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If you're interested in other daily food swaps, click below to get my Food Swap Guide! Click Here to Download   Easter is a time for some family love, and the joy of watching  kiddos excitedly explore spring in their brightly colored clothing with Easter basket in-hand! So, what’s in your basket? I don’t want to be a buzz kill. Nor am I a candy prude or crusher of little kids’ dreams. I believe there is a certain right of passage for kids, and they should enjoy sweets and treats on such occasions as Easter. But I am also a mother, and, like many moms, I care about my kids’ nutrition. I also know that choosing healthier candy doesn't mean doing without. It means swapping out. As a busy mom, I know that not everyone has time to handcraft your child’s Easter sweets (nor does the Easter Bunny, for that matter!). There are some things you can watch out for in your children’s Easter baskets. If Grandma dropped in a preservative-laden chocolate bunny or Aunt Annie plopped in a few sugary jellybeans, I suggest swapping those out for other goodies. Here’s why … and a review of other considerations that will help you swap out the bad for the good! Look out for: Additives and Preservatives: These are easy to spot. You often can’t pronounce the name, so that’s a big hint that you don’t want it. Or, the label will read: “natural or artificial flavors” – that’s a big tip-off. These are artificial, and who wants their kids to have a bunch of chemicals? They usually look something like this: Acrylamides, propylene glycol, phosphoric acid, TBHQ, BHA, BHT. Synthetic Food Coloring: Those like Red No. 40 and the rest of the lot are under scrutiny for their potential association to behavior problems in children. Artificial Sweeteners: These come in those pink, yellow and blue packages, and are often labeled as Aspartame, Acesulfame, Saccharin or Sucralose. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, long-term effects of consuming these sugars are unknown, but they advise folks to stay away from them. Click here to learn more.  No worries, though… time to get swap-savvy! Trade out some of the traditional candies that have artificial ingredients to those that are more natural. Pure and Natural Sweeteners: Brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut nectar/sugar/crystals, date sugar, date syrup, dates, honey, maple syrup, molasses, palm sugar, stevia leaf and turbinado sugar Naturally Derived Sweeteners: Agave, corn syrup, xylitol, caramel, barley malt, etc. I suggest sticking to the most pure and natural Easter treats, since they are available to us! Here are some of my favorites: Chocolate Bunnies, Jelly Beans, Jordon Almond Eggs: These can be found at one of my favorite places — the Natural Candy Store, online. The ingredients are great, and the jelly beans and the chocolate bunnies are the best. The Jordon almonds are neat because they look like Easter eggs (and have all-natural dyes — nothing synthetic). Click here to check out the Natural Candy Store.  Annie’s Snack Packs: I love their fruit snacks, cheddars, and honey grahams, and all come in snack sizes. They’re great to plop in a basket. Click here to check out Annie's. The Best Lolly Pops: Yummy Earth’s organic pops, gummy bears, fruit snacks, sour beans, candy drops and jellybeans. Kids love these! Click here to check out these treats. Chocolate Bites: Dagoba Chocolates are superbly delish chocolate squares your kiddos can bite into. Click here to find the chocolate squares.  Paleo Cheesecake: If you dare to get creative, this cheesecake is easy to make, and delicious!  Click here to see recipe. No matter how much time you have to prepare for Easter for your kids’ baskets, remember it’s what you do most of the time that makes the difference toward your health, not the “once in a whiles.” So as long as you are swapping out the unrecognizable additives, synthetic food coloring, preservatives and any artificial sweeteners most of the time, you can wear your Easter with a smile! Keep thinking big and living bold! 

I remember how much fun it was to dye Easter eggs as a kid. My two brothers, sister and I would always fight for the very last egg, no matter how many we already dyed. Then, after the eggs took on their pretty, fresh coats of color and Easter was over, we’d argue about who had to eat the last egg. We were knee-deep in those eggs all week (no way were my parents going to waste any). It was like a love affair gone bad. As we got older, we knew better. We dyed the eggs, but we gave each other the "do NOT go overboard" stare. It was decided that whoever painted too many eggs, would have the disenchanting task of eating them as well.  In honor of all of kids stuck eating all of those leftover Easter eggs – I’ll be sharing some great “what to do with those leftover eggs” recipes after Easter. This post is dedicated to you and your family this Easter. Click here to find the recipe for eco-friendly Easter eggs.  Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

My hair stands on end when I think about all of the chemicals and food dyes that sneak into our foods and drinks. Unfortunately, foods that contain these hideous ingredients manage to score premium shelf space in our modern-day markets. Think about the most popular kiddo foods, and you get the idea.   This is when the “Tiger Mom” in me appears. When it comes to irresponsible promotion, we need to expect more and ask for more. We deserve it, and so do our kids. Recently, a woman was telling me about some issues she was having with her child. I’ve been a “last-stop” doc for about 20 years for many of my patients, so I quickly was able to discern the child’s “issues.” As soon as she started telling me his symptoms, a drawer labeled “food dyes” in my mental filing cabinet popped open. She followed a protocol called the Feingold Diet  and in just one week, every single symptom disappeared. She stopped giving her son any food or drink that contained food dyes and voila … issues gone. She was AMAZED! Stories like this get me revved because this is typical! Amazing things happen when you put real foods first!   Here’s why her son turned the corner in a New York minute: No more salicylates, which cause hyperactivity or sleeplessness. Salicylates are chemicals that occur naturally in many plants (they are a natural pesticide)  to protect the plants against insects and diseases. Salicylates are just one group of the hundreds of compounds in foods that can affect us, depending on how much we eat and how sensitive we are. Some people improve just by cutting back, and others have to avoid high-salicylate foods completely. Reactions are related to dose —  the more you eat, the more likely you are to be affected. So what do food dyes have to do with this?  Food Dyes and Food Preservatives produce the man-made form of salicylates. One of the side effects of salicylates is that they stimulate the central nervous system (CNS). This means they: 1) increase the risk for hyperactivity, such as ADHD/ADD, and other mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression or aggressive behavior and 2) make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. The Signs Are Pretty Obvious When you eat foods high in salicylates, you often can’t sit still or get increasingly antsy and wired. Watch For Food Preservatives such as sodium benzoate, BHA and BHT. They often produce the same results as food dyes, emitting the chemical salicylate into the body. These Preservatives Are Found in cereal, crackers, packaged oatmeal, breads, soda pop and certain juices — just about anything packaged. These chemicals are used to increase the shelf life of our processed foods. These preservatives and dyes can also be found in sports drinks. What’s a Tiger Mom to do? If you have kids who play sports, you must feel my pain. You want to be sure you’re giving them what they need on those hot days playing for hours out in the sun. Both of my sons are on travel baseball teams — they often play three games in one day! After seeing one too many “food-dye mustaches” from my little athletes, I knew what I had to do: Start making RocketFuel all natural energy drinks! My RocketFuel drinks are all-natural, dye-free and, the kids tell me they taste betterthan any popular sports drink! RocketFuel … Click here for Recipe. Drink up …. and … Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

I love the breeziness of Easter. It makes me think clean, fun...  “fresh starts.” I remember growing up and whirling around in my flowing Easter dress (which always included a hat). A pretty basket, which I carried like a purse, was my main accessory. My brothers got the short end of the stick, being stuffed in suit-like outfits and shiny shoes. My parents, devout Catholics, were serious about Easter and this was their time to proudly parade their four little treasures into church. I didn’t get it then, but I do now.  They must have been extremely proud of their two boys and two girls! My dad worked his tail off to support us and I was lucky to have a Dad who was a big thinker and a true entrepreneur. Having no seeding or help whatsoever (his parents were Italian immigrants), his power was generated by pure drive and strong values (which he got from his incredible, hardworking, truly good-to-the-core parents).  We never wanted for a thing. My mother had a big job on her hands raising us kids with a husband who just couldn’t be around much, as there is always sacrifice when you are a business owner. Although Dad was around for the big stuff, and always made us feel like he would be there whenever we needed him in seconds, my mom had the lion’s share of raising us kids. My “Easter bonnet” goes off to Mom, for doing the hardest job in the world — raising four kids who turned into responsible adults. So, these cookies are dedicated to my mom, for every Easter that she chased us around the house so she could get us to sit still while she placed shiny shoes on our feet and pulled back our hair so that it looked good with our Easter bonnets. The pure goodness of these cookies is reminiscent of her! What makes these cookies so pure? There are no food dyes whatsoever!  It’s all about getting color into your baking without chemicals. Also, those gross, sugar- laden frostings that make you cringe — that’s history.   The frosting you’ll read about here is made from “sugar redefined” — natural sugars, which, in small amounts, are AOK and Easter bunny approved! Click here to make some Paleo Easter cookies. Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

