The Food Heals Podcast with Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy

With so many different types of yoga, you might not know where to start. The same goes for fitness. Do you go hard and fast, or slow and gentle? Thai kick-boxing or asana flow? Or maybe it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you’re moving and appreciating your body. Koya Webb is a yoga superstar and celebrity holistic health coach, has appeared on NBC and was the main character on the reality show Yoga Girls. If you want to feel inspired, her Instagram is the most beautiful feed, full of motivational posts. But it wasn’t always this way. As a teen, Koya was insecure, had no self-worth or self-love. She had to learn to build that over time. What set her on that journey was track athletics. But just before she was about to make it big, she got a stress fracture. That was the end of the dream. She sank into a very dark place. And that’s when a school councilor suggested yoga. From the first class, Koya felt connected to spirit in a way she’d never experienced before. Within a year, she’d healed her body th

What do relationships and business have in common? You can’t succeed in either without mindfulness. Think about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Drive, passion, organization, strength…. But also, belief in yourself, trust in your abilities, confidence in your knowledge. Without that, you just stand in your own way. So how can we stop blocking ourselves from following our dreams and setting up our businesses? It all starts with mindfulness. The same goes for our relationships. Our vibration, which is made up of all our habitual thoughts and our core beliefs about ourselves and the world, is what attracts people into our lives. In the same way, if we have unresolved issues, we will keep attracting people who exacerbate them. Unless we love ourselves, we cannot expect another person to truly love us. We need to empower ourselves and take responsibility for what we bring into our relationships - we create our reality, so if our reality doesn’t suit us, then we need to look at what we’re putting ou

Do you ever feel like none of your inner work is getting you anywhere? What if your fears, limiting beliefs and negative patterns were not your own, but actually inherited from your ancestors? Are you holding something in your body that isn’t even yours? If your ancestors had any kind of emotional trauma, such as fear, phobias, depression, anxiety, abuse, the subconscious traps that energy in DNA. This gets passed down, generation to generation. So your phobia of spiders may be due to a great great aunt experiencing the trauma of getting bitten. For example, Whitney’s limiting beliefs around money come from her grandfather going through the Great Depression. It can feel overwhelming to think that you’re also carrying other people’s trauma, but don’t worry! You can free yourself from these patterns and release the emotions that are not your own. Lisa Thomas is a Transformational Energy Healer and uses a combination of kinesiology (a form of muscle testing) and clairvoyancy to connect with her clients’ subco

We used to consider smoking healthy - everyone smoked, even doctors. It took over 20 years and 7000 studies before the first official report against smoking was published. How long will it take before the truth comes out about our diets? Well, if Dr. Michael Greger has anything to do with it, not long at all! Dr. Greger was inspired into the medical profession by his grandma’s healing story. She’d had so many bypass operations that doctors said there was nothing more to be done, and sent her home to die. She was only 65. But after working with of one of the original lifestyle medicine pioneers, Nathan Pritikin, she healed herself and went on to live another 31 healthy happy years. Having witnessed firsthand the healing power of a plant-based diet, Dr. Greger is on a mission to bring the truth about nutrition to as many people as possible. He founded the free, non-profit, science-based website NutritionFacts.org, which provides the latest in evidence-based nutrition research. We love his book How Not to D

Let us take you on our vegan Italian getaway! We recorded this very special episode on the Amalfi Coast. Discover our favorite things about Italy, how to get more veggies into your kids, and the most powerful ingredient to put into your meals. 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!

