Every so often, a book comes along with the power to change each and every reader. If you've ever fantasized about finding the Fountain of Youth, tapping into your potential, and eating well, your book has arrived. Written with passion, humor, common sense, and must-have information, Gina Santangelo – founder of Flow Pilates Centre, certified health & mindset coach, fitness expert , and Reiki practitioner – takes you on a journey to your very best self. We all want to effect a positive change in our lives... from what we purchase at the market to what we eat and feed our families, to disciplined, targeted workouts, to honoring our passions. But knowing how and where to start is dangerously overwhelming. So we place these desires on the back burner, remain in limbo, not really feeling or looking our best; not really living life to the fullest – while we hang on to habits that don't serve us well. We are constantly bombarded with fitness fads and wacky dietary advice... leaving us in the dark about what is right for us. Gina ends this madness! With 30+ years dedicated to clean eating and fitness, she presents critical information, step-by-step instructions and answers, and always honors her readers as unique individuals. For Gina, organic eating isn't a passing phase. It's her passion and her life.
Eat Clean, Live Free is a life guide. It will teach you how to eat clean, seasonal fare (with confidence), make informed choices, best move your body, and reclaim your energy and spirit. It will remind you that your mind, spirit, and body work in unison, and that nourishment, in every sense of the word, is key. In her original, refreshing, and entertaining manner, Gina delivers. You will learn all about:
- Making easy changes and taking action, TODAY
- Filling your grocery cart, pantry, and mouth with clean, organic eating
- The very best foods you can put in your mouth
- GMOs, gluten, soy, and superfoods
- current controversies and misconceptions about foods and additives
- What's really going on with processed foods
- The dangers hidden in labels
- The most hazardous choices in restaurants and supermarkets
- Cravings, portions, and tricks-of-the-trade
- how to create a beautiful plate
- the workout routines that "work" and those that age you (yes, really!)
- Detoxing (the mind and body)
- Silent inflammation, lymph and longevity
- Why you must feed your mind as well as your body
- Holistic, natural customs to enrich each day
- Achieving a fitter, stronger body
- Replenishing your skin
- How to grow young again
...and this is just for starters. Gina introduces her concept of
Mindfields aka personal roadblocks, fears, and challenges that can come out of nowhere and stop us in our tracks. We've all got them; it's what we do with them that allows us to move forward... or not. And
5 To Thrive – the life-changing steps we can all take to live more fully and positively, the very steps that helped Gina through her own devastating tragedy, with body/mind balance and focus.
Eat Clean, Live Free is more than a delightful guide to clean eating, beauty and youthful energy (though it most definitely delivers there); it is quite literally a lantern for the spirit. Because at the end of the day – and the beginning – it's what you eat in combination with how you think and live that ultimately sets you free. If you are a woman between the ages 35 and 105, you will identify with this book. But even more important... You will learn a lot. You will find answers you have been searching for. And last but not the least, you will know how to eat better, live better, embrace health and freedom, and greet each day with a renewed spirit. For anyone who wants to eat optimally and live a healthier life... you know, tap into your real potential... this is a gem.
Founder of Flow Pilates Centre —and personal health and mindset coach (ginasantangelo.com)—Gina dedicates each day to nutrition, fitness, and clean eating. She was the NYC girl who danced through childhood (ballet, tap, jazz); a product of the Woodstock era, who thanks her parents for family yoga time, her limber body, and strong core; a woman who has spent the past 30+ years studying, training in, and teaching many fitness genres. But it wasn't until profound personal tragedy struck, with the loss of her beautiful baby girl to SUDC, that she discovered the healing, transformational power of clean eating; how it encompasses mind, body, and spirit. Sharing this life-affirming message with others, through her coaching, focus groups, and first book Eat Clean, Live Free is her greatest joy and mission. After the loss of her daughter, Gina knew she had to be strong for her son and husband. She treasured her family but was grieving tremendously. She decided to honor her previous enrollment at the Institute For Integrative Nutrition, hoping the diversion would be healthy. It was more than that. It was a life-changer. Nutrition is not only what we put in our mouths; it is how we live our lives. The Institute allowed Gina to see that she was moving too fast and taking care of everyone but herself. Slowly, through personal connections, clean eating, proper exercise, and learning to stay in the moment, she found answers that filled her heart and helped her to remain a strong and loving mother to her son. Gina feels deeply privileged to have learned from internationally acclaimed wellness experts (Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. David Katz, Dr. Walter Willett, and Geneen Roth). She brings extensive knowledge in holistic nutrition, personalized health coaching, and preventive health to her clients. Gina's approach is direct and personal as she guides others toward a deeper understanding of their patterns and goals — to ultimately make lifestyle changes that produce real, lasting results. Sharing how we can all find direction and answers through clean eating and specialized movement, Gina reminds us that every life challenge comes with lessons. She hopes to bring others to discovery; to show them how to strengthen and heal their bodies naturally, with step-by-step instructions about clean, seasonal foods, gentle detoxes, rituals, mindset principles, holistic practices, and healthy movement. And to celebrate renewal... because it happens every single day.
