5-Day Plant Powered Reboot

Day 1 Email:

Welcome to Day 1 of the Plant Powered Reboot. I'm so excited you're here with me doing the challenge!

A lot of the traditional detoxes and cleanses out there start out with a big list of things you can’t eat.

So instead of getting into all of that, I encourage you to start this dietary adventure by simply shifting your focus to nutrient-dense foods.

Nutrient-dense foods are the ones that should come first when you’re making dietary decisions, because they're naturally high in healing, hormone-balancing, and cancer-fighting antioxidants, as well as fiber.

In other words, think about which foods will truly fuel you… and which foods you reach for when you’re just trying to fill yourself up. There’s a big difference between those two motivations, right?

Instead of asking yourself how many calories are in a food… or how many carbs… reframe your mindset to ask, “how nutritious is this food I’m about to eat?”

Become a Nutritarian

Ideally, we can become what Dr. Joel Fuhrman calls a “nutritarian.” (Dr. Fuhrman’s body of work is a great resource, by the way. He has written multiple bestsellers including Eat to Live, Super Immunity and The End of Diabetes.)

A nutritarian diet optimizes our health (and our body weight) by emphasizing food with a high proportion of nutrients to calories.

In short: we want to eat foods that are low in calories while being high in micronutrients that heal the body — and fiber that keeps our digestive and immune systems on point.

Here are the nutrient-dense foods that would ideally make up most of your plate (75%+)l:

• Fresh fruit, including daily servings of dark berries
• Leafy greens: salad greens, kale, spinach, arugula, etc.
• Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.
• Any other vegetables you like: beets, squash, carrots, etc.
• Mushrooms: even one little button mushroom a day can reduce cancer risk.
• Beans: at least 1 half-cup serving a day.
• Whole grains: up to 1 cup per day (oatmeal, brown rice, etc.)
• Non-GMO, organic soy: tofu and tempeh (4 ounces)
  Fresh herbs and dried spices: Flavor your food while getting extra antioxidants into your diet.
• Nuts and seeds: up to ¼ cup a day.
• Non-alcoholic, low sugar beverages: green or herbal tea, kombucha (look for less than 5g of sugar per serving), and sparkling water. Or, try water infused with fruit overnight.

The Concept of Adding In

Also, I encourage you to practice a habit of what I call "adding in."

Here's what I mean: add in healthier foods to start crowding out unhealthier choices.

To keep things easy as possible, let's start with vegetables. At any meal, take a look at your plate, and estimate what percentage of your plate is comprised of fresh vegetables or fruit. Over time, you’ll want to see that percentage grow so that the vast majority of your plate — 60-80% — is made up of vegetables.

You may not be there now, of course, but that's where we're headed. Loading up on veggies will help provide maximum disease-fighting antioxidants, minerals, hydrating natural water content, and digestion-enhancing, detoxifying fiber.

Filling up your plate with veggies also serves to "crowd out" unhealthier food choices, whether that actually means junk food such as fried food — or eating excessive amounts of otherwise healthy foods such as protein, grains, or starches.

So wherever you are on the veggie-eating spectrum, just try to get more vegetables onto your plate: spinach in your smoothie, extra salad, 2 vegetables with your dinner, etc.

A few words about veggies, beans and digestion

If you’re not currently eating at least 2-3 servings of vegetables or fruit per day, you’ll definitely want to ease into things by increasing your vegetable intake slowly. If you ramp up too quickly, your body won’t be able to handle all of the fiber, and you could experience bloating or other digestive issues.

This is because the bacteria in your gut that are responsible for breaking down fiber are a small, but mighty army. Over time — and with the constant “feeding” of fiber — this tiny army will grow in numbers, and be able to handle the fiber more effectively.

The same can be said for beans and legumes. If you’re not used to eating them regularly, then you might experience bloating and gas while your body acclimates.

So, for veggies, stick with steamed or lightly cooked vegetables (vs. eating a lot of raw broccoli, etc.).

And if you're not used to eating beans, keep your portion sizes small at first — such as a couple of tablespoons — until your body gets used to them.

Post your comments and questions in the Facebook Group

This can be a lot of information to digest (pun intended!). If you have any questions or comments, head over to the Facebook and post something in the private Facebook group.

Inside the group, please participate in a little socially-distanced mingling -- check out to see what others are saying in the group, and give them a little support or encouragement in the comments. 

Happy Monday -- hope to see you in the Facebook live session today at 12 noon PT, 3pm ET.

By the way, if you miss the live session, I'll provide a link to the video in tomorrow's email. 

