211 - Raising Kids Who Care About Their Health

Welcome to the Just Ingredients podcast. I'm Cara Lynn, and here we dive deep into the journey of healing and wellness. If you're ready to learn, feel empowered, and take charge of your health, you're in the right place. Today, I am really excited for our show because I have never had kids on my show, so you guys are the first. But you guys, they are not just the ordinary kids. They actually have their own podcast. They have written their own book. They have been on a lot of people's podcasts. You've had really important guests and doctors on your podcast. Their podcast is The Holistic Kids Show. And so we're going to talk about how you got started in all this and how you started a podcast and wrote a book. And so welcome to the show. It's our pleasure. Yeah, it really is our pleasure. OK, so first of all, tell me how you even got started learning about health. Is this because of your mom? Everyone around us, they're all in the medical field. None of them ever really knew the holistic way. So when we were dealing with like eczema, sinus issues, no one really knew what was going on. We were all really confused. So my mom, because we were all really young, she started learning more about this. And she started teaching us at a very young age. Like I was only like four. Abdual was like seven. And she was like kind of born into it. Your mom is a doctor. She's a doctor. And it's crazy because they- And your dad. Yes, but they don't teach any of them about this holistic way. So we had to kind of really learn it on a journey, like together. Like even at the beginning, we weren't so amazingly healthy. We had to slowly go step by step. But during COVID, things really changed because everyone was so concerned about their health. No one knew like what to do. And especially kids, we were kind of just put in the shadow. So what we wanted to do is that we started a podcast so we can get tips from adults, from experts who are experts in their field to kind of translate it for kids by kids. Oh, I love it. That's a great idea. When I came back from COVID, I could really see how COVID really affected people. They were stuck inside all day. And I could notice it because literally my best friend, he tried and threatened to kill me. Oh, wow. Why is that? He was dealing with some mental illness or something. And it's really sad because of this. I don't want any single kid that liked me. I was only in sixth grade. So only like 11 years old. I don't want any kid to go through the same things I had to go through. Wow. Okay. So you grew up maybe just eating the American Standard Diet at the beginning. Your mom and dad are doctors. Your aunts and uncles are doctors. And you start dealing with some health issues like eczema, sinus issues, other things like that. And your parents say, we don't have the answers for this. So we're going to try to look other places for answers. Is that what happened? And then you guys wanted to share the message with other kids once you learn this lifestyle. And after COVID, then you wanted to teach this to others. Yes, definitely. And we've done over 200 episodes and five years of making a podcast. And we decided, you know what? We're going to compile all this information into a guide for teens. Because now, like, the majority, like, me and Abdelai specifically are teens. He's almost a teen. So we want a new thing for the teen world because the teens are going to be the next generation. So we want a strong, healthy generation. That's incredible. Okay, we better tell your ages and then your names also. So I'm Abdullah and I'm 18. I'm Zane. I'm 14. I'm Imad and I'm 12. Okay, so you guys started this five years ago. You guys were really young when you started. This is incredible. So your biggest passion is to help other teenagers learn this information. Yes. Teenagers, kids who have been neglected in this health space, we're trying to get this out to them because we need a stronger generation. Because the way that statistics are going now, it's sad what's happening. Okay, but what's made you so passionate about this? Because I'm passionate about this, but it's because I went through a really bad health period in my life. And so I know how much happier I am when I feel better. So I'm passionate about teaching others that. But you guys are so young. So how are you so passionate about this? It's because we can't just sit by and watch. We have the information. Our mom taught us and we want to show the world that there is hope. Because I know my friends, my classmates, my peers. It's not like they're eating this way or they're living this lifestyle because they want to be healthy. It's just because they don't know. Us teens, we're just taught, if you have a problem, here's a pill. And we know that there is actually more hope and that we can actually heal ourselves if we just take our own lifestyle and our health into our own hands instead of waiting until adults. I love it. Okay, so that's what this book is about then, right? Yes. It's teaching teenagers how to live a healthy lifestyle. Anything basically where you can take simple tips and implement your life to reach your true potential. Because it's not only about health, but it's also about just being that better version of yourself. Because you can't ever even be successful if you're not fixing your lifestyle. And obviously you can't be successful if your health is not in the right place. That is true. I'm curious, you guys are not homeschooled. Do you go to public school? Yes. And so do your friends think this is cool? what you do or what do they think about this? So I told them that, you know, I'm going to go speak. I have like this podcast and then they find it really cool. Like they're really inspired, I think, because no other teen, no other kid is really doing this. We're not really stepping up to try to create change most of the time. Like there's that one rare example, but especially in my school, it's not really happening as much. So I think just me being an example is really inspiring them and they do actually think it's pretty cool. Yeah and I also when I was first telling them I eat this way like organic they're like what you don't eat Cheetos? Like they're just confused. Okay so do you look at their lunches and sometimes wish you could have some of the junk food they're eating? Honestly if you know like what it's doing to you like it can cause disease like you're not gonna want it. That's pretty impressive from a seventh grader. Do you see other kids that have healthy lunches at school or not really? Only some. It's very rare. Are your friends inspired to