have you been tested for X or Y?? Have you gotten test A or B yet?” The usual response is, “My doctor has never even mentioned that to me. What is that?!” 95% of the times this has happened and that person has gotten tested for what I suggested, I turned out to be right. They usually have to find a different doctor who has actually heard of what I suggested. But when they do, they finally make some progress, because they bring the information to the doctor – not the other way around.
With the SIBO example, I’ve had the experience of being “treated” by one of the top GIs in L.A. Well, I thought I was being treated. Let me back up. First of all, 3 different doctors told me that SIBO is not real. That is incorrect. Second of all, I was only diagnosed with SIBO after begging my GI for months to test me because I was sure I had it. He finally tested me, but the test was performed inaccurately, so the results were negative. I told him I still wanted to be treated (because I insisted the test wasn’t performed properly), so he put me on the treatment plan. I argued with his “plan” based on all of the research I had done myself, but I still went along with it. I was desperate. After some gnarly antibiotics and a ridiculous diet, I felt just as bad as ever. He told me the treatment was done, and I was fine now. No. I FELT HORRIBLE. I had wasted thousands of dollars and months of my life being improperly treated for SIBO.
Flash forward to finding my new doctor. He gave me an accurate test which showed that I did, indeed, have a bad case of SIBO, and he put me on a real treatment plan. One that aligned perfectly with all of the research I had done myself. And it worked.
When I was first having all of my health problems and wasn’t diagnosed with anything specific, I found myself directing my doctors over and over again. I had to tell them specific tests to run, and they would resist. Then they would agree, find exactly what I thought they would, and apologize to me for not listening to me before. Or sometimes they would run tests, tell me they didn’t find anything, and then I would have to show them what the numbers meant. I would bring in my scientific journals and textbooks and explain to them that they were misinterpreting the numbers, usually because they weren’t usually looking at the whole picture. Then they would see my point and adjust their statements accordingly. I felt like a bitch, honestly, but I was sick of trusting someone else with my health.
Putting the digestive examples aside, the same thing happened to me when I was looking for a dermatologist to get laser treatment done on my face. I did a lot of research beforehand, and I literally knew more than a lot of the dermatologists about the different laser options. They would suggest a laser that I knew was old technology or not the best choice for my face, I would bring it up, and the doctor would be visibly shocked about what I knew. I am proud to say that I saved myself from getting my face unnecessarily burnt off and further damaged. Without the knowledge I gained from my own research, I might have just gone alone with whatever the dermatologist said, because we trust our doctors. Right? You can’t always.
Doctors are humans, just like us. They are not God and they do not know everything. They are usually extremely intelligent and do know a shit ton of information, but they are not experts in every single aspect of medicine. It’s just not humanly possible. I’m not blaming any doctors – I just want to put things into perspective. You can be in control of your health and your treatment. If you are struggling with a health issue, I beg you to do research for yourself and figure out what you think you need to do. Then find a doctor who thinks along the same lines as you. And someone who clearly knows more information than what any random person could find on the Internet. You have to be your own advocate. Yes, they went to medical school, but that doesn’t mean you’re just a dud in the room with them. Go in there informed. Your treatment plan should be a conversation – not a one way street. Not you just doing whatever your doctor says, no questions asked, no further research done.
Educate yourself. Look at multiple perspectives. Become on expert on your health. Bring in research and suggestions. I’m not telling you to become a hypochondriac, but if you have a hunch that you have a certain problem, there’s nothing wrong with researching it further and presenting that information to a doctor. You might bring something up that he or she hasn’t thought of before, and you might be right. Just because you are not a doctor doesn’t mean you are useless in the pursuit of your own health and doomed to just wait around until someone fixes you. No one is going to be as invested in you as you are. So do something about it.
by Christina | Oct 6, 2016 | Recipes, Wellness
Is it even fall without a pumpkin recipe?
NOOOOOPE.
