Summary: I find it increasingly fascinating how most of the game-changers in today’s world have experienced a pivotal moment in their lives to shake them out of mediocrity. The threshold moment is often a personal health crisis, dramatic accident, loss of a significant relationship, or the death of a loved one. The common theme is loss. Being faced with our own mortality or that of someone we love can have a dramatic impact that shakes our model of the world in ways that opens us up to so much more of who we’ve always been meant to be.<br> Why does it take trauma to shake so many people awake? I guess that’s the million dollar question? And why is it that some people are forever transformed while others fall into a deeper coma? I guess that would provide the million dollar answer.<br> The choice is whether we choose to take charge of our lives and allow the past to shape us or whether we choose to become a victim to the past and let it define who we are. There’s a huge difference – one is empowering, the other is disempowering. In the status quo world, the majority of people choose to be defined by their past, that is, the victim mentality where they live in fear, scarcity, and self-imposed limitation.<br> That just sucks all around – for everyone.<br> We are not meant to be victims to the circumstances in our lives. We are meant to be empowered by the eventual outcome and use these learning to help shape who we have always been meant to be. And here’s something that is really important to note, it’s often in our pain that we discover our purpose.<br> This week’s Unplug podcast guest did just that – she turned her pain into purpose.<br> Chef AJ experienced a life-jarring health scare that woke her up to the transformative power of whole plant-based food. Although she had been vegan for many years prior to the fateful moment that altered the course of her life, she was a self-confessed junk food vegan. And really, it makes no difference if you’re a junk food corpse eater, vegetarian, or vegan, the net end result is not pretty. The human body was never designed to be swimming in a toxic soup of man-made chemicals under the guise of food.<br> This week we dive into a great discussion about real food – the food that we were meant to eat to thrive and be fully alive. We tackle topics such as:<br> • The importance of being your own health advocate.<br> • How what we eat has a profound effect on how we look and feel, what diseases we get and what diseases we reverse.<br> • How 7-9/10 visits to the doctor are all from preventable diseases caused by poor nutrition, smoking, overeating, lack of sleep and exercise, and stress.<br> • The scoop on poop!<br> • The addictive nature of sugar, fat, and salt, and how destructive they are for global health.<br> • How vegan processed food is for transitioning only.<br> • How pervasive processed food is in Western culture.<br> • How sugar, fat, and salt stimulate overeating.<br> • The difference between acidic and alkaline foods.<br> • The difference between food addiction and emotional eating.<br> Chef AJ is a passionate fireball with energy to burn. She’s a Los Angeles based vegan chef, culinary instructor, author, speaker, and comedian. And she’s pretty darned funny. We did alot of laughing in this week’s interview.<br> Be prepared to be energized and entertained by the awesome Chef AJ.<br> THIS WEEK’S INSPIRED QUESTION:<br> How can you shift your diet so that you eat unprocessed?<br> SHOW NOTES:<br> • Chef AJ’s <a href="http://www.eatunprocessed.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.<br> • Unprocessed book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unprocessed-achieve-vibrant-health-weight/dp/1456576097/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1412135983&sr=8-1&keywords=unprocessed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Amazon</a>.<br> • True North Health Center <a href="http://www.healthpromoting."></a>
