Karen Asp is the contributing health editor for TheBeet.com. A vegan for over 10 years (and vegetarian for almost 20) whose vegan journey began after making a pact with a cow while hiking in Austria, she’s an award-winning journalist and author (Anti-Aging Hacks is her latest book) who specializes in fitness, health, nutrition, travel and animals. Karen writes the monthly pet feature for Better Homes & Gardens and is a contributing writer for VegNews and regular contributor to numerous other leading publications, including Martha Stewart Living, Eating Well, Forks Over Knives, Clean Eating, Real Simple, Sentient Media, Oxygen, USA Today’s magazines, Midwest Living, O, Reader’s Digest and Woman’s Day. A frequent podcast and web show guest who loves educating people about healthy living and veganism, she’s also a fitness trainer who’s certified in plant-based nutrition, athlete with Nordic walking world records, PETA vegan mentor and soon, a Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator. Visit her at karenasp.com or on Twitter and Instagram at @karenaspwriter.
Karen Asp
Is Cheese Bad For You? 8 Reasons to Stay Away From Dairy
If you’re like most Americans, you’ve grown up thinking you need to consume dairy to stay healthy. You subscribe to the idea that dairy does a body good because that’s what dietary guidelines tell you. Plus, you need milk, cheese, and other dairy products to build strong bones, right? But now more people a...
The 10 Best Places to Eat Vegan in Indianapolis, Indiana
If the Indianapolis 500 is the only thing you associate with Indiana’s capital, you’re in for a treat. Indy has been a city on the move ever since it hosted the Super Bowl in 2012 with a recently developed bike path providing recreation through the city’s center and designated cultural districts where cafes, breweries, and other attractions have been springing up. And while you mi...
Tired? 10 Plant-Based Foods That Can Help You Sleep Better at Night
If you’re one of the 1 in 3 Americans not getting the sleep you need, you’re probably reaching for every sleep aid or ritual you can think of. The one place you may not be looking: Your pantry. While you know there are certain foods like caffeine, alcohol, and spicy pepper that can hinder sleep patterns, there are other foods that can actually help you sleep.
“Sleep-wake cycles follo
...
What to Eat and Avoid to Lower Blood Pressure
Got high blood pressure? Most likely the answer is yes, given that almost half of American adults have this condition, putting them at greater risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Yet that blood pressure is largely under your control...
The Best and Worst Foods for Prostate Health
Think of your closest nine male friends, classmates, or coworkers. Now consider this: At least one of them will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in his lifetime. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men–so common, in fact, that every three minutes, another man is diagnosed with the disease in the US, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Yet do...
Read Mor
Do Nuts Make You Gain Weight? Here’s What to Know, From an RD
Don’t knock nuts. While they have a bad rap for being high in calories, these nutritional powerhouses could be a dieter’s best friend – as long as you don’t overdo it. Nuts often get lumped into the “bad” food category, especially for those worried about weight gain. Given that nuts are high in fat an...
What Are Polyphenols? The Health Benefits, According to Experts
When was the last time you thought about how many polyphenols you ate in a day? Probably never. That’s because polyphenols aren’t a food group. Nor are they essential nutrients. But they are powerful compounds that naturally occur in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. “They’re not require...
What to Eat to Gain Weight the Healthy Way
When it comes to weight, most people want to lose it, not gain it. Yet there are many individuals who struggle to put weight on and keep up a strong, healthy physique. “Diet culture is so rampant in our society that we often fail to recognize that many people may have wellness goals unrelated to weight loss,” says Jennifer Mimkha, R.D, a plant-based dietitian
...
Can Taking a Probiotic Help You Lose Weight? What An Expert Says
Probiotics have never been hotter, thanks in large part to the pandemic. In May of 2020, Americans increased their use of probiotic supplements by 66 percent compared to six months earlier, according to one survey, for both digestive and immune health. Pro...
What’s Hiding In Your Vitamin Supplement? The Ingredients to Avoid
You think twice about the food you’re eating – does it have animal products? is there carrageenan in it? How much added sugar is in it? – but when was the last time you scrutinized what's in your supplements? A whopping 86 percent of Americans take vitamins or supplements, according to a survey by the American Osteopathic Association. If you’re plant-...