There’s been a can of pumpkin sitting on my baking shelf for a few months now, staring at me, taunting me. I have been SO excited to hop into ALL THINGS pumpkin – which started with my most recent fall candle haul, if you didn’t see that extravaganza.
The funny thing is, I didn’t even like pumpkin until about 2 years ago. Yup, I went most of my life without ever even trying a pumpkin pie. It just did not sound good to young, inexperienced Christina. Was anyone else late to the pumpkin game? Thank god I finally tasted a glorious slice of pumpkin pie two years ago – my life changed forever.
Anyways, I’ve had a lot of different cravings recently, so I thought I’d just combine them all into one magical autumn-inspired loaf. First of all, I knew as soon as October hit I needed to make pumpkin bread. I collected all of my favorite pumpkin bread recipes – family recipes, friends’ recipes, Pinterest recipes, other bloggers’ recipes, and I used all of those as inspiration.
But it just wasn’t enough.
I didn’t want to make another basic pumpkin bread. You can find a top-notch pumpkin bread recipe ANYWHERE. There are so many. I wanted to (pumpkin) spice things up, ya dig? (Sorry not sorry for the pun.)
Meanwhile, it’s also been on my to-do list to make a banana bread. I LOVE banana bread, and I actually haven’t made one since I went gluten-free. My mom makes a killer banana bread. She’s famous for it. Like, I’m pretty sure people were only friends with me in high school so they could come over and eat her banana bread.
So I had the urge to make both of these breads, and I was torn over what to make first. Banana bread didn’t necessarily feel seasonal enough, but I wanted it. And regular pumpkin bread was too basic. Soooo what do you do? Combine them, obviously.
At first, I thought it might be a bad idea. Would that even taste good? Then I got a sign from the heavens. When I went on my fall candle shopping spree, I found a new candle at Bath & Body Works – Pumpkin Banana Muffin.
That candle… I have no words. It gives me life. If that wasn’t a sign that a pumpkin/banana combo was a good idea, I don’t know what is. Pumpkin banana bread. Banana pumpkin bread? Not sure which word should come first, but you get the idea. It’s a pumpkin bread and a banana bread all in one! REVOLUTIONARY.
Buuuut I still felt like it needed something else.
I’m basic AF, so one of my favorite things to do in fall and winter is to cozy up with a chai latte. There’s nothing like a warm, rich cup of chai in autumn. The spices pair perfectly with the season.
Hence, I needed to throw some chai in there, too. Just to be fun.
I was kind of nervous about how it would all turn out together, but it’s SO GOOD. This combo nails it in the seasonal-flavor department. You need this in your life. It’s very fall, and it’ll make you melt at the knees if you eat it while it’s warm and top it off with some (a lot of) nut butter. NOM.
This Chai Banana Pumpkin Bread is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, and refined sugar-free! If you’re vegan, you could try using flax eggs in place of the regular eggs, or replace the two eggs with two bananas. I haven’t tried either of those personally, but I’m pretty sure they’d work.
Okay, enough talking. Let’s eat.
Paleo Chai Banana Pumpkin Bread
Makes: 1 loaf
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp each of: ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 1 ripe, mashed banana
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 chai tea bags (I used Tazo)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375*F.
- Grease a loaf pan (9×5 or smaller) with coconut oil.
- Add your almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt into a bowl and mix together.
- Cut open the chai tea bags and pour the tea leaves/spices into the bowl. Mix it all together.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, mashed banana, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix it all together until it’s well-combined and there are no clumps.
- Fold your pecans into the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into your loaf pan. Top it off with extra pecans if you want to be fancy.
- Place it in the oven for about 45-50 minutes. Check if it’s done by placing a toothpick or knife into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, then it’s done!
- When the bread is done cooking, take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes.
- Cut, serve, and DEVOUR!
If you make this, don’t forget to tag me in a photo so I can see! Also, let me know if there are any other fall-inspired recipes you’d like me to create! XO
by Christina | Oct 4, 2016 | Business, Wellness
I’m the type of person who likes to plan. BIG TIME.