Kerri went vegan at the age of 12. But she wasn’t a healthy vegan. Pasta, sugar, gluten, soy, and junk food all featured in her diet, causing drastic mood swings, low energy and skin issues. After 24 years of that kind of strict veganism, she felt like crap. She had constant sugar cravings, was tired all the time, was anemic, started losing her hair, and her brain didn’t work. And all the doctor did was… prescribe medicine. He didn’t even ask Kerri about her diet. He just diagnosed her with ADD and handed her some pills. At that moment, Kerri had a breakthrough. It wasn’t about veganism. It was about health and eating right. The food choices you make dramatically affect your mood and your physical health. Your gut isn’t called your second brain for nothing – that’s where your immune system is, and where most of your serotonin is produced. So if you’re eating foods that cause poor digestion and inflammation in your gut, then of course that this is going to affect your mental health, and increase your risk of

Today’s episode is brought to you by Gabby Bernstein’s Spirit Junkie Masterclass and is all about transforming your money mindset. One book has created more millionaires than any other source in history. It’s so good, it’s on Oprah Winfrey and Jim Carrey’s reading lists! Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937, the groundbreaking book Think and Grow Rich is a collection of strategies from the most powerful businessmen of that time. The original how-to guidebook to financial freedom has now been made into a film and been rewritten for a modern audience. James Whittaker grew up with an appreciation of what it means to be engaged in personal finance. Because of that, he naturally got into financial planning and spent 10 years in the industry before he finally followed his childhood dream and started his own business. He soon figured out that what he really wanted to do with his life was help people take ownership of their financial, physical and mental health. A chance meeting with the film-makers of Think and Grow

Alison Burgos wasn’t always into plant-based food. In fact, she didn’t enjoy vegan food at all! It took a severe health condition to get her to completely re-think her lifestyle. At just forty years old, Alison was morbidly obese and confined to a wheelchair. Rheumatoid arthritis had attacked her joints to such a degree that she couldn’t move without excruciating pain. The best doctors in the world prescribed steroids and drugs, but did nothing to combat the inflammation. At her wit’s end, Alison decided to take matters into her own hands and, with her wife and friends’ support, went on a 90-day raw cleanse. Her inflammation disappeared. What started as a personal health journey has turned into a desire to help others make conscious choices about what they eat, and see how positive and powerful those choices can be. The Seed, Food and Wine festival was born. And we’re so excited to invite you to join us there. The Seed Food & Wine LA and Eat Drink Vegan events are happening THIS WEEK, May 23rd to 26th. It

We all want to be fit. But who wants to go to a gym ever day? And what if lifting weights actually bulks you up rather than slim you down? With all the conflicting information out there, you can’t get your head around the right foods to eat before and after a workout. It’s exhausting trying to figure out the best fitness strategies to lose weight and feel great. That’s where today’s guests can offer you some invaluable advice: what they don’t know about fitness is not worth knowing.   Devon’s dive into wellness dates back to her late 20’s. Despite being a dancer and appearing slim and healthy, she had a disordered relationship with food, and was pre-diabetic and peri-menopausal, which means her blood sugar and hormones were completely out of balance. Through a combination of Gyrotonic training, holistic anti-aging strategies and nutrition, Devon completely healed her Lyme disease, balanced her hormones and now feels healthier than ever.   For Rob, health was just about aesthetics. It was about looking goo

We all want to be beautiful. But at what cost? A conventional lipstick might make us pretty for the day, but the buildup of toxic ingredients can have devastating long-term effects on our health. And what about the cost to animals? Each year, up to a million dogs, rabbits and mice are tortured and die because of our self-care products. Ericka Rodriguez had worn the same mascara for 10 years before she read the ingredients label and discovered the dark side of her make-up. But finding fun, colorful, organic, vegan and cruelty free alternatives was tough. So she decided to make her own: Axiology was born. Where most lipsticks contain upwards of 23 ingredients, Axiology lipsticks contain around 10, with no scary chemicals in sight. Her products are made from things most of us have in our kitchens or bathrooms: avocado butter, coconut oil, calendula wax, neem oil, elderberry extract. Better still, the packaging is made by a recycled-paper company run by women whose aim is to address the trash issue in Bali. If

