PATH Positive Approaches To Health Jenny Pitcher

Toni and Jenny of The PATHPod head out on the road again, this time making a beauTEAful stop in Arlington, VA to talk to the Minister of Commerce and Enlightenment at Republic of Tea, Kristina Richens Tucker. Kristina shares her vast knowledge about Republic of Tea, the mythical place she has been a citizen of since the 1990’s and defected to in 2003. Since that time, she has been steeped in Camelia Sinensis and the incredible properties this plant has to offer, both physically and spiritually. The three of them talk about the art and science of drinking tea, the incredible health benefits of flavonoids and the calm yet alert state one can reach with the caffeine and L-Theanine inherent in tea. Kristina shares what is trending in the world of tea and how Republic of Tea keeps evolving with over 350 varieties of tea to their name. Kristina teaches Toni and Jenny about Ta Shun – the great harmony and well-being of the collective whole and how the ritual of having tea together creates a sense of presence allowing for incredible connection. Learn more about Republic Of Tea and where to purchase here. 

The PATHPod gals are traveling across the globe to talk with cook, writer and vegelante, Alice Zaslavsky. Alice has been shaking things up down under in her hometown of Melbourne for the last decade plus. The outcome of all that moving and shaking has been the incredible debut of her cookbook, In Praise of Veg. The PATHPod feels like they struck gold connecting with Alice and promoting her beautiful book. Their conversation took place about a year and a half ago and has been sitting on ice, waiting for In Praise of Veg to hit bookshelves in the US. They talk about all things veg and the incredible work Alice has been focused on including children’s food literacy and her time on Master Chef Australia which catapulted her into the broadcasting world. She uses her influence to promote healthy eating with vegetables at the center of the plate and harnesses her karma of connection, allowing that message to stick. Listen to this episode on a walk or while cooking up some veg and find that you will be inspired by this warm and spunky young lady who is taking the world by storm - a veggie storm! Learn more about Alice, her cookbook and her story or follow her across social media @aliceinframes.

Toni and Jenny continue their road trip, this time landing in Mt. Vernon, Ohio a little town northeast of Columbus. They find themselves with Benji Ballmer, the Dave Matthew’s-loving Dad & owner of YellowBird Foodshed. Yellowbird is an innovative food company that works with over 100 food growers and producers from Ohio to bring the food they grow and harvest to the surrounding community. Some people would call them a CSA (community supported agriculture) but Benji prefers to call his business a foodshed, which is a term used to describe a region of food flows, from the area where it is produced, to the place where it is consumed, including: the land it grows on, the route it travels, the markets it passes through, and the tables it ends up on. He has hit the mark with Yellowbird and has a WHOLE LOT to say about local food and decentralizing our current food system. He gives the PATHPod ladies much to consider and will have anyone who gives this a listen wondering about the origins of the food they eat. Check out Yellowbird or follow them on Instagram at yellowbirdfoodshed and then consider checking into a similar organization in the community where you reside. 

Toni & Jenny take a quick road trip to the city of San Francisco to meet up with Linda Shiue - physician, chef & culinary medicine powerhouse! The three of them have a conversation about Linda’s Path and how she came to write an incredible cookbook and culinary resource - Spicebox Kitchen. Not only is Linda an amazing creative, she’s a scientist and has melded those two worlds together in this stunning book. It has a beautifully unique aesthetic and is full of stories that give the book incredible dimension. She takes her readers on a cooking journey, visiting all kinds of different flavors using spices, herbs and vegetables from around the globe. Not only is the book an incredible tool to add to your healthy lifestyle toolkit but the culinary thoughts and ideas she offers up during this conversation will inspire and nudge you right into the kitchen. She will have you pulling out a pan and firing up your stove in no time!! Learn more about Dr. Shiue and Spicebox Kitchen. Follow her on Twitter and IG @spiceboxtravels or on FB and YouTube @TheDoctorsSpicebox or check out her blog. 

The PATHPod ladies head to Florida for the first time in this episode that is steeped in resilience and purpose. They spend some time in Pensacola talking to Toni’s dear friend from college, Mindi Malone. Mindi is a spunky little go-getter with some serious strength, physically and emotionally. She shares the story of her path and how that lead her to a passion for racing. She has participated in multi-sport competitions for years and has baked this sport into her life. She talks about why this sport is so important to her and how finding the right group of people to do it with has made all the difference. She surrounds herself with motivating and encouraging people who provide her accountability to get shit done! She is a registered dietitian, business owner and races for the SisterChain triathlon team (you can follow on Insta @sisterchaintriteam). She is race director for the non-profit Give It A Tri and the Santa Rosa Triathlon in Pensacola, FLA. There are so many nuggets to glean from this inspiring conversation. Take a listen and then share with a friend! 

The ladies of the PATH Pod head to beautiful Santa Barbara, CA on their next leg of the PATH journey. They sit down with entrepreneur and innovator, Ivan Pelly of IvanBar to talk all about the delicious nut and seed bars he has created. Ivan developed his bars out of a specific need – to keep himself well-nourished and fueled to support his active lifestyle. A bunch of people took notice and Ivan, the software engineer is now Ivan, the snack engineer. But this is not just any snack! This is a whole food bar designed to provide steady, long-lasting fuel and keep people off the proverbial blood sugar roller coaster. He has met the mark on this one!! The bars are delicious, flavorful and provide long-lasting satisfaction – Toni, Jenny and their families concur! This is a fun conversation that goes well beyond food and dives into purpose, paying it forward and of course, connection. Check out ingredients & flavors, connect and find out where you can buy IvanBar here!