I strongly believe that organization is the key to everything. If I don’t feel organized, my brain feels completely frazzled. When my brain feels frazzled, I get nothing done because all I can think about is how frazzled my brain is.
With school starting up again, I’ve had to kick my ass into gear and double down on the organization train. Even if you’re not in school, being organized will help you become way more productive and efficient in your everyday life. Once I got a planning system down, it made a HUGE difference in how many tasks I could accomplish each day. In case you don’t already have an organization/planning routine, I thought I’d share mine with you to give ya a few ideas on how I GET SHIT DONE.
There are 5 main resources I use to organize myself: my planner/calendar, my notebook, Apple Notes, Stickies on my computer, and actual post-it notes.
In my opinion, lists are PIVOTAL if you want to be productive. I’m constantly writing lists. All kinds of lists. If it’s in my head, it needs to be written down on a list. Lists are a great way to sort out everything that’s running around in your head and get it organized. Not only will lists allow you to actually see all of your tasks right in front of you, but it will help you prioritize those tasks. Prioritizing your to-do’s makes everything simple – you just work down your list, one by one.
I’m really into writing things down. If I don’t write things down, I know I will forget them. Even if you’re not forgetful, it’s important to always reduce your cognitive load as much as you can so that you can use as much of your brain as possible on other relevant tasks. I’m not just saying this – cognitive load is a thing. MAXIMIZE YOUR WORKING MEMORY. Your brain can only handle so much at once. Even if you’re not actively thinking about something, having it hang around in there is work for your brain. Even if you don’t realize it.
I also prefer to write everything down rather than type it out when possible because I feel like writing is just easier – I can squeeze things onto lists, I can see everything without having to click on it, I don’t have to depend on technology…you know. I also find it really satisfying to physically cross something off of a to-do list or to mark a day off. Like, BAM. DONE.
Let’s start off with my planner. This is where I do my longterm outlining. Like most, my planner has a monthly calendar, and then it breaks down each week. Yes, I actually use the monthly calendar, and I suggest you do so too. Anytime I make an appointment, anytime I make social plans, anytime I find out I have a break from work or school, I mark it off in my calendar. It’s really useful to have everything laid out so you can see how busy your entire month is. I like to have the big picture in order to avoid accidentally overbooking my weekends. For example, if there’s a weekend when I’ll have zero free time, I need to make sure that the weekends before and after it are pretty open so I can get things done then. If you’re on the quarter system in college, you know every weekend counts.
It’s also a good idea to write things down that are far away so you won’t forget about your commitment months later when it’s coming up. I don’t use the calendar in my phone very often because I like to see my plans directly under the dates. I don’t want to have to click on something to see what it is. Does that make sense? I do use the calendar on my phone to transfer information, though. For example, I’ll make an appointment at the doctor’s office, put it in the calendar on my phone, then copy it down into my real calendar when I get home.
Moving onto the weekly part of my planner. At the beginning of each week, I write down everything that’s going on that week so I can visually see it all laid out. I refer back to my monthly calendar to fill in blanks and make sure I’m not forgetting anything that I planned a long time ago. Once I fill in appointments, meetings, work, and other obligations, I plan out which days I’m going to do specific assignments for school, blog posts, and podcasting. This also helps me create my daily to-do lists later on, which I’ll talk about in a sec. I also schedule in when I’m hanging out with my friends. Yup, I schedule it all in. I even schedule in bulk-cooking! It really helps me get an overall sense of what my week will be like so that I can see when I’ll have free time (if any), and which days are going to be super crammed. This helps me figure out if I can afford to make additional plans throughout the week. If I have things that need to get done that week but I’m not sure which day I’m going to do them, I just stick them at the top of my planner so I see those tasks every day. If I have extra time one day, I’ll move something into my weekly plan.
