Welcome to the second episode of our Wellness Warrior series! We’re round-tabling with vegan chef and actress (and rapper!) Nicole Derseweh, world-renowned leader in raw vegan cuisine and host of the J-Wro Wro show Jason Wrobel, and healthy living crusader & founder of Eco-Vegan Gal Whitney Lauritsen, to bring you our favorite alternative medicine secrets.

These days, there’s a pill for every ill. And often another pill to fight the side effects of the first one! While some pharmaceuticals can offer a temporary solution, who wants to take medication for the rest of their lives? Well, you don’t have to. You can support your health and heal yourself naturally.

Secret 1: Detox We’re in a toxicity epidemic. Toxic food, toxic environment, toxic thoughts. Many of us have heavy metals in our bodies, like lead, cadmium and mercury, not to mention xeno-estrogens (plastic-based synthetic estrogen that disrupts hormones). An infrared sauna helps the body detoxify heavy metals through the skin. You can go to spa or get your own. You can gently detox every day by drinking plenty of water and choosing water-dense, fiber-rich, plant-based foods.

Secret 2: Natural Happiness All too often depression is treated with SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors). They may be okay as a bridge to help you over that first hurdle, but long-term they are not always the answer. Jason is living proof that you do not need to go down the pharmaceutical route. Diagnosed with clinical depression 3 years ago, he decided to boost his own serotonin and happy brain chemicals naturally. How? A combination of meditation, exercise, supplementation and self-love.

Secret 3: Heart Health Heart disease is the number one killer in the US. The traditional western medicine response is surgery and medication. But did you know you can reverse heart disease? Studies show that a plant-based diet, meditation and fitness can reverse atherosclerosis. And Japanese research has found that the bacteria used to turn soy into nato (ultra fermented soy) actually eats the arterial plaque in the heart, cleaning it! But heart disease is more than just about saturated fat and processed foods. We reject affection, we block love, we shy away from connection, we’re afraid, we don’t love ourselves—heart disease is also a disease of empty heart. Our mindset and how much love we feel for ourselves and others also plays a huge role in our healing.

Secret 4: Healthy Mindset Chronic pain indicates more than just a physical issue. Often, it’s a sign of blocked or unresolved emotions. How do you view yourself, your life, your relationships? What are you saying when you feel unwell? Our beliefs create our reality. If you’re constantly sick, what is going on in your life, in your mind, what is your attitude? Your mental energy and what you believe has the power to completely shift your healing.

Top Wellness Warrior Alternative Medicine Tips:

Nicole: Forget sugary snacks that end up making you tired—make your snacking raw and bioavailable instead, like dates, nuts, smoothies. For a caffeine-free healthy pick-me-up, go for Matcha green tea.

Jason: Blood of the Dragon: A special tree sap from the Amazon, which creates a scab over deep wounds (you know, the kind you get when you’re creating vegan art with a mandolin)! It completely healed Nicole’s and Jason’s chef injuries.

Allison: Get a vibration machine (no! not THAT kind!)—a vibrating platform shakes up your whole body and really sets you up for meditation. And cryotherapy (shout out to CryoZone in Santa Monica!)—the freezing temperatures boost your body’s healing potential and give you a natural high.

Whitney: When Whitney got the flu recently, she turned to herbs, inflammation-fighters like ginger, garlic and turmeric, positive affirmations, and essential oils—you can use them internally as well as in a diffuser.

Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!

The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!

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