The Food Revolution

Ocean Robbins

Well, it is great to see you too. And thank you for doing this. And for everybody who’s watching right now, thank you for being here. Your attention, your presence is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. And so I thank you for whatever curiosity, whatever creativity, whatever openness brought you to this moment. And I hope we can use your time very, very, very well today.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah. Awesome.Hey, Ocean, I want you to start, and I know you’ve probably told this story a million times, but your family has a really cool, fascinating story around food and starting with your dad. Can you tell that story?

Ocean Robbins

You bet. So yeah, my grandpa founded a little ice cream company. It’s called Baskin-Robbins. And my dad, John, grew up with an ice cream cone-shaped swimming pool in the backyard and 31 flavors of ice cream in the freezer. He was groomed to one day join in running the family company. But he was in his early ’20s, he was offered that chance and he said no. And he walked away from a path that was practically paved with gold and ice cream to, as we jokingly say in our family, follow his own rocky road. He ended up moving with my mom to a little island off the coast of Canada. They built a one-room log cabin. They grew most of their own food. They practiced yoga and meditation for several hours a day, and they named their kid, Ocean. And they almost named me Kale by the way, way before kale was cool. 

But we did eat a lot of kale and cabbage and carrots and onions and other veggies from the garden. And as I got a little older, we moved to California. And my dad ended up writing a book called “Diet for a New America,” which became this runaway bestseller. It was about how our food choices affect our health, our happiness, and the future of life on Earth. And the media just went nuts over the story. This would-be ice cream heir becomes this advocate for healthy eating. They called him the rebel without a cone and other stuff. And one of his readers, out of many millions, ended up being my grandpa, Irvin Robbins, who was practically on death’s door. 

He’d lost his brother-in-law and business partner, Burt Baskin, to heart disease when my dad’s uncle Burt was just 54 years old. And my dad’s uncle Burt was one of the most successful entrepreneurs in American history. He had incredible wealth. He had a family he loved. But he did not have his health. He lost his life and he left his wife a widow and his kids without a dad. And my grandpa had seen that happen. And now here he was at age 69, suffering serious diabetes, weight issues, heart issues. Doctors telling him you don’t have long to live unless you read this book and follow its advice. And they gave him a copy of “Diet for a New America.” So my grandpa-

Tom McCarthy

But you could have got it many years ago from your dad, right?

Ocean Robbins

I know. I know a lot of us would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall to see what happened in that room. But the amazing thing is my grandpa read the book, not the autographed copy my dad had given him, but the copy the doctor gave him, just to be clear. And he followed his advice and he got results. So we ended up, he gave up sugar. He cut way down on his animal product consumption. Way down on his processed foods. Started eating a lot more fruits and vegetables. He even gave up ice cream, and he got results. He reversed his diabetes. He reversed his heart disease. Got off a whole bunch of meds he didn’t need. Lost a bunch of weight. His golf game improved seven strokes. And he added-

Tom McCarthy

There you go.

Ocean Robbins

I know, that was the big one I think, yeah. He added 19 more healthy years to his life.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah, so he lived to age 90, didn’t he?

Ocean Robbins

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he was about 71 by the time this all went into effect. So yeah, he lived to 90. And my grandpa was one stubborn cookie. And if he could change his diet that radically, and he a lot of reason to not wanna think that there was a connection between food and health. ‘Cause I mean, ice cream is a lot of things. It’s brought a lot of smiles. But it’s not a health food. And so for him to face that maybe the family product might have contributed to the loss of his brother-in-law, might’ve contributed to many families experiencing in some way more likelihood of heart attacks and diabetes and other health problems was not something he would ever wanna consider. But the fact that he was willing to change his diet based on new information, and get those results was extraordinary. And I mean, my dad and I were with him on his deathbed. 

And when it really was his time, and he said to my daddy, he said, “When you left Baskin-Robbins I thought you were crazy.” He said, “But thank God some of us have lived long enough to learn a few new things.” And he said, “And you followed your own star and I am proud of you.” And so I think it takes a lot of courage for a man like that to make a change like that. And to honor the renegade son who walked away from his life’s work because he was following his own star. And so in my own journey, I’ve been inspired, honestly, I’ve been inspired by my grandpa’s business achievements, but also by my dad’s choices for integrity. And I founded a nonprofit when I was 16 to try to reach my generation and to work with young leaders around the world in 65 countries, focusing on youth empowerment and leadership development. And as I traveled the globe for 20 years, I saw that everybody eats. And what we’re eating is having this huge impact. 

And all over the world, what we’re seeing is that the American way of growing food with GMOs and pesticides in factory farms is spreading. The American way of processing and marketing is spreading with KFC and McDonald’s and Baskin-Robbins, spreading around the globe. And all over the world, waistlines are expanding. Hospitals are filling up, and people are getting sick with diseases that were unheard of a generation ago. I mean, the US is the world’s leader on obesity and a lot of other chronic diseases, but they’re spreading around the world now as people are living longer, but also living sicker. 