I also like to write quotes or reminders to myself at the bottom of my planner. It might sound corny, but it’s good for me. I look at my planner constantly, so I know I’ll see it. Something I write often is, “Do something for yourself every day.” It’s a really important reminder for me to put myself first. Even if it’s something small like painting my nails, watching a few YouTube videos, or reading a book for five minutes, it’s so important for me to do something that’s not “work” related. Something that makes me feel good. TRY IT.
Every night before I go to sleep, I make a to-do list for the next day. I have one notebook where I keep weekly to-do lists, and another notebook where I keep daily to-do lists. My weekly to-do list is literally just a list of things, in no order, that have to get done at some point that week. Whenever something pops up in my brain, I write it down. Schoolwork, calling someone, buying something, planning an activity, googling something… it’s all just jumbled on there. I then use that list to fill out my weekly planner and my daily to-do list.
When I make my daily to-do list, I start off with the things I do every single day. I write down even “small” tasks so I don’t forget anything. I also include small tasks so I have more items to cross off of my list so I feel like I’m accomplishing a lot. Trivial items that go on there regularly: meditate, answer emails, workout, post to Instagram, cook X, clean Y. After I have those on my list, I copy down what’s in my weekly planner for that day. Then I look at my to-do list from the previous day. If I didn’t get to something, I put it on my list for tomorrow. If it looks like I still have room, I take an extra from my weekly to-do list and stick it on there.
I cannot sleep without making my daily to-do list. I don’t like waking up not knowing what my plan for the day is. I used to waste a lot of time deciding what to do, when I could’ve been actually doing something. When you go into your day with a prioritized, clear plan, you’ll get a lot more done because you won’t have to make any decisions. I just work my way down my to-do list as the day goes on.
I use Notes on my phone to write random things down that I need to remember when I’m not near my planner. Every night when I’m making the rest of my lists, I check my Notes to see if I need to transfer anything onto my weekly or daily to-do list. It’s basically a temporary storage unit. I also use it for lists that I might need while I’m out and about, because I don’t like to carry my planner with me. For example, I always keep a running grocery list on there. I also have a long-ass list of restaurants I want to try so I always have a reference.
When people see the Stickies on my computer, they usually say… “Holy shit.” Yeah. It’s pretty crazy on there. I have a lot going on in my brain, so I use Stickies to write it all down. I use Stickies to make lists that aren’t to-do lists – lists that will be there for awhile. Things that don’t necessarily need to be crossed off. For example, I have a sticky for blog post ideas, one for recipes I want to make, one for movies I want to watch, one for TV shows I want to watch, one for my Wish list, one for things I want to buy when I have money, one for books I want to read, one for random things I want to google in my free time… It’s just a huge pile of lists. I also like to use Stickies for future to-do lists that are metaphorically too “big” to be put into my planner. For instance, it’s only October, but I have a sticky called “Things To Do Over Winter Break.” This will eventually be referenced when I’m making my to-do list for winter break.
I also have a sticky for really longterm goals that may or may not happen. Like, my dreams. I think it’s really important to write those goals down so you see them and remember what you’re working toward. I don’t want to lose sight of the big picture. It keeps me grounded.
Lastly, I use actual post-it notes. These are to make really specific lists that don’t deserve a whole page in my notebook. For example, I’ll write down talking points for a phone call. Right now I have a post-it on my desk with all of the things I need to discuss with my mom the next time I call her. LOL. I know, this might sound ridiculous, but it makes the conversation more productive.
I also use post-its to break up my larger to-do’s into smaller ones. For example, say my to-do is “work on blogs.” I’ll make a post-it with each blog topic and then divide each into smaller tasks – take pictures, edit pictures, write post, edit post, Instagram photo, post to FB page. Then I can keep that post-it up all week and refer to it when I need to. I also use post-its just to write things down that I want to make sure I see often. If I see an important quote that gives me the feels, I’ll put it on a post-it. If I have a to-do list that I need to bring with me, I put it on a post-it instead of carrying my whole planner or notebook with me. I usually stick it to the back of my phone or fold it in my wallet so I won’t lose it.