Asher Brown stopped eating meat when he was just 9 years old. He realized if could ask what the cow might want, it would not want to be eaten. It wasn’t easy being the only vegetarian in his family; his mom worried he might never grow up big and strong without meat. But his parents supported him and at 20, he went from vegetarian to vegan. However, like many of us, he was an apologetic vegan. He didn’t want to make others uncomfortable, didn’t want to be the odd one out or the “awkward” guy at the dinner table.  But when he got hired to make videos for Beyond Meat, all that changed—he found his voice. He discovered Vegan Instagram, and that he was part of a group of millions of vegans around the world, standing up for the animals. That sparked his move into activism. Asher began speaking at conferences, connecting with other vegans, and working for vegan brands. Asher Brown is the founder of Pollution TV, a content agency that works solely with ethical companies and conscious brands to spread vegan awa

When it comes to health, golden girl of the wellness world Candice Kumai knows her stuff! A classically trained chef, model, journalist, TV host and best-selling author, she bridges the gap between the West and traditional Japanese culture. Brought up in a Japanese-Polish household, Candice was always fascinated by cooking and loved bringing people together with food. She paid her way through culinary school with modelling, before appearing on Top Chef. A decade later, she’s an internationally acclaimed author, wellness influencer, and a living example of how to live and be well while running a business in the city.  Magazines that promise better sex and abs tomorrow are great, but they won’t improve your life. A better life comes from sharing, being open-hearted, self-love, kindness, doing your best and celebrating imperfections. That’s where Candice’s new book comes in.  Kintsugi Wellness is based on the untold story of Candice’s Japanese heritage and is a perfectly imperfect guide to nourishing your mi

Steve Olsher is a bad-ass entrepreneur who’s done nearly everything, even selling speakers out of a van. Motivated by the deep desire to stop simply chasing dollars and start creating positive change, he’s become a best-selling author, podcaster, radio host, and speaker, appearing on many media channels including CNN and Huffington Post. His book What is Your What uncovers the strategies to find your soul’s true calling. Your “why” is often something you choose – you want to provide for your family, help the homeless, support the environment, etc. But your “what” is internal, a part of who you are. Your “what” chooses you, rather than being something you have chosen. And to figure out what your “what” is, you simply need to answer three key questions: What is your core gift? What primary vehicle are you going to use to share that gift? Who are the people you’re most compelled to serve? Then you’ve got the tools to go out into the world and make a difference with your unique talents. Go to the website to down

Nearly 60 percent of women aged 18 to 35 have experienced abuse in their relationships and 24 percent of women in abusive relationships have not told anyone they’re being harmed. These types of toxic relationships take a rigorous toll on our health; often causing PTSD & depression and can become extremely dangerous. In today’s episode we will tell the story of survivor and brave soul Rosie Aiello, the abuse she endured, and how she eventually made “the great escape.” Rosie Aiello moved to the Middle East to be with her new husband. On the outside, they had the perfect marriage, but the warning signs where there from the honeymoon. Isolated, without a support system, emotionally, physically and financially abused, Rosie spent most of her marriage not realizing she was in an abusive relationship; she just thought she wasn’t good enough. But the second she realized her daughter was also being controlled, she set about orchestrating the escape of their lives. Their bid to freedom worked, and they’ve been bac

What are you telling yourself day in, day out? Your thoughts shape your reality, and most of us think critical, negative, painful thoughts on a regular basis. It’s time to change that; time to release the emotions that keep us stuck in a cycle of pain; time to step into the life we’ve always dreamed of.  Mindset expert Jolen Philbrook is a survivor. She overcame cancer TWICE. First a rare type of breast cancer, then kidney cancer. And at the same time, she was fighting a custody battle with no income. How did she keep going and get through it all? One word: mindset. Now, having survived, she shares her wisdom to help women live their greatest life. She’s a transformational coach and best-selling author of the Gratitude Book Project, and Tears to Triumph. She created the Breakthrough to Prosperity formula to help women clear their emotions and live in an abundant mindset. Her podcast the Inner Abundant Mindset is the go-to show for everything from healing relationships to clearing chakras!  Joie Cheng is a s