And so what I felt after 20 years of that, I was like, we’ve gotta find a way to leverage the power of entrepreneurship and my dad’s legacy to help spread this message around the world to save lives and help save our planet, quite frankly. So in 2012, I launched Food Revolution Network with my dad, and I’ve been the CEO for the last decade. And our mission is healthy, ethical, sustainable food for all. And we’ve held online summits and webinars and trainings for millions of people. We send about 150 million email messages a year at this point. And we are trying to change the way we think about food, and change the way we interact with food so that it becomes a source, not just a pleasure which it should be, not just of commerce which it should be, but also a source of health and vitality and wellness and sustainability, which it also should be.

Tom McCarthy

I love that. And what an amazing team, you and your dad. He was kind of the founder of the philosophy, but it was in a book which a lot of people read. But today it was just still that book today versus this revolution that you’ve helped him create by bringing the business aspect to it, and the summits and everything you do. I mean, it’s just so amazing what you’ve done. Both of you. What both of you have done and what you’ve done together is just a phenomenal. Congratulations. That’s awesome.

Ocean Robbins

Thank you. I mean, it is an interesting wrinkle, isn’t it? That my grandpa’s life vision was that his only son would join him in running the family company. He didn’t get that. But in some way, maybe we’re completing some piece of family karma or something in a couple of ways here. I honestly think of Tony for some of the maybe health impacts that weren’t so great from my grandpa’s choices. But also, getting to create this kind of collaboration and partnership. And I know my grandpa’s smiling in heaven when he looks at this.

Tom McCarthy

Oh, for sure. Yeah, absolutely. So this is the Global Energy Healing Summit, and some people might be thinking, okay, what does food have to do with energy healing? And one of the things you and I were just talking about earlier is that food is energy. Food is energy. A dead cow’s flesh is energy, and a ripe tomato’s, energy, right? They’re different vibrations, but talk a little bit about food and energy and how it impacts the body, please.

Ocean Robbins

Okay. Well there’s a few different lenses to look at energy from. Obviously food is fuel. What is fuel if not a source of energy. I mean, literally. So what you eat is the fuel out of which you move and you breathe and you live and you interact with the world. You’re literally burning food every day. And stored food if you accumulate any extra reserves on your body. And so what you fuel your body with has a lot to do with how you feel. And if you put the wrong kind of gas in a car, if it’s not too badly wrong, it’ll drive, but it’ll get issues pretty quickly. And if you put the wrong kind of fuel in your body, it will move, but it will have an impact over time. And it typically take some time to show up. So you can eat just about anything for a day and be fine. 

But over the course of a lifetime, you can’t get away with as much. And so what we see today is that we have an epidemic of chronic illness in the United States. We have the sickest population in the history of the world. We spend 19% of our gross domestic product on what we call medical care, which is really disease symptom management. And we’re living longer, although not anymore. Life expectancy’s kind of leveled off. But we have less and less healthy years. 2/3 of our population going on 70% is overweight or obese. Rates of diabetes are skyrocketing. Half of the people who reach the age of 85 have Alzheimer’s. 

And so more and more of us are feeling like crap. And we’re living longer, but more sick and miserable. Bankrupting our families with of control medical costs. And so a lot of people die penniless as a result. And this is not what anybody wants, but it’s what’s happening. And the truth is if you drive your car into a brick wall, the death certificate might say impalement by brick wall. But the truth is we all know it was your driving that caused it. If your death certificate should say, God forbid, heart disease or cancer or type 2 diabetes or Alzheimer’s or one of the other major chronic illnesses, the truth is that was a symptom. When you eat the standard American diet, you’re going to get one or another of the standard American diseases sooner or later. 

And eating healthier isn’t a guarantee that you’ll never get sick, but it increases the odds dramatically that you will have a long and healthy life. And this isn’t just some opinion. This is born out by tens of thousands of studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals. There is an overwhelming body of scientific knowledge today that tells us in no uncertain terms, we can prevent and in many cases reverse most of the major chronic illnesses of our times. I’m talking 80% reduction in heart disease risk, 90% reduction in type 2 diabetes risk, 95% reduction in obesity, 50% reduction in cancer and 80% reduction in Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia with diet and lifestyle choices.

Tom McCarthy

That’s amazing. A 90% reduction of heart disease and type two diabetes? I mean, that’s unbelievable. And yet why are people still resistant to this message? What’s keeping them in their old patterns, Ocean?

Ocean Robbins

Well, for one thing, habits are powerful. And when you’ve eaten a certain way your whole life, you’re used to it. And quite frankly, your microbiome is used to it. So if ever you feel hunger in your stomach, stop and think for a second. You’ve got a couple of trillion microorganisms in your body. And your belly, your digestive tract is populated by microorganisms. Guess what they like to eat? The foods that you feed them. Whoever you feed, that’s who’s gonna propagate. So most of us have got microorganisms that are hungry for sugar, for animal products, for processed foods because that’s what they like. And so if you feel hunger in your belly, it’s probably them saying, “Hey, feed me, please.” And your gut is in more ways than one considered a second brain. Of course, gut instinct is a thing. In business we talk about that all the time. What does your instinct tell you? But it’s also a thing because your gut is where you produce serotonin and other neurotransmitters that affect how you feel. 