live a healthier lifestyle? I think they try, but then like they quit kind of halfway, some of them. But actually, some of my friends, especially now that they're older, they are they've been sending me like pictures about, oh, my God, I got organic milk. They show me their fridge. It's like, OK, that's Leo, you're thinking about it. And that's what we want. We just want teens to start thinking about it more because right now we're just living mindlessly. We're just putting whatever we can find into our mouths. We're not living to be our best self. And that's because most of us just don't know, like I said. And so the fact that they're even thinking about it and going the extra step is just the best that we can hope for. And that's what we're trying to inspire other teens to do. I love that. It's almost like you guys are just planting seeds so that when they're 18 and head off to college or live on their own, then they've learned a few things that will help them live a healthier lifestyle, hopefully. Hopefully, yes. But they're definitely getting better. Yeah. Well, we need more teens like you guys out there sharing the message. Okay, so let's talk about your book, The Health Revolution. So you use revolution as an acronym for all the chapters, correct? Yes. And so why revolution? So we wanted a simple, easy acronym that any teen could use to implement simple lifestyle tips into their lives. example they want to look at their diet they want to fix their diet revolutionize the gut boom easy you want to you know fix your sleep there's a sleep chapter if you want to you know focus on mindfulness or nature easy because i know a lot of chapters a lot of these like books like especially health books there's just so much information and it can be so overwhelming that we wanted to make it simple easy and beneficial oh i love that okay so i want to talk about some the letters. Is that okay? Yes. Okay. And you boys wrote this book. Yes, we did. Okay. That's so impressive. All right. So let's start with R. What does R stand for? Revolutionize the gut. Revolutionize the gut. Okay. Who's going to tell me what that means? So revolutionize the gut. We want teens to start thinking about what they're putting into their bodies. Right now, teens are just, you know, finding, you know, they look at a vending machine. They just take whatever they want and they put into their bodies. We're not looking, we're not reading the ingredients, and we're not actually thinking mindfully about what we're putting into our bodies, what we're consuming, and what that's doing to us. And as a result, we're destroying our gut microbiome, we're destroying our health, and we're destroying our future. And that's why when we talk about revolutionizing the gut, we do have some science, some statistics in there, you know, how right now, I think one in three teens have prediabetes. And the problem is, it's all preventable. We want teens to realize that food is medicine and using food as medicine can help you finally feel like it's your body again. Because right now people are just stuck on that pill and we just completely neglect food because they don't teach us this in schools. And that's what we wanted to help take that expert information we learned to help educate teens so that they can take charge of their own health. We specifically start with revolutionizing the gut because the gut is where it all happens. The gut and the brain are connected through the vagus nerve. And so the gut is basically like the second brain. And especially when it comes to health, the gut is so impactful on fighting back chronic disease and really keeping you healthy. So we wanted to start with the gut because we were going to introduce the topic of really getting our full body to live a more holistic, healthy lifestyle. Well, I love that. Okay. What do you tell a seventh grader when you say, yeah, R is for revolutionizing the gut. A seventh grader probably thinks the gut is just like, I don't know, just the stomach. When I tell them, I think they'll be like, oh, the gut is just a body part. And like, I was like, it's more than that. It's like what gets digested. And it's, again, I was talking about the second brain, like it's very helpful. But actually, our mom explained it to us, especially when I was young and seven years old, she explained it to us like a battlefield. So there's good guys and there's bad guys. When you feed the good guys good stuff, what the body needs, the good guys are able to fight the bad guys and keep our body healthy. But when the bad guys are fed the bad food, then that's when the bad guys start to win. And that's when we start, you know, she used to explain to me because I used to have also like sinus issues and also how you have problems. And she used to say, okay, when you eating all this food and you realize that this is what you're doing to this is what's happening in your body right now. now. And so I was like, oh, that makes sense. And I realized once I started feeding myself better, I used to feel better as well. And so as a seven-year-old and now an 18-year-old, it's just simple to understand. I know that our mom, when it comes to medicine, like it's super detailed. This happens, this chemical does this, this. Even kids can understand it and take charge of their health and understand what they're putting in their bodies. It just makes a world of a difference. You have a very smart mom and you boys are very smart. Okay. So what's the food out there that you see a lot at school that drives you nuts that people are eating that messes with the gut? Takis. Takis, I find them everywhere. Kids go absolutely crazy for Takis. They're covered in like, especially the blue ones, they're covered in so much chemicals and so much artificial chemicals like blue wine. And even like you can find like things like red 40 and all these things, they really disrupt your gut because when you're not helping your gut, you're destroying it. That's an easy way to say it rather than trying to teach what those artificial dyes are actually doing to the gut. Do you know what the artificial dyes are doing to the gut? I mean, yellow number five, red 40, these are carcinogens. And most people, they don't know this. They're just eating, oh, it looks pretty, you know, we eat because it, you know, it tastes good and it's vibrant colors. But these are carcinogens that are causing cancer and schools are just letting kids eat it. And parents are not teaching their kids that this is what we're doing to our body and we're destroying our own body. So what is your boy favorite food to eat that helps the gut Fiber vegetables especially like