Clean Eating Summit 2020 Interview Transcript

In October of 2020, I was a speaker at the Clean Eating Summit along with 15 other experts. I shared the Whole Life Approach that I use to help people reclaim their health and lives. In my interview, I share my story, my Whole Life Approach, and the benefits, and actionable steps you can take right now. Regardless of if you are working to eat cleaner or struggling with chronic illness/autoimmunity, you will find information that you can use starting today to transform your health and life. I also shared two FREE EXERCISES along with printouts that can be used to implement change in your life starting today. Below is the transcript from my interview. If you would rather watch the videos you can find them HERE. 1.Tell Us About Yourself First I just want to say THANK YOU for having me. I’m excited to be here and excited to learn from all the speakers. I also want each of you to take a moment and honor yourself for being here. You were led here for a reason and accepting the invitation is something to celebrate. Nutrition has always been an interest of mine. However, when I was younger my focus was always centered around calories. The lower the calories the more nutritious I thought a food was. I never really looked at the ingredients or truly understood what was in the so-called healthy food I was eating. For me, at that point in my life, it was all about weight control. That was my only focus and back then a diet coke, for example, was considered a health food in my mind. During my childhood, I had a lot of issues with my stomach. I was diagnosed with IBS early on and was on elimination diet after elimination diet. Even though I was learning that certain foods can cause certain reactions in my body I never really put two and two together until 2006 when I started to have issues with my neck and joints. My story is a long one and can be found HERE if you are interested in reading it but I will share a condensed version now and what brought me to this moment. In 2006 I started to have an issue with my neck and many of my joints. I had a lot of pain which lead me to go to doctor after doctor in search of…

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Clean Eating Summit FREE EXERCISES (Rewrite Your Beliefs About Clean Eating + Finding Your Why)

In October of 2020, I was a speaker at the Clean Eating Summit along with 15 other experts. I shared the Whole Life Approach that I use to help people reclaim their health and lives. In my interview, I share my story, my Whole Life Approach, and the benefits, and actionable steps you can take right now. Regardless of if you are working to eat cleaner or struggling with chronic illness/autoimmunity, you will find information that you can use starting today to transform your health and life. I also shared two FREE exercises which you will find below along with printouts that can be used to implement change in your life starting today. Click on the images Before diving into these exercises either watch the INTERVIEW VIDEOS or read the INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT. Now that you have watched the videos or read the transcript you can dig into the exercises below. There is one more VIDEO to watch before you get started. Click the image below. The First Exercise is about Re-Writing Your Beliefs About Clean Eating. Beliefs start forming when we are very young. One small experience can create a belief we carry with us throughout our lives. The beliefs we have about ourselves and the world around us can either help or hinder the goals we want to achieve. The purpose of this exercise is to list out the current beliefs you hold about clean eating and then re-write those beliefs. Click the IMAGE below or HERE to get your Free Printout. The Second Exercise is about Finding Your Why. You will find step by step directions to help you identify the “WHY” behind what you want to do. This exercise references clean eating but you can apply these steps to any health goal. Check out this article I wrote “8 Ways Identifying Your “WHY” Will Help You On Your Healing Journey” to learn more about how helpful finding your “WHY” can be when it comes to our health goals. Ready to get started on the second exercise? Click the IMAGE below or HERE to get your Free Printout. The other FREEBIE I gave away at this summit was my Nutrient Dense Smoothie Road Map. Recently I created an An Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Compliant version of this roadmap. Pick one and then print it out and keep it in your kitchen for easy reference! I hope you found this interview and exercises…

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AIP Compliant Nutrient Dense Smoothie Roadmap (FREE PRINTABLE)

You found my Nutrient Dense Smoothie Roadmap but are following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) so that is what brought you here! Welcome! Smoothies on AIP can look a bit different. You might be asking yourself what can you add to your smoothies to make sure they aren’t only nutrient-dense but filled with healthy fat and some protein too. Hopefully, this roadmap will help you create not only delicious smoothies but take a bit of the guesswork out. Here are a few smoothie tips and things to think about when it comes to AIP. All fruit is allowed on AIP but you should aim for lower sugar/fructose fruits. Berries are one of the best options! When following a strict AIP diet consider using 1 serving of fruit with 2 or more servings of vegetables. Work to rotate ingredients. Try not to eat the exact same smoothie every day. This will help with nutrient diversity plus keep you from getting bored. For your greens don’t use just spinach! Spinach is the go-to green in smoothies but there are so many other ones out there that are wonderful. Two of my favorites are parsley and cilantro. I also love adding basil and mint or other herbs to my smoothies. You may miss the nut milk but honestly using filtered or spring water as your liquid base works perfectly. Adding avocado, cauliflower or zucchini will kick up the cream factor. Or, a little coconut too! Don’t drink your smoothie too fast. Take your time. Digestion starts in the mouth and even though a smoothie is easy on the digestive system you still want to take your time. Place this FREE PRINTABLE somewhere in your kitchen for easy access and happy AIP smoothie making! In Love, Health + Gratitude, Katie