Paleo & Pregnant: The Two Go Hand-In-Hand Many of my patients over the years have asked me ask me if it’s okay to follow a Paleo diet while pregnant. Is nutrient rich protein, vegetables, fruit, healthy fats and nuts and seeds good for you? Yes!  BUT, you need to see what works best for you and your pregnancy. The Paleo diet is great for those who are pregnant, as it features plenty of B12, iron and folate, and is filled with deep nutrition readily absorbable for Mom and baby. For some smart modifications, those who are pregnant should be sure to focus on the following: Get Plenty of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fatty acids support fetal brain and eye development and may also prevent postpartum depression. Great Paleo foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids include fish, nuts and avocados. If you’re nervous about mercury content of fish, stick with safe fish like salmon, herring and sardines. Get Plenty of Iron with Animal Proteins: Animal products aren’t only high in iron, but they also contain heme iron, which is the most easily assimilated form available, so be sure and eat high-quality meat products — the fattier the better.  Paleo Bonus:  Just by eating Paleo, you are getting more iron naturally. The Paleo diet restricts the intake of iron-inhibiting foods, such as processed dairy and grain products. Grain products are high in phytates, which block the absorption of iron as well as other nutrients, like calcium and zinc. Get Plenty of Protein, But NOT Too Much: Because of metabolic changes that occur in the liver during pregnancy, women who are pregnant cannot tolerate the higher protein levels that they normally could. Therefore fattier meats, higher fats in general and more carbs are required. Eating eggs with the yolks is a great choice because they are a great source of choline. This is significant because choline helps protect against neural tube defects. It plays an important role in brain development, helping to form cholinergic neurons and the connections between these neurons that are so crucial in the first few years of life. Get Plenty of Veggies and Fruit: Pregnant women should increase their carbohydrate consumption to approximately 150 grams per day (this is only an average — it varies by size, body composition and energy expenditure). You may want to increase fruit consumption, and add some higher-glycemic tropical fruits (such as bananas, mangoes and oranges) to your diet, instead of the fallback berries and apples that so many people stick to. Increase vegetable servings by 50 to 100 percent. Include starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, carrots or jicama. Consider Full-Fat Dairy, if Tolerated: During pregnancy, a woman’s calcium requirements are considerably higher, and as such, it might be prudent to add a calcium supplement and/or a small amount of organic, grass-fed dairy in order to meet these increased needs. Dairy is rich in saturated fat, which is a good source of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K2 & E) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Fermented dairy products — like yogurt and kefir — are also great sources of beneficial bacteria. This is important because a baby’s first exposure to bacteria is in his/her mother’s birth canal, and the mother’s gut health has a significant influence on the lifelong health of her baby. Add Another Snack or Meal: You may find that you need another snack or meal during pregnancy. This is where personal play comes in. It’s whatever works best for you and your baby. Contrary to popular belief, you’re not really eating for two; it’s more like 1 ½. You only need to gain about 25 to 30 pounds during your pregnancy, so just focus on eating good food, and how much depends on how you feel. Focus on Rich Sources of Fat: Women should focus on healthy sources like meat (including red meat), butter, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, limited full-fat dairy, etc. Cod liver oil is one of the healthiest supplements while pregnant. It has more vitamin D per unit weight than any other food. Vitamin D is crucial to fertility and pregnancy, and studies show that up to 50 percent of women are deficient in it. Add Liver from an Organic Source: Liver may not sound appealing, but it has “healthy baby” written all over it. It contains so much deep nutrition, that I could fill a full page on its benefits. Liver is an amazing protein, full of zinc, folate, and B12, all highly absorbable. When you tuck your fork into a plate of liver and onions, repeat this mantra: “healthy baby, healthy baby.” So you see? Veggies, fruit, iron, healthy fats and tolerated full-fat dairy ….  a good pregnancy plan equals a good Paleo plan!  Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

It was great when Paleo Magazine invited me to be a Paleo expert this month! I love sharing food ideas and helping people discover it’s really not that hard to eat clean … you just need a few simple tips and swaps! I always get a good laugh when people ask me —  and they do ALL of the time  — “Do you REALLY eat those weird foods?” This absolutely stupefies me.  The foods that are deemed “normal”… the food that's socially acceptable… the foods that are well marketed … the foods that have the best spot on your grocer’s shelves  — THEY are weird. I call them “frankenfoods,” meaning they are more of a “food product” then an actual real food. Sorting through them is of course my job. Helping you discover foods that get you the results you want is what I do all day, every day. And, yes. I really do eat this way. I know what I get if I don't, and that is I age 10 years, and I’m tired all of the time. No thanks. But I’m not perfect. My kids’ diet is not perfect. I’m a busy working mom, and I do the best I can because eating well is important to me. So, I make it as easy as I can to get the results I need. Take a glance in my fridge, and you’ll always find my “7 Speedy Foods.” They include: My bi-weekly “batch” cooking foods:  Browned meats, cooked and chopped vegetables, asparagus, boiled eggs, premade burgers, meatballs and, often, pre-made breakfast foods. When I made the decision that I was done with all the wavering, all of the hopelessness and frustration associated with eating any other way then with primal foods, I knew the only way to make it work was to have good FOOD MANAGEMENT in place.  At first this may seem like a big deal. It’s not. Here’s how you do a weekly cook-up, or “batch cook”.  I always have two pans going on the stove at once: one for meat and one for veggies. I clean and chop all the veggies I want to steam-sauté, and I set up an assembly line so I can move stuff in and out of the pans without needing to wash in between. Start with the fattiest meat and sauté ’til browned in the “meat” pan, then remove it from the pan and use the same pan, conveniently greased, to cook the next, etc. While the meat is cooking, fire up your “veggie” pan and steam-sauté one veggie after another, using the same water. Just cook one veg, remove it with a slotted spoon to a storage container, keeping the water in the pan hot, so you can add the next veg to the steam bath. Then do it again! On a third burner, hard-boil a dozen eggs for high-quality, grab-and-go protein. I also like to chop up some vegetables that I don’t cook and use all of the time — I throw them in containers. With this method, you can make enough food for 3-4 days in about an hour. Fermented Foods: We are literally bags of bugs. This is a good thing. It’s healthy bacteria that make us strong and beautiful — and we need to really keep these bacteria fertile. I do this with fermented vegetables. Yes, fermented foods can be easy to make, but quite honestly, I buy mine from http://www.rejuvenative.com. The quality is fantastic, they taste great and this method is ultra speedy. I just grab a scoop of the Vegi-Delite or the Live Salsa in the morning, and plop it on my plate with eggs. Healthy Bottled Dressings: I love to have extra flavors on my foods, because this helps me to enjoy clean eating. PaleoChef Dressings from my friend Steve over at Steve’s Paleo Goods are great. I use these to marinate chicken, or if I get burned out on homemade dressings, I use these as dressings for salads. Berries: I always have a ton of berries on hand because my kids gobble them down after school. Not only that, they are really great for deep immune building. A little fact about berries: They clean your blood and make it flow beautifully. The end result? You get squeaky-clean blood, which gives you bright eyes. Grade B Maple Syrup: I use maple syrup as my primary sweetener when I need one. It does have some health properties in there (like B vitamins), so unlike many sweeteners that just take away, this sweetener actually does something positive. You have to try this with my popular waffles. You can even make a bunch of them, and freeze for the kids. Sunday Morning Bacon: I love bacon. My kids love bacon, and if it’s pasture raised with minimal to no sugar, it’s a great sidekick or a great flavor enhancer for other dishes. I am rarely caught without the stuff. People are totally blown away that I advocate healthy eating, yet I eat bacon. The name of the game here is quality. Bacon is a go as long as you are smart about the sourcing here. If the bacon comes from a healthy animal, it can be a great fat and will fill you up for hours. Before sports, it’s great to have a good protein, and fat. So, before my kids are on the field all day, they eat bacon (a great performance food)! Grass-Fed Butter: Conjugated Linoleic Acid is in grass-fed butters and this is very protective for you. It's a healthy type of fat, which will prevent all forms of cancers, keep you looking young and even help you lose weight. So, I showed you mine. Now, what’s in YOUR fridge?  Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