cruciferous vegetables like lots of different types of vegetables where like they like packed with fiber is gonna really help your gut because it's gonna help you poop yes it is and it really just like cleans out your gut i think yeah just focusing on vegetables leafy green leafy vegetables even though a lot of teens they're they like try to like avoid it you don't only have to have just like kale you can add like so much different fruits or sauces to make it really fun and tasty. And also, we actually interviewed Dr. Diane Deanna Minich. And she told us about rainbow foods. And usually when people think about rainbow foods, it's Skittles. It's like the list goes on and on. We saw them all on Halloween. But we realized, and actually we started doing this as well, that the colors of the food matter as well, Amon. Yeah, like the red food, like, lowers inflammation. Like, it doesn't matter the color, but, like, it's just color. So if you have red foods that lowers inflammation, orange foods helps with eye health, yellow houses digestive health, green with detoxification, and blue and purple with brain health. There's not very many 7th graders that know that. In fact, the people recording the podcast probably don't even know that. And so these are the natural colors. That's why not when we tell people to eat the rainbow, we're not telling people to go eat Skittles. We're telling people to eat the natural rainbow. I mean, the fruits, the veggies. I mean, when we talk about veggies, most kids, even teens and adults, probably think the veggies, there's only green veggies. There's so many out there. And each of them help with certain different things. You know, even like pomegranates. They have something called acromantia in them, which is so beneficial for the body. And you can't find it anywhere else. And most of us don't even know this about the things that we're eating and putting in our bodies. That is true. There's a lot of science and chemistry behind every single food. And if you study how each food affects the body, it is really fascinating. It's incredible. I'm impressed that you guys know all this so well and teach it so well. I love it. And I love that you chose fiber as the best food, because if you go back to the bad guys and the good guys, the fiber is fueling those good guys. Yes. So I love that analogy. OK, we could talk a lot about the gut because the gut does house like 80 percent of the immune system. A lot of teens deal with hormonal problems, and a lot of that is due to the gut as well. But I want to know what each of your favorite letter is. So favorite chapter, basically, of the book of Revolution. I'm going to have each one of you pick your letter and why it's your favorite. Who wants to start? I'll start with navigating your decisions with mindfulness. That's the very last chapter of the book. Last chapter. Best for last. Yeah. There you go. Okay. Say it again. Navigating. Navigating. Navigate your decisions with mindfulness. Okay. Tell me what that means. So mindfulness is being fully present in the world. And when you're fully present, you can really unlock your dreams and desires. A lot of teens, we're stuck on our phones. We're just scrolling social media, constantly comparing ourselves with others. We're not really taking the time to look around, to breathe, to smell the flowers, to smell just like anything. When I wake up, I get my early sunshine. I like to do something called habit stack. And with this habit stack, I go outside, I drink water. Yeah, I think about 10 things I'm grateful for. And I take deep breaths in and deep breaths out. And what this does is that it really helps you focus on your body, especially with listening to the surroundings, like really taking some time to think about your future, to think about your desires and dreams. And the thing is, it's really sad because a lot of teens, It's so easy, but they miss out on it. Okay, so I have a lot of questions for you. So what time do you go to school? So I go to school at 6.30. 6.30 in the morning? Really, really early in the morning. So before you get some sunlight, you say 10 things you're grateful for every morning. We've been doing this for so long. It's kind of like ingrained in my habit. Okay. In my routine. Like I'm constantly thinking about, you know what? I love my body. I love my parents. I love everything about life. And I think that a lot of teens were really negative. So this negativity, it's creating a mental health crisis among teens. I love this. Okay, so you drink your water. You go outside. You do your 10 things you're grateful for. You have breakfast. And then you go to school. Yeah. That is incredible. You are very mature. That is something that all teenagers need to do. Okay, so question for you. Do you have a phone? I do not, no. Do you have a phone? I do, yes. I just got it, yes. Okay, that is maybe another problem. Lots of teenagers have phones. Okay, well, I love that you chose N. All right, who wants to go next? Imad? I think I would go for open to gratitude and purpose. So I think honestly right now, in this state of humanity, not many teens are being grateful. Like, ours subconsciously govern 90% of our thoughts and actions. And most of that is negative for like scrolling on social media and comparing what you have and what you don't have. So like I honestly think that spending time with gratitude and thinking what you have instead of what you don't have is very important. And so it's a whole chapter on being open to gratitude. Yes. I love that your mom has taught you to be grateful for things. there's actually studies about the brain and how gratitude rewires different parts of the brain and things like that. And so purpose, tell me a little bit more about that. What's the open to purpose part? So opening to purpose is more like what you're trying to figure out what to do with your life. Because a lot of many teens, like when you're on the phones and scrolling over and over again, they don't want to think of what they're going to do in their life. And purpose is what you're here and meant to be what you're supposed to like do in this world well that's pretty profound that is what a lot of adults need to hear is to find their purpose in life wow i love that very mature okay and that's why i just want to actually add on because they stole my favorite chapter oh they did still you're gonna have to come up with a new so i'll go with my third like favorite but yeah gratitude especially teens in high school we are like the most negative people ever like I hate my life. I hate school. I hate homework. And actually, I think I touched on it a little