Plantbased Superfood Drinks On The Go!

Let’s talk superfoods and plant-based protein, shall we? Two words that are essential to a healthy diet. Be it vegan or not, we all need to make sure we are getting enough nutrients, minerals, vitamins and protein in order to thrive. Here’s the thing though. If sticking to a plant-based diet seems hard to some of us, sticking to it while traveling or during those on-the-go moments can seem extremely difficult! One of my tricks is to carry an organic protein drink or bar in my bag. ALWAYS! Why? Well, first of all to make sure I’m constantly nourishing my body and, secondly, to eliminate my cravings in between meals and avoid stuffing my face with the wrong foods. A brand that has made my lifestyle easier is REBBL and its name says it all: Roots, Extracts, Berries, Barks, Leaves. REBBL produces plant-based drinks made with organic superfoods (turmeric, maca, cacao, matcha, reishi, ashwagandha, spirulina), coconut milk, stevia, pink salt and more. As if that were not enough, here are a few other points worth mentioning about REBBL:

1)   REBBL focuses all its practices on promoting sustainability and social impact. They source all ingredients ethically (and provide an interactive traceable sourcing map) making sure the suppliers have local communities in mind and provide them with health care, housing and clean water projects.

2)   Every single one of REBBL’s products is Certified Organic. By refusing to work with GMOs and Pesticides, they are protecting not only our health but also Mother Nature.

3)   REBBL donates 2.5% of its revenues to Not For Sale, an organization dedicated to putting an end to human exploitation and trafficking worldwide.

With 6 different Elixir flavors, and 2 protein blends, REBBL has me head over heels! Literally! I’ve tried them all! And each one is as good, or better, as the last. The ones I carry with me while traveling are the protein blends: Dark Chocolate or Vanilla Spice.  16grs of protein made from peas, pumpkins and sunflowers! Imagine that purity combined with fair-trade certified cacao powder, reishi, ashwagandha, vanilla, stevia and more mouthwatering superfoods!!

The 6 Elixirs are to die for too! Matcha Latte, Turmeric Golden Milk (YES!), Maca Cold Brew (Double YES!!), Maca Mocha, Reishi Chocolate, Ashwagandha Chai. I have to admit, there were a few superfoods I had never heard of but was incredibly happy to add to my diet. Ashwagandha was one of them. It is a powerful super-herb that is used in Ayurveda to support physical health, cognitive function, recovery and relaxation!

You guys can use REBBL’s interactive map to find stores near you and stock your fridge with these holistic drinks!! I honestly can’t wait to keep promoting this brand and other plant-based ones with you to make our conscious lifestyles easier!  xo

Featured as "BEST LIFERS" by VEGA!!

Wow you guys! Speechless once again! I was featured as one of VEGA's "Best Lifers" in June!! No words to describe how thankful I feel right now. VEGA is not only an amazing, delicious and nutritious plant-based protein brand but also the one I use every day! Thus, to be featured on the website of a well-known brand I love, is priceless!! As most of you know, I don't spend a penny on press. Every feature I've been included in has been purely by word of mouth, which makes my journey even more organic and beautiful! So thank you all for that!!

Here's the link to the feature. I hope it makes you smile! Time to live our best lives, guys!!

xoxo

Giving Matcha a try!

You guys might have already seen on Instagram and Snapchat how obsessed I am with coffee. I've been drinking it since I was 16, intensified my dosage when I was in the corporate world, and now I'm trying to get rid of it. Fully! Coffee may smell deliciously and give us the energy boost we need every morning but that does not mean it is healthy for us. Therefore, I've decided to try new things and, while performing my research online, I found the wonders of matcha tea and a company that is taking it to the next level: Matchaful. 

Matcha has 137x the antioxidants of green tea. That's more antioxidants than the levels found in blueberries, pomegranate and dark chocolate! Did you guys know that?! This means that drinking matcha helps our bodies shield themselves from cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol and even aging! As if this were not enough, a daily cup of matcha also provides us with focused and sustained energy throughout the day due to the amino acids found in it. 