Hi there! I’m on Sunset Boulevard today in Hollywood, and that’s got me thinking about “star quality,” and what really makes a star. It’s that thing …that intangible thing. Energy, life, the ability to be interesting and entertaining. To know how to TURN IT ON. To know how to flip the switch and GO. To know how to let life radiate out of your eyes so others just can’t look away. Believe it of not, food can have that star quality, too. When you combine ordinary mayo with roasted red pepper, lime chipotle, herb or aioli, you get that star quality. Seems like too much fuss for just mayonnaise? Try some. You’ll feel like these condiments bring energy to your dish. The wild flavors entertain and allow the life to radiate out of the food that much better. These “Hollywood” Paleo mayos are so light, yet decadent. Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

As many of you are planning trips, you're probably not just thinking about what's going in your suitcase, but what snacks you'll take. The dreaded airport food awaits and I’m planning to avoid it at all costs! If you’re not prepared and don’t have a handle on your “personal play” program (which snacks are good for you, which to avoid and when), you can take a big dive, especially when it comes to airport situations. Have you ever been in a situation where your blood-sugar drops and you become crazed? (I think this is why so many people are rude and impatient in airports, actually!) This is when I — and likely thousands of others — say, “I’m starving, there’s nothing to eat, so I’ll have a slice of ugh pizza.” Sound familiar? This is especially common when traveling. Either we’re prepared or we’re not. And it can get really ugly if we’re not. I remember being wiped out in LA and San Diego after a packed day of TV segments and speaking engagements. Not to mention, I was super hungry. After rushing to LAX for my red-eye flight, I realized I was in trouble in the food department — there wasn’t a morsel of food anywhere. Most restaurants were closed, and the ones that were open had slim (or should I say, fat?) pickings, to say the least. My choice: I could eat a bag of Sun Chips and fill up on free beer in the club room or call it a day and wait until I was home to make bacon and eggs. I dug deep into my purse searching for a jerky bar, coconut chips, anything good … and there was nothing. Feeling a little crazed, I ripped open the complimentary bag of Sun Chips, scarfed them down and chugged a can of beer. Then, the inevitable — I fell into an instant, drugged stupor of exhaustion and icky-ness, as my stomach started to pop over my skinny jeans. Man, I wished I had decided to just fast. But all of this could have been avoided with just a little forethought. Just a tiny bit of preparation can go a long way in helping you avoid food Hell on the road. Here’s what I do now to keep myself from going wonky when traveling: Airport-friendly Snacks Let’s face it …  the food options at most airports are pretty terrible, and airplane food is not only junky, it’s also not very tasty. You’ll be happier and healthier if you eat well before your flight, make a plan for where you’ll eat at your destination, and pack Paleo-friendly snacks for the travel time in between. Arm yourself with a small, insulated food bag for items that need to be kept cool, and stuff non-perishables into your carry-on for snacks any time. Here are foods that won’t send the TSA into a panic and will travel well without refrigeration. For Your Cooler Bag Sugar-free, high-quality deli meats, smoked salmon, hardboiled eggs, cooked chicken, cut into easily-managed pieces, cooked meatballs or burger patties, cooked sweet potatoes, raw veggies, cut into easily managed pieces, fresh fruit, cut into easily managed pieces, avocado or guacamole and olives. For Your Carry-on Bag Sugar-free beef jerky, coconut flakes, nuts and dried fruit. Remember to pack plenty of napkins. If you absolutely have no time to prepare for last-minute travel, you can find Paleo-friendly snacks in many airport gift shops. Avoid the chips and candy! Instead, look for dried fruit (with no added sugar), roasted nuts (discard the peanuts in mixed nuts), and snack bars made from dried fruit and nuts like KIND healthy snacks, which are available in most airports I’ve visited. Personal Favorite My personal favorite travel foods are Collagen Fiber Bars! These creamy coconut filled bars covered with rich dark chocolate are ready for travel and are as tasty as can be. If you want a quality quick grab, check it out. Hope these tips keep you from experiencing travel craze! Keep thinking big and living bold! 

Dr. Kellyann discussing the 30 Day Reset on Fox 2 “Hey Doc, I want to drop a couple lb’s … what about a cleanse or something?” As one of only two Americans enrolled in a nutrition class in Regent’s Park, London, England, a few years back, I found the experience to be fantastic because I learned how culture plays a big role in overall nutrition.  On one  particular afternoon, my instructor was determined to make a  point that I may not have fully understood then but I sure get now. It took experience in practice and in my personal life as a mother to really  own this: “The most important concept in nutrition is simply this: Put Real Foods First. That’s it. If you want to feel — and look — your best, it starts with food. My teacher (an exceedingly bright man) asserted, “In my country (I believe he was from Russia), we cannot afford all of the bells and whistles and bottles of this and that to heal. We cure with food … just food, and we know this works.”   Fast Forward to My 30-Day Reset Program: I began working with real foods to cleanse the body. Not the kind of cleanses that you are probably thinking of – or like you may have tried before. No pills, powders or special elixirs, and certainly no endless smoothies, juices or weird foods. Simply, it’s all about foods that work best with our body and the way it’s designed. There are definitely foods that our bodies metabolize and digest better than others. When patients eat these types of foods, in various meal plans and portions (click here to find out how to download my programs, complete with recipes, meal plans and more), for 30 days, the results are nothing short of profound. I call it “The 30-Day Reset.” “Where there is weight, there is waste. Where there is deficiency, there is disease” Toxins Out, Nutrients In: My goal with cleansing is simple: to get toxins out of the cells, and nutrition in, to recalibrate the body to “reset” at a higher level.  It’s like hitting an internal compost button. When your body isn’t working hard to deal with what it doesn't need, it focuses more on getting what you do need. Your body becomes satiated because it's so filled with nutrition. Those on the plan don’t don't miss a thing.  No more climbing the walls feeling hungry or doing without. Reducing Inflammation: One of the goals of cellular cleansing with the 30-Day Reset is to get the inflammation out of your body. Almost every modern- day disease stems from inflammation, including heart disease, cancer, auto-immune issues (including diabetes) and more. Healing the Gut: If you’ve tried other diets and don’t see the results you want or see results but they don’t last, it’s likely because that particular diet hasn’t allowed you to heal your gut. I’m not about Band-Aids when it comes to dieting; I’m about changing your lifestyle for lifelong results in not only how you feel, but how you look. When a patient heals their gut, they not only lose weight, they heal conditions, balance blood-sugar levels, become a natural fat burner, look younger, enhance their complexion, brighten their eyes, gain energy, the list goes on. Success Stories: I was recently a guest on Toxic-Free Radio, once to talk about the 30-Day and the next time, to check in with the host (Debra Lynn Dadd) because she decided to give the 30-Day a whirl.  Here’s what I discovered and shared with listeners: Debra lost several pounds. And as a diabetic, she was able to reduce her insulin by one-third! You can listen to her results here. It has become pretty clear to me over the past couple decades that those who wish to cleanse or lose weight expect to “take something” to get something… Patient: “Doc, I really think I need a cleanse.” Me: “I agree; let’s get you started. I’m going to ask you to eat nothing with a bar code for 30 days.” Patient: “Okay, what do I take?” Me: “You don’t need to take anything. Let’s just start by having you eat nothing with a bar code for 30 days.” Patient: “Okay, but don’t I need something to cleanse me?” Me: “The foods will cleanse you.” Patient: “Oh, good. So what supplements do I need to buy to get started?” Me: “Nothing. You’re good to go. We’ll go over your food plan and what to expect for the next 30 days, and you’ll be set.” Patient: “Okay, but what do I take to actually cleanse?” Me: [sigh] Powerful Results: Here’s the deal; if you want to lose weight and become a natural fat burner, look younger, become stronger, reverse a chronic health condition, perform better and re-energize for good, there really is only one path. You need to create healthy cells, and the fluid surrounding your cells has to be healthy. Then and only then does the magic happen for you in a way it may never have before. You can create this with the right foods! Your Fish Tank: The fluid around your cells is your internal milieu, and this fluid must be healthy for you to be healthy. Think of your body as a fish tank. The water in your tank is your internal milieu. When you eat the right foods, you nourish this milieu; when you eat poorly, you clog and acidify this system, and your cells become like sludge, and you look and feel toxic — like fish trying to survive in a dirty tank. Cleansing with the right foods helps clean out your fish tank and gives you a clean, fresh start.  Do you want your cells flowing like a river, or a swamp?  The Reset Foods: The foods to eat during my plans are simple, balanced and the best quality your budget can afford. You focus on the foods that work best with your body and what your body craves to be lean, strong and healthy. Recalibrate, Regenerate, Reset. Are you ready to give your cells time to regenerate, create positive habits and quiet the cravings?  Once you jump on my plans, WOW does the magic happen, naturally!     Click here to meet some of the other 30-Day Reset folks and hear about what they’ve discovered after embarking on their journey. These stories are awe-inspiring. Everything from weight loss to combating annoying arthritis and devastating intestinal issues is possible, and it’s all from putting real foods first!   Check out my programs here! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