bit. Gratitude actually changes our subconscious from that negative to positive. And so now even as an 18 year old and now going into adulthood, I'm actually taking that into my adulthood. And if we have a negative mindset, how are we ever going to be successful? Because we need to start thinking properly because right now as teens, we're just going on our phones anytime time we're bored or we just you know we want to kind of you know just escape from reality we decided to go on our phones and because of that we're kind of numbing ourselves and we're not trying to figure out what we want to do in life and that's why I think us teens we need to start to waking up to this reality and actually that kind of goes into my next point my third chapter is tech limits because I've seen what it's done to teens and as a phone when I first got it I saw what it started to do to me as well. And so us teens need to start waking up because this phone has become an addiction and it's destroying our lives. And most of us are just blindlessly keeping and going on this trail and not doing anything about it. I love that. So, okay, two thoughts that I want to say. I love that you're learning to be grateful for things and trying to teach people that because I will hear people say all the time like, oh, school's terrible. Oh, I hate school or they'll say things like, I can't do this. I'm stupid. I'm dumb. I can't do this. And sometimes I've heard my kids say like, oh, I can't do this. And I'm like, your brain hears everything that you say and your brain believes what you tell it. So you need to tell yourself, I can do this or I'm going to figure this out. I can do hard things. So I love that you're teaching others how to do that. And back to technology, I think everything out there can be positive or negative. And it's all how we use it. And someone the other day said to me the same thought. And she was like, even playing the piano could be bad. And I was like, what in the world are you talking about? And she was like, no, it's the same as technology. If someone only played the piano for like 14 hours a day and did absolutely nothing else, they're missing out on other education. They're missing out with social interaction. They're missing out on movement and exercise. And it's the same thing with a phone. We have to learn how to balance it because there's amazing podcasts on there and amazing Instagram accounts, you know, like yours and others and mine. We'll plug that, huh? There's good things on the phone, but it's learning how to balance it and learning to have boundaries with it, just like a piano player and a phone, right? Yeah. And that's what we're trying to wake people up to is it's not like we're anti-phone, you know? I mean, like you said, we're on social media. The best things my mom's ever told me, She's told me a lot of things, but one of the things that she's told me that's really stuck with me, she told me when I got my phone, she told me whenever you use your phone, only go on it with a purpose. And so nowadays when I pick up that phone, you know, sometimes I just, you know, I'm bored and I was like, okay, you know, the phone's right there. I think and I'm like, okay, if I'm going to go on this phone, I need to make sure I'm doing it with a purpose because if I don't do it, then this phone is going to control me. And that's what we have to start to realize is that if we don't start putting boundaries, that this phone is already controlling so many people. And it's going to start controlling us. I mean, we're already addicted to this phone. Most, I know, like in high school and even college, people are just walking through the halls on their phone. We can't even make eye contact with each other anymore because of this device. And that's why we just need some balance to it. Because if we don't do that and we're stuck on our phones, we don't make our own decisions for ourselves. Where is our next generation going to go? That is some of the best advice I've ever heard is to have a purpose for why you're going on the phone. That is really good. I think all teenagers need to think about that and be like, okay, I have a free hour before I have to go to golf or, you know, basketball practice starts or whatever. And I'm done with my homework. So I have an hour. What's my purpose for getting on the phone? Exactly. I love that. Very smart, mom, and very smart, you guys. And technology, we know, well, one, I think is causing people not to connect with one another, which social connection is really important for like mental health. And you're right. They just are wasting away hours a day looking at things. And sometimes it's hard. They're comparing themselves to it. Exactly. Well, you guys are really smart. Okay, so I want to know some of the other letters. So I actually want to know what L stands for. Love nature. Okay, tell me about this. So loving nature is more like, because nowadays most teens, they don't like touch grass. They don't go outside. Not as often. But really we need to start like connecting back on what we used to be in like every single day. Because most teens don't do that anymore. So we need to start loving nature, even if it means hugging a tree. Hugging a tree literally still helps the body. And science even proves that nature is really important and why we were put on this earth to be on nature. And we're just losing it. Like being in spending time in nature is known to increase serotonin, which boosts your life, boost serotonin, which increases your happiness. And it helps your sleep and your ability to focus. So if nature is so important, why are us teens always inside? Like we're constantly running away from the things that we were supposed to live and graze on. That's incredible. You're very smart to know that. Okay, so what are your favorite things to do in nature? Honestly, just making it fun. Maybe playing a game outside in the woods. We used to have to play a game with sticks or the wands, kind of. It was when you were younger, just incorporating it any way as possible. like sometimes you bring a ball just to play soccer yeah i was gonna say for teens they can just be outdoors because for some teens it might be hard to get to the mountains or get to a lake or some live in apartment complexes right so even if they can just get outside yeah i mean plus we get because we live in the suburbs of chicago there is not a mountain in sight literally um it's just roads and buildings so we try to make that time to get to a like a reserve where it just nature there Is this something that you do on a weekly basis a monthly basis So what we do is 30 minutes a week. We decide