Superfood Sunday | THE AMAZINGLY POWERFUL KIWI FRUIT

By Dominick H.

Brandi Doming / the Vegan 8

Superfood Sunday is a weekly series where project: CLEAN FOOD features the absolute best foods to nourish – and naturally heal – your body.  To help you start each week right, we reveal the one must-have food to add to your diet. Enjoy, and share your inspiration with us by tagging #projectCLEANFOOD on Instagram.

Here we have one of the most amazing and super healthy foods here on planet Earth. This beautiful fruit is a part of the berry family. It was originally cultivated in China. Some other original cultivators of the fruit were India, Siberia and New Zealand. Today, Italy is one of the largest suppliers of Kiwifruit around the world. And, in addition to its worldly origins, it has a host of benefits that make it our superfood of the week. Curious? Read on.

Rinse & Repeat | THE SAFE, NON-TOXIC WAY TO MAKE YOUR LAUNDRY SOFT & STATIC-FREE

By Katie G.

Laundry is probably one of my least favorite chores. I get it, some people love it – the peaceful monotony of folding coupled with the smell of fresh clothes – but not me. For as long as I can remember, I have gladly left laundry in the very capable hands of my laundromat and never thought twice about it. Well, that was before I ended up at the dermatologist's office a few weeks ago, with a full-body allergic reaction. As she looked at me, she said, without hesitation, "this is an allergy to fabric softener. I just know it." Now, I am allergic to a lot of things, but fabric softener was never one of them. But, as I scanned my body, I knew that I had to change something. And luckily, through trial and research, I found a pretty incredible alternative to fabric softener that is safe, non-toxic, and most likely in abundance in your home.

Ready. Set. Engage | A 25-MINUTE WORKOUT AND MEDITATION ROUTINE TO START THE DAY

By Dominick Hiddo

My eyes open up. I stare at the ceiling into blank space. And then, like most, my mind starts to race around and think about all the things I need to do today: make breakfast, make lunch, do laundry, make dinner reservations for me and my girlfriend's date night, run other errands, and let's not forget the good ol' work grind. All that, plus all the other things I'm planning for my life and the fact that I get sucked into the world of social media looking at Kylie Jenner's latest California Romp, seeking out beautiful food pics, or ogling some fashion designer's new collection on Instagram for another 10 minutes. And in the blink of an eye, 25 minutes have passed since I've been up. And now it's time to get moving for the day, and magically, I'm running late. But here presents another problem: I have to make time to workout, exercise, and meditate. Like I, legit, HAVE TO make time to do these things. My body needs it. My mind needs it. And it's pretty much how I function. And it's my version of wake and bake. 

So here's my solution. I developed a 25-minute workout and meditation plan that helps me feel good in the morning and gives me enough energy to start my day. It's not your killer make you drip sweat workout. Neither is it an intense super-scientific meditation practice with lots of visualization and breathing techniques. This here is simple stuff. Anyone can do it. And here's how I kick it off. 

Abundant Energy | FOUR WAYS TO LIVE A FULLER LIFE AND BEAT FATIGUE

By Katie G.

Recently, I had the good fortune of being invited to an IVY Connect panel discussion with Dr. Holly Phillips, a contributor to CBS News and author of the new book The Exhaustion Breakthrough. I have  always been intrigued by the idea of energy in the body: where it comes from and how it affects our everyday lives. During this event, I had an a-ha moment. I realized that many of the behaviors viewed as "normal" are actually telltale signs that we need to take a step back and be honest with ourselves. For example, do you find yourself yawning uncontrollably at 3:00 pm when you're in the umpteenth meeting of the day? Do you make excuses not to exercise or socialize because you're just not feeling up to it? Are you nodding out every night on the couch at 9:00 pm? Do you just wish you had a little extra oomph? Do you feel like you're in a fog when you wake up in the morning? Are you drinking more than one cup of coffee and/or eating sugary foods to keep your energy "up?"

If the answer is yes to any one of these questions, then you, my friend, need to read on.  The secret to energy isn't found solely in sleep (although don't get me wrong, it's important), but in various lifestyle choices and patterns that you can control.

Black Mass | WHY ACTIVATED CHARCOAL MIGHT BE THE SECRET TO BETTER HEALTH & SKIN

By Katie G.

You might see it in your juices and you might see it in your skincare products. You might even see it in your teeth whiteners. As of late, activated charcoal seems to be everywhere. Its gritty texture gives juices a tint of blackish-grey and turns skin coal-black when used as a face mask. You might wonder how something that looks so off-putting can be good for you. But, after doing some research (and much first-hand trial), it turns out that activated charcoal is less of something that's a passing fad and more of something that has real long-term health and beauty benefits. So, how does it actually work?

Resisting The Urge | ENDING LATE-NIGHT MEALS AND MISCELLANEOUS SNACKING

By Dominick H.

Let's think about your typical day. Quite possibly you've worked all day – running around from appointment to appointment. In between work and home, maybe you've stopped at the gym or your favorite workout class (hopefully). And on the way to working out, all you had to nibble on was a smoothie, a juice, or a granola bar because the last meal you ate was around 1-ish in the afternoon since you were so busy. By the time you get out of the gym or class, it's after 8pm or maybe even 9pm. And now you're trying to figure out what to eat so you don't get a stomachache. And naturally you default to something easy: a takeout salad, another smoothie or juice, a pizza, a burrito, some leftovers at home, or some other miscellaneous junk to quench your hunger. Sounds like you? I know it sounds like me and many of my friends at times.

But maybe that's not you. Maybe you actually do eat at decent times and always try to make time for your meals (and healthy ones) in an orderly fashion; but you still find that after 9 or 10 pm you have that urge to dig into the fridge or to step out on the town for some late-night rummaging on the fast food scene. Or if you're like me, you stalk Yelp to seek out the closest place selling warm chocolate chip cookies or ice cream. 

What is wrong with us? Why do we have these cravings? These urges? Are they natural? Or is our body trying to tell us something?

Slim Pickings | MAKING A QUICK, HEALTHY, & DELICIOUS APPLESAUCE AT HOME

By Katie G.

By now, it’s safe to assume that you’ve been apple picking this season. If you’re anything like us after our recent trip to Demarest Farms, you wind up with a surplus of apples, fresh-picked and ready to be eaten. Only problem? After about two days, you feel like you’ve had enough to last a lifetime. Rather than using your pickings to make sugar-packed cookies or pie (or letting them go to waste altogether), we’ve got a quick, easy, and healthy alternative for you to try: homemade applesauce.

Before & After Yoga | THE ULTIMATE DIET FOR ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE

By Dominick H. 

Nine years ago, I walked into a yoga studio here in NYC to begin my journey towards flexibility, better breathing, spiritual connection, and healthy living. I initially got into the practice with much resistance. I didn't know much about poses or how to do them correctly. I felt like I would never advance. But, I grew a liking towards the practice. I would sweat and stretch. I felt like I was getting some work done and that my body was becoming healthier and more flexible. But, after about three months of practice, something strange started to happen. I would notice that after the intense yoga showdown, I would feel good but not amazing. I would start nodding out and getting super tired an hour or two after class. I felt groggy in the mornings and never wanted to get up for work. In the middle of the day, I always felt like I could fall asleep. Needless to say, for an avid yoga practitioner, I felt pretty sluggish and very low energy, which seems counter-intuitive. And then, I discovered something that would change my practice forever.

The Health Tip | LESS IS ALWAYS MORE

by Dominick H.

So you want to be a Clean Foodie? Healthy bodies are built from the inside out. That means mindful meals, fueling your body with whole foods, and oh yeah, eating less.

Lovely Lavender | RELAX AND RECHARGE FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

By Dominick H.

As the last weekend of the summer comes to a close, we're often faced with pre-work jitters – that looming sense of anxiety mixed with a touch of melancholy. Our mind races, deadlines seem to pile up, and we just can't let go of those lazy summer days. Luckily for us, there's an amazingly simple (and beautiful) cure for those end-of-summer blues. Aren't you ready to feel refreshed and ready to take on the fall?

DIY Beauty | SOOTHE YOUR SUMMER SKIN WITH THESE SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

By  Katie G.

 

Ah, summer. We're down to the last two weeks where we get to fully enjoy the great outdoors. But between sun worshiping, salt water, chlorine – and let's face it, drinking– your skin suffers. Do you find yourself hot, flaky, or peeling after what seems like an amazing beach day? Yeah, me too.

Luckily for us, there are some easy fixes for your skin that you can find right in your kitchen.

The Reboot | KICK-START THE FALL WITH THESE SIMPLE HABITS

By Katie G.

The summer is such a beautiful time of the year for many of us. We laugh, we play, we tan, we relax, and we vacation. And, even though it seems counter-intuitive, many of us become more lax with our diet and workout regimens (hello, Italy). Who can say no to that ice cream or that extra glass of rosé?

So, as we close in upon the last holiday of the summer season, I can't help but think that it's time to get back on track. It's time to prepare our bodies for a reboot by making some simple tweaks to our everyday habits. 

I know I’m ready. Are you?

The Cool Down | 4 FRUITS TO KEEP YOUR BODY COOL AND FIT IN THIS SUMMER HEAT

I don't know about you all, but when it heats up like this during the summer like it is today here in New York City--currently 92F and feeling like 102F with humidity--I just want to bask in the A/C. But of course, we must eventually return to that oh so illustrious heat (Why? Oh, dear, Why?). No matter how much we shower and cool off, we immediately start sweating again. Deodorant melted away, intimate areas sweaty, and for some of us, puffy eyes, swelling skin and poofy untamed hair. Dammit. What to do? Well believe it or not, what we eat affects our body's reaction, interaction and the ability to assimilate into any environment. Some foods will be revitalizing for us while we are in the heat, and other foods will just make us want to scream at someone that's annoying us on a hot balmy day. Yea, it's true.