I just spent the last few days in So Cali and that’s what inspired these sweeties. Getting out in the sun was SA-WEET, BUT it was short-lived, as most of the time it rained cats and dogs! The experience made up for it, though. All the doctors I met while launching my brand new program — Paleo Practice — were great! I’ll tell you more about that later, and what an INSANELY successful launch it was.  But for now, it’s all about the cookies.  If you want a great cookie or have gone primal but miss your peanut butter cookies, then hello, Kitty! Here you go! These are purrrfection confections … Check them out for yourself. Keep thinking big and living bold!   -Dr.Kellyann

I’ll be featured on Toxic-Free Radio today at noon EST, checking in with radio host Debra Lynn Dadd as she finishes her 30-Day Reset journey. I’m betting she discovered, quite simply, how food makes her healthy, and how putting real foods first changed her body condition dramatically in just 30 days. You’ve heard me go on and on about the 30-Day Reset because I seen it work time and time again, and believe in it. Show host Debra also believes in living a toxic-free life, so, naturally, she thought the 30-Day was a good idea for her. Getting rid of dietary toxins just made sense to Debra, and she’s not the type of person to drag her feet. In fact, we both got a good laugh over the fact that she went to the store and stocked up on the 30 Day Reset “yes” foods immediately after the call!  I’ll ask her about various conditions she may have had, how much weight she lost, how she looks and if she continues to go Paleo for life. This is the part where you get to create personal-play, and maybe go Paleo 80 percent of the time, or whatever works best. It will be interesting to find out what Debra decides. Whether you care about Paleo or not, Debra is a must-hear and has written several books on toxic-free living. She is the authority on creating a toxic-free home and so much more. You may have caught her on the Today show and in the New York Times. Catch her — and me! — again today! Hopefully  Toxic-Free Radio and Debra’s 30-Day journey will be enlightening for you. Just click here to listen in! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

In college, I was healthy as one could hope for. Yep … healthy. I ate all gluten-free products (if you know my story, then you know where that got me), and made sure I was incorporating soy into my diet. Yep. I muscled my way through Boca burgers, made sure my picnics had those rubber links called Tofurkey dogs (I’m pretty sure everyone faked a smile when they sunk their teeth into those bad boys) , and of course there was my renowned stir fry nights. I would make all-inclusive stir fry dishes with gorgeous vegetables and, of course, those cardboard-like squares that one could easily bounce off a wall — tofu! In fact, in college I was pretty much known for my imaginative stir fry entrees and was always (poisoning)  delighting a crowd with said entrees. I thought I was SOOOOO “in the know.”  I was, as my boyfriend would nudgingly call me, the Supreme Goddess of Nutrition. Well, it wasn’t until I wised up to what dietary toxins are (read post on Dietary Toxins) that I was able to heal myself of a debilitating problem I had, called endometriosis, which, by the way, single handily took me off the grid every month for days and caused me a lot of strife. It was only then that I was able to heal myself completely and truly look and feel my best. Here’s the point: Soy is another dietary toxin.  Remember my definition from the previous posts in the multi-art series on Dietary Toxins:  The definition of a food toxin —  “Anything your body cannot fully utilize, metabolize, digest or eliminate, causing waste and debris in your cells or causing harm to your gut.” I can’t think of a better candidate to meet this criterion than soy. By now, you’re thinking: “Doc, you are crazy town. I’ve always heard and read that soy is healthy. So what are you saying here?” Well, it’s certainly promoted as a health food. But, ah … welcome to the shady and clandestine world of food marketing. In fact, to market soy as a health food is totally egregious.  You’ll find out more in a sec. Another problem, soy is found in everything packaged in our modern world. Pick up a boxed or wrapped food of any kind, and you’ll likely find soybean oil, soy flour, soy isolate, or soy lecithin. This is why I always need to dig a little deeper when patients tell me there’s no soy in their daily diet. Most people are totally in the dark about how much soy they eat. It’s not just about tofu and veggie burgers. “Doc, Ok we get it…so what the H is wrong with the stuff? Well, here’s  a partial “cliff note” version of what you can expect from soy consumption: Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and breast cancer in women. Soy contains phytic acid, which reduces absorption of minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc. Processing of soy (like processed soy proteins such as soy burgers, hot dogs, sausage, etc.) results in the formation of lysinoalanine and carcinogenic nitrosamines, both toxic stuff! Eating soy increases the body’s need for B12, and D (which many people are already low in). MSG, a neurotoxin, is formed during soy processing. Men who drink soymilk (approx. 1 cup per day) had 50 percent lower sperm counts than men who didn't  drink soymilk. See here.  Babies fed soy-based formula have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day.  Women consuming the equivalent of two cups of soymilk per day provide the estrogenic equivalent of one birth control pill. Here’s a great list published of the dangers of soy by The Weston A. Price Foundation. The bottom line is soy leaves your body with toxins, is very mucus forming in the gut and causes inflammation. Ok, cool. But one last question, Doc. What about the fact soy has been consumed safely in Asia for years? Here’s the best answer to that. Asians do not consume as much soy as you may think. The average soy consumption of soy foods in China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons per day) and about 30 to 60 grams in Japan. This is not much. Basically, soy is used as a condiment – not as a meal or a replacement of animal foods as we do in the US and other western countries. The soy we eat is highly processed for the mot part, and we eat a lot more. The soy products in Asian countries are fermented and unprocessed. The fermentation makes quite a difference because fermentation (partially) neutralizes the toxins in the soybean. But, but Doc, I’m a vegetarian and I only eat beans and some hemp and pea protein as my protein sources. I really want to keep the options of soy open! If you have to have soy, then it’s really important to keep it closest to its natural state, and fermented (to neutralize some of the toxins, as stated above). Here is what I would suggest: Natto Tempeh Unprocessed Tofu Make sure it’s all non-GMO, plant-based food. So you should no longer suffer through eating soy for the greater good. And if you like the taste?  Look for alternatives! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

