Alicia Silverstone rocks!

I watched Oprah yesterday, which was all about food – where it comes from, what we are eating, and why our food is the way it is. Oprah talked about Food, Inc., a documentary on food in the US, and showed clips from the movie.

Her first guest was Michael Pollan, who wrote the Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food. Both fantastic books. Pollan was also featured on Food, Inc. He gave tips like "eat all the junk food you want as long as you make it yourself" and "don't eat anything that your grandma wouldn't recognize as food." Such simple suggestions but super-helpful for making healthy choices at the grocery store.


Alicia Silverstone was the next guest. She talked about why she became vegan (she loves animals) and about her new book, The Kind Diet. She was so excited to be on the show and talked all about how before she became vegan, she thought giving up animal products meant being subjected to a life of tasteless food. But now she has come to realize that there are so many ways of preparing a wide variety of healthy (and tasty!) dishes. Her book is about a vegetarian lifestyle and includes recipes.

So I think Alicia Silverstone is the best because she is a spokesperson for healthy eating and for taking care of yourself. But even more so, she is living an inspired life. Her excitement about this way of eating beams through everything she writes and talks about. She has a genuine passion that she is encouraging others to explore by using a positive message. Could there be a better way to inspire other people? Not using fear or anger, but through excitement and enthusiasm. Such an inspiration! If you are interested in reading more, she has a blog called The Kind Life.

I was so excited that Oprah did this show about food because it's something that I've been talking about with anyone who will listen for a while now. (Including you!) It seems like people across the country are becoming more conscious of what they are eating and how that affects their bodies and our planet. Such a fantastic development!

On the food note, our macrobiotic eating plan is going well and getting better every day. Honestly I feel great. I haven't been doing the plan perfectly - by any means- but generally I have been eating tons of whole grains and lots of veggies. Last night we ate radicchio pizza with truffle oil, which was AMAZING, and we have been trying so many new foods. Even when I eat a lot (like last night), my stomach doesn't hurt.

I do still crave sweets and cheese. But I read yesterday that cheese actually triggers something in your brain that gives you a mini-high, just like sugar! I didn't know that, but it sure explains my cheese obsession. So besides my occasional cravings, I feel good physically, and it's so nice to eat as much as I want without worrying about fat and calories.

Overall, after 11 days, I am feeling great about our macrobiotic experiment.

Jessica O.