I am totally having a fan-girl moment right now. Not only is Kris Carr a very dear friend and inspiration, but she’s an INCREDIBLE voice in the wellness community. She’s a writer, health warrior and cancer survivor – to sum up a lifetime of work in just a few words. I’ve loved Kris’s work long before we met, and continue to admire her spirit, voice and soul. Kris has a new book out, Crazy Sexy Juice, so check that out – I know you’ll love it!
SU: If you had to describe your nutritional philosophy in one sentence, what would that be?
KC: If it has a shelf-life longer than you, don’t eat it!
SU: If you hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer, do you think you would have eventually discovered a healthier way of living, or do you think you might have trundled along doing business as usual?
KC: OMG, business as usual, for sure. I thought I had time to drink my face off and avoid fiber for as long as possible. Naturally, I didn’t feel very well, but I began to buy into the idea that you need pills and potions to mask the messages your body sends you, instead of just listening. Plus, I’m really stubborn and at the time I just wasn’t interested in taking charge of my well-being.
SU: A breast cancer survivor told me the other day that her diagnosis was the greatest gift in her life – do you feel the same way?
KC: I don’t call it a gift because there’s no return receipt and re-gifting would be pretty cruel! But there are many blessings that can come from the awakening that takes place during the journey.
SU: Does a meat-free diet lend itself to optimum health?
KC: It certainly can. But let’s be clear: Just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy. There’s plenty of junk out there, period. I know vegans who live on french fries, ketchup and bread. They feel like crap and it’s easy to see why. That said, I think reducing the amount of animal products we consume, including dairy, is a good thing. When eating animal products, avoid factory farmed stuff as much as possible. From birth to slaughter it truly matters who these animals are raised and cared for. It matters to them and it matters to our health. I always recommend limiting consumption to no more than 3 times per week and being mindful of portion sizes. Look for the Certified Humane seal of approval—those products are probably best.
SU: I know you are literally Gorgeously Green – but how MANY greens do you try to eat a day? Are we talking 2 or 10 servings?
KC: It’s been so long since I counted anything but the number of days till the show Game of Thrones was starting again. Because I’m a plant-passionate vegan, I’m probably getting about 9-10 servings per day—basically something at every meal. And because I’m a huge fan of juicing and making smoothies, I get big doses that taste delicious and fill me with energy and vitality.
SU: Do you subscribe the philosophy of an alkaline diet? If so, why?
KC: I’d say that my philosophy is more around a plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet, as that’s what I’ve seen work the best for people who are either struggling with health issues or looking for a better way of living. When it comes to pH, I think it can be useful to understand it a little but not go too far overboard.
As with most health-related barometers, pH is all about balance. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14—7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic and greater than 7 is alkaline. Our cells are happy, healthy and at their peak performance when living in a slightly alkaline environment. Because of that, our bodies hover in the 7.365 to 7.45 range. Even the slightest dip or rise in pH can have disastrous consequences, so our bodies are programmed to maintain that slightly alkaline threshold of 7.365 no matter what—it’s basically set in stone.
Here’s the potential rub: the standard American diet (SAD) is filled with acidic foods and substances, including dairy, meat, highly processed food products and refined sugar, not to mention environmental toxins. Some research suggests that, in order to keep your pH in balance, your body will have to work harder to neutralize the acidic load, which can result in a gradual degeneration of health. Other research claims that our diets don’t matter because the body will correct itself without cost to our health. So what’s true? Who knows—the jury is still out. But we do know that kidney stones and gout are associated with high acid diets, so obviously there’s something to pH and food. So why not tip the scale in the alkaline direction? Or if you prefer to think of it in other terms, why not follow an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, which essentially does the same thing?
The easiest way to do that is to minimize the overly acid-forming offenders (refined sugars and grains, processed foods, dairy, meat, etc.) and maximize alkaline-forming, mineral-rich foods. These include dark leafy greens, veggies, green juices, smoothies and certain grains. Eating these goodies will flood our bodies with alkalinity and a hefty dose of vitamins and other micronutrients.
SU: If you were only allowed to take 3 foods to a desert island, what would they be?
KC: Avocado, greens, nuts (I assume I could find bananas there).
SU: If you won the lottery (to the tune of let’s say…50 million bucks), what would you do with it?
KC: I’d save a few bucks for myself and give the rest away. The two causes I’m passionate about are prevention and animal welfare. So I’d split the cash amongst the two. Though I’d probably also want to create a fund for patients who can’t afford functional medicine doctors. Our insurance system sucks and because of it, many of the practitioners we want or need to see are out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, that’s not always affordable.
SU: What’s your all-time favorite quote?
KC: Do or do not, there is no try. — Yoda
SU: What’s your favorite recipe from your most recent book?
KC: Funny you should ask! Here are three delicious recipes for
you—one of each type included in Crazy Sexy Juice. This recipe book is filled to the brim with simple and delicious juice, smoothie and nut milk concoctions. As I mentioned, juicing and blending are key for me—they’re the core of my wellness plan, and in what I teach. I wrote this book to share my
healthy beverage knowledge amassed
over more than a decade of juice, smoothie and nut milk experiments and juicing and blendin
g research—and to equip others with plenty (over a hundred!) super-drink recipes. You’ll find bevvies for everything from tummy troubles to lackluster skin to flagging energy—I’ve even included an easy, gentle 3-day cleanse! Here are some sneak peeks:
SU: Tell us about the incredible bonus gifts you’re offering for all who purchase and how to get them.
KC: I wanted to show my sincere appreciation for all those who support Crazy Sexy Juice, and to further contribute to their wellness, so I created some fabulous bonus goodies for all who order. I’m offering my new exclusive digital meditation album, Self-Care for Busy People; the recording of the magical Say Yes to Your Life lecture event I co-hosted with my powerhouse pals, Marie Forleo and Gabrielle Bernstein and an incredible one-day Wisdom & Wellness workshop comprised of a generous, hand-picked selection of inspiring talks from the most legendary spirituality and personal development leaders of our time. You can grab all these when you order your copy of Crazy Sexy Juice—but they’re only available until Tuesday! Get your order in by November 3rd so you don’t miss out on these amazing prezzies. Cheers!
Kris Carr is a New York Times and #1 Amazon best-selling author, wellness activist and cancer thriver. She shares her experiences and reflections through blogs and videos about plant-passionate living, health, happiness, spirituality, compassion and all things Crazy Sexy on her website, KrisCarr.com. Whether you’re a patient or someone who’s interested in better well—being—mind, body and spirit—all are welcome to the sacred party.