PHEW! That was a lot. It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s really not. Organizing my life ahead of time saves me so much time in the long run. Planning is the key to success. Even if you don’t get everything done, at least you have a direction to go in, and you won’t forget any of your tasks. You won’t waste time deciding what to do next, and you’ll definitely never get bored. If you’re a student or you have a job (most of the population), then you need to get organized! People complain about not having enough time in a day to do things, but if you schedule it all in, you will have enough time. Taking five minutes to plan out your next 24 hours will save your brainpower for the next day, and you’ll be so much more efficient because of it.
Do you have any amazing organization or planning tips? Let me know! XO
by Christina | Oct 1, 2016 | Wellness
Your life is about to change.
It all started one night as I loopily walked out of my weekly massage in Santa Monica. Post-massage, I can barely tell what’s going on around me. I’m way too relaxed. As I walked to my car, I saw the vibrant colors and bright lights of an ice cream shop, and some fabulous looking sorbet-ish dessert in the hands of everyone exiting. I had no idea what it was, but I assumed it was just your average ice cream shop because A) any place that is aesthetically pleasing is usually not allergy-friendly and B) if it was allergy-friendly, I would have already tried it.
Then I saw the door. “Dairy-free.” My eyes widened. My ears perked up. What was this magical place?! I entered through the door and read the sign. Gluten-free, dairy-free soft serve made from frozen fruit. I looked at the ingredients. ALL FRUIT. NO ADDED SUGAR. I looked at the toppings and melted a little inside. It seriously seemed too good to be true.
The man behind the counter happily asked if I wanted a sample, and I obviously did. I sampled the Coconut & Cacao flavor, and my taste buds practically exploded. I was so tired, I honestly felt like I must have been dreaming. I vowed to come back.
Even when I eat dessert that’s gluten-free and dairy-free, my stomach still usually hurts pretty badly afterward. I have a really annoying reaction to sugar – my body doesn’t like it. I expected to feel some pain after that sample, but NOPE. I was shocked. It was so delicious. And so healthy. How had I not heard about Frozen Fruit Co before?! Why was I not there every week?!
I did my research and found out that it had opened up relatively recently. That made me feel a lot better, because otherwise I would have MAJORLY missed out during my last four years in Los Angeles. Frozen Fruit Co is a hidden gem on Montana Ave, and I’m shocked that this place isn’t exploding with customers already. Of course I had to go back and get the FULL scoop. (Pun intended.)
Frozen Fruit Co is owned by a lovely couple, Michael and Victoria, and I had the pleasure of chatting with them and getting to know a bit more about them. Michael and Victoria were lawyers in the UK, and they’ve always had a massive sweet tooth. That love of sweet treats inspired them to toy with the idea of creating a soft serve made simply from frozen fruit. They figured out how to do it, perfected the recipes, and launched a business in the UK. But they knew that it would really thrive in a place like sunny Los Angeles. So they made it happen.
I’m so happy they traveled all the way across the pond to open up a shop here. SO WORTH IT.
First of all – ambience. It’s perfection. The vibrant, vivid walls set the mood for the explosion of flavors you’re about to encounter. The walls were actually accidentally painted purple – but they saw it, loved it, and went with it! I love how colorful the entire shop is and how bright and cute the cups are – it’s the decor version of happiness and positivity.
They serve four flavors, and they’re all to die for. The flavors rotate every so often, and they’re even developing exciting new seasonal flavors for the holidays (YES, PLEASE!). It’s not froyo, and it’s not ice cream, so they’re calling it FroFru. I dig it. FroFru is DEFINITELY my new obsession.
The problem with a lot of sorbets/froyos/soft serves/etc. made purely from fruit is that they have a pretty thin consistency, or they’re icy. NOT THE CASE AT FROZEN FRUIT CO. Their FroFru is THICK – moreso than most non-dairy ice creams I’ve tried. Even thicker than some dairy ice creams. It’s extremely flavorful, and you would never guess there’s no added sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, you will not be disappointed.