It literally shapes your mental health, your sense of peace and ease in the world. How you sleep, how you feel. how you doing your relationships has a heck of a lot to do with what’s going on in your gut. So it turns out that when we eat lots of fiber, prebiotic fiber particularly, then you’re gonna get the nourishment that you need to feed the good guys. These are the bacteria that produce the neurotransmitters that make you happy. These are the bacteria that keep you regular. These are the bacteria that help your body function at its best. And help you make wise decisions and even think clearly. And so a lot comes down to the so-called microbiome. The ecosystem.

Tom McCarthy

And that changes when we eat differently?

Ocean Robbins

That changes when we eat differently. And here’s the amazing thing. In one recent study, they actually took a bunch of vegans and they fed them a steak. And they found that the microbiome didn’t change unless they ate it for a couple of days. And then it started to shift. So we’re finding that your microbiome will dramatically pivot to produce more of the good guys that you want when you eat lots of whole plant foods. And it will go in the other direction when you consistently eat other foods. So you can cheat a little bit now and then if your baseline is fundamentally healthy. But if your baseline is animal-based, let’s be really clear about something. 

How much fiber is there in any animal products? There’s none. There’s absolutely zero. No meat, dairy, eggs, fish. None of it has any fiber. Where is fiber found? It’s found in whole plant foods. There’s none in bottled oils. There’s very little in sugar. There’s very little in white flour. but there’s a whole lot in fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains. This is where you find your fiber. And that’s what the bacteria needs to eat in order to be healthy, in order for you to be healthy. These are the good guys.

Tom McCarthy

How long does it take to shift the microbiome to that positive microbiome that we want. How long does someone that’s not been eating healthy for a while, maybe several years, How long does it take to shift? Because I’m sure a lot of people try certain things, but they just don’t let it go long enough. How long does it take?

Ocean Robbins

Well, it’s all a matter of degree. I mean, you know that you can change your direction. And you suddenly see a new landscape. You’re pointed somewhere different and the world looks completely different. but it’s the steps you take day in and day out on a new path that actually get you to a new place. So I like to focus on habits. ‘Cause yes, some people get results literally in three days. They’re feeling way different. They’re sleeping better. They’re having more energy. There was a study done, This was in the movie “Game Changers.” Some athletes at-

Tom McCarthy

I Loved that movie. Loved that movie.

Ocean Robbins

You’ve seen that scene?

Tom McCarthy

Me and my son watched that movie. I made my son watch that movie.

Ocean Robbins

That’s made a lot of guys go vegetarian, I tell you. There’s this scene where these guys are, they have this very obtrusive kind of device that checks out their private parts at night. And guys guys typically at night while they’re sleeping, some engorgement that happens down there. And so they were monitoring these guys, and one night they had a steak dinner, and another night they had a vegetarian plant-based dinner. And literally in that one night they had totally different results. They had far more activity shall we say downstairs on the nights when they were eating the plant-based dinner. So it shows up that fast. I mean, the truth is, statistically, if you eat a Big Mac or a bacon cheeseburger or something, you are far more likely to have a heart attack and die in the four hours that follow than if you ate a kale salad. 

I mean, just right then and there. So you get, ’cause you’re engorging the blood with saturated fat, which in turn is going to make it thicker. Which in turn is going to increase your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke. And this affects obviously your private parts as well. And it’s not just men. Women also can have more pleasure, more arousal, more joy when they’re glowing. And so that blood flow is critical, and it affects your brain and your thoughts as well. So some people get results very quickly, literally in a matter of hours. Other people, it takes weeks. As far as changing the microbiome population, that’s gonna take, it’ll start happening in a matter of days, but it takes some time to really get it going. It also depends how hard-line you are. 

Like if you’re cheating a little bit now and then, it’s gonna take longer. If you’re really strict, it’s gonna be faster. And it depends how optimal your diet is. There’s all kinds of different nutrients that you can look out for. And some people just go vegetarian and they think that takes care of it. And then they don’t get the results they want. ‘Cause guess what? Just being vegetarian isn’t enough. It’s about eating a whole foods, plant-centered diet. And whether you include a little bit of animal products on the side, whether you go out for ice cream once a year is fairly immaterial. What really matters is that you base your diet around whole plant foods, and then you can get incredible results and more energy. We were talking about energy before. 

So people have more energy when they’re feeding their body right. There’s just no question about it. I mean, I know for myself, I work really long hours. I’m never running out of steam. I just leave cause’ I wanna spend time with my kids. Or ’cause I wanna do something fun or I wanna go dancing or whatever. Or go for a bike ride, play racquetball, play basketball. I do all this stuff because I love life. And I love to enjoy my life, but not because I can’t keep working. Just ’cause there’s other things I wanna do too. 

And so that’s the embarrassment of riches that comes when your life is overflowing with energy and vitality and opportunity. But food is also energy in the sense that it affects your consciousness. And this is something that some people might call metaphysical. But I think it’s quite real. That what you take into your body is a communion with the world around you. And so when you choose to partake of foods that carry vitality and life force, that carry dignity and respect for all beings, then there’s something that harmonizes with your own integrity, your own sense of wellbeing, your own sense of self-love, your own sense of inner peace. When you take into your body foods that are produced with violence, with disrespect for animals, for farm workers, for the environment, that affects you as well. 

