Marilu Henner. I have been an admirer of hers for a long time, and I recently had a chance to chat with her in advance of her appearance at the Tampa Bay Food and Wine Festival.
Other than her storied acting career, I didn’t know much about Marilu until her first book came out in 1998, Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover. It was not about a diet, really, but more of a complete lifestyle change. Real and organic food, stress reduction, detoxification and preventing health conditions like cancer were the major goals. I was so inspired by the book, my husband and I tried the lifestyle changes for 30 days. Although skeptical, we did notice a real difference in how we felt, our energy levels and even our appearance. Unfortunately, in what I do for a living, I am unable to limit my consumption to only certain types of foods, but her plan really works. I can tell you that firsthand.
When I spoke with her for the interview, my biggest question was, “What’s next?”. Her books have been so popular, it’s hard to imagine how she could top all of that or change it up. But she has. And she is so inspired, she took her ideas to Congress.
Through an organization called Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, she testified in front of our representatives about the need for healthy, low-fat vegetarian options in schools. PCRM released a statement about her contribution towards healthier school lunches. “Marilu Henner’s entire life testifies to the power of her plant-based diet. The knowledge and discipline this actor, author, and full-time mom has gathered to maintain her demanding schedule is discussed in her books, including Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover. She is working with PCRM to persuade Congress to reform the Child Nutrition Act to offer more healthful school lunches.” They are also awarding her with the Voice of Compassion Award at PCRM’s annual gala this year.
She has another television show in the works, more theatrical work and is also working on another book. Her website marilu.com is filled with information for parents and lifestyle reformers, complete with recipes and support systems to keep the dedicated on track. I’ve personally made many of her recipes and found them to be easy to work with and tasty. The most surprising thing is I didn’t miss the dairy products and other items that don’t appear in her menus.
You have a chance to meet Marilu in person at the upcoming Tampa Bay Food and Wine Festival this weekend. Go to 2010.unleashyourpalate.com/index.html for details.
