173. Eating Raw & Being Radiant with Ashley Chong

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In this week’s Brown Vegan Podcast episode, we are diving into all things raw! 

When talking about raw veganism, there’s no one more fit for the job than Ashley Chong. 

 

Ashley is the founder of Gym Juice Bar and a ten year raw vegan who lost over 127 lbs and restored her health through nutritional therapy. Her transformation has been featured on PEOPLE magazine, Forks Over Knives, Mercy For Animals and so much more. As a current author and creative entrepreneur, her brand RawandRadiant has inspired thousands of people to take control of their health and to adopt a healthy whole food plant based diet. 

 

She offers nutritional coaching to help you lose weight, reverse diseases, and to meet your physical goals. She also offers business and financial consulting to budding entrepreneurs. 

Ashley’s venture into the vegan lifestyle started like so many of my guests–she went vegan for weight loss and health. After years of struggling with weight gain and obesity, Ashley’s doctor prescribed her Phentramine, a prescription drug for weight loss. Deciding there had to be a healthier way, Ashley turned down the prescription and began researching alternate ways to get healthy. She took part in a 30 day raw vegan challenge and stayed motivated by thinking, “I can do anything for 30 days.” By day 27 of eating raw, she decided that she was never going to eat animal products again.

If you’re thinking that suddenly going from eating the standard American diet to a fully raw vegan diet sounds incredibly difficult, I was thinking the same thing! Ashley grew up eating soul food, tons of meat-based meals, and typical school lunches and had never dabbled in veganism before her raw challenge. I had so many questions to ask about raw food and Ashley shares tons of helpful tips and strategies for anyone that is interested in eating raw (or just incorporating more fruits and veggies into your diet). I was so motivated by this conversation that I actually went out and bought the exact juicer that Ashley uses and started adding in more fresh juice to my diet.

Even if you are someone (like me, initially)that might be turned off by the idea of a raw vegan lifestyle, this conversation may make you a bit more open. As Ashley shares, this isn’t a ‘fad diet, but an ancient way of eating food from the earth.

In this episode we chat about:

  • Losing 127 pounds in one year, and the biggest change that came from that

  • The mental health benefits of eating raw food

  • The myth that raw vegan isn’t satisfying & how eating nutrient dense plant foods keeps us satisfied

  • Why Ashley prioritizes local over organic, and buying the ‘dirty dozen’ organic

  • How to best source produce, how to shop locally with farmers markets, and keeping costs down by eating what’s in season

  • How to meal plan as a raw vegan and what to eat

  • Vegan pregnancy and eating raw food while pregnant

  • Having a baby as a raw vegan and advice for getting children to eat more fruits and veggies

  • How to avoid digestion issues while eating raw including food combining tips

  • How to incorporate more raw food into your diet and the importance of starting the day right

  • How to make juicing easy and delicious

Reach out to Ashley:

Instagram

Resources mentioned:

nama J2 cold-press juicer discount code: brownvegan to save 10%

Ashley’s 21 Day Radiant Cleanse ebook

Ashley’s Raw for Kids ebook

Ashley’s All About Food Combining ebook

Plant-Based Tamika Instagram page

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172. Debt Update, Antidepressants, YouTube & Building A Team

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In this episode, I share a quick update on how life has been, what I’m looking forward to, what I’m doing to invest in my business and (my well being) my anxiety about returning to YouTube.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for vegan tips, recipes & reviews

171. How She Paid Off Over $32,000 of Debt in 11 Months & Why Single Women Should Buy A House with Latosha Thomas

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Maxine's Heavenly - https://brnvgn.me/maxines use discount code BROWNVEGAN to save 25%

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It’s an exciting day here on the podcast! You’ve all been asking for more episodes related to money, debt, finances, and credit, so I am excited to bring you the official start of the Brown Vegan Podcast Money Series. With the Money Series, I’ll be bringing in guest experts to focus on all things finances because, as you’ve heard me say, you can’t have wellness without financial wellness.

If you missed my previous solo episodes about my personal credit journey, I shared how I was able to change my credit score from the 400s to the 700s in one year. So many of you reached out sharing similar stories or requesting more on the topic, and I heard you loud and clear! After starting off with a negative money mindset and struggling to stay on top of my debt, I’ve become so passionate about these topics and helping others in this community with financial education including tips and tricks for tackling your own debt.

Latosha Thomas is a money and wealth educator who has a passion for helping women change their money story. Over the last couple of years, she has taken charge of her own finances and has experienced many positive impacts as a result. In 2020, she paid off all of her non-mortgage debt and documented the journey on social media. Since then, she has built a six-month emergency fund, maxed out her annual retirement contributions, expanded her investments, and increased savings. She uses her social media platforms to share tips and experiences related to debt payoff, saving, investing, estate planning and additional wealth topics. 

Over the last few years, she has hosted monthly accountability groups to help others accomplish their money goals. In addition, she has been featured as a guest speaker for events hosted by women's organizations. A graduate of Howard University, Latosha knows the importance of using her skills and talents to give back. She believes in educating and inspiring Black women to live an abundant financial life so that they can follow their dreams. 

On this episode of the podcast, Latosha joins me for a conversation about her own personal money journey while also sharing useful strategies that you can apply to your own financial management. What I love about this conversation is the recurring theme that “personal finance is personal” and the need for you to find what works for you, not everyone else.