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Banana Peel Tea: Benefits and How To Make It

Have you heard of Banana Peel Tea? I stumbled across an article by Dr. Daniel Pompa recently and was fascinated. I had no idea this was a thing but after reading a few more articles about banana peel tea I am excited to start incorporating this into my homemade tea rotation. Bananas are a great source of Potassium, Vitamin B6, and Magnesium. All essential nutrients our bodies need to feel our best. So, it makes sense that making a tea out of bananas would benefit our bodies. One of the greatest benefits of banana peel tea is for helping with sleep. Something so many of us could use a little help with. Banana peel tea is the perfect natural sleep aid! Drinking it shortly before bed helps to relax your muscles and helps you fall asleep faster and for longer. Banana peel tea is also filled with antioxidants which benefit the body in so many ways. In addition, banana peel contains fructooligosaccharides which act as a prebiotic (food for the good bacteria in your gut) which help digestion by promoting the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Now that you know a little bit more about banana peel tea this is how you can make yourself! Print Banana Peel Tea Author: Katie Faison Prep time:  1 min Cook time:  10 mins Total time:  11 mins Serves: 16 oz   Ingredients 1 organic banana peel (organic is critical) 16 oz filtered or spring water ¼ tsp cinnamon Instructions Trim the ends off a banana and remove the peel. Place the peel in a sauce pan along with water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 min. Remove the banana peel and pour in a cup and add a little honey or stevia to taste if you prefer a little sweetness to your tea. Reserve the banana for another use. Notes TIP: You can make a batch or two ahead of time and keep in the fridge to drink right before bedtime. You can also dehydrate or freeze the peel of a banana for future use. 3.5.3251 In Love, Healthy + Gratitude, Katie

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Keto Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée

We had a gloomy day in Minneapolis today so it was the perfect day for making a sweet treat. I also realized that we are almost through October and I have yet to make anything pumpkin spice. I feel like that is sort of a rule for October right? So, I added a little pumpkin spice to make these little creme brûlées a little more festive. They turned out delish! Creme Brûlée never fails me and it’s so easy to make a clean version with quality ingredients and a sweetener like erythritol to keep it sugar free and keto. It really is all about the ingredients. You can make something decadent like creme brûlée much more nutrient dense just by swapping out conventional ingredients for pasture raised, grass fed and organic. WHY PATURE RAISED EGGS? Pasture Raised Eggs are higher in Vitamin A, E and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. You can see the difference in the yolk. An egg from a pasture raised chicken is dark orange whereas an egg from a conventional chicken is a light, sunny yellow color. The difference is insane! Not to mention the difference in how the animal is treated. WHY GRASS FED DAIRY? Grass Fed Dairy not only tastes better than conventional dairy but it’s higher in Vitamin A, E and Omega 3’s just like pasture raised eggs. Funny how when we do things as nature intended we get the nutrients our body needs. In addition, grass fed dairy contains CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Studies show that CLA can play a role in regulating your body’s inflammatory and immune responses and can help to support detoxification. Getting CLA through a whole food source is best vs. a supplement given most come from processed oils such as sunflower and safflower. So adding in grass fed dairy if you tolerate it is a great way to get more CLA in your diet. Ready to make some upgraded Keto Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée? Ok, lets go! Print Keto Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée Author: Katie Faison Prep time:  20 mins Cook time:  30 mins Total time:  50 mins Serves: 6   Ingredients 2 cups grass fed heavy whipping cream 5 pasture raised eggs 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup of granulated erythritol Instructions Separate egg yolks into a bowl. Add erythritol and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 min and then set aside. In…

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5 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was First Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis

While reading 5 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was First Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis keep in mind that this is my personal experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis. We are each unique and so is our experience with this disease. However, I think if I knew these five things 15 years ago my journey forward may have been a bit simpler. Regardless of how hard it has been to get to exactly where I am now I would not change a thing. The struggles I have endured and continue to encounter from time to time have helped me to grow and become stronger. I am forever thankful for all of them! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE FEARFUL You do not have to be fearful of your future. You can still have a family, a career, achieve all your hopes and dreams. You will be able to do all the things that you loved pre-diagnosis. It’s ok to be scared. Being scared is a normal response to being diagnosed with a chronic illness but be careful to not let fear completely take over. Don’t let your medical team or what you read on the internet scare you. Your doctor means well and is only sharing his/her perspective based on the standard of care. He/she does not personally know what is possible for you when it comes to healing. You know yourself better than anyone else. You know that little voice you hear in your head, or the gut feeling that you have about something. Listen to it. It’s your intuition and is speaking to you for a reason. Don’t ignore it. Listen to it every step of the way. YOU ARE NOT A STATISTIC You are not a statistic or a textbook case. You are unique and your experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis is unique as well. Try to trust and let the fear go. It’s hard but it’s so important for your health. Being in a cycle of constant fear will create a chronic state of fight or flight which will only create more stress and hinder your health even more. I wish I would have understood that simply acknowledging my fear would lead to faster acceptance of what was ahead. Instead, I tried to ignore it which only made it fester more. YOU HAVE MORE CONTROL THAN YOU MAY REALIZE You have more control than you may realize. Focus on what you can…

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Easy Collagen Lemonade

  COLLAGEN BENEFITS Collagen is beneficial to the body in several ways. It can improve your skin, help with joint discomfort, increase muscle mass, and help with keeping arteries healthy. QUALITY IS CRITICAL As with any supplement ensuring you are consuming one that is high quality is critical. Look for collagen powder that is coming from pasture-raised cows, wild-caught fish, or organic chickens. Many collagen powders are also 3rd party tested to ensure there are no contaminants. There are many great brands out there but the market has become saturated over the last few years as collagen popularity has risen so keeping these things in mind will help you find a quality product. GET IN A SERVING A DAY I try to get a serving of collagen into my diet daily either through bone broth or collagen powder. I love adding it to coffee, matcha, smoothies, and lemonade! This Easy Collagen Lemonade is a fun way to enjoy your daily serving of collagen. And, it can be modified by additional flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, or clementine.  SWEETENER: YOU HAVE CHOICES The best part about this lemonade is you can sweeten it however you like. Honey, maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol work great! Print Easy Collagen Lemonade Author: Katie Faison Whole Lovely Life Cuisine: Drinks + Smoothies + Juices Prep time:  5 mins Total time:  5 mins Serves: 24 oz   Paleo, Refined Sugar Free, Keto, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Pescatarian, Dairy Free, Nightshade Free Ingredients ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from organic lemons ¼ cup of honey, maple syrup, erythritol, monk fruit or use stevia to taste 3 cups filtered water 1 scoop of collagen peptides Optional: toss in a few strawberries, raspberries, or clementine juice to change the flavor. Any fruit or fresh squeezed fruit juice canbe used. Instructions Add water, lemon juice, and sweetener to a blender. Blend until sweetener is fully incorporated. Add any additional fruit or juice and blend again. Add collagen to a small amount of warm water and mix until dissolved. Add to the blend and mix gently. NOTE: Don’t blend on a high setting or it may get foamy. Serve over ice and enjoy! 3.5.3251  

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8 Ways Identifying Your “Why” Will Help You On Your Healing Journey

Identifying your “WHY” is critical to every healing journey. Whether you are working to heal from autoimmunity, chronic illness, past trauma, or are working on creating new healthy habits identifying your why is a critical first step. I have been on a healing journey for over 15 years and the one thing that always helps to guide me especially when I get off track or am feeling discouraged is coming back to my “Why”. WHY DO I WANT TO HEAL When I decided to take my health and healing into my own hands one of the first things I asked myself was “Why”. Why do I want to heal? Not how am I going to heal but why do I want to heal. When we understand why we want to do something the how will figure itself out. Identifying your why will help you immensely on your journey forward. It is something you should remind yourself of daily and should come back to when you are struggling or feeling discouraged. It will help to carry you and continue to move you in the right direction. THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN THE PRESENT If you are on a journey to better health and have not identified your why take a few minutes to do it now. There is no better time than the present moment! Grab a piece of paper, jot down your why, and then place it somewhere that you will see it daily. EIGHT WAYS IDENTIFYING YOUR WHY WILL HELP YOU It will help you stay focused and keep you passionate about achieving your health goals. It will help you to gain full clarity on why you doing what you are doing and want to heal. It will help you to feel more satisfaction as your healing progresses. It will help guide your values and decisions related to your health. It will help to increase your trust and faith in the healing process. It will encourage flow vs. fight. It will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep you going in the right direction. If you fall off track it will help to get you back on track. Re-visit your why daily! Come back to it anytime you start to question your journey or when you fall off track. It will keep you moving in the right direction. In Love, Health +…

