Wouldn’t you like to know? This book is chock full of fabulous
tips and a wealth of incredible information on how you can  take your health
and well being into your own hands.
Author Gene Stone knows a thing or 2 about health as
he is the co-author of The Engine 2 Diet as well as having contributed
to the Forks Over Knives book.
The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick is a great read
and will absolutely change your life for the better and way healthier.
A few of my favorite tips are:

• Take Cold Showers
• Dunk Your Head in Hydrogen Peroxide
• Eat Dirt
• Take Naps
• Eat Garlic
• Eat Brewer’s Yeast
• Lift Weights
• Follow A Plant Based Diet
• And More!

For more great tips and the reasons behind them, get yourself a copy today
and get o the patch to an illness free life!

 Each year we say we’re gonna get it together in all aspects of our life. Money is one of the toughest especially in this economy. But check out these tips to getting your financial affairs in order this year so that each and every one to come will be a breeze!

1.Cut out the crap: Ok, make a list of everything you spend money on in a month. Obviously you can’t cut out the electric bill or groceries but you can live without your daily Starbucks or that magazine you buy every month and never read. be honest with yourself and make adjustments by making your lattes at home, reading that article online or cutting out those things that you’re throwing your money away on. A great exercise is to keep every receipt from every purchase you make for a week. You’d be surprised how quickly purchases add up and how little you have to show for it.

2. DIY: Find ways to do things yourself or at least do them cheaper. As mentioned above, make your own coffee or smoothies instead of spending $5 a day on your fix. Brown bag your lunch, watch your favorite shows online and can you your cable service. While it may seem like a pain at first, you’ll see how quickly you adjust to your new, affordable habits. The extra funds in your account will be enough to keep you on track!

3. Contribute holiday cash to an IRA: Did you receive some cash from gramma? Have a small chunk of savings just sitting around? Make it work for you by contributing to an IRA before you file your taxes.

4. Write-off resolution-related expenses: Join a weight loss program? Visiting a dietician or nutritionist? Keep your recepits this year, some of this stuff might qualify as a tax write-off, easily boosting your refund and putting more cash in your pocket with little effort.

5. Charity helps you and others: Charity is a great way to give back, either through volunteering your time or giving money or goods like used clothing. Don’t forget the monetary benefits of giving. Start 2012 right by keeping track of what you give for a refund booster on your tax return.

6. Save without lifting a finger: Reduce your taxable income next year by choosing to automatically contribute to your 401(k) next year, and set-up a free high-yield savings account online where you start by contributing even a small amount, say $25 per pay period, to an account you can’t easily drain.

7. Pay down debts: Too often we make lofty goals when it comes to paying down debt. Start with one credit card and focus in on one realistic first step, like doubling minimum payments toward one card with the highest interest, then slowly expand once you can meet this goal without skewing any of your other finances toward the negative.

8. Go Green: Yeah, conserving water and power, shopping locally and living greener also means saving green!

Start the New Year off with a veggie bang and take part in National Veg Week! Check out the calender below and join one of the daily events, nationwide!

Monday, January 16
Los Angeles, CA: Eric Deardorff/PETA | Native Foods
New York City, NY: Ashley Byrne/PETA | Vegetarian’s Paradise 2
Washington, D.C.: Bruce Friedrich/Farm Sanctuary | Mandu

Tuesday, January 17
New York City, NY: Terry Hope Romero/Author | Kate’s Joint
San Francisco, CA: Sarah Smart/Vegansaurus | Thai Idea
Seattle, WA: Michael Natkin/Herbivoracious | Revel

Wednesday, January 18
Los Angeles, CA: Alex Brown & Evan George/The Hot Knives Vegetarian Cookbook: Salad Daze authors | Sage Organic Vegan Bistro
New York City, NY: Matt Rice/Mercy For Animals | Sacred Chow

Thursday, January 19
Chicago, IL: Kenny Torrella/Mercy For Animals | El Nuevo Mexicano
Los Angeles, CA: Spork Foods | Restaurant TBD
San Francisco, CA: Alex Eaves/Stay Vocal | Source

Friday, January 20
Los Angeles, CA: Rory Freedman/Skinny Bitch author | Shojin

Sunday, January 22
New York City, NY: Samantha Rogsdale/Farm Sanctuary | Restaurant TBD
San Francisco, CA: Bryant Terry/Vegan Soul Kitchen author | Greens

Written by Shannen Doherty

Nope, don’t really know what this means either. My recent stag trip to Amsterdam is making it hard for me to understand the post title I jotted down while I was there! If anyone knows what IP mean by “the season of festivals” I would be happy to know!