Bonus Video

If you're looking for a little extra inspiration, check out my video for a delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad with Blueberries and Walnut.

Peace, love and broccoli,
Monica

Asking people to give up dairy (or only have it on special occasions) can make me a very unpopular person.

Especially among vegetarians. They're thinking — I've already given up everything else... and NOW I have to give up cheese?!?

And then they wonder, where will I get my protein now?

Well, most of us don't need to worry about getting enough protein. I’ll talk about that later this week. 

For now, let’s talk about why dairy can often equal drama -- for most people, anyway.

For starters, people tend to feel better when they give it up.

Their skin starts looking better, their digestion is happier, they lose weight, and they start feeling less puffy.

Also, for women of a certain age, their hot flashes can diminish or lessen.

For younger women (and especially teenagers), avoiding dairy can help lessen PMS symptoms, breakouts, and other hormonal issues.

In addition, cutting out dairy can help with joint pain.

So let’s talk about why this might be...

Part of the dairy-related drama comes from people having undiagnosed lactose intolerance or lactose sensitivity. It's not necessarily an allergy, per se, but the body has a hard time digesting dairy.

Other people may have trouble breaking down casein, the protein found in milk products.

These issues can be annoying and bloat-inducing, but they're not the most serious issues around dairy consumption.

So let's talk about what the more troubling issues are.

First, let's talk about what milk really is. By definition, milk is a hormonal secretion that is intended to make young calves grow. This has nothing to do with whether the mama cow was treated with antibiotics, or whether growth hormones were used in the production process, or whether the cow is pastured and raised on organic feed.

Milk, no matter how it's produced, is naturally full of hormones and other nutrients — as is human breast milk.

However, young calves — and human babies — are weaned for good reason. It's simply not good for them (or natural) to keep drinking milk as they get older. They need to start getting their nutrients from "real" food.

The hormones in milk are designed to drive growth in a young calf, enabling it to eventually weigh 1,500-2,000 pounds. To accomplish this, milk naturally contains a hormone called insulin-like growth factor one — or IGF-1 for short. It's a hormone that exists in the human body, as well.

Children need high levels of IGF-1 to grow — it supports cell division and growth. Adults, however, don't need to grow, so the levels of IGF-1 should decline. In fact, lower IGF-1 levels are associated with an increased life expectancy (Source: Aging Cell Journal).

But, if you're eating foods that are high in IGF-1 — or foods that stimulate your body to produce more of it — you're potentially increasing your risk for cancer.

Elevated IGF-1 levels are associated with a variety of cancers, including colorectal, prostate, and premenopausal breast cancer (Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine).

To be clear, eating dairy doesn't guarantee that you'll get cancer.

Some people will, and some people won't, depending on their genes, diet, stress levels, and environmental factors.

But here's the deal: there's no simple test we can take that can tell us whether dairy will cause imbalance or disease in our body.

So given the scientific data, I choose to play it safe and reduce my risks. And you might too.

There's life after dairy. I promise you. All you have to do is keep an open mind, heart, and palate.

How to cut back on dairy... not flavor

The secret to all this is to understand that when we reach for dairy and cheese, we're looking for flavor, richness, creaminess. And, often, we can achieve those flavors and textures with healthy plant foods. 

Here are a few ideas for how I get delicious dairy free flavors and textures onto my plate:

• Make a creamy dressing or sauce using tahini, raw cashews (and water), hemp seed, nut butter, silken tofu, or even white beans.
• Add nutritional yeast to sauces and dressings to add a "cheesy" umami flavor. 
• Homemade or store bought plant milks. When making my own, my favorites are cashew milk and vanilla almond. 
• I like to prepare simple foods (beans, rice, greens, etc.), and then get my flavor from spices and herbs. Often, these spices are incorporated into a sauce made with tahini, hemp seed, or cashews as the base. 

If you're looking for more recipes, check out my website recipe archive. All of my recipes are dairy free (as well as plant-based). A couple favorites are my Almond Chai Coffee Creamer, Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce and Creamy Tomato Soup. 

Speaking of recipes... today's bonus recipe video is for one of my summertime faves: Mocha Nice Cream!

Watch the video: Mocha Nice Cream

Post your comments and questions in the Facebook Group

Time to head over to the Facebook group. If you have any questions or comments, please post something in the private Facebook group.

Also: please engage in a little socially-distanced mingling -- check out to see what others are saying in the group, and give them a little love or encouragement in the comments. 

By the way, if you haven't downloaded your workbook yet, here's the link. 

