Excerpt: The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

But that's the Superhero diet, and I don't expect anyone to go full Superhero overnight. The simplest elements of the counselor's recommendations were to add whole grains to my diet at every meal. I also had miso soup almost every day and totally cranked up the vegetables. I made sure that everything I was eating was local and seasonal, choosing apples over pineapples. In terms of letting go, I said good-bye to white sugar, substituting sweeteners like rice syrup and maple syrup. I also gave up white flour and processed foods and, of course, still no meat or dairy.

A few tweaks and everything changed.

Although I felt good as a vegan, I had even more energy when I adopted the macrobiotic suggestions. At the same time, I was very calm and at peace within myself. My mind focused easily and my thinking became really clear. Although I had lost weight by going vegan, the macrobiotic diet helped me shed the few extra pounds I was holding on to and brought me to my perfect body effortlessly.

Over time, I became more sensitive. I started to feel things more acutely and sense my intuition. People used to say, "Listen to your body," and I had no idea what they meant. "What is my body saying? I don't know . . . it's just here!" But soon I really understood; my body was trying to tell me things all the time, and once I stripped away all the layers of crap inside, I could hear it.

As I aligned more with nature and the seasons, I aligned more with myself. Instead of constantly relying on the people around me for direction, I felt I was on my own journey and I was beginning to sense—from inside of me—each next right step.