I’m super stoked to share with you an interview with the lovely Canadian holistic nutritionista Meghan Telpner, author of UnDiet: Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health. Her awesometown book has reached the Amazon #1 bestsellers list, and with good reason.
Book Review: UnDiet: Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health ~ Meghan Telpner
When you think of the word diet, what comes to mind? First I cringe, then I think of calorie counting, restriction, deprivation and generally other un-fun things. I have never been fond of the word, and I’m sure that you’re not a fan either.
Along comes UnDiet: Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health, by the fabulous nutritionista Meghan Telpner. Many of you know her from her insightful and inspiring health blog, Making Love in the Kitchen. Her bright shiny personality easily conveys to the pages of her book.
UnDiet is anything but a diet book and has an approach to health similar to my own philosophy. Skip the calorie counting and deprivation and opt for delicious healing foods, frolicking in the forest and rolling out the yoga mat. Meghan’s book is a complete lifestyle transformation action plan that teaches you how to take charge of your health and make some positive long term changes. No more excuses.
Meghan offers a comprehensive and attainable step-by-step guide to a vibrant lifestyle. She has a way of delivering her message without being preachy, challenging the reader to question deep rooted paradigms. Her writing is witty and entertaining, balanced with solid research and empowering nutritional information. Her advice is universal, easy to apply, and covers everything from meal planning, kicking the cravings, reducing your carbon footprint and making your own natural body care. The book has oodles of little tidbits to help you along your journey to health and a helpful recap at the end of each chapter. And it will help your fridge look like the photo above:)
In true Meghan style, the recipes are fun, simple and most of all delicious. And though it’s not a recipe book, you will find 40 gluten-free whole food recipes that are sure to tickle your tastebuds. You will find some basics like pancake mix, freshly blended nut milks, tomato sauce and veggie stock. You’ll also be inspired and create some healthy alternatives like Cashew Sour Cream and Chocolate Love Almond Butter Cups. I can’t wait to try the Love Me or Leave Me Cinnamon Rolls. YUM!
Reading UnDiet has reminded me of 3 important life guidelines:
1. Live your truth and shine your light Meghan is the real deal. She lives and breathes what she teaches. This makes her an authentic practitioner, which is what we should all strive to be. Find your passion, live it and be a catalyst for a positive impact.
2. Everything is connected We are not separate. Not from each other, and not from the universe. What we do and how we feel has an impact in our personal lives as well as a universal impact. How we treat ourselves, the people around us and our sweet Mother Earth – this is the reflection of the world you and I live in.
3. Have fun!! Take everything with a grain of salt. Love more and live more. Get out of your head. Shake your butt. Find joy in everything you do.
My inspiring interview with Meghan Telpner:
A. People want to be healthy, but they are often misinformed and end up falling prey to advertising and false labelling. If you had one piece of advice to share with someone who is new to the world of holistic health, what would it be?
M. If there is a label on it, be skeptical! As soon as something went through the process of processing- finding itself in a box, vital components have been removed and synthetic fakers have been added in. The food processing industry have done something so odd to our food. They take it all apart into its component parts and then put it back together again using cheap, shelf-stable, synthetic imitations. The best thing we can do is buy food in its least processed form, or if we want to treat ourselves to cookies, or crackers have a look at the ingredient labels. Make sure you could buy each one of those ingredients separately at the store.
A.Your journey with holistic health started with a very challenging Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory gastrointestinal disease. You came to a crossroads and made a brave and life altering decision to go against the conventional treatment, do your own research and begin to heal with whole foods and stress relief. What would you say to someone who has been diagnosed with an “incurable” disease and is totally freaked out?
M. Its okay to be scared- for a little while. Then pull up those striped knee socks and get on with it. Empower yourself to make the best decisions for you! No one else can do that for you. It can be scary for sure, especially when those we want to trust as experts may not be giving us advice that is in line with other things we’ve read or our own faith/belief system. Its been proven that when a patient takes an active role in their treatment plan and truly believes in it, they have better outcomes. Our best tool for healing is being as informed as possible and making decision based on information not on fear.
A. What makes the UnDiet different from other health books?
M. It’s called UnDiet, simply because it is the complete opposite of what we think a diet it is. There is no calorie counting or measure of carbs or grams of fat. UnDiet is about breaking some rules, cleansing out the clutter in our lives that isn’t serving us and really focusing on tips, tricks and strategies to help live the life of our dreams.This has nothing to do with slimming down or cleansing- though if that’s what your body needs, it would likely happen as a sweet side effect of living the UnDiet lifestyle. The book is a guide, a toolbox for lifestyle transformation. It is not promoting any one way of eating whether it be veg, vegan, paelo or whatever else is trending this week. It’s truly about educating people on deciding for themselves the most optimal way to live and eat for wonderful health and happiness.