And there’s very simple and obvious physical explanations for this without getting esoteric at all when we look at pesticides. If food is sprayed with pesticides, then those pesticides are still on the food. And then you get some of them in your body and that can cause cancer. But it also gives you less vitality. Kale, for example, produces when it gets nibbled by a bug, it produces certain phytonutrients in response that turn out to be potent for your immune health. They turn out to help your body fight cancer. So if you eat sprayed kale, that’s been sprayed with pesticides, you’re getting less of those powerful nutrients than you do if you eat the organic kale that’s even gotten a few nibbles. So the ideal kale, you don’t want aphids all over it. But if it’s got a couple of little holes in the leaf, that’s a really good sign. 

Because it means bugs took a nibble and the kale went, “Unh-unh, I’m defending myself here.” And those defense mechanisms now become part of your defense mechanisms. It’s an amazing way that life works. And when farm workers are treated terribly, when they’re poisoned in the fields with pesticides, then I feel that part of our humanity is degraded by partaking in that system. I want that the people who grow the food I eat are paid enough money that their kids don’t have to be enslaved in the fields. And they’re treated respectfully enough that they’re not gonna be dying of cancer in droves. The life expectancy of farm workers in my state of California, according to one study was 49 years. 

A lot of them are dying of cancer. And I say, “Unh-unh, I don’t wanna participate in that.” So when I choose more organic, more fair trade, more local foods, I’m helping to shift the system so that my dollars are supporting a more harmonious ecosystem of relationships. Similarly with animals, I do not want any penny that I earn to go to subsidizing or funding a factory farm. I just find them morally unconscionable. And there’s all kinds of opinions about whether or not it’s ethically right or wrong to kill animals for food. But you don’t have to be an animal rights activist or a vegan fanatic to say, “I don’t wanna participate in torture of animals in factory farms.” And to say no, in fact, I say that thoughtful omnivores, maybe even more so than vegans, have a stake in abolishing the factory farming system. 

And guess what? When animals are treated horribly, their flesh is higher in saturated fat. It’s lower in protein. It’s lower in omega three fatty acids. And they are more likely to be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria that in turn can make us sick. So all these cycles work in connection. And by the same token, when you choose more healthy, organic, natural plant-based foods, you actually are investing in a stable climate for future generations. You’re investing in more water for future generations, more topsoil, more forests, and more vitality out there in the world, which in turn affects yourself, your kids and the world all around you.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah, I love it. I love it. Your dad when he wrote the book, it talks about the factory farms, and it was shocking. Things that most people never knew. And these animals in such stress, that’s impacting their cells. And then we’re ingesting that probably diseased flesh because they were so stressed out. So read “Diet for a New America” and probably some of the other books out there on that. But there’s lots of reasons to eat healthy. That certainly is one. Let’s talk about how does somebody that wants to heal their body, how do they get started with this healthier way of eating, Ocean?

Ocean Robbins

How do you get started? Well, first of all, you get clear about where you wanna go. Life is like that. I remember when I was learning to ride a bike and I come to this pothole up ahead of me and I’m like, “Don’t hit the pothole. Don’t hit the pothole. Don’t hit the pothole.” And guess where I ended up? Spilling in a pothole. And the next time I was coming along that same spot, and I was like, “Oh, I’m gonna look over there. That’s where I wanna go.” And of course I went around it. So we tend to go where we put our attention. So if you put your attention on suffering, disease, and fear, then you’re probably gonna end up having, chances are more suffering, disease, and fear. I’m not saying live in a made-up universe. I’m saying face reality, and then vision where you wanna go from there. But pain pushes and vision pulls. 

So some people are motivated by suffering and trying to get away from it, and other people are motivated by vision of what they want. There’s a quite a bit of research showing that in order to be sustainable in a healthy way of eating, you may get started because you’re afraid of a diagnosis. But in order to sustain the long-term, you’ve gotta find pleasure and joy in it. You’ve gotta find connection and satisfaction in it. And so finding recipes you love is a big step. Developing healthy habits is a big step. A lot of people I know have had their lives changed by healthy eating. They lose 100 pounds, They reverse the diagnosis and then guess what? 10 years later, they’re like, “Oh, I’m feeling a little better,” or a lot better, and then they start to cheat. And they’re like, “Oh, but boy, does donuts tastes good.” Oh, do I like fried chicken. 

And guess what? They gain the weight back and they end up right back where they started. And it’s kind of heartbreaking ’cause these people know better than anybody what’s possible. But the truth is that we have deep habits that are deeply engraved, and it takes building new ones intentionally in order to create change. The best time to repair a roof is when the sun is shining. And so the key thing is don’t wait til you’re exhausted after a long work week at work and you’re stressed out and you’re having hunger pangs, to think about what you’re gonna eat tonight. Prepare in advance, plan ahead, cook on the weekends. Shop in bulk, cook in quantity, develop social systems of support. I mean, people will work out, I work out at the gym with my dad twice a week. And during the pandemic, we had a stretch of time when we were not working out so often. 