Now, the company that is reshaping the matcha industry is Matchaful. It is not only making high-quality organic matcha accessible to consumers, but it is also working directly with tea farmers in Japan to assure transparency and donating 1% of the sales to non-profits that help preserve the health of our planet and future generations. How incredible is that?!

Here's a recipe I made today with Matchaful and my favorite vegan protein, Vega. You can add a teaspoon of matcha to hot water and drink it as tea, or add it to your favorite smoothie bowl or shake. I chose smoothie bowl! I hope you guys enjoy it!

Ingredients:

-1 banana

-1 pack Vanilla Chai VEGA

-1 tsp Matchaful

-1 tsp Diatomaceous Earth

-1 tsp Moringa

-1/2 cup of Almond milk

All in blender, serve and top with your favorite superfoods and fruits. I chose: straweberies, bananas, blackberries, granola, cacao nibs, toasted coconut, hemp seeds and agave. 

Superfood Smoothie Bowl + Coco Cream Recipe!!

Happy Friday, babes!

I've been getting a lot of questions from you guys lately about my everyday breakfast options so I decided to show you what I prepare almost every morning. And I mean literally show you with this step by step video :) Plant-based, organic, fair-trade, easy to make and delicious smoothie bowl with coconut cream and superfoods on top. 

I felt really inspired after I received a call from my doctor yesterday with my annual lab results. Everything is balanced, healthy and normal!! Even my Thyroid hormones!! I’ve had Thyroid disease since I was 7 and had to take pills for over 20 years until a year ago when I decided to switch those toxic pills for natural remedies such as hemp oil! Even my doctor was surprised with my results. The secret? A healthy and delicious plant-based diet!! I first went vegetarian 5 years ago and then vegan over 2 years ago. Best decision I’ve ever made. For our planet and my health!

I hope you guys like this video!

For more recipes, click here. 

xx

Go Vegan for Earth Day?...Tips, Videos and More.

Earth Day is coming up and our planet is probably one of the main reasons why most of us go vegan. Some do it for the animals, others to reduce soil and water depletion, others to help stop climate change, and then there are others who also do it for health issues. Whatever the reason behind it, there’s honestly no excuse not to go vegan or at least try it for 21 days and see how it feels. (I recommend 21 because, as research says, that’s the number of days it takes for something to become a habit/routine).  For me, it was mother earth: Animals and nature. I’ve been a big fan of them since I was little. Saving cats, mice, lizards, frogs and whatever other lonely earthlings I found in my way. I also remember talking to trees when I was little, specially the Weeping Willow trees. I somehow felt protected by their size and the way their leafs hung all the way from top to bottom as if they were trying to cover whomever sat next to their trunk from the world. So of course, going vegan was a no-brainer the minute a friend of mine sent me the link to Paul McCartney’s PETA documentary revealing the cruelty behind the meat industry. I have to be honest though. Back then it was not as easy and simple as it today. , Today, the vegan industry has grown so big worldwide, we have hundreds of healthy alternatives to animal products compared to 5 years ago! Today, the US alone has 13million vegans and 25million vegetarians and growing! Can you believe that? Those numbers put a huge smile on my face. Seriously!

With that being said, I want to challenge you guys a little (or maybe a lot. Depends on how you see it! :p) Yes, I want you to go vegan! For Earth Day, April 22. If you don’t want to do the full 21 days, try it for 3 days or even 1 day! Every action counts and each person who switches to a vegan diet can save 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, 20 lbs CO2 equivalent per day, and dozens of animals’ lives. Incredible, right? How the power to help heal our world and solve every human-inflicted issue is in the palm of our hands? Think about it, babes!

For more info about how a vegan diet impacts our planet as a whole, please watch “Cowspiracy”. Another documentary that gave me a different perspective of life.  