A. The philosophy behind UnDiet is all about encompassing a balanced healthy lifestyle, not a diet. As you continue to be a cheerleader and create awareness, are you ever met with resistance and doubt or are people just hungry for information and ready for change?
M. At this point, with a book that hit #1 on Amazon and has been happily hanging out on the Globe and Mail Bestseller list since it came out, combined with my now being symptom free from an ‘incurable’ disease for seven years- I am not met with much resistance. I am sure there are many in the white lab coats that might get hoity toity on me and say there is no research that proves this. Or there have been no double-blind, placebo bla bla bla studies in any peer reviewed propaganda journals that say this or that.
The fact is that the chemicals being concocted in these labs that are being added to our food, and even lacing organic food in the process, and filling our environments is making us increasingly unwell as a population. That much is obvious.
I am absolutely met with resistance however, and usually from rather unlikely sources. I have relatives and friends whom I once had close relationships with who want nothing to do with me, or find my message and what I do to be a personal attack on their own belief system. Its unfortunate for sure, but I have never aimed to convert anyone to live the way I live. I share the info and how I do things, I do it with as much love and integrity as I can and let it land how it may.
A. What do you do daily to maintain balance on a busy schedule?
M. I meditate daily and I shake my booty in some way- whether its with 20 minutes of yoga on a very busy day, a walk outside early in the morning or make it to a class in the evening. Movement is super important when so much of my day is spent on a computer. I drink lots of water, great food is a non-negotiable and I laugh a lot. I avoid things like the evening news, violent TV and movies and that kind of thing. There is plenty all around us without giving it any more attention.
A. If you could pick your favourite 3 powerfoods, what would they be and why?
M. Avocados– They are low glycemic, a dense source of calories to keep your fuelled and so fantastically delicious! Whether adding to a salad, spreading on a sandwich, adding to a shake or sprinkling with sea salt and eating with a spoon- all perfect!
Berries– Whatever is in season, wild and frozen or dried are the ones I am eating. Antioxidant powered, nutrient dense and so delicious! As frozen, I add to shakes or blend into a sorbet. Fresh I eat by the bucket full! And dried are great to add to shakes or soak to rehydrate and add to salads or grain dishes.
Greens. Any and all! Dried as chips, tossed for a salad as a base for whatever my dinner is. You can and should add greens to every single meal!
A. What’s your absolute favourite recipe in the UnDiet?
M. I love the Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins. These might be the very best ever muffin ever made. I’m not talking about the best gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free muffin. I mean THE BEST EVER!
A. What are 3 things that inspire you daily?
M. My husband Josh Gitalis, a clinical nutritionist, is for sure the smartest and most loving person I have ever had the honour of knowing.
What I see. Every day I’ll read an article, see a picture, see a person, have a conversation that inspires a new idea, recipe, blog post, meal, celebration…
The work that I do. If I ever feel uninspired by what I am doing than I am doing the wrong thing. Knowing that what I know and what I do can help alleviate suffering for others inspires me to keep writing, tweeting, sharing and cheerleading for the most fun, healthy, and happy UnDiet life!
This is one of the fantastic recipes from Meghan’s book. It’s not just what we put in our body that matters, it’s also what we put on our body. 60% of what you put on your skin will absorb into your bloodstream so be careful of what you slather yourself up with! Body creams can be filled with toxic endocrine disruptors and carcinogens such as petroleum derivatives, BHA, Parabens and chemically infused perfumes. This edible (yes you can eat it, or have someone else lick it off you) body butter is super quick and easy to make, absorbs well and makes your skin feel smooth as silk. You will love it!!
Edible Body Butter
1/4 cup cocoa butter
1 Tbsp grated beeswax
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 drops essential oil of choice
4 oz glass jar or another container
How to make:
In a double boiler (one medium pot filled with water, with a smaller pot floating inside it), melt together the cocoa butter, beeswax, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Stir in essential oil and quickly pour into a storage container, such as a 4 oz glass jar. Store in cupboard, or, to harden quicker, in the fridge. Depending on the season this blend will be firm or more viscous. The more beeswax used, the more solid it will be.
Excerpted from Undiet: Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health. Copyright © 2013 Meghan Telpner. Published by McClelland & Stewart, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Question for you: How are you going to UnDiet your life? Comment below.