When I see a kid bite into a mainstream candy bar, my thought bubble gets filled with phrases like, “‘Oh man, I hope he doesn’t get a stomach ache”; or, “Yikes, sugar high and then crash shortly. Oh, if Mom and Dad only knew!” But I’m the last one to hold back on Valentine’s Day when it comes to sweets, and I believe kids should indeed indulge in treats now and then, especially on Feb. 14! Luckily, there are lots of great recipes available for primal treats that won’t send your kid into the firm grip of the Sugar Demon. He (our “buddy,” the Sugar Demon) is out and about this week, as Valentine’s Day is one of his favorite times of the year! But have no fear, my “Chocolate Sweet Balls” are not only a family favorite, but are relatively healthy and still satisfy the sweet tooth! They have the most enjoyable texture, and a smooth after taste. There is nothing not to like about these — they’re that good! Almond butter, cacao powder, chocolate chips and other yummy ingredients together create quite a taste fest! Right after these babies are rolled out and doused in pure goodness, it’s like a neighborhood cattle call. You set these round delectables out and it’s stampede, call-of-the-wild time. Click here to get rollin’. And then stand back! Enjoy! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr.Kellyann

When you hear the words “vegetable oil,” you might  think the stuff’s gotta be healthy. I mean for gosh sake, it’s made from vegetables, right? The stuff is crud. Oh, and that's not all. That beloved canola oil? Bad. Sweet- sounding sunflower and safflower oils? Bad. The so-called “healthy” corn, cottonseed, palm kernel, peanut and soybean oils and margarine?  All bad. So, what do I mean by bad? Damaged Stuff: I would wager a bet that when you put the oil of your liking in your cart, it’s probably already posion. The light-colored bottles don’t help. Light causes the oil to oxidize (become damaged). Think bananas for a minute.  A banana starts to oxidize, gets brown and turns “bad.” Oil does that. It’s exposed to heat and light sitting on the grocer’s shelf, and these act like Kryptonite to Superman — rendering us powerless. Processed Stuff: What’s also surprising is these oils are actually highly processed because they are not naturally occurring. Theses oils must jump through a whole lot of hoops before they are bottled and available for you to throw in your cart. Rancid Stuff: What I always say is rancid fat means a rancid body. This means inflammation, which if you are feeling any aches pains, have a health condition weighing on you or are just plain pooped out and feel your life is a struggle, you are probably experiencing inflammatory problems. I highly suggest getting the simple blood test C Reactive Protein. And read this post. Wonky Stuff: This piggybacks off of the “rancidity.” The biggest reason that these oils create inflammation and other health issues is because the Omega 6 (pro-inflammatory oil) is much higher than Omega 3 oils (anti-inflammatory oil). In fact, the numbers are completely skewed (wonky!). My biggest message is to pay attention to these ratios.  It cannot be overstated enough. All of these processed, highly inflammatory oils are causing us to suffer a great deal. They are aging us. They are killing us. Backstory: 4 million years of evolution, diets were abundant in seafood and other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, but low in omega-6 seed oils. In fact, our hunter-gather ancestors consumed omega-6 and omega-3 fats in a ratio of roughly 1:1. This is the ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. The ratios today in our modern diets range from 15:1 and 22:1. This means we are consuming 15 to 20 times too much of inflammatory oils! It’s difficult to escape these oils. Soybean oil is in about everything packaged, and most prepared foods carry one of these inflammatory seed oils. Corn oil is another popular oil, whose ratios of Omega 6 to Omega 3 are 57:1! How Did This Happen? Change. With the onset of the industrial revolution about 140 years ago, came the advent of modern-day vegetable oils and an increase in the use of cereal grains (also high in Omega 6) to feed livestock. This has created a pandemic of human suffering. Doc, just tell me. What do we do? Don’t let your fats and oils become another Dietary Food Toxin. Remember the definition of a food toxin: “Anything your body cannot fully utilize, metabolize, digest or eliminate, causing waste, debris or harm to your gut.” Yep. Poor-quality oils definitely fall into the food-toxin criterion. Great Choices: Avocados: These fruits provide monounsaturated fats, which are incredibly healthy. Just add some in a salad, mash and use as a dip for veggies, or just eat with a spoon. Olives: Olives also offer monounsaturated fats and are a great snack or salad addition. Butter and ghee: Butter from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and organic, grass-fed ghee (also called clarified butter) are fantastic cooking oils because they’re stable at a very high heat. (You can find a recipe for making ghee in Paleo Cookbook for Dummies). (Keep in mind: Any butter, even grass-fed, contains milk proteins. If you’re on my 30 Day Reset, super-sensitive to milk proteins or have a condition you’re trying to heal, you may want to stick to ghee, in which the milk proteins are boiled off). Coconut fats: Incorporate coconut through coconut butter, flakes, and milk and fresh coconut. Nuts and nut butters: I recommend almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts (which have the best Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio of all the nuts), pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Note: Due to their toxin level, peanuts and peanut butter are off the menu. Did you know that peanuts are not really a nut, but a legume? Oils: Try macadamia oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil (for drizzling purposes, not to heat or cook with) and walnut oil. Seeds: Pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds and pine nuts are great Paleo choices. Animal fats: Eating animal fats can be healthy when they come from pastured-raised, grass-fed sources, such as tallow (beef fat), lamb fat, duck fat, and schmaltz (chicken fat). Yes, animal fats!  That's good old back to nature fats – grandma-like – fats that get you really healthy when they come from a healthy animal. If you are worried about heart disease … worry more about these oils than these healthy fats. There is a lot of research showing us that inflammation is like charred glass on our vessels causing heart attacks, not healthy fats. Besides, you can’t negate the fact that since the vegetable oil consumption rose dramatically between the beginnings of the 20th century, this had an entirely predictable effect on our health. In fact, the USA is right up there at the top of the highest intake of Omega-6 oils and the greatest risk of heart disease. Proof: An analysis published in 2010 by the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that a relationship exists between the intake of saturated fat and incidence of heart disease or stroke. This study pooled together data from 21 unique studies that included almost 350,000 people — 11,000 of whom developed cardiovascular disease — tracked for an average of 14 years. You can read more about this analysis here. (Oh, and if you’re not into reading research, check out the movie Fat Head, which reveals the truth behind these oils) Again, these fats are damaging and cause inflammation, so toss these in a trash bag without a second thought: Canola oil Corn oil Cottonseed oil Margarine Palm kernel oil Partially hydrogenated oil Peanut oil Safflower oil Soybean oil Sunflower oil Trans fats (hydrogenated oils) Vegetable shortening All of the recipes you see on this site use healthy fats – you can count on that. I hope you start to venture out and use them as well. Enjoy these healthy fats and watch your body explode with goodness! Keep thinking big and living bold!   Missed the first three parts of the blog? Check them out here: Introduction, Soy and Sugar.