I’m also obsessed with the flavors because they’re so inventive. These are not your typical frozen dessert flavors. The first night we went, the flavors available were Coconut & Cacao, Raspberry & Orange, Alphonso Mango, and Strawberry.
My ultimate favorite is the Coconut & Cacao. This is unlike any chocolate dessert I’ve ever had. If I want chocolate ice cream, I have to have Coconut & Cacao FroFru. It’s AMAZING. If you love chocolate and coconut, you will die over this. It’s rich without being sickening like a lot of other chocolate desserts, and it has an amazing texture…you really need to try it for yourself. My friend Alison and I left with huge pints to bring home, because we literally couldn’t get enough.
Raspberry & Orange is probably my other favorite. It’s really tart, which I’m obsessed with. What I love about all of the fruity flavors is that they’re not just straight raspberry, straight strawberry, etc. They’re each a combo of different flavors to create something totally unique. Alphonso Mango tastes like Hawaii. And Strawberry has an exciting pop of flavor from being blended with apple and peach – it’s incredible.
Update: They just released their first seasonal flavor….BANANA PUMPKIN SPICE. I’m dying. Going there tonight because I have to have it ASAP.
The toppings bar at Frozen Fruit Co is INSANE. Peaches, strawberries, blueberries, mango, banana chips, carob chips, chocolate chips, granola, shredded coconut, mochi, sprinkles, almonds, mixed nuts, dried cranberries… They even have edible flowers. COME ON! They also have an amazing peanut butter drizzle, chocolate syrup, and passion fruit syrup. Everything is amazing. And you can get your FroFru in a cup or a cone, of course.
First of all, the servings are very generous, which makes me extremely happy. You get more than your money’s worth! Also, Victoria is a pro at putting on toppings. It’s very impressive. Michael and Victoria are experts at giving suggestions for toppings – they know exactly what pairs best with each flavor. If you’re super indecisive like me, ask for a recommendation!
This is what dessert is supposed to be. It’s delicious and guilt-free. Anyone can enjoy this, no matter what kind of food restrictions or allergies you have. There’s nothing offensive in the ingredients. You’re not negatively impacting your body in any way, unlike most other conventional desserts. If you enjoy a sweet treat, I know you’ll love it here.
Michael and Victoria have created not only delicious desserts, but they’ve also created the ideal dessert atmosphere. Their radiant energy and positivity make FroFru taste that much better. I seriously wish I could hang out at the shop 24/7.
So…WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Get over to Frozen Fruit Co ASAP, and thank me later. XO
by Christina | Sep 28, 2016 | Wellness
There’s nothin’ I love more than a good pun.
And there’s DEFINITELY nothing I love more than a blog with a punny name, written by a woman who is so incredibly inspiring it kind of physically hurts. This week I’m featuring a blogger babe I’ve admired for a long long LONG time – Kate Van Horn from
Kalein It! (Moment of silence for her blog’s name. I’m obsessed.)
How gorgeous is she?! If you’re not already following Kate’s
blog and
Instagram, you’re SERIOUSLY missing out. I first found Kate through
Instagram (typical), and was immediately captivated by her charm, positivity, realness, and GORGEOUS photography. You know me and food photos. So I wandered over to her bloggy, and the rest is history. I don’t know how else to phrase it, but Kate is a kind soul. That might sound like a strange thing to say, but that’s what comes to mind. It’s rare for me to think that about someone. She just gets it. She’s also straight-up
cool. She has an incredibly inspiring story, and I’m in awe of the way she maintains balance in her life. She’s not afraid to be raw and honest about personal things. I dig it. Aaaand obviously she has KALE-ER (get it?!..HA) recipes that are healthy and oh-so-divine.
