Talk and book signing in Easton, Pennsylvania

September 3, 2019 by admin 1 Comment

For the first time ever, I’ll be doing an event in my hometown! Saturday, September 7th I’ll be a part of the first annual Easton Vegfest.

My talk on vegan sports nutrition with a book signing of the newly released Plant-based Sports Nutrition, will be at 3pm at the Nurture Nature Center, just a few blocks from the vegfest. Much love to Lehigh Valley Vegan for making this happen!

The event is free and I’ll be doing a short talk on how vegan athletes get it done and what you need to know to fuel on plants. There will be books for purchase! The best way to support me is to buy one in person. The next best thing (besides just handing me cash and telling me I’m doing a good job) is to leave a review over at ~~whole foods~~, ~~washington post~~, amazon.

Click on the photo below to go to the facebook event page.

This is especially exciting because I’m from the Lehigh Valley and I went vegan on the day of my high school graduation. My early experience of plant-based foods was exploring the produce shops, grocers, and restaurants of immigrant communities there and I’m forever thankful because if they didn’t exist, I may have never learned the wide array of vegan foods available.

Now hopefully we can get a write-up in the local paper that I delivered on bicycle in my neighborhood for my entire high school life!

Upcoming talks and events; Harvest of Hope, Lifestyle Medicine, and Santa Cruz Vegfest

September 12, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Hi blog readers! A quick note before we get to the event details.

Most of you probably know that in April I was hit by a car making an illegal left turn and suffered serious injures including 11 broken ribs, a broken-in-two-places clavicle that required surgery and two plates, 3 broken vertebrae, and a broken shoulder (which I’m still dealing with as it is the slowest to heal). You can read the details and updates on this series of instagram posts: one, two, three, four. I didn’t do a gofundme or similar, but if you are interested in helping out please get in touch and I can point you to some links.

Fall 2018

15 Sept 2018 | Modesto CA | Cancer Prevention talk

I’m working with the Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center on an event that brings together clinicians, farmers, and community members. I’m giving the headlining presentation on plant-based nutrition and cancer prevention. There are workshops and a full meal is included. Have any friends or family members who want to know more about the connection between diet and disease? This would be perfect for them. More info and registration here.

15 October 2018 | Rochester NY | Sports Nutrition

I’m honored to give a talk on sports nutrition as part of the Lifestyle as Medicine Lecture Series at the Rochester Academy of Medicine. In or near Rochester? I’d love if you could make this. Sign up here.

Spring 2019

06 April 2019 | Santa Cruz CA | Fueling Physical Activity

First ever Santa Cruz Vegfest! This is going to be super fun. Reed Mangels, PhD, RD is helping to put this on so you know it’s going to be good. Mark your calendars and I’ll see you there. Maybe we can do a group mountain bike ride that weekend?

18-20 May 2019 | Raleigh NC | Time for Public Health Nutrition to Shine

The 6th annual Plant-based Prevention Of Disease national conference returns to Raleigh and it’s going to be the best conference yet! As you probably know I’m a board member and put a lot of work into making this conference evidence-based and affordable. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind event. If you haven’t been, join us in 2019! There’s walkable campus housing so no need for a rental car. We save you money every step of the way! I’m giving the opening address on why, now more than ever, we need to focus on plant foods in healthcare.

Are you part of an organization that puts on events or needs speakers? Let them know I’m available. That’s the most common way I get invited, so please don’t underestimate the power of your suggestion.

Since I post here infrequently, these are the best ways to stay in touch: newsletter | twitter | instagram

Spring 2018 speaking events

March 17, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Where have I been? Most of my energy these days goes to Nutrinic and some writing for publications, including Today’s Dietitian. Did you see my article on counseling vegan clients?

Also, I recently spoke at the excellent International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition (here’s a nice summary, I’m quoted) at Loma Linda University, my 4th time attending. When an event is only every 5 years that makes you feel old! I was invited to speak for the first time, which was an incredible honor. It also reminded me to share my upcoming talks.

Most of these are part of larger events therefore have a cost associated (sorry!). If you can’t make any, please pass them on to potentially interested parties. The power of sharing events with your friends and colleagues cannot be understated. Nor can my appreciation for helping out.

14 April | Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles District (LAD) of the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics presents, One Size Does Not Fit All: Promoting Diverse Perspectives in Dietetics. I’ll be presenting, “The Case for Plant-Based.” The sports talk before me focuses on protein, presumably animal protein, so I’m guessing this might be a bit of a debate? I’m looking forward to it! It’s at Children’s Hospital on Sunset Blvd, meaning I can walk there from my apartment, which is the best.

26 April | Rochester, NY

27 April | Syracuse, NY

Not sure what exactly this will entail, beyond a sports nutrition talk, but I’m teaming up with Joel from Strong Hearts Cafe, the force behind the Strong Hearts Vegan Power running team. Mid-90’s bands from Syracuse were a huge influence on my adoption of veganism, and I haven’t been back in two decades, so I’m really looking forward to this. Most likely free or very low-cost.