The day you kick sugar out of your life is the day you begin to enjoy living, from the moment you wake up energized in the morning until you turn in at night for a restful, undisturbed and peaceful sleep. The remarkable benefits of living without sugar are numerous. Those who commit to a sugar-free diet/ lifestyle undergo a fantastic transformation that includes turning back the aging clock, glowing skin, eyes that sparkle, improved sleep patterns, weight loss, a shifting of weight, strength, energy, clear-headedness and more. To learn how to live completely sugar-free download my free ebook below! The book includes tips for how to clean your pantry, refrigerator and more! I like sweets. In fact, if I had it my way, I would be living on Paleo-fied foods (you know, Paleo muffins, pancakes, breads, crackers and the lot) 100 percent. Really, I would! But sometimes, you have to give something up to get something. I remember in high school, many of my friends would hang out after school. I worked. I gave up “hangin’” to work because I liked having my own car and the feeling of knowing I earned this luxury myself,  not to mention the independence it afforded me. When I was younger, I gave up some much-adored playtime, to practice dance, because I was serious about ballet and modern dance. So as much as I love sugar, I keep it to a minimum and try to be smart about what kind of sugar I eat. Why? Because I know sugar is like charred glass in our vessels — it can create more trouble then its worth. You need to be dialed into the fact that added sugars really are a dietary toxin. The Backstory In this blog post, I covered what dietary toxins actually are and why you should avoid them. Check it out here. Sugar Checklist I determine if a sugar is acceptable (when eaten as an exception, rather then a rule) by considering these three factors: Insulin Level. How will this particular sugar affect my insulin levels? Hormones. How does this sugar affect my hormones? I’m specifically referring to Leptin, which is the guy who regulates your hunger and satiety. There are other “hunger hormones” as well, but Leptin is a master hormone, and you don't want to mess with him. When Leptin gets out of whack, you have a hard time dealing with cravings and controlling your weight. You can also become “resistant” to Leptin, which creates a metabolic mess as well (more on this in future posts). Fructose Percentage. How much of this sugar is made up of fructose? I am not a fructose fan. This has to do with both #1 and #2 above. Fructose gets your blood- sugar levels out of kilt, and messes with your Leptin levels to make you hungry! People are always stunned when I say agave is a “no” sweetener. When I was on Daytime TV, the anchor was stupefied by this fact. “What, no AGAVE?”  Its high fructose percentage is the “why.” Although not as much of a surprise, high fructose corn syrup falls into the same issue. Too much fructose. Not good. Note: Fructose in fruit is different because it’s packed with water, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Fruits contain anywhere from 13 percent to approximately  67 percent fructose, so if you want less fructose, pick fruits that contain less fructose, such as berries, cherries, avocado and tomatoes. Sugar: Why I call it a Dietary Toxin Remember what my definition of a dietary toxin is: “Anything your body cannot fully utilize, metabolize, digest or eliminate, causing waste, debris or harm to your gut.” Sugar definitely falls into this criterion of a dietary toxin. The Proof Nancy Appelton, PhD has been compiling research for many years of all the ways sugar crushes our health. She gives 141 reasons. Read about them here. If you want my “top 7” list, see below. My Top 7 Reasons Why Sugar is a Dietary Toxin Sugar feeds cancer cells (well, that’s about all I need to know) Sugar causes hypoglycemia Sugar causes gastro intestinal issues, including increased risk of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Sugar decreases your absorption of protein and minerals Sugar causes food allergies Sugar causes inflammation (this is dangerous to your health, as you can read here) Sugar is addictive The Bottom Line Sugar ages you. Sugar makes you unhealthy and contributes to obesity. SUGAR IS EVERYWHERE Even vegetables have natural sugars. But here, we are focusing on added sugars. These are the sugars that show up in condiments like mustard, salad dressings, marinated meats, luncheon meats, bacon, dried fruit, nut butters and more. Added Sugars This can be naturally derived or not. These sugars are added: agave, agave nectar, barley malt, beet sugar, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, cane can crystals, cane juice, cane sugar, caramel, corn sweeteners, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, fructose, date sugar, dehydrated cane juice, dextrin, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, galactose, glucose, glucose solids, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, molasses, palm sugar, rapadura, raw cane sugar, rice syrup, saccharose, sorghum syrup, sucanat, turbinado and many others. Typically, you can identify sugar by ingredients with an –ose, or –tol.  Or beware of works like sugar (obviously), nectar, syrup or crystals. Added Sugar Alcohols Let me begin by saying that whole fruits contain some naturally occurring sugar alcohols and that's okay. The rest of the lot can irritate the gut. If you have no autoimmune disease or other condition, you have less to worry about, and these substitutes may be okay in small amounts.  I still do not recommend these added sugars, which include: Erythritol, Mannitol, Xylitol and Sorbitol. Added “Dead-to-You” Sugars Artificial sugars are actually neurotoxins, which means they mess with your brain and nervous system. Keep in mind … these won’t make you skinnier. As soon as you taste “sweet,” your body releases insulin BEFORE it even realizes there isn’t actually sugar (glucose) there. This drops your glucose, so your body in its innate wisdom tells you to get more glucose. This makes you hungry! So, nothing is gained from these sugars whatsoever. Acesulfame K/Acesulfame Potassium (Sweet One, Sunett), Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), Saccharine (Sweet’N Low), Stevia that's white/bleached (Truvia, Sun crystals), and Sucralose (Splenda). My Sweeteners Typically, I keep it pretty clean. I have figured out who I am, and I know If I have too much sugar – I’ll go on a bender. The added sugar I use as a once in a while for a treat, or in a treat for my kids really depends on what I’m making (like if I need a liquid or a solid sweetener) The sweeteners I stick to for baking, cooking or adding are generally the sugars that are derived from nature as much as possible – and not a factory: Coconut, date and palm sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, 100 percent fruit jam, apple juice concentrate, applesauce, dates, smashed bananas, blackstrap molasses and Green Leaf Stevia. Some Paleo folks are more forgiving when it comes to using sweeteners, while others are far stricter. I try to be reasonable and practical, because I know from being in practice that people want options. It’s my job to find the best options I can give patients – that are the healthiest possible. It really comes down to what works with you and what you are willing to give up to get health and look your best. What’s important to me is to be totally aware of how the sugar is made, how our body processes it, and how much is in whatever I’m eating. Dial In Be mindful about sugar, and not mindless. You have to be, because food manufacturers will even put sugars in foods that you didn’t even think were sweet! One of the reasons why “no fat” or “low fat” foods are often no good for you is for this reason. They take out the fat and put in the sugar. You really have to be on alert, if you want to cut this dietary toxin. Get up to speed on label reading, as I suggest in these posts: Primal Label Reading 101 Primal Label Reading 101: Part 2 Keep thinking big and living bold!    

When we think of toxins, we often think of chemicals, industrial pollutants, etc. When we think of food toxins, pesticides might come to mind. But what would you say if I told you there was more to the story? I remember an evening when I was consulting a 30something male patient. He told me he was feeling really run down. He had been enjoying his summer barbeques with his beer and burgers (and had no intention of putting an end to that!), but something wasn’t right. His wife (a patient as well) told him that I test for toxins, so he asked to get  “one of those hair analyses or something.” He suspected that he was tired from some kind of lurking toxin — and he assured me it couldn't be food. I smelled a rat. I had a sneaky suspicion that my friend here was sitting in front of me because his wife gave him the “go see Dr. Kellyann or ELSE” stare. (You know, that  “or else” can scare the heck out of a guy!) So, he was sitting in front of me much like someone sentenced to jury duty. Well, I had been to this rodeo before. You can tell a lot about the health of someone by examining some common threads that you often see in Chinese medicine diagnostics. I studied quite a bit of Chinese medicine and I knew much of what my friend was feeling was because he was caught up in what I coined in practice as “decadent eating.” While it may be okay to eat crap some of the time, when you make it a habit, you are literally poisoning your cells. I can’t make that any clearer. I knew a hair analysis was not the answer to my patient’s issues — it was clearly his decadent eating lifestyle.  His nightly habits of brew and picnic foods, was putting him over the top. Here’s why: Most of us don’t get unhealthy or overweight from eating a small amount of crud, but regular amounts of crud, consumed in excessive quantities all of time can poison us! In fact, our risk for developing sickness and disease goes up considerably when you get a daily dose of foods that are not best for your body’s design. By the way, I’m not talking about a mamby pamby illness like a cold, but the biggies like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The truth is, because of the  “economic principle of declining marginal benefits to dietary toxins,” it’s what you do on a regular basis that makes a difference. In other words, if you want to go off the rails, do it in one shot. Hold nothing back, and go until the wheels fall off — then STOP. Poisoning yourself everyday is the worst thing you can do to your cells. Your cells become riddled with carrying matter that's not easily eliminated. This is a dangerous state for your cells to be in. Sick and starving cells create havoc. The bottom line:  You can’t make progress on yesterday’s garbage when you are constantly cleaning up after today’s mess. To make any difference, you need to eliminate as much garbage from your diet as you possibly can. What is this garbage you ask? Dietary Toxins: These toxins are anything your body cannot fully utilize, metabolize, digest or eliminate causing waste, debris or harm to your gut. The biggest dietary toxins I see today are: Wheat and other grains Added sugars (both real and artificial) Poor-quality oils Soy products In my next four posts, I’ll break things down for you and tell you just why these are dietary toxins and that if you eat them on a regular basis you are stamping your card to get into the worst party in town — your local sick bay. Well, so I don't leave you hanging…my burger and brew friend was not so easy to convince until he starting feeling so bad he could barely function. I took the hair analysis he requested and while he certainly had some elevations there (like most people do) he didn't feel better until he paid attention to dietary toxins – because no matter how you slice it…they matter. Before I go, I have to share a quick story about a well-known blogger/radio host who’s now ridding herself of dietary toxins … A Blogger on a Mission I had been following a blogger named Debra Lynn Dadd for years. She is the founder of the website http://www.debralynndadd.com and a radio show called Toxic-Free Radio. Guests share their insights on everything from cosmetics to gardening – it's a great radio show, and her blog has been invaluable to me in demystifying what toxic-free products to buy. I first turned to her when I was pregnant and wanted a totally toxic free environment for my son. Debra, coined the Queen of Green by the New York Times, is a wealth of information. She has been at it for years and gets literally hundreds of thousands of visitors to her website every month. I reached out to her about her radio show, on which I was a featured guest on the topic of dietary toxins. You can listen here: Dr. Kellyann Petrucci on Toxic Free Talk Radio She also invited me to do a guest blog post on the same topic, which you can read here. You know how they say, when you are supposed to do something, your teacher often shows up, that things start to align. That's what happened with Debra and me! My 30 Day Reset Diet made total sense to her. She asked me what the 30-Day does, and I told her, “It gets the toxins out of the cells, the nutrients in … that everything rises and falls on healthy cells.” This resonated with her. She evaluated the program, and decided to JUMP IN! Debra is wonderful to work with because she was completely ready, and is totally committed. You can read about her amazing journey here: www.debrashomecooking.com. Join Debra on this amazing journey by starting your own 31-Day Total Health Reboot cellular cleanse! It works!! Keep thinking big and living bold!