Welcome to Day 3 of our challenge!

In case you missed yesterday's Facebook live session, you can catch the recording on the Reboot Recap page. 

Today, we're talking about soy, and how it can be a part of a healthy diet for most people. 

During our Facebook live session today, I'll be covering:

1. What are the different kinds of soy foods out there?
2. Why soy can be part of a healthy diet for most people. 
3. Examples of how you can incorporate soy into a healthy diet.

For starters, there's a lot of misinformation about soy out there. 

People get nervous about tofu because soy contains phytoestrogens, which are plant derived estrogens. At first, there was some concern that eating dietary estrogens from plants would have a negative impact on the body.

However, there are now many studies that show how the body metabolizes phytoestrogens vs. our own estrogen (source: Nutritionfacts.org). And, in fact, soy has been shown to:

• Fight breast cancer.
• Positively affect breast cancer survival.
• Lower risk for heart disease.
• Protect against lung cancer.
• Can help reduce menopausal hot flashes.
• Also, it doesn't appear to affect reproductive health or affect puberty in young adults.

So, if you're soy-curious — or want to know how to prepare tofu — you'll want to tune into the live session or catch the replay. 

It's all happening today at 12 noon PT, 3pm ET. Hope to see you there!

Post your comments and questions in the Facebook Group

How's the Reboot going for you so far? Please let me know by posting a comment in the private Facebook group.

Also: please engage in a little socially-distanced mingling inside the group -- check out to see what others are saying, and give them a little love or encouragement in the comments. 

Welcome to Day 4 of our challenge!

If you're joining us in progress -- or, you missed the live sessions from this week --  you can get caught up by checking out the Reboot Recap page. That's where you'll find the recordings from each live session, as well as other links and resources. 

Click here for the Powered Reboot Recap Page

We have another great topic today: alcohol. So let's get this plant powered party started!

I want to spend some time talking about alcohol, because this comes up a lot when I ask people about their challenges when it comes to eating a healthier diet.

This has become especially true during the pandemic -- people are drinking much more, or more often, than they have in the past. 

That said, drinking less (or no) alcohol is definitely going against the grain (pun intended!) in our culture.

After all, alcohol use among women has grown exponentially over the past couple of decades.

But here’s the dark truth you won’t see on rosé-all-day t-shirts and Skinny Margarita internet recipes...

Drinking alcohol increases women's risk for breast cancer. 

Also, it can contribute to depression. 

It messes with our sleep quality.

It can exacerbate anxiety once the initial buzz wears off.

It impedes weight loss.

And, it can wreak havoc on our digestive system and gut health. 

How much is too much?

The Mayo Clinic says that moderate consumption for women is defined as up to 1 drink per day; in other words, no more than 7 drinks a week. Heavy drinking is more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks a week for women and for men older than age 65. For men under 65, the limit is up to two drinks a day. 

If you drink, chances are you could be exceeding that minimum for moderate consumption. Because technically speaking, one drink is a cocktail made with one one-ounce shot (who ever does that??). Or, 12 ounces of beer, or five ounces of wine, which is generally a smaller pour than what most people drink. 

During the Reboot and beyond, I encourage you to be mindful about alcohol consumption.  

Bring extra awareness to how many drinks you're having, and how many times a week. See if you can cut back, or take a few nights off each week. You might even try not drinking during the week, and then limiting yourself to 2 drinks on the weekend. 

You may even find, as many people do,  that it's simply easier to abstain altogether, instead of bargaining with yourself about how many drinks you can or can't have on any given night.

For booze-free alternatives, try:

• Sparkling water with a dash of bitters and/or squeeze of lemon.
• Try kombucha -- dilute with sparkling water to cut down on sugar intake. 
• Try non-alcohol beverages such as Seedlip “spirits” or Curious Elixirs.
• Socialize with your friends in new ways; instead of happy hour, go for a hike.
• Relax with a hot epsom salt bath, with a dash of lavender essential oil.

Cutting back on alcohol can be hard at first, but it becomes easier over time. Especially when you start to notice the positives, which can include:

• More efficient weight loss.
• Less bloating, flatter belly.
• Better sleep quality.
• Feeling stronger in our workouts.
• Increased energy and focus. 
• Decreased anxiety. 
• A stronger sense of well being.

Here are some additional resources to help you along the way: 

Bonus Recipe Video: Spiced Mule Mocktail

Click here to watch the Spiced Mule Mocktail video.