Kate and her friend also just made a huge announcement…They’re throwing an incredible wellness festival in Philadelphia in Spring 2017! It’s called GOOD and will feature amazing speakers and trainers from the wellness world, as well as extremely delicious food. The event’s going to be fun, chic, and def a day to remember. I’m literally trying to figure out a way to fly across the country to make it – that’s how fab this sounds. Click here and here for more info.
Alright, who’s ready for the interview?!
Tell me a bit about yourself so my readers can get to know you!
I’m from the Philadelphia Area! I live about 15 minutes from center city, in a smalllll town. I grew up here – and ventured to Arizona for college. Now, I’m back on the East Coast, but envy all the great eats and beautiful weather on the West Coast!
I worked in marketing in an agency setting before starting my blog. I worked in the pharmaceutical industry marketing for drug developers and biotech companies. It wasn’t resonating – (I dig holistic health and plant-based food) so I left! Now, I blog and do freelance social media work.
I also recently launched an online membership called
GOOD with my friend, Jess, and we are currently planning a wellness festival in Philadelphia. (LA and NYC are great, but we need great healthy eats and sick fitness classes too!)
Tell me about the beginning of your blog! What inspired you and how did you get started?
Yay! I love this story because it’s far from “pretty”. I started my blog because I was in a really, really shitty place. I have a history of anorexia, depression, anxiety, PTSD, blah blah blah. I hate going into the history, not because I’m ashamed but because I’m not defined by them. I was depressed, felt unworthy, and knew I needed to change some things.
Tired of the labels, and frustrated with my ever-changing moods and poor body image, I took to yoga and started to eat better. And by better I mean vibrant, whole foods that allowed me to feel energized and confident. I didn’t count labels or worry or obsess, I used what I had learned in various treatments and worked really hard to solidify a healthy relationship with food. I learned that being compassionate to myself and being more conscious of how my food was sourced not only made me feel better physically, but mentally.
I’ve always loved writing, and honestly I dreamt about blogging for a long time. I started cooking, enjoying the creativity behind it and loved the marketing and branding of a blog as well. It’s all so much fun to me now, and it amazes me that the reason I even had time to start a blog was because I was in treatment to manage my depression and just needed an outlet.
I’m obsessed with the name of your blog. How did you come up with it?!
Thank you! The name started with my IG name. I had to include kale because my friends knew me for always making “those gross kale salads”. I wanted it to be punny, because food puns are great. I was talking about it with a friend of mine and I started singing “she be kalein ’em, she be kalein ’em” and she died laughing. We tried to think of new things and they NEVER stuck like “kalein’ it” did.
Now, “kaleinit” means a bit more – it means thriving. Feeling so damn good about yourself, you are kalein’ life and defining yourself on your own. I believe kalein’ it is living a well-balanced life you’re proud of, while not taking yourself (or labels from society) too seriously.
You’re very open about your ED recovery, and that openness is one of the things I love most about you. What advice would you give to someone who knows they are or thinks they might be suffering from an ED?
Thank you!! It’s certainly something that has connected us, and I love that you are the same. There need to be more women as open! As terrifying as it is, it unites us, it protects us and our recovery because it keeps us accountable, and it encourages others to look at their eating habits or hopefully ask for help!
My advice would be simple: BE WILLING. Your success with recovery is a direct reflection of your willingness to recovery. I wasn’t willing for the longest time, even with some of the best care available to me. It wasn’t until I decided, enough. It has to hit you, it has to come from the heart, and you’ll know when you’ve had enough. I know that affirmations, setting boundaries and all that other “recovery stuff” works too! It does! But it starts with your willingness first.
What’s been the most difficult part of recovery?
For me, it was feeling again. Not to sound too deep or out there, but when I was deeply absorbed by my eating disorder I didn’t feel anxious or sad. I didn’t feel much anger (unless it was at the scale). I was kind of a zombie. I also missed out on the joy and beautiful moments of life too. When I got rid of the eating disorder, I was left to face real life stuff without healthy coping mechanisms and tools! Luckily, because of my willingness I learned them – and cooking, creating, writing and sharing my story have absolutely become some of them. But it was odd at first, and uncomfortable. A journey for sure!