to go on a hike or we go outside into nature. We go, you know, play together outside. You know, sometimes we'll play soccer. Sometimes we'll play sports. We'll go and make sure that we schedule that in to our schedules. Okay, so our mom will tell us, you know, on Tuesday or on Monday, on Wednesday after school from four o'clock to five o'clock, we're going to go outside and have some nature time. Sometimes she'll say we're going to go outside and hug some trees. But basically go and make it fun because nobody obviously wants to go outside into nature and just sit there and just like twiddling your tall thumbs and like just, you know, being bored. So make nature fun. And that's how it's supposed to be. I love that. Let's take a quick break to hear from our show sponsor. For a long time, the food industry told us this is just how it's done. We chose another path, products made with real food and transparent formulas without natural or artificial flavors, unnecessary fillers, or questionable sources. As a certified nutritionist and mom, I saw how much of what we consume every day affects our energy, our mood, and our ability to show up for our lives. I wanted better options, not just for my family, but for yours. That's why I started Just Ingredients. ingredients. And now I'm so excited to share that Just Ingredients is available at Target stores nationwide. You can find 15 of our best sellers at Target, including select protein powders, electrolytes, pre-workout, and supplements designed to support everything from daily energy to mood and sleep. We're taking the guesswork out of clean living. Our most loved products are now available at the place you already shop. Find Just Ingredients at Target in stores and online. Now back to the show. Okay, so what do you think is the hardest chapter in here for teens to accept? Sleep. Okay, so you don't have an S in revolution. Invest in sleep. Okay, so invest in sleep. So what do you teach them in this chapter? So first of all, us teens are terrible at getting good sleep because we like to stay up until 2 a.m. and then wake up at, you know, 5 or 8 or 7. and especially on the weekends we sleep in until like one o'clock sometimes and so we are trying to teach teens that sleep is one of the best things that you can do for your body and by deciding to stay up until 2 a.m just because you know we're doing homework or scrolling even I've seen a lot of people like one of my friends he came and said oh I got like I got two three four hours of sleep last night I was like okay why why did you go what time did you go to sleep he said oh I went to sleep at 2 a.m I was like what are we doing until 2 a.m he's like well I don't even know I was on my phone in the cell cycle. We teens need to start realizing the benefit that sleep has on us. If we get good sleep, our brains work better. We can focus better. Our memory is better. Our physically, we're better. And if we want to be able to do better things in life, we need to start fixing our sleep. I agree. Is sleep hard for you guys or you guys are just used to a good pattern? Honestly, we have like a straight routine. Like, oh, we do all this and then right when the clock hits 9.30, we go to bed. And then we wake up for, we get ready for school. So yeah, just having a strong routine and being really good at time management skills. And we also try to avoid our blue light right before sleep because it can really damage our sleep. I'm also going to say it's not always perfect because it can be really hard sometimes because especially like me and I were in a little older ages. So now we're doing a lot more like work and stuff. So sometimes you need to like do work before you sleep, but like not going all the way to 2 a.m. like that's just craziness we usually stay up like max max on weekends maybe like 11 o'clock you know because we know the benefit that keeping that sleep schedule consistent has on our bodies we actually we interviewed some i forgot their name but they actually told us that one of the best things you can do and optimize your sleep the greatest is to actually have go as she said go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time and so that's why we try to go to sleep 10 or 11 I mean zen at least and wake up either you know six seven eight o'clock any on weekends we also try to do the same thing we don't want to like sleep in because we know how it disrupts our like sleep cycle and just doing that we've noticed we do better on tests we do better in school we do better in life in general and that's why we want teens to realize that by staying up until 2 a.m. doing your work is kind of counterproductive. Yeah, there are so many scientific things that you could talk about with sleep because during sleep is like when your brain is detoxing and it's when your sugars are regulating and your hormones are regulating. I mean, so many different things we could talk about that happen during sleep and your brain is getting the energy it needs for the next day when you sleep. Yeah, so I could see that being the hardest part for teenagers to accept, but it's getting on that circadian rhythm, that pattern every night and gain your body in that good circadian rhythm that's so healthy for you. Good for you guys for knowing that. Okay, I want to know what the hardest chapter was to write in this book. I think it was eat, eat real food. That's the hardest one? I mean, or revolutionize the gut. Revolutionize the gut was a lot of science, but also eat real food is the longest because there is just so much information that you have to put in there. Okay. And also just trying to keep it short and simple because we love food so much and we love all of its benefits. So sometimes we're cramming a little too much information and then when we have to turn it in, we have to like, you know, get rid of a lot. So it's kind of heartbreaking that happens. But also we go into a lot about ultra processed foods. OK. And so ultra processed foods, they, you know, are destroying our gut microbiome. They're weakening our immune system. They're leading to more sickness and disease. actually studies have come out saying that ultra processed foods are actually linked to over 32 chronic conditions. And now even like, you know, new studies have come out that they're affecting each and every, like almost every part of our body, ultra processed foods are affecting. And so just getting all of that and also the history of how they made ultra processed foods addictive, because on top of them being harmful for our bodies, they also designed them in a way that we can't stop eating. I mean, if you have ever heard the saying, you