TaDa! Every Week I’m going to “dish out” a dish from my weekly cooking adventures! I’m rolling up my sleeves and pulling out my Italian! These recipes just may make you wake up on Sunday mornings saying, “I wonder what Kellyann’s got cookin’ today?”    You can expect the following from these recipes: Seriously delicious Perfectly primal Sometimes naughty (like the decadent cookie I’m working on now) Timely tie-ins (Like the Super Bowl goodie I’m working up) Easy to make Totally original and fresh What’s Cooking this Week? Okay, so I’m on the East Coast and it’s so cold even the dogs wanted hot coffee in their water bowls today. I feel obligated to pay tribute to all of my readers that are feeling the freeze and throw them a solid. Even if you’re in a part of the world that’s toasty, you are still going to love the warm, creamy, full-body decadence of this soup.    This week I’m going to introduce you to one of those items you’ve likely ogled and wondered about. I’m betting you’ve picked up this item in the market and said, “What in the world is this thing?” It’s called Kabocha squash. Doc, what the heck is that? Kabocha squash (pronounced kuh-boh-cha) is a hard, winter squash available from late fall to late spring. It has a brilliant yellow-orange flesh, like a pumpkin's skin. Both the texture and flavor of Kabocha squash is similar to a sweet potato: the soft, moist and fluffy Kabocha is surprisingly sweet and slightly nutty. This squash is a centuries-old variety of Japanese squash, which, in Japan, is often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. Ok, Doc. I might have seen it. But where can I for sure find the silly-looking thing? You can likely find it in organic markets such as Whole Foods, as well as many traditional supermarkets. If you can't find Kabocha squash, then acorn, butternut, or buttercup squash varieties make good substitutes. Oh, and what’s with the bill of sale on this veggie? Is it good for me or something? If you have heard me speak or have been reading my blog for a while, then you know why I LOVE squash. It helps fuel your body after a work out and gives you energy when you feel blah and sense that you need more food or something substantial.  And … Kabocha is a great, 30-Day Reset veggie! Also, the rich orange flesh indicates Kabocha squash is high in beta-carotene, a powerful health-promoting antioxidant. It's also high in dietary fiber, which, of course, moves food through those 25 feet of intestines. Here, I present my Apple Kabocha Squash Soup! Spoon up! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

I mentioned in my last post, Primal Label-Reading 101, that navigating the grocery store can get dicey when venturing into the middle-aisle jungles. This can’t be avoided — even when following a primal diet —  because middle aisles contain essential pantry items. How you stock your pantry makes a big difference when  your goal is to create meals with high flavor. Examples: The Beef-Stuffed Zucchini in my Paleo Cookbook for Dummies wouldn't be the same without the coconut aminos or the chipotle chili powder, to be sure! And my OMG Chocolate Chip Cookies couldn't be as fantastic as they are without the almond flour and Paleo-approved chocolate chips found in the … you guessed it … middle aisles. But do venture into these aisles with your eyes wide open. Just as there are many surprises in life, sneaky surprises await on many foods with a barcode. Examples: Did you know that canned tuna fish often contains poor-quality oils? Or that jarred salsas can contain corn, sugar and wheat? Mustard is a great way to add flavor, but as innocent as this condiment is, you still have to look for sneaky add-in ingredients! Be particularly wary of the sneakiest sneaks of all, which create absolute nutritional toxicity in your system and should definitely be on the “no” list. These include: Wheat and gluten, soy, added sugars, artificial sugars and corn. Beware! Gluten All major cereal grains should most likely be avoided because of their toxic effects (more on this on a future post). They do find their ways into your  diet if you are not careful. Review the following list and you’ll be in-the-know when it comes wheat- and gluten-filled foods that you should avoid: Sneaky names for wheat and gluten: If the following ingredients appear on a label, it most likely contains wheat and/or gluten: artificial flavoring bleached flour wheat protein caramel color dextrin flavorings wheat starch hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) hydrolyzed wheat protein hydrolyzed wheat starch malt maltodextrin modified food starch natural flavoring seasonings vegetable protein vegetable starch wheat germ oil wheat grass Soy Soy, like grains and whole grains, is another toxin promoted as healthy. And soy is now nearly synonymous with the modern diet — it’s present in just about every packaged and processed food in the form of soy protein isolate, soy flour, soy lecithin and soybean oil! For this reason, most people are unaware of how much soy they consume. The average American gets up to 9 percent of total calories from soybean oil alone. So watch out for this one, it’s everywhere! Sneaky names for soy: If the following ingredients appear on a label, it may contain soy: artificial flavoring hydrolyzed plant protein hydrolyzed soy protein hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) miso natural flavoring soy sauce soy flour soy fiber soy albumin soy lecithin soy protein stabilizer tamari tempeh textured soy flour (TSF) textured soy protein (TSP) textured vegetable protein (TVP) tofu vegetable broth vegetable gum vegetable starch Sugar Sugar is ubiquitous in the modern-day diet. Most have adapted their tastes to expect sugar in almost every bite. Sugar once in a while is okay, but the constant drip of the sugar faucet is problematic to our cells. Sneaky names for sugar: If the following ingredients appear on a label, it contains added sugars: agave nectar barley malt syrup cane crystals corn sweetener corn syrup crystalline fructose dehydrated cane juice dextrin dextrose disaccharide evaporated cane juice fructose fruit juice concentrate galactose glucose high-fructose corn syrup invert sugar lactose maltodextrin malt syrup maltose monosaccharide polysaccharide ribose rice syrup saccharose sorghum or sorghum syrup sucrose treacle turbinado sugar xylose Watch for it, in its many forms and disguises! Sugar in the form of fruit juice concentrate often appears in high-quality sausages, and some nut butters include dehydrated cane juice. These are minimal amounts of sugar, so after your 30-Day Reset, it’s up to you how much of these “acceptable” sugars you allow in your everyday diet. Artificial sweeteners: worse than sugar? Artificial sweeteners not only add zero calories to food, they add zero nutrition and may actually cause damage. When you taste something sweet, your body expects to have calories associated with that flavor —and that sets off a whole slew of reactions in your body to deal with those calories. The chemical manipulation of artificial sweeteners is harmful and can lead to insulin resistance. Avoid these artificial sweeteners on their own and in processed foods: Aspartame Equal NutraSweet Saccharin Splenda Stevia Sucralose SweetLeaf Sweet ‘n Low Truvia Corn Corn plays a major role in America’s agricultural demise. Watch the movies King Corn or Food Inc. for more on this point. The foundational point, though, is that corn is low in nutrition and high in starch and phytic acid (anti-nutrient that causes malnutrition and gut distress). Government subsidy is a big problem – corn is in EVERYTHING! Watch out for this one like a hawk! Sneaky names for corn: If the following ingredients appear on a label, it contains corn derivatives: artificial flavoring corn alcohol corn flour corn meal corn oil corn starch corn sweetener corn syrup solids dextrin dextrose food starch high fructose corn syrup maltodextrin mazena modified gum starch sorbitol MSG natural flavorings vegetable gum vegetable protein vegetable starch xanthan gum Keep thinking big and living bold!