Recipe: Spiced Mule Mocktail

Bonus Resources

A Happier Hour, be Rebecca Weller

We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowan

Sober Curious, by Ruby Warrington

What Being Sober Has Meant to Me, by Brené Brown (blog post)

Also today: how to get our families to eat healthier

Also in today's live session... I'll be answering a couple questions I've received from the group about getting our family to come along with us on this healthy eating and plant powered journey. 

Post your comments and questions in the Facebook Group

Time to check in with the Reboot community. If you have any questions or comments, please post something in the private Facebook group.

Also: please engage in a little socially-distanced mingling -- check out to see what others are saying in the group, and give them a little love or encouragement in the comments. 

Today's topic: protein

One of the first concerns that people encounter when trying to eat more plant-based is: but how will I get enough protein?

It's a valid question. After all, the “eat more protein” message has been drummed into our heads for decades by the massive ad campaigns of the beef, chicken, pork, egg, and dairy councils. You know — the organizations who make more money when we eat more protein.

In today's post, we're going to venture into that strange territory outside of those mainstream messages — beyond the land of “beef, it's what for dinner” and “pork be inspired” (or “the other white meat”) or the “incredible, edible egg.”

Protein is important -- but let's keep it in perspective

Now before we get started, let me just say that I'm not suggesting that protein's not important.

Because of course it is. There's a reason why protein is one of the three macronutrients, along with its macro buddies, carbohydrate and fat.

Protein intake is essential for building muscle, repairing tissues, producing enzymes, and a whole host of other functions in the body.

But most of us in the U.S. actually consume far more protein than our bodies require — and that can cause some serious issues in the body.

It's true — some people require more protein for medical reasons (as directed by their doctor), or if they're competitive athletes trying to build muscle. However, for the vast majority of us, we don't need as much protein as the world (or marketing budgets) thinks we do. 

How much protein do we need?

According to the USDA, the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To calculate your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, and then multiply by .8.

For example, let's do the numbers for a 140-pound woman:

140 pounds / 2.2 = 63.63 kg x .8 = approximately 51 grams of protein/day

The resulting amount for protein equates to roughly 10-15 percent of your total calories. And, in fact, many plant based docs recommend an optimal ratio of 10% of calories coming from protein. 

So let's say our 140-pound woman eats chicken once a day — 4 ounces equates to about 36 grams of protein. That's getting pretty close to her full protein requirement for the day. Especially when you consider that she could also be getting protein from foods such as bread, oats, grains, and even vegetables. For example, one cup of peas has 8.6g of protein, while one cup of corn has 4.7g. 

So here's the problem: most Americans are eating far more than 4 ounces of animal protein at a meal — they're often eating double that.

On top of that, they're usually eating animal protein or protein products (i.e. whey protein powder) 2-3 times a day — which could put them well over 100 grams of protein in one day.

Why is eating too much protein potentially harmful?

Eating excess protein — more than our daily recommended amount — can increase risk for a lot of unpleasant conditions (Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, “The Protein Myth“). These include:

• Stress on the kidneys and kidney disease — When people eat too much protein, they take in more nitrogen than they need. This places a strain on the kidneys, which must expel the extra nitrogen through urine.
• Heart Disease — Typical high-protein diets (i.e. Atkins) are extremely high in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. Not heart healthy at all. 
• Cancer — Populations who eat meat regularly are at increased risk for colon cancer, and researchers believe that the fat, protein, natural carcinogens, and absence of fiber in meat all play roles.
• Osteoporosis and kidney stones — Diets that are rich in animal protein cause people to excrete more calcium than normal through their kidneys and increase the risk of osteoporosis. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “following a high-protein diet for a long period of time could weaken bone.”

 A sample meal plan for adequate protein

So let's make a mini-meal plan, okay? Here's what a typical day could look like:

• Breakfast — A fruit-based smoothie using nut/seed milk, hemp seed and/or flax seed.
• Lunch — A big salad with 2-3 different kinds of veggie toppings, some tempeh or baked tofu, and/or chickpeas.
• Snack — Apple slices with 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter or a scoop of hummus.
• Dinner — A bean-based soup or chili, served with salad, and some fruit for dessert.

 To further show you how easy it can be to get enough protein, take a look at this chart from the Vegetarian Resource Group. It's based on a woman who weighs 126 pounds.

See what I mean? It's not difficult to get plenty of protein, even on a vegan diet. 

I hope today's post -- our last installment of the Plant Based Reboot -- saves you some stress around the whole protein thing. 

Click here for the recipe!

 Click here for the recipe!

Click here for the Spiced Mule Mocktail Recipe

 Get the recipe for Chickpea Stew