can't have just one. That's right. It's because they've designed it to be addictive. And so when you pick up that first one, you always go back for a second. Well, this is interesting. I just had our food scientist on the podcast, and he was talking about how they learned that in college of how to make things more enticing and more addictive for us that we want the second one and the third one and the fourth one. And they're all all those chemicals are under the term natural flavors or artificial flavors. But, yeah, it could be thousands of different things. So good for you for learning that. What else is in that chapter about eating real food? We also describe the history because obviously what most people don't actually know is that ultra processed foods back in the 1990s, there were, you know, there was a tobacco industry. The tobacco industry, they weren't doing too well. You know, they they used to they were falling apart. The studies were coming out that, you know, they were damaging people's health. And so what people don't know, what most people don't know is that food scientists from the tobacco industry, from Philip Morgan and R.J. Reynolds, actually those two companies bought companies like Kraft and Nabisco. And they actually transferred a lot of the food scientists from the tobacco industry into the food industry. Interesting. And so that addictive nature is actually all on purpose, like I said. And it's a bunch of scientists in LabCo studying how humans behave, seeing like what if we take a bite of Pringles example, our brain, you know, our brain waves go up and we are like we our brain says we want more of this. It's like, OK, this kid or this child wants more of this, which means you're going to buy more of it, which means that we're going to get more money. And so I always tell my friends like, but wouldn't they care about our health? Like, why would they tell us this? It's like, no, because it's all about money. It is all about money and what's cheapest for them. Yeah, I think you'll like my podcast with the food scientists because we talk about that they like use these natural flavors because it's cheap and it's easier for them. So, yeah, exactly. Okay, Zane, what's your favorite part about the eat real foods since it was the hardest chapter to write? We talk about each part of like your diet, like vegetables, proteins, clean fat, healthy fats and carbs. We talk about it like in a whole diet. We dive into each one and we talk about their benefits. And for things like carbs, we talk about, you know what, these are some swaps and these are like what you can do. So it's very I really like how the book and especially the chapter, it's very like, you know what, this is what you can do. Even at the back, we put some recipes. Like, I really just love how hands-on it is, like, especially to eat real food. And also, I know most people that are hearing this and be like, my God, there's so much information. Nobody wants to read that much information. Even us researching this, like, there's so much information. And so at the back of each chapter, actually, in the book, we do practical tips. We summarize it. And then we do, what do the holistic kids do? And so we put in what we do. So it's simple, easy, adults, kids, teens, anybody can do it. Okay, I'm like looking for this. Oh, and there's pictures. You guys have really simplified this, huh? We want to make it easy, simple, and beneficial. Because we're teens and we know what a teen would probably want to read. So making those like bold headings is like something that's probably going to catch their attention and know like what's it about. Yeah, like no teen wants to read a book that says information on it and then just has like all of it. just say like chemicals that you probably don't know about and like every page is just big and fat so you try to assemble it down to what teens can understand i love that because i just randomly opened the book so i went to optimize stress management which is amazing so i did just flip through the chapter and it is it says right there this is what we do i love it so what are some of the things you do to manage your stress so we like to get out into nature because i talked about like a little bit at the beginning to, you know, incorporating nature because it makes us happier a lot. Also, things like time management we talk about in the book, because especially like, like teens and adults were cramming in so much at the last second. Me, I'm really good at procrastination. It's not really a flex because I don't really like that I do it. But it's because like, it's like easier at the time until the last second where you become really, really stressed. so this is even going to be helpful for for me is to just manage your time like every day do a little bit and you'll you won't be as stressed yeah i also think like taking deep breath like right before like a test or things that you're getting really stressed like just taking a simple deep breath like box breathing not like yeah i don't have to go like crazy deep breath you can also have fun with like different types of breath but honestly just make it do it really good and And it's something that it's free, easy, simple. Anybody can do it. It's just taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out. And actually, I've tried this before like tests because that's when we're kind of like the most stressed right before a test. We're cramming all the knowledge we can possibly, humanly possibly have. And I've realized that if I take a deep breath right before I take a test, not only I do better on the test, I'm able to be more calm on the test. and it's not like I'm stressing throughout the test. And it's amazing actually the science behind deep breathing because a deep breath is kind of like a reset for our body. It's a natural reset that is installed in our body that more teens, adults, and kids should be taking advantage of and it honestly can change people's lives. I love that because breathing is so simple but so beneficial. But when you're talking about box breathing and things, I was going to say when I was starting my health journey, I didn't know all this stuff. And I got really confused with all the breathing. I was like, wait, am I supposed to hold for two seconds, five seconds? Am I supposed to exhale for three? Like there's all these techniques, which is great. You can go learn all those techniques. But for those that are listening you actually can just do a big deep breath in and a big deep breath out And that works as well So you don have to complicate it OK so I curious what are you hoping happens with this