Esther BlumYou will have all read my book review on Esther’s book Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous (click here if you didn’t). WELL I managed to grab half an hour on the phone with the delightful Esther Blum and wracked her brain on everything I could think of!

Esther has worked in the nutrition industry for 15 years now and still loves it! Esther is constantly challenging herself to learn and develop new techniques to help her much loved clients.

Esther has Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Simmons College in Boston and is a graduate of New York University, where she received her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition.

As if that’s not impressive enough, Esther is also a graduate of the Designs For Health Institute, where she expanded her knowledge further with a certification in holistic nutrition.

Read on to hear how she blossomed from hospital care into writer extraordinaire!

How did you move into the nutrition field?

I got a Bachelor and Masters in Clinical Nutrition at Simmons College and New York University respectively.

From there I worked in hospitals for 5 years treating people at the end stages of their lives. I did enjoy the work but after 5 years I wanted to move into more effective and preventative care.

At a dinner party a friend asked me what I knew about vitamins and I was embarrassed to say very little. She went on to tell me about a course in holistic treatment being run in NYC.

I applied and was part of only the 2nd or 3rd group of students to receive the certification and it all evolved from there!

What is so different about your approach?

I use nutrients to treat conditions. I think foods offer so much more than people realize. Also I never ask patients to do what I couldn’t do myself.

I do not believe in strict diets. I enjoy food too much to live life that way. The deprivation based mentality will never work long term.

I tell my clients I am here to support and guide you to better choices. It’s about creating and building a better lifestyle with a soft and gentle hand.

What foods do you truly believe in?

Whole foods. I encourage my clients to follow the 80/20 rule – 80% healthy, whole foods + 20% naughty treats.

I love inspiring people to see how good they can really feel. Eating a healthy diet rich in whole foods will improve fat burning, increase energy, clear your skin, spruce up your insides.

The main problem in today’s society is that people don’t realize how bad they feel UNTIL they start eating healthy and experience the results. I have clients all the time saying to me wow I never even realized how yucky I felt until I cut out this or that.

What do you love most about your line of work?

Gosh so many things. . .

I love helping change peoples lives. I love changing how they look at eating and food in general. I love helping people to dramatically reduce and or abolish the impacts of illnesses and disease. I love empowering people to take charge of their lives and reaping the benefits.

What are some of the best foods our readers can incorporate into their diet?

Vegetables in general should take up 75% of your diet. Veges are full of nutrients and disease fighting compounds. I love brussell sprouts sauteed in a little olive oil with pecans. Also I like mashed cauliflower (instead of potato).

Wild game is a great source of protein and often free of the harsh chemicals other meats contain. I love buffalo and wild Alaskan salmon. Buffalo burgers are a huge favourite in our house!

Do you eat organic foods?

About two thirds of my diet is organic. Obviously it depends on price and availability, I won’t pay exorbitant prices. I encourage my clients to go organic as much as they can.

What do you tell your clients about exercise?

Definitely do it!

Exercise is great for building lean muscle mass which actually burns calories AND it’s great for stress management.

I recommend short burst of weight training 3 times a week. Gone are the days of the endless hours on the treadmill or pounding your poor knees on the pavement. Strength training is the new cardio.

Strength training is great to de-age, de-stress and regulate hormones.

What did you want to achieve with the book?

I wanted to create a book which exactly like having a nutritional consultation with me. A book that can help you learn about nutrition within the comfort of their own home.

I wanted Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous to be a go to reference book. So that when you’re feeling a bit iffy, when you’re at the health food store, when you’re struggling from a big night out you can open the book and find out what you need.

What is your favourite cheat food?

I love foie gras, chocolate and martini’s. But these are very much my special treats! I have chocolate maybe twice a week and the others maybe once a fortnight.

Esther even gave us a sneak peek into her NOT YET RELEASED book ‘Secrets of Gorgeous’ which is due out later in 2008.