PS: I leave you guys with this yummy 100% vegan, healthy and organic smoothie bowl recipe. Besides the regular ingredients I use on my morning smoothies, this time I also used Pure Potions superfood box. Inside of it came the prettiest glass jars and tiny bottles (Beauty, Longevity & Brilliance) with different superfood powders, dates, coconut oil and hemp seeds. Talk about happiness in a box! I put a little of each and Voilá! Vitamin, vegan protein, minerals, omegas, antioxidants and everything I need to become the best and purest version of myself all in one smoothie bowl serving. <3

Yummy Vegan Superfood Smoothie Tutorial

Ok guy so here’s the story. After all the emails I’ve received with questions about my vegan diet and exercise routine (yoga), I’ve decided to start posting video tutorials about both on the blog. Something you might not know about me is that it wasn’t until 5 years ago that I began eating healthier, following a vegetarian and later vegan diet, and dedicating myself fully to learning yoga and meditation. You see, during my teenage years I went through what 30 million of girls, boys, women and men are going through in the US today: eating disorders. Or what I like to call billboard and media brainwash syndrome. At age 16 I moved to Germany for 6 months as an exchange student and, due to the change in my diet, I gained 20 lbs. Those 20lbs came with insecurity, anxiety, depression and lots of other mental issues I lived with for over 6 years. I remember staring at the models on billboards and on the pages of magazines for hours questioning why on earth I couldn’t be like them. That’s when bulimia knocked my door. I don’t even remember how it started. I just remember thinking that was my way out of the 20lbs. I would weight myself at least 3 times a day after eating meals, exercising, or else…. A year after bulimia took over, my family found out and took me to a psychologist. They were all so worried for my life. The psychologist helped and I was able to calm my anxiety but then I went to college and found myself alone. That’s when anorexia decided to rule my kingdom. I would eat an apple and a tiny salad with a can of tuna per day from Monday to Friday and then stuff my face with all the junk food I could find on Saturdays and Sundays. I had no clue of what I was doing to my body, soul and mind. A slow form of suicide. I dealt with bulimia and anorexia until I turned 22 and found yoga. It helped me quiet my mind and find a balanced connection with my soul. At age 23 I decided to become vegetarian because of my love towards animals, and for the first time in years I stuck to something GOOD. Something pure. Something healthy. It was through yoga and a vegetarian (and later vegan) diet that I learned to calm my cravings, quiet those insecure thoughts, eat food that actually nourishes my body (lots of it!), feel good after eating, and even learned to understand and love my body. Every inch of it. I’m not perfect. I don’t have the curves of a VS model but I am me. This body is mine. My temple. My treasure and I only have one of those. One body. One life. The last time I weighted myself(besides annual doctor visits) was exactly 6 years ago when I promised myself I would never have a scale at home again….and I never did. This is one of the reasons why I believe so powerfully in the wonders of a yogi, plantbased and  balanced lifestyle guys. You might be wondering how I dare to share this phase of my life with you…total strangers. Let’s just say I also promised myself I would use the blog, my social media and my story for a greater purpose this year and every year after. Use it for something kind and life-changing…for those reading this and going through something similar (There’s always a way out, loves. Always!), and for me as well. Life should be about inspiring and being inspired, babes. Every day!

With that being said, here’s the first video tutorial of one of the things I drink every morning for breakfast (combined with Ezekiel toasts or an oatmeal or something similar) or have as an afternoon snack. Yummy, kind, vegan and filling protein smoothie FULL of superfoods. :)

Quote of the day: “Food can be your medicine or your slowest form of poison.”

What you'll need the following organic ingredients:

-Maca

-Camu Camu

-Hemp Oil

-Diatomaceous Earth

-VEGA protein (Vanilla)

-Plantbased milk (Almond, Soy, Coconut or Cashew Milk)

-Frozen Berry Mix

-Frozen Mango Mix

-Banana

-Raw Agave Honey

-Toasted Coconut Chips

Vegan Protein & Beauty Essentials

Part of a cruelty-free and plantbased lifestyle is making sure we are getting the right amount of daily protein as well as buying and using products that will not harm our bodies. Something I didn't know until a year ago was that everything we put on our skin goes directly into our bloodstream. Thus, it doesn't matter if we're exercising everyday and eating lots of veggies and fruits if we're still using beauty and health products that have chemicals in them. Rule of thumb: if it's hard to pronounce, don't get it! Natural and organic products are 99% of the time made from fruits, veggies, herbs, grains and natural oils whose names we should be very familiar with since they are part of our diets! :) They key is to ALWAYS READ LABELS and keep an eye out for brands that LOVE to label products as "natural" and "organic" when they only have 1 or 2 natural and organic ingredients mixed with tons of harmful ones. For that reason, I've decided to dedicate this post to talking about two important brands in my vegan-yogi lifestyle: VEGA One Nutritional (Protein) Shakes, and Vitruvi Aromatherapy Oils. 