Cost saving I can give you some advice on. Hang on – maybe I was thinking about how you could go to a festival as a stag party! That would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it? Pack yourself of to Glasters with a bunch of old buds and more cider than it would take to sink a ship, and you’ve got yourself a ready made mudbath of a stag weekend…

OK, so let’s run with that. If you want to do the festival season on the cheap you are going to have to wait until next summer – unless of course you want to head up to Tromso in Norway to join the light-starved insanity that makes most of the winter months one long festival… Though you know, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Just keep the noise down a bit when you do, I’m, going there on my honeymoon in February ; )

There are some pretty useful articles here and there about how to save money at festivals: a good place to start if you are thinking of going all hippy for your stag do. SO here’s some advice that should work for everyone, whatever festival they choose to make into a stag event:

1: Book your travel as early as you can, unless you want to end up paying a million quid for a train ticket. If you want to be really clever, get down to the area the day before everyone else, and walk up to the venue nice and early on opening day morning. Then you can set your tents up and get drinking while the rest of the world is still in a traffic jam.

2: Pillows = lame. A festival is about staying awake for three days and eventually passing out in a hedge. If you really have to have a pillow, take a pillowcase and fill it with dirty clothes when you need to sleep.

3: Get a decent tent. Thinking of saving money by getting a cheap tent is false economy. It will break and then you’ll have to buy another one., Or sleep in a puddle.

4: Leave all your good shoes and sneakers at home. The only footwear you need at a decent festival is one pair of willies and one pair of flip flops. Socks are optional (don’t bother). All footwear will end up ruined so make it cheap and waterproof.

5: Take all the cash you think you will need before you get there. Keep it safe with a money belt. Your only other option is to queue for three hours to pay for the privilege of getting your own money out at on site cash machines. Hardly rock n roll, is it.

6: Take cheap clothes only. Festivals are not about looking glam, they’re about rolling around in a mudbath listening to extremely loud music. But a few cheap pairs of shorts and a load of cheap t shirts from your local discount store. You’ll never regret it!

A festival is actually a pretty awesome way to have a stag do. And remember, as it’s your stag, you get to pick which bands you see and when. Make the most of it.

For more information on stag weekends, please contact us!

It’s the new year and you want to make some healthier changes in your life. Some may find it hard to kick the processed or junk food habit so I thought I’d share this video with you on how some of your favorite flavors are actually made in a lab, just the same as out household cleaning products! Yuck!

2011, the first full year of new decade, the decade of many achievements for the green as well as vegan movements. Well into the double digit teen years, we have quite a bit to reflect on from the past 365 days. Before I write up my “Best of 2011″ in the coming weeks, I thought I’d share some of the highlights that may inspire even more greatness in 2012!!

• Forks Over Knives finally makes it to the big screen!
• Ellen announces that she and Portia will be opening a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles
• More celebs like Katy Perry and her hubby, Russell Brand, adopt and advocate a vegan diet
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the role of veganism in heart disease prevention
• Vegan food truck, Sea Birds, is featured on the popular Food Network show, The Great Food Truck Race
• The Milk Documentary makes it onto DVD
• More and more vegan experts were featured on national broadcasted shows and print/online media
• The US Postal service launches the Famous Vegetarians stamp series by PETA
• Gardein products are offered nationwide at all Yard House restaurants
• The Veggie Grill and Native Foods open their first stores outside of California
• Texas holds it’s first Veggie State Fair
• The 1st all vegan bloggers conference, Vegan Vida Con, was held this year in Portland
• Starbucks launches vegan food options
• Chili’s launches veggie menu item, vegetarian tacos
• And The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen Cookbook finally hit shelves!

2011 was a great year for the green as well as the plant based and special diet groups. We can only go up from here! 3 cheers for the new year, 2012!!

For those who know me well, they know that the holidays, from Halloween on, are my favorite time of year, with Christmas being my absolute favorite. I LOVE decorating, all the festivities, the food, fun and entertainment. Growing up, I lived to hear the first holiday song played on the radio and announcements for tv specials and movies. In fact, nothing has changed! The week of Thanksgiving I start to get antsy, pulling out all of my favorite Christmas movies and books and changing my radio dial to the holiday station until January 1st.

For many, holiday traditions are what we love most so I’ve compiled a list of my hands down, all time favorite holiday specials, movies, songs and stories to share with all of you! tradition and creating new memories with friends and family are the essence of the holiday season and maybe you’ll find a little bit of nostalgia in my list that you may want to bring back this year! I would LOVE to hear about your favorite holiday memories and traditions too so feel free to comment away!!

Movies

1. A Christmas Story – I hang with Ralphie every single year, no exceptions. It is my #1, all time favorite Christmas film ever! (and iteven makes my top 10 of regular films of all time too!)
2. The Santa Clause – I love Tim Allen and I think this film is super cute, clever and Tim offers up some pretty good laugh out loud moments that play to adults
3. Christmas Vacation – A hilarious classic. I still laugh in all the same places every year!
4. Elf – Come on, Will Farrel rules. One of the best holiday movies to have come out and years!
5. It’s a Wonderful life – Yep, I cry every time
6. Nightmare Before Christmas – Tim Burton take the holidays to a whole new level
7. Edward Scissorhands – Uh, Johny Depp, duh!
8. Miracle on 34th Street (the original one) – Little Natalie Wood steals the show
9. White Christmas – I love old timey musical Christmas
10. Die Hard – Action and Christmas go hand in hand!

TV Specials

1. All Rankin & Bass Holiday Specials – It’s not Christmas until I see the heat miser dance!
2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss cartoon) – Ah yes, this one makes me cry too!! Love Boris Karloff!
3. The Snowman – It’s a British cartoon, silent film like but to beautiful orchestrated music. It’s magical, whimsical and I adore it!
4. Peanuts Christmas – All of their holiday specials bring me back to being a kid
5. Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas – It’s an old Muppets HBO special from the 80′s. I was so stoked when I found it on dvd!
6. Donnie & Marie Christmas Special – I still have it on VHS from when I taped it off the TV in the late 70′s. It rocks!

Stories

1. The Night before Christmas
2. A Christmas Carol (the original Dickens version)
3. The Snowman

Songs

1. Bing Crosby – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me
3. George Michel – Last Christmas
4. Power 96 – Mi Burrito Sabanero
5. BandAid – Do they Know It’s Christmas
6. Wings (Paul McCartney) – Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time
7. New Edition – Christmas All Over The World
8. Mariah Carey – All I want for Christmas is You
9. Bon Jovi – Baby Please Come Home
10. New Kids on The Block – Funky, funky Christmas
11. John Lennon – Happy Christmas
12. The Carpenters – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
13. Elton John – Step into Christmas
14. Any Christmas by Harry Connick Jr
15. Any Christmas by Michael Buble
16. The Chipmunks Christmas Song
17. Bruce Springsteen – Santa Claus is Coming to Town
18. Winter Wonderland – Jason Mraz
19. Adam Sandler – The Hanukkah Song
20. Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis

Stuff

1. Christmas music
2. Decorations (the brighter and Christmas-ier, the better)
3. Christmas parties
4. Holiday events, tree lightings, etc
5. Christmas tree smell
6. Santa
7. Collectible Christmas villages
8. Jingle bells
9. Carollers
10. Strolling through the neighborhood looking at lights
11. Wrapped gifts
12. Bubble tree lights
13. Cinnamon brooms
14. Pies and cookies baking
15. Snow

2012 is on its way and perhaps you’re looking to go a bit greener
and save some green too!
Don’t fill the landfills with disposable plastic straws.
Instead, drink in style with beautifully handcrafted and decorated
reusable glass straws by Strawsome!
These are great stocking stuffers for kids and adults alike!
Check out my video review below!

The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen hits shelves December 2011 & coming to a city near you!

Be sure to pre-order your copy today so that you are all set to join The Healthy Voyager
at 1 or a bunch of her national book signing events in late 2011/early 2012!

Keep checking back for an updated tour schedule
and feel free to contact us if you’d like to book The Healthy Voyager
for a signing and/or demo event near you!

Tour Cities, Dates and Events

December 2011

Book Launch Party – Los Angeles, CA – December 7th, 8pm-10pm

Book Signing – Miami, FL – Books & Books, Lincoln Road – December 19th, 7pm

2012

• Book Signing – Memphis, TN – The Booksellers at Laurelwood -  January 3rd, 6pm
• San Francisco, CA  – January
• Hawaii – February
• San Antonio, TX – March
• Austin,TX – March
• Dallas, TX – March
• Las Vegas
• Portland
• Seattle
• NYC
• Boston
• Chicago
• Minneapolis
• Denver
• Nashville

I have to start by saying how much I love this brand!
Amy Kathryn Handbags are beautiful, practical, affordable,
animal and eco-friendly – just all around awesome!
If a gal on your list is wanting a new purse or bag this holiday season,
look no further!
Get 1 or 10 today for day, evening, travel and just looking
stylish the eco and vegan way!
Check out my video review below!