Growing up in Romania, Andrea was surrounded by Europe’s most gorgeous women who taught her the secret to perfect skin: oils! She gained expert understanding of what makes skin glow thanks to her 8 years as a cosmetic surgical intern. Paired with her philosophy of simplicity and good health, she created an ethical, raw, organic and unprocessed skincare range with her husband Cameron: Apothecary 90291 was born! Our skin is our biggest organ. And yet every day the average American woman comes into contact with over 500 different chemicals: from make-up, shower gel, laundry liquids, clothes, moisturizer, etc. Heavy metals, plastics, pesticides—all these go into your body. They might be trace amounts, but every day they bio-accumulate in tissues and cells, and can eventually lead to chronic health problems. It’s crazy to think that while in Europe over 1,600 skincare chemicals are banned or heavily regulated, only 30 are (partially) banned in the United States! Why isn’t our government protecting us from these

The loss of a child is one of the most unimaginable experiences a parent can go through. And that’s exactly what happened to Marie White. Three and a half years ago, her toddler was abducted. As of this writing, her child is still missing. This tragic occurrence is more common than you might think, in fact, 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States -- that's roughly 2,000 per day. This can destroy families, lead to failed marriages and often lead to suicide. But todays interview is a tale of resilience. Marie has not seen her child in almost four years. And yet, instead of sinking into despair, Marie turned her pain into her purpose. Noticing that there were no resources to help people like her, she decided to be a beacon of light for parents who had lost a child, whether through divorce, illness, or abduction. She started a YouTube channel and has written five books dedicated to helping parents back to strength after trauma, including the best seller Strength for Parents of Miss

Three years ago, Jeff’s wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. She was told her life would change forever: surgery, chemo, radiation, a life without an essential organ. They decided not to take the doctor’s word for it, and travelled to Germany to treat the cancer naturally. Juicing, plant-based meals, hypothermia (targeted heat therapy), oxygen therapy, intravenous vitamins, minerals and amino acids, colonics—it was like a spa, with a difference. Within 30 days, she was completely cancer free. She’s not an isolated case. Natural cancer therapies have an 80 to 90% success rate. And yet, when Jeff went to the newspapers to share this story and inspire hope, he was turned down time after time. Western medicine is a business, and it can’t profit from a natural cure for cancer. The system is rigged to support big pharma: in the US, clinical trials are only performed on drugs, alternative therapies are never tested. The only cancer treatments to get any major media airtime are pharmaceutica

We’re here with one of our favorite guests, the super cool, super stylish Leslie Durso (check out Episodes 95 and 96 for her story). She’s a vegan chef, healthy living educator and has been plant-based since she was 8 years old. Leslie grew up in an Italian household, making vegan versions of whatever her mom was cooking. Now, she loves nothing more than sharing her knowledge and passion for veganism with as many people as possible. Her farm fresh, plant-based recipes are broadcast to over 130 countries, and she’s just partnered with Plant Lab Culinary School offering pop-up cooking courses all over the world. Leslie has also created vegan dishes for all the menus at the Four Seasons Punto Mita in Mexico, where she will be running retreats in 2018.  With just one week until Christmas, how can we bring more plant-based recipes and more love to our holiday? How can we bring more acceptance to the table, particularly to those who might not completely understand our healthy choices? Leslie’s answer: cook for

Growing up, Katie’s family, like many, showed love through big portions of low-quality food. During her childhood, Katie was an athlete, exercising up to 6 hours a day and eating whatever she wanted. However, once she got to college, she gained 60 pounds. She fell in love with feminism and used it to present a mask of not caring about her weight. Deep down she wasn’t happy with her body and her relationship with food became dysfunctional.  Suffering from a combination of overeating, bulimia, and exercisorexia, her days were focused around working out, eating food and avoiding food.  She was able to overcome her eating disorder thank to the Overeaters Anonymous 12-step program. Katie learned that freedom isn’t as much about not having any boundaries, but more about creating boundaries that help you be the best version of yourself. Early in her life, Katie wanted to make a big impact. Passionate about life and wanting to live big, she now uses her business to do just that. She married her two interests – busi