I got some home weights. And I’ll be honest with you, my home workout routine sucked compared to what we did together. And here’s the thing. When we were together, when there’s someone cheering you on and who even notices what you do, there’s a different kind of motivation there. And you tend to show up differently. And so at home, it took willpower. I was running it out. I was fighting my way. Darn it, I’m not gonna lose every muscle in my body. but I wasn’t enjoying it. And when I work out with my dad, it’s fun. And we take some time or we track each other’s personal records. And it’s funny ’cause you could just make stuff up when you’re alone. But when you’re with somebody else, you’ve got some accountability and it just changes the whole dynamic. 

So I say healthy eating is similar, and you kind of need some kind of social support system, some friends, some ally. They don’t even have to necessarily eat like you do, as long as they’re in your corner. As long as they’re cheering you on and helping you be accountable. We all need that kind of social network to support us. And it’s definitely better if you have people you can swap recipes with, share a breakthrough. You’d be like, “Oh, I drove by the donut shop today and I only looked once.” And they’re like, “Yay, rock on.” ‘Cause they know what your struggles are and what you’re doing. And so I think those kinds of things can really help. And then over time it does get easier and easier. The good news is that your microbiome changes and your saliva changes. 

There’s literally studies, people who eat kale the first time, it tastes bitter. After about 10 times they’re secreting proteins in their saliva that make it taste sweeter. This is not just a theory. This is data here. And so I find that fascinating, and I think it’s true that healthy food can taste a little odd at first if you’ve been used to hyper processed foods that have been scientifically engineered to make them crave, to make them unstoppable. So you will have on unstopping cravings for them. They’ve been designed that way. But over time you can repattern your taste buds, your microbiome, and your habits to make healthy eating your path of least resistance. And I’m not gonna lie. Donuts are always gonna probably taste better than kale. but in the long run, you’ll have so much more satisfaction, so much more pleasure from eating real wholesome, healthy foods that help you thrive than eating junk foods that provide momentary pleasure and long-term chronic illness.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah, and even after you eat the doughnut, you feel horrible 30 minutes later. Or the piece of cake or whatever it is. It’s interesting what you said because it is true that your tastes change. I know for me, I don’t even eat for taste right away when I’m trying something. If it’s good for me, I’m gonna try it. I’m gonna try it, and then eventually those things that were a little bit iffy, I don’t know if I can eat this for a long time, I love them now. And so I’ve experienced that. I loved also the fact you said you need that social support, ’cause a lot of people trying to make the change, they’re in families where no one else is making the change. They’re the only ones doing it. And that’s probably why your food revolution is so successful. It’s connecting people with other people that are making this shift so they’re not alone. So great job on that work. Hey, what would you suggest, like if someone is going to start eating differently, and we’re talking about now breakfast, lunch, dinners, what are some of the things that are high in nutrients that will really allow their body to thrive and heal. What would be, and I know there’s lots of things, but just give us a little sample.

Ocean Robbins

Let me tell you my three favorite breakfasts. Number one, this may sound odd to some people, oatmeal. That’s not gonna sound odd, but the way I prepare it might be a little odd. So let me say there’s a lot of incredible data on oatmeal being very, very healthy, especially for heart health. So it brings down LDL cholesterol levels. It raises HDL cholesterol levels. It’s super rich in prebiotic fiber. It’s the highest protein grain there is. And so there’s a lot of good things to say about oatmeal or oats. And so I actually have an Instant Pot and I cook it overnight. I just set it to come on in the middle of the night, and then I wake up in the morning to a nice hot, well-cooked bunch of oatmeal. And I cook it in some unsweetened homemade soy milk. So you can use nut milks or oat milks I suppose, or whatever. But I like the amount of protein that’s in our homemade soy milk, which is just organic soybeans and water. And then I cook it with some onions chopped up in there real fine, some garlic.

Tom McCarthy

Now you’re making it a little bit differently than what-

Ocean Robbins

I know. That’s why I say savory oatmeal. I add some spices, some herbs, sometimes a little chopped up kale, believe it or not. And then I’ll add in some soy sauce and some olive oil. Stir all that up. Cook it like that. Then after it’s cooked, I add in flax meal, a couple of tablespoons of flax meal. A couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast and a couple of tablespoons of sunflower seeds or ground-up pumpkin seeds for texture. Mix all that together, you have a super food. I mean, the alliums, the garlic and the onion are super potent antioxidants and cancer fighters and immune boosters. And I already talked about oats. And then all those spices are incredibly super healthy. and it’s just, and it’s actually delicious.

Tom McCarthy

It sounds delicious.

Ocean Robbins

They’re high in protein and kind of a little creamy, cheesy feel. and then the onions give it a soft, silky kind of feeling to it. And I don’t know, I just love it. So that’s my favorite breakfast at the moment, and it’s insanely healthy. Number two is an overnight chia porridge. So you can soak chia seeds in some nut milk or oat milk or hemp milk or soy milk or whatever you like overnight, and then you add in also some blueberries. Frozen are just fine. Frozen blueberries, vanilla, dash of maple syrup, some spices if you want. Lots of blueberries by the way is one of the keys here. And I stir all that up, let it soak overnight. And then the next morning you’ve got a ready-to-go, delicious meal that’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, loaded in protein, loaded with fiber, loaded with the antioxidants. Blueberries, studies show that people who eat blueberries regularly have two more years of healthy brain function in terms of Alzheimer’s development just from that.