book that you sell it Well, lots of teens change. What's the goal? The goal at the end of the day is for more kids to start thinking about what they're putting into their mouths, what they're doing, but also to give kids hope. Look, no teens want to be unhealthy. No teens want to live or go into their adults being sick. No teens want to deal with chronic diseases, want to have to scratch their skin because of eczema, want to have to deal with acne because they're not dealing with their health properly. No teens want to do this. And the problem is that we're never taught. And that's why we don't do it. And so we want to educate teens so that they can take charge of their own health because this is our generation we're talking about. The next future engineers, the next lawyers, the next doctors, the next businessmen. And if we don't do something about it now, then it's only going to get worse and worse and worse. And what's going to happen to our brains, especially the next generation, if our brains are sick and suffering? I want teens to open this book and be like, you know what? I agree with them. That actually makes sense. And this changes my mind. Because as long as we change at least one person's mind, we are creating a movement. And we want to create a movement because we want to create a healthy future for all of us from the inside out. A lot of us teens were kind of slaves to this food industry. We're slaves to the pharmaceutical industry. We're slaves to the ultra processed food industry. And teens need to wake up and realize that there's hope that we can actually break free of those chains and take back control of our body and our health. I love that so much. So we just hope that teens will open it and actually just take steps, right? Step by step. Take some action. Okay, so I'm curious, talking about lawyer, businessman, things like that. You're going to college. Do you know what you want to do in life? I'm up to doing medicine all this time. Definitely medicine. Probably holistic medicine, but I'm still discovering different stuff. But yeah, medicine probably. So medicine, but the holistic route maybe. So an amazing clinic that would have all these amazing alternative things. I'm looking at them. I'm seeing all the options. There's a lot of options. I love that. Do you know what you want to do? same so mine was is like i really love health and i really want to like pursue like this holistic like education and stuff but at the same time i'm also like leaning towards like architecture because i have a very creative brain and i really like architecture so you could um build the the clinic the wellness center there you go going family business imad do you know as a seventh grader? I kind of want to go into like a neurosurgeon. I'm a surgeon. Oh, wow. I just want to like help some people, like help people, like even if it's like someone's like just fixing their brain up. Yeah, I just want to help people. That's incredible. You guys have good dreams and you can do it with how healthy you guys are. Okay, so I want to hear about your home life a little bit. Like, do you all have to help make dinner? Because cooking from scratch is a lot of work. I know that. Yeah, so there's a time period, I think this summer, we actually started switching. Some days, Xan would be cooking. Some days, I'll be cooking. Sometimes, the bull will be cooking. Just to get all used to cooking. So we're older, we can actually be responsible of what we're going to eat and the dinner. Yeah, even a little brother, he's in fifth grade. He even cooks here and there. So I think also cleaning and everything. Before we leave, does anyone else mention it? Before we go, we have to clean the entire house. because we want to make sure like our brains are really in a good working environment where we can just be very peaceful even though it's a little hard because we have a three-year-old terrorizing the house yeah toys everywhere yeah my foot gets hurt a lot because of all the oh that's funny okay so you help cook you keep a clean house is there something though that in the health world that you don't love doing on a daily basis? Is that a tricky question? Honestly, I think the only thing really would be we love nature a lot, but sometimes if it's like super cold or something, we still like to stay inside. So nature, we love nature. The benefits of nature are amazing. We have plants in our house, so sometimes we'll go in the backyard, we'll play. But now it's too cold. So we do sometimes like spending time at our house. Like, personally, me, I do like spending time in our house. But for me, you know, I would like to get into nature more, but, like, I like my house as well. And do you ever have sweets? I think we have sweets, but we have alternatives. Like, there's a brand called, like, Yum Earth. And then we just, like, it's just basically organic candy with the flavors. And instead of, like, using preservatives and additives, it uses real food for colors. Yeah, like it uses like turmeric and beet powder and spirulina to make all these different colors. There's no artificial flavors or dyes or anything. Well, and I do know that your mom is an incredible chef and makes amazing sweets from all real food ingredients and ingredients that nourish the body. Yes. Like we even make like almond flour a lot. Like pancakes are all almond flour. They taste delicious. We make cakes, especially like I like to bake a little bit more. So, yeah, I like making cakes, cookies. I really like baking because I really like eating at the end. I love it. I have been so impressed with you boys. You know so much. I'm impressed that you're running a podcast, writing a book. But before we end, just a couple last questions. I'm curious who your favorite podcast guest is that you've had on the show. And I know it's hard because people ask me that all the time. Who's the first name that comes to your mind? You know what? All of our podcast guests are amazing. But our mom was probably the best. Oh, I love it. I love it. Nobody can be her. She's very knowledgeable. What about you guys? Yeah, honestly, same. We love all of our podcast guests for many different reasons because they're all here educating us. It's really hard. You can't really do that to us. I know. That's a hard question. I think there's one that was more entertaining to me. It was when I was younger. I think his name was Dr. Freeman, the laughter guy. He made all these fun jokes. I like those. That would be a good episode. Okay, so I hope that people buy this book, that it does so well, becomes a top seller. You guys just get to go nationwide with this book. But tell