As a strictly plantbased eater who is always on the run, I have to make sure I feed my body with the right amount of nutrients. Since I also exercise (run and yoga) on a daily basis, research suggests I take 1-1.5g of protein per kg of body weight. VEGA One gives me that and much more! A scoop of it has 20g of kind and vegan protein with approximately 6 servings of greens (it's made from 3 cups of broccoli, kale, spirulina and chlorella), 50% of my daily vitamin and mineral intake (from fruits and veggies), 25% of my daily fiber intake (6g of soluble and insoluble fiber), 1.5g of Omegas (essential fatty acids from flaxseed and hemp (same amount as 2 servings of salmon except no fish got killed here!), antioxidants, 1 billion probiotics (same as 1 cup of yogurt) and no sugar added (only stevia). How about that?! Not to mention that their flavors are incredibly delicious! The ones I use on my morning smoothies are Chocolate or French Vanilla and add on fruits, almond milk, maca and more superfoods which you’ve seen me share on my morning snapchats. Vega One has honestly been a life-saver, guys. Just by adding one shake to my everyday diet gives me the relief and assurance I need of knowing I'm getting at least half of my daily protein intake and almost all (if not all) the nutritional supplements I need. After that, I can enjoy a delicious plantbased lunch and dinner without having to measure my quinoa, kale or spinach intake. You know what I mean! ;) 

Vitruvi Aromatherapy Oils are another product I want to cover today because yoga and natural medicine play a big role in my life. In short, Vitruvi is taking aromatherapy oils to a whole new level. From its products' clean and beautiful design to the natural ingredients they use which are sourced globally but blended by hand in Canada. It uses only high grade essential oils bottled in environmentally friendly packaging. As if that were not enough, Vitruvi is also 100% against animal testing and is dedicated to the preservation of culture and providing healthcare in developing countries. Now, let's talk about the 4 oils I've been using on a daily basis for the past few days. 

-Move: "A refreshing complex of oils blended to promote circulation". It is made from sweet almond oil, apricot oil, castor oil, bergamot, grapefruit, black pepper, peppermint and lime. On the days I'm on a run, I apply it on my wrists and collarbone before leaving the house and take deep breaths in of that refreshing scent. I repeat it as much as needed :) 

-Energize: As the name says it, it's meant to energize your senses with its perfect combination of lemon, pine and Egyptian Geranium. I use it every time I'm lacking energy or feeling a little down. I also use it prior to my yoga practice.

-Focus: For those days I need an extra boost to focus on the task at hand and be productive, I use "Focus". Its wonderful blend of Rosemary, Basil and Lemongrass promotes mental clarity, focus and relieves your mind from any fatigue you might be experiencing.

-Sleep: Last but not least, "Sleep". We all know how important a good rest is, specially for the ones who don't fall asleep easily like me. This oil is meant to slowly but surely act as a sedative by reducing stress and calming the mind. It is made from Chamomile, Lavender and Vetiver. I apply it on my wrists before calling it a night and breathe deeply.

I hope you babes find these products as useful, kind, healthy and beautiful as I do. Happy Hump Day!

xoxo

Oh Holi Medicine! The natural way.

Oh, Holi Med!