Tom McCarthy

Everybody listening right now. Eat your blueberries.

Ocean Robbins

Eat your blueberries. For real. And so combine all that, the blueberries and the omega-3s which are great for heart health and anti-inflammatory, and from the chia seeds. And then incredible amounts of fiber in there. You can add a little nuts and seeds if you want just to mix up the texture more. And that is super, super healthy. And then third, this is also gonna sound weird to some people, leftovers. So I know that’s super crazy, but here’s the thing. A lot of our classic breakfasts are kind of loaded with carbs or animal products and basically sugar or animal fat. And I think that we could just do more to eat more vegetables and more whole plant foods in general. And so I think that there’s nothing about the body that doesn’t do well with vegetables in the mornings. 

I’ve been known to have steamed kale for breakfast. But I also love just leftovers. So we cook in quantity. Anytime we cook, we don’t bother with just one meal. We cook three, four, or five meals at a time. And then it’s one night’s dinner is the next day’s lunch is the next day’s breakfast, if somebody else has it for dinner. And it’s just there’s food around. And we also cook staples in quantity. So we’ll cook a big old pot of chickpeas or pinto beans or whatever, and then have that in the fridge. And then we’ve got some quinoa over here that we cooked up in its big container. And then we’ve got maybe some brown rice over here. We’ve got some millet and buckwheat. And then we have a big pot of kale over here that we we’ve put in containers. So then you can mix and match. 

And I love bowls. So we take some quinoa for example, and some kale or cabbage or any vegetables that are steamed, maybe some carrots, whatever. Put some salad greens in there and some avocado. Mix all that up, add some pumpkin seeds or some roasted sunflower seeds or something. Pour a nice sauce over the top. Homemade salad dressing is great for this. Stir it all up. And you’ve got this really interesting texture-flavor combo thing. And it’s kind of limitless ’cause you can use different legumes, different grains, different vegetables, different sauces. 

But the point is you’re really crossing the typical lines and putting it all in one place. And you’ve got some raw stuff and some warm stuff that’s cooked, and the combination is just really fun. So I love kind of mixing things up like this. And then of course you can find recipes. I mean, we have a membership community with over 500 recipes for our WHOLE Life Club members, and people love that. Recipes are great for people who really like to get to know something. Even then though, do it in quantity. make extra of your casserole or your smoothie or whatever else you’re making. You’ll be very glad you did.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah, we do that in our house too. And what I love too is what you just talked about, Ocean, is really helping people on the psychological level too. Because when you get so used to just sugary breakfasts every morning, in your brain, your brain is just expecting that. Now, when you mix it up, it’s like, “Whoa, what’s going on here?” I think it allows people to break through barriers to try and eat a little bit differently when they, it’s almost like a pattern interrupt in the way. I’ve always liked savory breakfast, and people always thought I was weird. But a salad for breakfast or some sauteed vegetables or things like that. 

I love that type stuff. So and I think that’s really what’s allowed me to change my diet and keep it for a lot of years. So great stuff. Now, and I know there’s tons of more recipes you could share with us. Organic food. Talk about organic and why it’s important versus, and you talked about it a little bit with the bugs and things like that. I always used to kind of look at the organic food and go, “It’s got a bruise on it.” Or it’s got this on it or that. Now I don’t even worry about that ’cause I just know it’s healthier. But why should we buy organic, and how can we do it and stay within our budget? Because a lot of people when they try and do it, they go, “Ah, it’s just too expensive. I’m gonna go with the cheaper option.” Answer those questions for us if you can, please.

Ocean Robbins

Okay, so first of all, organic food costs more. And so for the consumer, that’s a thing. And for some people that’s a big thing. For other people it’s a small thing. But for everyone, it’s a thing. And so some of us think of it as if it’s an elitist luxury, and it’s almost as if you’re disconnecting from social justice causes if you choose to eat organic food ’cause you’re saying, “Oh, I’m more important than everybody else who can’t afford this.” Here’s another lens on that. Those of us who can afford to eat organically grown food are investing not just in our own health but in a more healthy ecosystem. 

We’re investing in farm workers who will not be poisoned with pesticides in the field. We’re investing with farming systems that tend to replenish the soil with compost and organic fertilizers that add the whole panorama of nutrients to the soil, rather than just nitrogen, potassium, and NPK. Wait, nitrogen, potassium and whatever the other one is, phosphorus, yeah. So I don’t know why they call it K, but yeah. So yeah, that’s one thing. And organic agriculture can be done a lot of different ways, but when it’s done sustainably and healthfully, it can actually be regenerative and contribute to more topsoil expansion and less water consumption and all kinds of other good benefits for the planet. Organic food also says no to hormones in animals and antibiotics in animals. 

It says no to water and air being contaminated with toxins. And it says no to basing our food system on fossil fuels which as we know are not sustainable. But of course it does cost more. So let’s talk about that. And then the other big advantage is obviously pesticide exposure, and the nutrient density of the foods you eat. But cost is a concern for a lot of people. So if you’re worried about the price of healthy food in general and organic food in particular, here are some tips. Number one, you can focus on going organic with the most pesticide-contaminated foods. The Environmental Working Group comes out with a report every year. 

They call it the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 where they look at the most and least pesticide-contaminated foods. So in general, the CliffsNotes are that if you focus on foods that are like avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, things that have a shell that you don’t eat, those generally are safer not organically grown because the shell kind of protects them. Even mangoes and papayas, the shell kind of protects them. And then the inside is more safe in terms of pesticides. Not completely, but a lot more so. So if you’re on a budget, that’s one thing. Emphasize the leafy greens, the foods that tend to accumulate ’cause they’re in indirect exposure to the pesticides. But the other thing is you can eat really well on very little money. So here are some of the top tips. Number one, plan ahead and cut out the waste. The average American wastes $2,000 a year in food that just goes bad in the fridge. 

So go through your fridge, clear out your cupboards. Use up the food. Shop from a list. Say no to impulse purchases. So you buy the stuff you intended to get, which tends to be healthier. Impulse purchases tend to be the junk foods. That’ll help your health and help your wallet. Eat out less. Obviously, some people love eating out. That’s all good. I love it. But if you’re trying to save money, then restaurants are not your friends. Because at the end of the day, you’re paying a premium for all the services and the rent and everything else they do, and you’re paying for way more than just the food. Whereas when you buy food yourself, you’re obviously no longer outsourcing that labor. And then focus on the real superfoods. You don’t need $30 a pound Himalayan goji berries to be healthy. You can focus on cabbage and quinoa and legumes. 

Legumes, beans, are called the poor man’s meat. Well, they’re a rich source of protein, but you don’t have to be poor to enjoy them. But it is nice that they save some money along the way. They’re one of the cheapest foods out there. You soak a big bunch of beans for a couple of days, pour off the water every 12 hours and then pressure cook them. And you’ll have gotten rid of a lot of the oligosaccharides that cause gas. And some people still don’t do well with beans at first and they have to do a little bit at a time. Try lentils or a split peas if you’re having trouble with digestion, Ease in, do a couple of tablespoons, and then gradually increase. 

What’s happening is that your microbiome is resetting. They’ve got a lot of fiber, and that tends to trigger some digestive activity shall we say. Or sometimes that’s experienced as gas. But if you go slow and ease in, you can make beans your friend, and that’s really good for your health. So legumes are great. Whole foods, planning ahead, cooking in quantity, avoiding waste, these are all steps you can take that can really make a big difference. You can actually save tons of money eating healthy food. And by the way, I know our products are quite expensive. So when you eat more plant-based, that’s also a way to save a bunch.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah. Great advice. Thank you so much. Hey, the last question before we close up, and I wanna let everyone know how they can get in touch with your work when we close up. But one of the things I know that you also focus in on is gratitude and the way we consume our foods even, with gratitude. Talk about that if you would, please.

Ocean Robbins

Gratitude is good for you. It makes sense. There are studies showing people who are more grateful are happier and healthier. Well, big deal. Of course. If life’s going good, you’re gonna have more gratitude. That’s what I always said. But then I looked at the data and here’s the amazing thing. Gratitude doesn’t just make you more aware of the half full side of your glass. It fills your glass up. It doesn’t just make things look better or feel better, it makes them get better. 

People who take five minutes a day to write down three things they’re grateful for at the end of the day have better outcomes in their marriages. They have longer life expectancy. They’re more likely to exercise. They’re more likely to eat better. Not because they started out that way, but because they become that way over the course of the practice. Similarly, marriages are healthier when you tell your spouse what you love about them. I mean, anybody who’s ever been in a relationship knows that at the beginning, we fall in love and we’re all like, “Oh my God, I love you. You’re amazing.” And then 10 years later, we’re like, “Ah, did you not do the dishes again tonight?” And this kind of thing happens unless you cultivate intentionally a spirit of gratitude and respect. 

And it doesn’t just come from going through the motions. You’re like, “I’m so mad that, oh honey, thank you for doing that.” No, it’s like a real thank you. Like what do you really see in this person that you love and appreciate? And when you keep returning to that, honoring that, appreciating that, guess what? What you appreciate appreciates. You get more of what you love and what you want when you honor it in your partner. Well, the same is true of yourself. And I believe the same is true of life. I think it’s a universal principle that when you express gratitude and appreciation for whatever it is you can find that you’re grateful for. I mean, some of us have really tough times, really tough lives. We’re heartbroken, we’re devastated, we’re scared, we’re hurting. 

But as long as there’s breath in your lungs, as long as there’s blood flowing through your veins, there’s hope and there’s something to be grateful for. There’s something, we focus, if you get a stubbed toe, your whole world’s about that toe. What about all the other functions in your body that are carrying on beautifully? So let’s remember to give thanks for what is working and what is beautiful, and recognize that this entire universe is a miracle of epic proportions. I mean, life itself is so unbelievably miraculous. And when you allow yourself to take that in, that no matter what happened the night before, the sun comes up every freaking day. No matter what happened the day before, people keep finding ways to love and to serve and to contribute. 