I’m just back from a whirlwind trip to Michigan to host an evening seminar on launching the 30-Day Reset. After I was featured on Fox-2 News  on Thursday morning, the calls came in … “Sign me up! Sign me up!” So many metro Detroiters called to reserve a spot at the 30-Day Launch/New Year, New You program, held at the beautiful Community House in Birmingham, MI. I partnered with the great folks at Birmingham Wellness Center.  No less than 250 people reserved a spot for the complimentary program — we sold out! Of course not all showed, but we had a fantastic turnout that included people of all ages — and sizes. Both men and women were interested in hearing more about a healthy way to lose weight, to look and feel great! Some arrived solo, some with their spouses, some with pals and girlfriends … and all shared the common goal of wanting to reinvent themselves. I revealed stories about former patient Drew, who lost more than 100 pounds and literally saved his life on the Paleo program. I talked about a little 2-year-old who tragically died due to issues that may have likely been caused by all the dairy she was consuming. I talked about chronic diseases, intestinal disorders, heart issues, Psoriasis , lethargy and all those things that can be improved and alleviated by embarking on one of My Plans. Boy did women relate when I shared tales about how we all feel when we meet or are around that one person who just sparkles and beams! (Who’s this mom who always glows even during car-pool pick-ups??? Well, I gotta tell you … she’s likely following a healthy, Put Real Foods First diet.) I couldn’t believe all the heads nodding in the audience. It’s as if I turned on a switch for the attendees (sort of like turning on that natural fat-burning switch when everything becomes magical and the transformation begins!). Folks were beaming. I’m excited that this contingency of  interested Michigan residents is ready to launch and I can’t wait to follow their successes.  The Birmingham Wellness Center will be tracking and supporting some 40 individuals as they head into the land of delicious, healthy cooking; a Paleo-pleasing  pantry; sharp decision-making; and a more contemplative lifestyle for a month or so. Oh, and that’s the land of loose-fitting clothes, too… yes! Besides losing weight, we talked about other areas of your life that improve on the my plans. Again, the nodding of the heads on who’s in need of what. As the program de-toxified and de-acidifies your body with whole, natural, un-processed foods, participants also will notice that the Paleo lifestyle: Balances blood sugar Reduces inflammation Boosts the immune system Quells food intolerance Improves sleep Patterns Balances energy Encourages your body to burn fat naturally (that fat-burner switch goes on, naturally, and works even while you’re sitting at your desk!) Crushes sugar cravings and improves habits After the presentation, folks lined up to receive a signed copy of my Living Paleo for Dummies (Wiley) book. They asked questions about their own challenges and can they go on the diet if they’re vegetarian, if they have cancer, if they have heart disease, etc. And the answers were: “Yes, yes, and yes!” That’s all addressed in the my plans launch packet and is also part of the Frequently Asked Questions area. They also asked about ages. Guess what? Eating well is a good plan for EVERYONE.  Thankfully, we arranged to have a videographer at the presentation, as I knew this would be a great program. Professionally edited and designed, it truly is a must-read, and, of course, a must-do! Click here to learn more about my programs, which includes a background on why this lifestyle works, everyday tips, how to clean and restock your pantry, troubleshooter tricks-of-the-trade, support, common questions and answers, delicious recipes (you’ll master this healthy way of cooking in no time flat, promise, and de-mystify everything from healthy cooking oils to best meat cuts!), and more! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann P.S. Watch for an upcoming webinar on the 30 Day Reset

So I ask, How Are Your New Year’s Resolutions Going? If you are like most of the people in America, your resolution had something to do with what not to eat. And, after about a week into it, you may be feeling the pain. Some of this pain may just be a natural reaction to detoxing from wheat, sugar and dairy — the no foods on which I speak about often. I have consulted hundreds of patients and many doctors who have pulled the rug out on the ol’ sugar demon. And they’re all the better for it! So, if you are feeling a bit wonky, it’s OK. Let your body do what it needs to do. Be strong, and, most of all, be patient! (Much more to come on this in future posts.) If, however, your New Year’s Resolutions aren’t panning out, let me help you make better choices. Losing weight and healing conditions is all about one thing: CHOICES. I know, I get it. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. But now you know me. You won’t have that excuse anymore because I’m committed to giving you content that is going to get you where you want to be. It’s what you do every day that matters — not the one-offs like when you tried a new restaurant last week and ate more than you should have, or sampled that croissant in Paris, or attended that holiday dinner party where you went off the rails. It’s long-term lifestyle choices that matter. Here are some questions I received recently. I hope my answers help you with perhaps some of your lifestyle struggles: Q: “I love the ease and comfort of convenience foods. You know, grab and go. I’m struggling with this and I don't want to succumb to 100 calorie snack packs” A: “How about this. Paleo trail mix is super easy to make and a great snack. You can make a bunch and portion them out in single-serving Baggies. Got kiddos? They have a BALL making this mix. I have just the recipe.   Q: “Doc, I’m detoxing from soda. I drank about three cans a day and I really miss that taste in my mouth of something other then just water or tea!” A: I’m of course shrieking, and SO glad they are kicking that poison to the curb. “Try this: Sparkling water with fruit like lemon, lime, oranges or berries. Sometimes a couple of olives tossed in the glass does the trick nicely! It’s called Dr.Kellyann’s Spa water. I did a post way back that you might enjoy:   Q: “I’m totally feeling awful and I want to grab and eat something that I gave up, like M&M’s, my weakness.” A: “Yep. Been there. Fat will help ease sugar cravings. And cinnamon is a great natural blood-sugar stabilizer that also gives you a sweet fix. I made these awesome coconut chips on FOX news and the anchors and producers went hog-wild over them. One of the anchors asked three times. “These are really good for you, huh? Wow, who knew?”   Q: “Every once in a while, I want to be able to give myself a treat, but I’m struggling as to what is not going to really set me off.  My old way (before 2014) was to grab a muffin at the bakery, and that would do it. I figured it was better than a cupcake … sigh.” A: Ok, so one of my MAIN messages is that we are hardwired for sweets. Don't even try for one millisecond to think you can divorce sweets for good. You just have to redefine sweets. Your body is designed to eat sweets made from natural sweeteners and sugars like berries and maybe some dried fruit for a sweet twang. NOT Dunkin Donuts. That's where we got into trouble. Try this replacement for your muffin fix, and let yourself “honestly indulge” once a week.  These Pumpkin Pie Muffins are made with nut flour and pumpkin puree, and sweetened with just a tad of honey and vanilla. — so much better than all that gluten and added sugars. Still decadent, but not a gluten and sugar slam. These are all excellent lifestyle tips not only to help with your resolutions, but for here on out. Don’t fret if you have a can of pop or a muffin now and then. Those are the one-offs I talked about earlier. Make the one-offs the absolute exception rather than the rule. Incorporate healthy lifestyle choices into your life, and, before you know it, they’ll become habits. Those M&M’s will be nothing but a memory. I’ve made my resolutions; you’ve made yours. Let's work together in 2015 to blaze trails! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann