Kimberly Snyder: The N.Y. Times Best-Selling Author Debunks Dieting Myths
Kimberly Snyder is a celebrity nutritionist who is helping people figure out how to eat healthy while debunking all the harmful dieting and beauty trends out there in the world. She’s created easy how-to guides with her best-selling books The Beauty Detox Solution, The Beauty Detox Foods, and The Beauty Detox Power.
What you do in your 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, in terms of food and fitness, creates the building blocks for a long beautiful life. So we asked Kimberly to share her whole-body approach and vast knowledge on creating a healthier life today.
INTERVIEW WITH KIMBERLY SNYDER:
Q.
What is your philosophy on health?
A. My philosophy is rooted in the idea that outer beauty is a reflection of inner health. You have a tremendous amount of power over how you look and feel. The everyday lifestyle choices you make help determine what is ultimately reflected in the mirror.
“When I use the word beauty, I don’t just use it in a superficial sense, for when your skin and hair become healthier, it means the inside of you is also healthier.”
Q.
After college, you changed paths when your heart wasn’t into your work and instead you travelled extensively. Did you ever question your choice before seeing the outcome?
A. Not for a second. The years I spent backpacking were some of the happiest of my life, and were the beginning of my learning how to tune in and be fully alive and present in every moment, which changed my life permanently. In those years, I learned so much about myself and it became the foundation for my philosophies of life and health.
While it wasn’t always easy – it was at times frustrating, stressful and sometimes actually dangerous – and put a strain on personal relationships, I always knew in my heart that I was doing the right thing.
Q.
Touching on beauty detoxing, why should low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free items be avoided? How do they affect one’s skin and body?
A. Most processed foods labeled “low-fat” or “fat-free” use other ingredients (like sugar and artificial flavors) to amp up the flavor profile of the foods. The result is an unhealthy chemical concoction that, while it may be lower in fat and/or calories, is made up of a bunch of ingredients that simply aren’t natural foods. Your body has trouble cleanly digesting foods which are not natural, and toxins can build up in your body that can hinder digestion, optimal nutrient absorption, and ultimately have a negative effect on the quality of your skin, hair and body…not to mention your mentality and emotional balance.
Whole fruits, veggies and whole grains like quinoa, on the other hand, are naturally low in fat (with a few exceptions) and contain the vitamins, minerals and enzymes your body needs for vibrant health.
Plant foods such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocados, nuts and seeds can be eaten in moderate amounts and will give you all the fat you need. I do recommend keeping all oils to a strict minimum – get your fat from whole foods instead.
Q.
What are some great wellness secrets you can share from your travel experiences?
A. One of my favorite beauty secrets is face-mapping, an ancient Eastern philosophy which, similar to acupuncture, is rooted in the belief that all parts of the body are intrinsically connected.
In this Eastern Chinese philosophy, issues showing up on your face can be indicative of issues much deeper in the body. This supports what I’ve always said- you can’t just count calories or grams of carbs and protein. Our bodies are more complex than a collection of numbers. That processed diet food or high amounts of animal protein may help keep you lean (at least for a little while), but over time can age your organs at an accelerated rate. What good is it to be thin if your face looks haggard and aged?
“Eat more fibrous, enzyme-rich fresh plant foods and watch an improvement in your skin. The foods which are good for your health will also elevate your beauty.”
Q.
What are a few products you swear by?
A.
- I love pure coconut oil. I apply it as a moisturizer to my body and the tips of my hair.
- I only use sunscreen with a zinc oxide base, avoiding ones with oxybenzone or other chemical ingredients. Pratima and Suntegrity are good lines.
- I only use non-petroleum based products on my lips. I like the Sally B’s Skin Yummies lip glosses a lot.
Kimberly Snyder is an author and a celebrity nutritionist. Her work as a clinical nutritionist is rooted in a holistic approach that works to heal the body from the cellular level up. She has worked and/or prepared food for Drew Barrymore, Fergie, Olivia Wilde, Josh Duhamel and more.