And despite all the media’s obsession with everything that’s wrong and broken, because what bleeds leads, the truth is that there are way more acts of courage and heroism and love than there are of selfishness and violence and disrespect. Day in and day out, people all over the world are loving babies and nursing babies. They’re taking care of people who are hurting. They’re putting bandages on wounds. They’re showing up for people with love and respect. They’re planting seeds for future generations. They’re taking actions of selflessness and heroism because they care. So if you can feel connected to that and you can feel your gratitude for that, I believe you help to make it a more harmonious and a more beautiful universe. And guess what? You’ll be healthier.

Tom McCarthy

Yeah, absolutely. I love that. And since I was doing my homework on you the past couple of days, I’ve always eaten healthy for a long time now, starting with your dad’s inspiration many, many years ago. And in my wife, vegetarian since age 16. but I would eat fast and not really appreciate or have gratitude for that meal that was in front of me. my wife and I started this chain of restaurants called Beaming, which was all about being beaming and being alive. And everything was organic. It was all vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, all these great things. 

So we eat good stuff, but I notice I’m just watching my phone or doing something else. And so you’ve inspired me in just the past couple of days to do something that I know I should do. But with that food, just communicate with it or communicate this gratitude of this great energy I’m about to ingest into my body. And all the beautiful things that have had to happen for this to show up on my table. So thank you for that. You’ve influenced me in that way. So how can we get in touch with you and your work and the Food Revolution Network? Where can people go?

Ocean Robbins

Well, you can find us at foodrevolution.org. We have thousands of articles and resources there to support folks on their healthy eating journey. You could join in our summit at foodrevolutionsummit.org. Sign up and hear my dad and my colleague interviewing 24 of the top food experts on the planet, all hosted by me. And you can join in on that for free. We also have a healthy eating masterclass where we kind of walk you through a lot of the top myths that are causing suffering to millions. And also the top breakthroughs that could help heal our lives and our world. If you go to thriving.foodrevolution.org, you can check that out. 

And quite frankly, you find us whenever you choose healthy, wholesome food. Because then you’re being part of the food revolution, and I thank you. Oh, I should mention, I also have a book. It’s called “31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World.” And yeah, that’s a national bestseller and it’s a great resource. “31-Day Food Revolution” is no accident ’cause my grandpa was all about 31 flavors of ice cream. And I say, you know what? 31 steps to health can bring you even more pleasure than 31 flavors of ice cream. So it kind of walks you through the steps that you can take to implement all that we’re talking about today.

Tom McCarthy

I’m glad you brought that book up too ’cause everyone should go out and get that book. And just in closing, two things. I want just a final word from you in just a minute, but what’s different about what you wrote in this new book from most of the things out there? What is really unique or different that people can expect when they get this book?

Ocean Robbins

Well, there’s a few things. One is that it’s all about action. At the end of the day, cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, they don’t really care all that much how much you know, but they really do care what you do with what you know and how you live. So every single chapter ends with simple action steps you can take to apply what you’ve learned.

Tom McCarthy

Love that.

Ocean Robbins

Number two, it’s in four parts. So part one is detoxify. It’s about getting rid of the bad stuff. Part two is nourish, and it’s about saying yes to the good stuff. So you clear out all the things that are bad for you, And then you say yes to creating a life that works and you optimize. And then part three is gather. And that’s about the social side of food. I think too often we forget that we’re social creatures. And if we wanna succeed in something, we need people to cheer us on and support us in the journey. And then part four is transform. And that’s where we look at the revolution. How do we create healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for everyone? How do we change the systems? How do we eat in such a way that farmers have enough to feed their own families? How do we in such a way that children are not enslaved in the chocolate industry? So we look at some of the issues, some of the campaigns. 

How do we liberate animals from factory farms? And how do we liberate humanity so that everyone can have the freedom to express their potential and to live in a good way, with thinking of this planet? How do we contribute to a healthier ecosystems for future generations? And how do we use our food choices as a vote for our health and also for our world? How do we get healthy school lunches? How do we contribute to equity so that everyone can afford and access healthy food? We look at the government policies that are completely insane. Our government is literally subsidizing junk food. Twinkies has 14 subsidized ingredients. But more importantly, we look at what we can do about it to help shift things. ‘Cause I say you know what? If you want healthy food for you and for everyone, then you’re a food revolutionary. So let’s bring on this healthy revolution. There’s no guns and bombs here. Just knives and forks and a chance to make the world a better place.

Tom McCarthy

Ocean, you’re an amazing man. I’m just so happy that we all have you to count on, to help lead us in this food revolution. You and along with the help of your dad too. So thank you so much for being part of our summit. You’ve been amazing. I love your energy. Like just your energy alone, people watching you should go, “I want that energy.” and The way you get it is obviously the way you think and the gratitude you have, but also what you put in your body. So thank you so much. We really do appreciate having you on here.

Ocean Robbins

Thrilled to be here, Tom. And thanks for hosting this wonderful conversation with so many wonderful people about energy and how we can align our energy and our lives with what we really want. It’s beautiful. So glad to be here. Everyone, thanks so much for your attention and your participation in the food revolution. Let’s do this.

Tom McCarthy

Okay, go to Ocean’s website, check them out. Make sure you get his book, and start eating healthier right now. Do it now. Like you said, it’s all about action. Everyone, have a great day.