~~07 May | Tarzana, CA~~ (this is postponed, stay tuned for the new day and time)

My friend and colleague Dr. Health Shenkman opened her own practice and is putting on Heart U – Classes to Empower YOU for Optimal Cardiac Wellness. You may remember Heather from our Strong Hearts episode. I’m speaking on how to overcome the barriers you may face when switching to a plant-based diet. Each session is $30, or all 8 for $150. Space is extremely limited, so if this interests you please sign up soon. Also check out her new book.

19-21 May | Raleigh, NC

The 5th annual Plant-based Prevention Of Disease national conference returns to Raleigh and it’s going to be the best conference yet. As you probably know I’m a board member and put a lot of work into making this conference evidence-based and affordable. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind event. If you haven’t been, join us this year! There’s even walkable campus housing so no need for a rental car. We save you money every step of the way! I’m giving the opening address on why, now more than ever, we need to focus on plant foods in healthcare.

15 Sept | Modesto, CA

This isn’t finalized yet, but if you are an early planner, I’m working with the Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center to give the main presentation at this year’s Harvest of Hope. I’ll be tying in local farming with nutrition and the benefits of eating plant foods, and without powerpoint! This will put my story telling to the test, which is an exciting challenge. At least I have time to prepare. Will share details when I have them.

Since I post here so infrequently, these are the best ways to stay in touch: newsletter | twitter | instagram.

Thanks for reading!

The Lifestyle Intervention Program to Prevent Diabetes is finally here!

September 28, 2017 by admin 1 Comment

It has been a busy year! For long-time readers of my site, that would normally mean races and travel and adventures. Well, the adventure this year has been a new one: the building of Nutrinic. In my last post, I announced the establishment of our nutrition clinic in Pasadena. But the goal here has always been the creation of a nutrition program for disease prevention. And we finally have it! It’s called the Lifestyle Intervention Program to Prevent Diabetes, or LIPPD for short (my fellow nutrition nerds will appreciate the acronym).

It’s a 6-week program that guides people through the science of nutrition, the ins-and-outs of shopping and preparing food, and successful strategies for long-term change. So often I see people ask about making diet changes and are told to either 1) read a book 2) attend an expensive retreat or training. Our goal with LIPPD is to have an accessible, simple program addressing every challenge in dietary behavior change. In many ways it’s everything I have learned in my 15 years in the field of nutrition condensed into 6 weeks. I’m really proud of the work we’ve done and I implore you to check it out in detail on the website!

While we focuse on type 2 diabetes prevention and are working primarily with pre-diabetics (an incredible 1 in 3 US adults have pre-diabetes), I believe the program is useful for everyone who wants to learn about nutrition, the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, or simply how to make the changes they’ve always wanted to make! If you know me, or have heard me speak in-person or on podcasts, I’m all about simplicity. And this shows, I think, in this program through our video lessons, handouts, recipes, and structure. Plus it’s available world-wide as it’s fully online and tele-health compatible.

Since it’s new, we have it for an incredibly low price right now, so please do check it out and share it with anyone you think would be interested or who could benefit from such a program! All the info is at nutrinic.com.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more regular updates with the new site.

Some notes:

Please follow my more-regularly-updated social media: facebook | twitter | instagram | newsletter

This site is migrating to mattruscigno.com very soon. That link is now up and working (with a redirect here) so if you have me linked you can update it now.

Upcoming Nutrition Events in Pasadena

December 22, 2016 by admin Leave a comment

With Nutrinic in full swing, we have some great events lined up for the new year! These can compliment Veganuary or the PCRM 21-day challenge nicely, if you choose to do one of them or know someone who is.

Grocery Store Tours

Ever want to see the grocery store through the eyes of a nutrition expert? Join me for our upcoming grocery store tours in Pasadena! These one-hour tours will show you how to shop for healthy food without spending a fortune (yes, even at Whole Foods!) and how to incorporate time-saving foods when you can’t cook from scratch. I really enjoy doing these and I think you’ll have fun and learn something new. Pick a date and a store here. Sign-up soon because we are keeping these to only a few people.

Nutrition Talks

Most of my talks in 2016 were about sports nutrition or how you don’t have to eat exotic or expensive food to be healthy or vegan. But with Nutrinic our goal is cardiovascular disease (CVD) therapy and prevention. What does that entail? Come to one of my talks in January! I’ll cover the evidence showing plant foods are excellent for CVD, how to incorporate them, and we’ll even have a light plant-based, vegan meal. Join us and bring a friend!

Stay in touch! newsletter | twitter | instagram

Announcing Nutrinic: A Plant-based Nutrition Center in Pasadena, CA

December 7, 2016 by admin 6 Comments

It has been awhile since I have posted, but today I have big news: I’ve opened a nutrition center in Pasadena, CA called Nutrinic!

Nutrinic is a place for you to send your friends and family who could benefit from eating healthier or who want to learn how to incorporate more plant-based meals. And we have video-based consulting for those not in Southern California.

Read more about us in this press release.

Over the years, my small practice focused primarily on helping vegans and aspiring vegans to develop healthy eating habits. I will continue this work through Nutrinic, however our focus is on plant-based diets as therapeutic treatment and prevention of the major cardiovascular diseases, which together are the number one killer in America.
Our approach is different because we go beyond education by focusing on skill acquisition and habit building to sustain long-term change. Our goal is not successful diets, but new lifestyles.