We chat about:

  • How our upbringings can influence our money mindset and beliefs

  • The financial impact of our education decisions including student loans and scholarships

  • How Latosha paid off her debt in one year and what debt payment strategies she used

  • How to discuss finances in relationships and the importance of finding someone with similar money values

  • How money is a taboo subject in our society

  • The dangers of credit cards and also the benefits of strategic credit card usage

  • How to buy a home as a single person with one income

  • The realities of owning a home: taxes, maintenance, insurance, and furnishing

  • 3 strategies to pay off your debt: the debt snowball, avalanche, and tsunami methods

  • Finding what works for YOU to best pay off debt

Contact Latosha:

Instagram

Website

170. What Vitamins Do Vegan Kids Need & A Plant Positive Lifestyle for Families with Dr. Shayna Smith

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Dr. Shayna Smith is a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine physician and pediatrician promoting a ‘plant positive’ diet and a healthy lifestyle. 

A family history of illness is what first motivated Dr. Smith to learn more about medicine and the role of lifestyle on our health. While she always considered herself healthy and active, it wasn’t until she experienced her own health scare that she became interested in a plant based diet. She shares with me on the podcast how she was introduced to the idea of veganism when a friend who flew in for her surgery took her to a plant-based restaurant and mentioned The China Study.

If you don’t know, The China Study is considered the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted which explored the impact of diet on long term health. It basically concluded that the more animal products humans consumed, the higher the risk of chronic disease.

Dr. Smith shares how she was intrigued by the idea that eating vegan could reverse diseases and began researching on her own, then taking part in a 10 day plant-based challenge with her son that led her to realize she could do this full time.

We talk about what that transition looked like for her and her family, and how she learned that eating vegan isn’t about restricting foods but eating more new foods. She also talks about how her son (who was in 4th grade) felt about going vegan and what she makes for school lunches for a vegan child.

Of course, being a vegan doctor in the medical field comes with amazing expertise and interesting experiences, and Dr. Smith shares a lot about her life and career with me on this episode. While she once worked nonstop in the emergency department of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Dr. Smith opened up her own pediatric private practice a few years ago to focus more on the health and wellness of her patients.

We dive into so many valuable topics that you won’t want to miss. This episode includes:

  • How dealing with a health scare led to a vegan diet

  • Raising vegan children including tips on what to cook for them (keep it simple), and what supplements vegan (and non-vegan!) children need

  • How the medical field traditionally focuses on reactive vs proactive medicine and how a plant based diet can prevent and reverse chronic disease

  • Stress and the importance of self care as a physician and mother

  • Rest and movement as a form of self care

  • The lack of nutrition education in the medical field

  • Dr. Smith’s ‘plant positive’ approach and her goal of getting people to eat more plants

  • The importance of trying new foods and challenging your ideas of what you don’t like to eat

  • How modern food is designed to overwhelm your taste buds and your brain

  • The rise of preventable diseases in children and what we can do about it

Contact Dr Smith:

Flourish Peds in GA

Flourish Peds Instagram

Dr Smith’s Personal Page

Resources Mentioned:

169. Why Every Vegan Content Creator Needs A Blog with Shauna Renee

Shout out to this week's sponsor:

Maxine's Heavenly - https://brnvgn.me/maxines use discount code BROWNVEGAN to save 25%

Clicking the link above is an easy and free way to support the podcast.

Thank you so much for checking out the sponsor!

Listen here…

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This week, I have a very special podcast guest returning for the FOURTH time!

A fan favorite: Shauna Renee, my influencer manager.

Shauna Renee is the CEO of VOI Agency and Effortless Launch. She helps influencers secure paid brand partnerships.  She's also passionate about helping influencers and content creators make money on their own terms with automated online offers.

For those of you that don’t know, Shauna and I have been working together for about three years now, and I lovingly refer to her as my own Suge Knight (lol) because she is TOUGH, keeps me and the brands I partner with accountable, and gets me that bag $$$! She is a wealth of knowledge on all things influencer business, and on this episode of the podcast we are diving into some serious business strategy.

We’ll talk about how we met and started working together 3 years ago, and share how our partnership began before tackling our main topic: why content creators need a blog and website.

These days, influencers and content creators are under constant pressure to keep churning out content on social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok. And while those platforms are great for lead generation and building community, the lifespan of the content there is SO short compared to longer form content like blogs. So many people are left to wonder how to not burn out while marketing on social media. 

Shauna shares with me why having a website and a blog is key to extending the lifespan of your content and growing your audience. You’ll also get to hear her suggestions for the first steps you should take to get started creating a blog (even if it feels overwhelming). 

This episode is all about working smarter not harder. 

We chat about:

  • How we met and started working together

  • What an influencer manager does

  • Brand partnerships, negotiating rates and contracts and how to handle late payments from brands

  • Why having a website is a must for influencers

  • Instagram and Tik Tok burnout, and now allowing these platforms to rob you of your energy

  • Creating long form content on a blog or Youtube to expand the lifetime of your content

  • Keyword research for your niche and creating your content around those keywords

  • How to optimize for Instagram bio with SEO keywords

  • Repurposing content so you are aren’t reinventing the wheel every time

Shauna also discusses her work as an influencer consultant and how she works to help influencers create their own digital offer, build a content strategy around that offer, and create a lead magnet to start growing their email list. She’s running an amazing offer right now which is a 60-minute strategy call with her to help you develop your own offer for just $99, which is a steal! You can find a link to book a call with her below.

PS: Shauna and I are considering making this an ongoing series focused on our businesses, strategies, and entrepreneurship. If you’re interested, drop a comment below or on Instagram and let us know!


Previous episodes with Shauna: 93, 102, 113

Connect with Shauna:

Sign up for a 60-min call with Shauna

Website

Instagram

Effortless Launch - done-for-you service for automating online offers)

Resources mentioned:

1:1 Podcast Call with Monique

Previous Episodes with Shauna:

ahrefs.com - Keyword Research 

keywordseverywhere.com - keyword research

Squarespace - website hosting I use

Wordpress.org - to build website

Rasheeta Joy