"The very essence of being gorgeous isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being and feeling our most fabulous and the secret of doing that is accepting you imperfections. I prefer to think of these as attributes. A little self acceptance goes a long way in softening our own critical voice that can really serve as a barrier to helping us reach our goals." Secrets of Gorgeous

Esther was exactly how I imagined her after reading the book – funny, full of knowledge and absolutely delightful! Thanks to Esther from all the team here at UWLS for giving us some of her precious time

To the readers you really do need to get your hands on a copy of Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous. It is the ULTIMATE handbook to address everything from hangovers to weight loss to sex and living gorgeously!

Click the link below to get more information about Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous:

The bank card got heaps of use yesterday when I grabbed some awesome books to fill my brain with awesome goodies for you guys.

My ‘they were 25% off’ justification brought laughs from my darling boyfriend who patiently held the books I piled up hehe!

The first one I picked up has left a massive impression on me and I think every lady should pick up a copy and get it in her handbag TODAY!

Read on to find out what the ultimate ladies handbook is!

I read the first book cover to cover in ONE sitting.

The name was ‘Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous’ by Esther Blum.

I was VERY impressed and have put together a mini book review on this special treasure.

Esther is what I like to call a nutritionist with a twist. This sassy lady has all the certifications but a refreshingly down to earth approach to both diet and life in general.

There isn’t any fancy lingo and lab jacket for this lady – she gets to the point and gets there fast!

This clever cookie has worked in the world of nutritional counseling for 15 years and left many clients fabulously happy in the meantime.

As Ether says, ‘I show my clients how to lead healthier lives and I encourage their naughty ways. I am pro supplements and I am pro cosmopolitans.’

Esther’s book is an incredible handbook for women in the real world.

She covers everything in this pretty pink book from eating your way to magnificent body, drinking like a princess, digesting your way to smoking hot bedroom fun, supplements made for beauty and navigating your way through a breakup PLUS MORE!

Esther goes through how to:

* Get in touch with your body the gorgeous gal way
* Manoeurve your way through the supermarket the right way
* Eat smart when living it up
* Enjoy drinks without adding 100′s of calories or hours of pain the next day
* Pick the right supplements to keep you feeling amazing all day, everyday
* Deal with heaps of common issues like PMS, cramps, colds, bloating & more
* Get through a sad time the classy way
* Workout the sassy gal way to make your body fabulous inside and out
* And MORE!

Here’s some of my favourite bits:

"A healthy, happy and beautiful woman honours herself and her cravings. Does this mean eating an entire package of cookies in one sitting? Non non cherie. This means that when you are going to indulge, you do it princess-style. Buy the very best cookies you can afford, put them on one of your sassiest dishes, sit at the table and fully enjoy eating them." Page 21.

"Whether you’re eating out, cooking in the kitchen, or cooking in the bedroom, have fun and enjoy yourself! If you treat yourself to a sumptuous dinner, balance it out the next day with plenty of green vegetables. At the end of the day, the only person holding you accountable is yourself, and eating gorgeous will help you be your own best friend." Page 49.

"Just because I’m a nutritionist doesn’t mean I’m immune to the perils of living it up large. Being healthy AND the belle of the ball is no easy feat. Rather than getting excited about going out and binge drinking let’s switch gears a bit and think about consequence free, grown up drinking that will leave us fresh as a daisy le morning after." Page 52.

"Did you know by eating a healthy diet, taking the right supplements, and taking care of your digestion you can increase your endurance and satisfaction and, most important, perform like the bucking bronco you know you are!" Page 77.

Esther is not only a refreshing dietitian but also an awesome writer. It didn’t feel like reading, it felt like sitting down in a hip NYC bar with a martini and fun albeit nutrition based conversation.

Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous is an exciting, informative and funny girls handbook. I thoroughly enjoyed it – it didn’t even feel like learning. If only high school had been this fun!

Rating: ★★★★★

This is seriously a must have for any sassy lady. Click the link below to grab your own copy!