Our services:

A one-time nutrition check-in to review your current diet and learn how you can make improvements.
The Fundamentals: a more intensive look at your eating patterns with a focus on addressing shortcomings and learning new skills and habits. Includes before and after lipid panels.
Want to go all-in, revamp your relationship with food, and learn the skills for continued health from shopping to cooking to habit formation? Our 21-day program is coming soon.

I have been a Registered Dietitian for 13 years and involved in the plant-based/vegan world for two decades and now is a time like no other. The evidence for the efficacy of plant-based diets in the prevention of disease is growing daily, as is the availability of vegan options in grocery stores and restaurants. It’s an exciting time!

This next chapter is big and I’m elated for what the future holds for plant-based nutrition. Thank you for being a part of this with me! Also please note that some changes are going to come to my website(s), please stay tuned.

Ps. We are having a small office warming party this Saturday at 5pm, if you’re local and would like to come, please let me know and I’ll happily send you the details.

Pps. You can support my work directly, here.

2016 Plant-based Prevention of Disease National Conference May 19-23rd

April 4, 2016 by admin Leave a comment

As you probably know if you follow any of my social media, I am on the board of the Plant-based Prevention Of Disease conference happening this May 19-23rd in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hard to believe this is already our third annual conference!

PPOD2016-2

The idea that plant foods can lower disease risk is popular among vegans and advocates of plant-based diets, but it’s not common knowledge among health professionals. As I say often during my talks, science is slow-moving. It takes more evidence to change course than to stay on the same path. Well the path right now is that largely preventable diseases are the leading causes of death in the US! The goal of our conference, known as P-POD, is to bring science-based evidence on the benefits of plant foods to health professionals. We have continuing education for doctors, dietitians, nurses and more. There are THIRTY expert speakers this year at an insanely low registration rate. It’s going to be an incredible four days!

If you have a strong interest in nutrition and someone background knowledge, you could gain a lot by attending. Also, if you know any health professionals who may be interested please help us spread the word! We have promotional materials on our site. Can’t make the conference, but love what we do? We are a 501(c)3 non-profit so your donation is tax-deductible!

And remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for regular updates.

Do some vegans exaggerate health claims?

February 18, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

A few months back the wonderful and prolific Bite Size Vegan invited me to be a guest on her YouTube channel to talk about my work and my diet as an ultra-athlete. We discussed exaggerated health claims in the second video and the reaction from her audience was so strong and negative that she invited me back to clarify my points.

My argument was, and still is, that there are many paths to good health- strict veganism is not the only one. There are many factors in determining health and multiple ways to measure it. While there is plenty of evidence that eating mostly plant food is beneficial, that is not the same as veganism.

I’ll let you decide if the point is made or not. The first video is more about me and then the second and third get juicy. Some colorful comments, as well, if you decide to click through to YouTube- including one where I’m told that I’m not a real vegan. 🙂

Let me know what you think and if there are better ways to make these points. Thanks for watching!

Remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more regular updates.

Men’s Nutrition Guide and Strongest Hearts Interview with Stic from Dead Prez!

November 12, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

I recently worked with The Discerning Brute to create a Men’s Guide to Nutrition that answers common questions and concerns dudes often have. Click the link or the banner below. This is the perfect page to send people who are spreading myths about vegan diets- there are lots of links and references with the science to back up the claims.

And have you seen the Strongest Hearts video where I interview Stic from Dead Prez and his wife Afya Ibomu? As a long time fan of Hip Hop and Dead Prez I was very excited to sit down with them and chat about health, RBG Fit Club, straight edge and more! Give it a watch and share with your friends. You never know who you are going to influence.

-video embedded below-

Boston Sports Nutrition talk Thursday night before Cape Cod Ragnar Relay

May 4, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

This Thursday I return to the difficult-to-spell state of Massachusetts to give a talk on vegan sports nutrition in Boston. It’s in collaboration with the Boston Veg Society and the Strong Hearts Vegan Power running team before they take on the Cape Cod Ragnar Relay! There’s a $15 vegan buffet option at the host restaurant, Walnut Grille. Please RSVP here for the dinner. The talk is free! There will also be a Q&A panel with some of the runners on the team. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about vegan nutrition- especially for curious friends who want to know how to eat plant-based and stay active. Can you still get enough protein? You sure can! Come learn how.

Plant-based and Powerful: How Vegan Athletes are Defying Stereotypes

Thur May 7th
5-7 buffet ($15)
7-815 talk and Q&A (free)
Walnut Grille
1203 Walnut St
Newton, MA 02461

617-964-1029

Facebook event page

Then on Friday and Saturday I’ll be covering three Strong Hearts Vegan Power teams (36 vegan runners!) racing the 200-mile Cape Cod Ragnar Relay. I’ll be there as Strongest Hearts, where no doubt there will be lots of confusion about our similar names! Like we did with the Plantbuilt Team at the Naturally Fit Games, we’ll be documenting their experience in our video series. Follow our Twitter and Instagram for photos and updates through the weekend.