people where they can find it and when. So you can pre-order our book on theteenhealthrevolution.com. If you buy it on there, you're going to get four free bonuses. It's going to be coming out December 11, 2025. You can also pre-order on Amazon. When it comes out, you can get it on your local bookstore. Yeah. So Barnes & Nobles. And it actually became a bestseller in new releases for Teen Health. Oh, it already has. Yes. So it's going in a really good movement. And it hasn't even come out yet. So, so hard to work out. Because of the pre-orders and things. Yeah. So that's been amazing. Good for you, boys. Wow, you guys are impressive. Okay. I always end my podcast by asking these final five questions, rapid questions. And so one of you can just answer for each one. We'll take turns and whoever can answer. So the first one is what emerging health topic excites you the most? Honestly, more research right now is being done into ultra processed foods, which I think is so needed. More studies are coming out. I know the study I mentioned, however, like how ultra processed foods are actually affecting every single part of the body is I think it was a recent study that just came out. So I think that in particular, because I also did a lot of research into that for the book. For me, I think that's just the most fascinating thing that's coming out. And I just love learning more about what the food industry is doing and how we can protect ourselves. I love that. OK, what is a piece of advice you would give to someone your own age? I would say just, you know, a good classic, just never give up. And especially in the health world, like you can go somewhere and then you can be like, you know what, this is really hard. But actually, it's going to be a lot easier, especially when you create that habit, when you create that routine that constantly builds it. So it's going to be harder to net, like to give up. Because I love that you talked about the habit stacks. So. And plus, actually, I know a lot of like people, they tell us, oh, but, you know, I was doing it so well. And then I had one day where I just I had to have it. And I was like, fall down from there. But the purpose is sometimes, you know, you might just want to have a treat here and there. It doesn't happen overnight. It took us 10 years to start actually going fully like this. And so even if it happens once in a while, just keep on trying. Keep trying your best. And the best that you can do is the best that you can do. And that's all we want. I love that because I always tell people it's not about perfection. It's about consistency. Exactly. So same thing. No one's going to be perfect out there. No one. But we can all practice consistency. Exactly. What is one health practice you'll never compromise on? Do you want that one? Like what's one health practice you'll never not do? You'll always do it. I honestly think just continuing that vegetable protein and carbohydrates for every day for lunch, because that really just helps me in school for just focusing tests. I do a lot better when I have that. Love it. Good job. Okay, we're almost there. What's your favorite Just Ingredients product? I like the chocolate, like, protein powder. I think that was more like, I kind of like the chocolate. I have a lot of hot chocolate. I kind of like the chocolate one. I also like the drinks. Good choice. Okay, whoever gets to answer this one, what is the best ingredient to life? Honestly, I think the best ingredient to life is just being mindful about what you're doing, knowing what you're doing when you're doing it. You know, sometimes just being in the present. What am I smelling in the moment? What am I hearing right now? What am I feeling? Just doing that and not focusing on what happened in the past, not focusing on what happened in the future. You know, the past is the past, the future is the future. Just keep taking it day by day. And I think that's like the best thing. That's what I've been doing, at least. I know even if it gets stressful sometimes, we're always kind of refocusing yourself, yourself and being mindful about what you're doing so that you can become a better version of yourself. You boys answered those five questions and most adults can answer those five questions. Thank you so much, you guys, for being on here. Is there any last thing that you want to share? We're trying to make this book for teens. Because we know that teens aren't going to listen to adults. So we want teens to really listen to teens because, yeah, they're not going to listen to adults. Also, we've been there. We've gone through the same steps. We've, you know, had to change the foods. I mean, my favorite food ever were Flaming Hot Cheetos and Fanta. The absolute favorites. And now when I look at those foods, I see how the poison and the food and like the trash they basically are. Because I know what they do to us. And so teens right now, we want control. And that's why, you know, a lot of us, we want to kind of get away from our parents. But right now, we're running away from our parents into the hands of corporations, into the hands of the food industry, into the hands of the technology industry and the phone industry. And that's why we have to start waking up and start taking control of ourselves and start making the right decisions so that we can live successful adults and really become better people until the end of our time. I love that. I love that. it's a book written by teens because you've been there and you want other teens to take control of their own personal life. You guys, don't you just want to buy this book and support them because of how amazing they are? I am just blown away right now with their maturity, their wisdom, their knowledge. How could we not support teenagers like this that are trying to do this good in the world? Oh my goodness, everybody listening to this, you need to go buy this purely to support them, but then gift it to your own teenager or to any teenager you know. You guys, I truly hope the best for you guys and wish the best upon you because you really are three impressive, impressive youth that this world needs. This world needs your light. You can see your light and you're trying to do good in the world. And thank you for doing that. That's really our pleasure. Yeah, it is our pleasure. So thank you so much. Thank you for being here and being part of this community. Don't forget to subscribe to the Just Ingredients podcast. We've got so much more to share with you. And if you're not already, come join us daily on all social media platforms at just.ingredients. Until next time, keep choosing what nourishes you.