The temperature is rising, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and nature is blooming. This can only mean one thing: Spring has officially sprung!

Many of us have been anxiously waiting to put away those bulky winter coats, dust off our lighter layers, and get to the local farmers’ market with an ice-cold coffee in hand. Unfortunately, this euphoric state of spring bliss is blurred by the burden of seasonal allergies for as many as 30% of adults and 40% of children. 

Your period is an invaluable indicator of the overall health of your body. Think of it like a monthly report card providing a brutally honest evaluation of your diet, lifestyle, and environment. If you are suffering from painful periods, horrible mood swings, or perhaps not having periods at all, these are all indicators that something is wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, periods are amazing. I’m a huge fan. But we get so caught up with our monthly bleed that we forget about the most important aspect of our cycle.

Ovulation.

If you recently quit hormonal birth control, you’re probably going through a bit of hell right now. I know it’s not fair, but you are going through something called Post Birth Control Syndrome.

The new year is a great time because it inspires so many people to get healthy. Many of you might decide to kick off the new year with a juice cleanse. To be honest I’m not a big fan of juice cleanses as they’re very high in sugar. A few days might serve you but anything longer then that might not be the best option in supporting your weight loss and health goals.

TRUTH: If you are currently taking the birth control pill, then you are most likely deficient in crucial vitamins and minerals.

Let’s talk poop and your hormones.

Yes, I said poop. I mean, everyone does it. It also happens to be a pretty important subject in regards to health, so I figured we should have this conversation sooner than later.

Have you ever followed a calorie restricting diet? I know I have, and chances are you have been through the grueling experience as well.

And even though the pounds fell off quickly, think about what happened when you got off the diet – did the pounds stay off for long?

They didn’t, did they?

Everyone has a different opinion about supplements. People tend to go one of two ways: conservative or liberal. Conservatives think that we can get all the nutrients we need from our diet, and liberals think that supplements can make up for a bad diet.

Healthy hormones are crucial for a healthy, happy you. With hormones, there is no cutting corners, and there is no faking it. Your monthly period is your monthly report card that tells you how you’ve been doing with your diet and lifestyle.

By now you might have already seen the new vegan documentary, “What the Health” that is causing so much controversy.

While traveling is fun, flying on an airplane for long hours takes a major toll on the body. I used to have issues with constipation, bloating and fatigue for days after a long flight. After years of trial and error, I have discovered some excellent ways to stay healthy while traveling.

Your hormones can either work for you, or against you. When they are balanced you feel content and grounded, but when they are out of whack, you feel completely out of sync and out of control.

Your hormones control your mood, your health, and your fertility, so it’s crucial to get them to their optimal levels.

I often get the question from clients whether they should be juicing or smoothie-ing.

And my answer is BOTH.

When I was 23, after having been on the birth control pill since the age of 14 (prescribed for ovarian cysts), I had had enough of the horrible side effects of the pill. So I quit. And guess what? I didn’t have a period for three months, I had terrible acne, and I was experiencing mood swings.

After three months of having no period (amenorrhea) I visited the doctor and asked him for help. So what was his answer?

Have you ever visited your gynecologist with complaints such as ovarian cysts, painful periods, or PMS? And did he or she tell you to “start taking the birth control pill?”.

Buy organic. Don’t buy organic. Regardless of your decision, the bottom line is that eating fruits and veggies is better than not eating them at all.

Winter’s over and it’s time for spring cleaning and organizing. This year, consider making your own cleaners to save money and reduce chemicals in your home. The Environmental Working Group says in its “Cleaners Hall of Shame” list that everyday household cleaners contain some shocking fine-print warnings such as “serious burns,” “lung inflammation” and “probably carcinogenic.”

How many times have you suffered from aches and pains, and quickly reached for the bottle of Advil?

Would you like to look younger than your age for as long as possible AND have more energy? (Me! Me! Me!)

Conscious eating is a major and necessary feature of our plant-based philosophy, a philosophy that extends out of the kitchen, off of our plates and into the wider world, informing how we interact with others and how we treat our environment.