What’s your “food philosophy,” and what led you to it?
Label less. I can’t stress it enough. I make plant-based food for my blog, but I have a no rules diet. I like foods that make me feel balanced – not just body, but mind and mood. I’ve found that the less refined sugar, dairy, meat, eggs, and gluten, the better for me. But… shit happens. Life happens and I’m certainly no poster child for veganism. It’s the niche of my blog and the ideal way I like to eat, but I like to be open minded. I certainly wouldn’t want to be told how to eat, and therefore I don’t tell anyone else!
What’s your exercise routine like?
It’s SO random. When I first started yoga I did it religiously and really got wrapped up in the ego of it. I was too worried about inversions and arm balances. Now, it’s super simple, mostly meditation and done at home. I also love barre classes, I like to go for super long walks with some podcasts and my pup, and I’ve been challenging myself to go for runs. I’m far from a runner, but it just feels good, even if I look ridiculous or it’s not my strength!
What first got you interested in yoga?
I’m honestly not sure what led me to my mat. At first, I just needed something. Again, I was in that really dark and vulnerable place. I went to treatment intensively to tackle my trauma for over 3 months in a reputable women’s program. It was no joke. I came home each day tired, mostly emotionally, but also buzzing from lack of activity and sitting in group sessions all morning.
I turned on a yoga YouTube video and thought why the hell not. I used an old yoga mat I had in the closet for Pilates. I was at the time learning how to be mindful and present, and it didn’t take too many days of YouTube videos to realize that yoga was a very, very mindful practice. I was shocked how calm and how present in my body I felt when I practiced. So I kept coming back. For anyone who suffers from an eating disorder, feeling out of body can be pretty common.
Like I mentioned, I got wrapped up in ego for a bit, but my practice has since evolved, and I’m sure it will again. Yoga seems to do that a lot 🙂 I’m just very glad I found it.
I know you’re all about self-care and self-love. What’s your favorite form of self-care?
Ahhh definitely yoga and mediation. I NEED my meditation sometimes, probably more than my physical asana practice. I also love a good manicure and pedicure because I may be yogi who eats plants but I’m still a “normal” girl! HA 🙂 Honestly a quiet morning with a meditation, a coffee, a dog walk, a good green smoothie, and a good book is pretty much heaven for me.
What’s your favorite go-to, quick and easy meal?
I have never put it on the blog (yet) but I love making what I call ratatouille pasta. I’ve been making it since college. So just brown rice pasta, a good jarred sauce that I doctor up with fresh herbs (that’s the trick! They make you feel fancy and gourmet), some oregano, a little garlic, and some red pepper flakes. Then I mix in sautéed spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, honestly anything I have on hand. It’s hearty and filling but still has plenty of veggies and is ready in 10 minutes.
Do you have a guilty pleasure?
In no particular order… Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, TSC Ask Him and Her Podcast, Actually Adultish Podcast, cruelty free face masks/skin care products, and those really bizarre baby animal instagrams….
3 things you can’t live without?
My dog, cold brew coffee, my blender.
Tell me what your current favorite recipe is!
So hard for me to choose! Food is my life. I go through phases where my recipes have themes or phases of ingredients. I recently went through a cashew phase where I was substituting dairy with cashew. YUM! Truly good if you do it right.
I also just developed a ton of fall inspired recipes for the online Membership I co-created (and JUST about to launch),
The GOOD Society. I LOVED the sweet potato and cauliflower curry I made for the fall addition of The Society, and can’t wait to share it with everyone this Fall season! I also loved the maple tahini grain bowl with quinoa and roasted veggies…
I know you’re drooling, so head on over to
Kate’s blog to find her recipes, life advice, and online shop (she sells the CUTEST shirts!). Huge thank you to Kate for letting me pick her brain! #SHEBEKALEINIT