I don’t about you guys, but I’ve always been intrigued by holistic medicine. You see, my grandmother, aka my second mother, my psychologist, my confident, my soul-mate and partner in crime got diagnosed with advanced cancer in her early 70s. When the doctors looked at her chest x-rays they told her she had few months to live and would not make it to a year. According to them, it was a miracle she was still alive. Little did they know she would live for another year and half. I think my family and I have natural medicine to thank for that. And of course, my grandmother’s willingness to live. The minute she got diagnosed, we changed her diet to a vegan diet and gave her natural meds, herbs and teas but the doctors suggested chemotherapy and I’m pretty sure that is what took her away from us. The chemo was so strong and toxic it did not only try to kill the cancer but it consumed her immune system completely. There’s no day that passes by that I don’t ask myself what would’ve happened if we had chosen holistic medicine all the way. It’s been two years since she passed away and besides the silence and loneliness she left in me, she also made me start to wonder more and more about holistic medicine. So… I went to a “holi-doc” and to be honest, I was, and still am, completely shocked with the results. Apparently, being vegan and exercising regularly is not enough. We still need to worry about the pH of the foods we eat! I’ve always heard about alkalinity vs acidity but never put too much attention to it. Consequence? My pH is 6.3 when it should be 7.3 or above. You guys might be asking yourselves “Why the hell is pH so important?”. Here’s a great response to that by Dr Sonja Benjamin: “Our bodies live and die at the cellular level. The billions of cells in our bodies must maintain alkalinity, in order to function and stay alive. The first line of defense against disease is a proper pH balance. Disease can only grow in an acidic body, which makes a condition favorable for the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungus, mold, viruses, and any other unwanted organisms. Cancer always strikes those with an over-acidic body. An acidic state causes a lack of oxygenation at the cellular level. When the pH level falls below 7.4, there is less than the maximum oxygen in the blood. Blood carries the maximum oxygen at pH 7.4 (alkaline). Without proper oxygenation, unfriendly bacteria, mold, and viruses will prosper. When the human body is in an acidic state, it will try to shield itself from the damaging acid by storing the acid in fat cells. The body tries to prevent the acid from eating holes in tissues. When the acid level is high in the body, calcium is also depleted. Your body may make fat cells in order to store unwanted acid for its own protection. This process may save your vital organs from severe damage. By returning to a balanced pH level, you may lose unwanted fat cells.Osteoporosis is an acidic problem. As the body becomes more acidic, calcium is depleted. The body will then leach calcium from bones, teeth, and tissue to make up for this loss. One of the first warning signs is calcium deposits in the body, which come from the calcium in our teeth and bones and not from nutritional calcium.”

Now, back to my story. According to my “doc” my pH was the result of the killer combination of my stress level (apparently, abnormal for my age) and acid food choices. I told him there’s not much I could do about the stress since I work in one of the most stressful industries out there, private banking, so until I have the guts to quit and make my passion my bill-payer I would focus on meditating more and definitely taking charge of my eating habits. He laughed and we agreed on the following: 2-3 months healing process to a better me focused on: less carbs, alkaline water ONLY, less coffee (lowering it from 3 to 1 cup a day), a diet based on 2/3 alkaline foods and 1/3 acidic and of course, no wine (told him that would not happen, like EVER! My family produces wine for a living so I’ve been basically a wine-lover since I was tall enough to grab a glass from the table and serve myself! Luckily, the “doc” knew which battles to choose.) and SUPPLEMENTS! Vegans need supplements more than anyone. I’ve hated vitamins and pills since I was a kid so I avoided them as much as I could. Result? I’m deficient in almost every vitamin out there. The supplements he recommended are 100% natural and VEGAN. Here’s the list in case you guys want to give them a try:

-E3Live Renew Me Body Blend (Strengthens immune system, improves attention and energy levels, supports circulation, etc) I add two teaspoons to my morning shake.

-Diatomaceous Earth (root powder that kills all types of bacteria and parasites) I add one teaspoon to my morning shake.

-Moringa (Superfood Miracle aka Botanical Multi-vitamin)

-Clinic’s Choice Optimal Flora (Probiotic to balance digestive bacteria)

-Clinic’s Choice Protosolve (promotes healthy circulation system)

-Clinic’s Choice Digest Plus (enzymes)

-Osteo-Gest (osteoporosis prevention)

I already started this journey and will visit the “doc” in October for a follow up. I’ll let you guys know how it goes. In the meantime, here’s a link to a list of alkaline vs acidic foods. You’ll be amazed by how foods we thought were so healthy (oatmeal and brown rice) turn out to be acidic! At least, I was.

Love you guys!

http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

http://www.doctoroz.com/article/25-alkaline-promoting-foods