Holli Thompson

A new film made it’s debut recently, and it aims to shake things up like a dairy-free milkshake. Filmmaker Shira Lane has produced a film called Got the Facts on Milk?, otherwise known as “The Milk Documentary,” that made its debut on August 24 in L.A.. The film won numerous awards at international film festivals and sparked rioting in Korea. Shira Lane’s proudest moment was following the screening in Korea when a doctor stood up and thanked her in front of a huge audience for revealing the truth about milk. Shira is highly allergic to dairy, something her mother discovered when she was three-years-old, while searching for help for her daughter’s severe asthma. Her mother could not have imagined that something as “wholesome” as milk was the culprit, yet Shira’s health changed dramatically for the better. After living in Israel, where dairy is separate from other foods and it’s easy to live a dairy- free lifestyle, Shira moved to America and found herself getting sick all over again. She discovered that in America, milk is in almost everything, and for someone as highly allergic as Shira, even the smallest amount was enough to trigger an inflammatory response. She was incredulous…

Trying to Lose Weight? Sleeping well at night will help you to lose weight, and not getting the right amount of sleep can ruin all your good intentions. Those cravings and irresistible urges you’re fighting during the day might be linked to a hormonal imbalance that can be corrected with a week of good rest. It’s not as simple as knowing that being exhausted weakens your resolve to eat the good stuff, although that’s definitely what it feels like when your diving into the ice cream. Take a look at the 5 Ways that your HORMONES might be influencing you without you knowing it. It’s enough to make us all go running for our pillows! 1) Ghrelin, a hormone that tells your brain to eat now, increases when you sleep poorly, so your hormones tell you to eat way too often. 2) Leptin, the hormone that helps to slow down the eating process, doesn’t work quite as well when you miss your zzz’s. As a result, you power right through your food without the “stop” button. 3) Long-term sleep deprivation or sleep quality can make your cells insulin-resistant which leads to higher insulin levels. Higher insulin levels impair your fat…

Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal last week at Wimbledon’s men’s final,  and  I was all ears when I heard the commentary discussing Djokovics “diet,”  his “nutritionist” and the phrase “gluten free”. Turns out Djokovic has been gluten free for the past year, and his tennis game has gone wild.  The guy has tightened up his serve, and is mentally a force to reckon with.  His 2011 wins have planted  him firmly in the #1 slot for Men’s Tennis. Lots of credit  is being given to his new Gluten Free Diet, and I noticed him pointing to his brain during the match, as if to say,”it’s strong.” He sure looked it. Djokovic  is allergic to the protein in gluten, and depending on which statistics you read, anywhere from 10-30% of the US and British populations are allergic or intolerant to gluten. It’s also commonly understood that many people don’t know they’re intolerant to gluten, and think that symptoms like chronic gas, irritable bowel syndrome, brain fog, headaches and fatigue are a way of life. Gluten is the protein in many common grains that we eat in America, like wheat, barley and rye and is added to many processed foods (think canned…

These popsicle treats are the BEST for hot Summer days. Using fresh high antioxidant fruits and raw ingredients, they are a powerhouse of nutrition and taste too good to be true. I love the popcsicle molds from  Tavolo Popsicle Molds, a BPA free way to enjoy summer’s raw fruits. Order some of these cute plastic molds, and enjoy their drip free bottoms.. Kids love ’em, and so do I:) Here are a few of my favorite blends to try: –The Pina Colada– Fresh Pineapple, Frozen Banana, and raw coconut shavings –Vita “C” sicles– Strawberry and Watermelon blended together –Blueberry Cream– Fresh Blueberries and Coconut Yogurt   Get creative, like we do in our house, and try spices, herbs, cacao, chocolate nibs and more. Mix up a batch today, and be inspired..    

Wakame Cucumber Salad- shared on “Let’s Talk Live,” June, 2011 Wakame is sold dried in the Japanese section of most grocery stores, and is also known as Alaria.  It contains high levels of iodine, Vitamin A, B12 and B6.  It’s also a significant source of maganesium and calcium, allowing the calcium to be easily absorbed by our bodies. Ingredients 1 large or 2 small cucumbers sliced 3 strips Wakame, soaked overnight (or quick boil for 5 min.) 2 tablespoons Organic Brown Rice Vinegar 2 tablespoons Mirin Gomasio (a sesame seed and sea veggie condiment) Preparation 1.Rinse Wakame and chop to 1 inch pieces, and toss with remaining ingredients except Gomasio. 2. Sprinkle with Gomasio and serve.