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Get More Juice With These Fruits and Veggies and A Simple Low Sugar Green Juice Recipe

I dusted off my juicer a few weeks ago and have been having a green juice daily and I am loving it! Does anyone else have a juicer they have not used in while? If you do, maybe this post will inspire you to get it out and put it to use! OFF-AND-ON RELATIONSHIP I sort of have an on-and-off relationship with juicing. I think mostly because I am not a fan of the post juicing clean-up. It’s not hard to clean the juicer it just takes a bit of time. And, time is a bit more limited in the morning during the school year. However, with slower-paced mornings this summer I have been enjoying it again. LETS GET JUICING I am a fan of a simple green juice that focuses only on produce that will yield a large amount of juice. Not only will you get more juice and have less waste but you will save money too! Save the leafy greens for your smoothies and focus on the ingredients below. CELERY (Add the entire stalk leaves and all.) LEMON (Peeled and seeds removed.) LIME (Peeled) CUCUMBER KALE and CHARD STALKS (Instead of throwing away the stalks from leafy greens like kale and chard and toss them in your juicer. Use the leaves for smoothies and salads.) GINGER ROOT TURMERIC ROOT Print Simple Low Sugar Green Juice Author: Katie Faison Recipe type: Smoothies + Drinks + Juices Prep time:  5 mins Total time:  5 mins Serves: 16-32oz   Ingredients 1 Cucumber 1 Lemon or Lime 1 Bunch Celery 1 Inch Ginger Root 1 inch Turmeric Root Instructions Wash all produce well. Remove lemon or lime skin and seeds. Juice everything and enjoy! TIP: Juice the ginger and turmeric first so that every bit of juice will get pushed out by the other ingredients. 3.5.3251

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Easy Muesli Cookies with Seven Sundays (Gluten Free)

It’s been forever since I have created a new recipe so I’m excited to share this new one with you! Seven Sundays sent me their brand new muesli mix and it was screaming to be turned into a cookie! Seven Sundays is a local Minnesota company who makes their muesli using clean, healthy ingredients. They are a Certified B Corporation which means they have to meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. You can learn more about this on their website. They also share information on the farms they purchase their ingredients from which is super cool! I love supporting companies that are disrupting the food industry and Seven Sundays is doing just that with their innovative products. The muesli I used for this recipe is their newest launch Wildberry Maple muesli which was inspired by the Northwoods (I mean look at that packaging). All ingredients are locally grown by Midwestern family farmers. This mix is now available exclusively at all Costco stores in MN, WI and MI. If you live in one of these states run to your Costco because its only available while supplies last. The good news is you can buy their other muesli mixes on their website and these cookies will work with any of them! This muesli mix has cherries from Michigan, cranberries, and wild blueberries from Wisconsin. Buckwheat and flax grown organically and sustainably in Southern Minnesota, and maple syrup harvested in the Northwoods of Minnesota. The best part is this Wildberry Maple muesli is Gluten Free + Nut Free + Dairy Free + Refined Sugar Free +  Vegan + Non GMO. H was pretty excited to try this new blend from Seven Sundays as you can probably see on his face. He was even more excited to make cookies! Hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Print Easy Muesli Cookies with Seven Sundays (Gluten Free) Author: Katie at Whole Lovely Life Recipe type: Treats + Snacks Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  12 mins Total time:  22 mins Serves: 2 dozen   Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free Ingredients ¾ cup gluten free flour (I prefer Anthony’s) ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp cinnamon ¾ cup coconut sugar 1 cup/1 stick salted butter 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ cups Seven Sundays Muesli (or muesli of choice) Instructions In a…

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