“FROM THE TONIC BAR” Lulu Brud, Love Sick Diaries Actress & Body Ecology Diet Success Story

In the second of the ongoing “From The Tonic Bar” series of interviews with Body Ecology Diet success stories, Randall Zamcheck – Certified Body Ecologist and Health Coach in Los Angeles – interviews Lulu Brud, age 22, who is an actress featured in this year’s movie Love Sick Diaries.

What were your problems or symptoms before going on the Body Ecology Diet?

Severe skin break-outs. Mass bloating anytime I ate anything. I had really bad headaches and was very sleepy all the time.

How did you discover the B.E.D.?

Coming to the Tonic Bar. The book was on the counter. I started reading it and realized that everything in there, the checklist, was every symptom I had.

Had you tried to address these symptoms before?

My doctor tried to put me on a modified version of the Body Ecology Diet, but it didn’t have any of the balancing or the fermented veggies. It was basically no sugar, no wheat. So this really multiplied or sped up the healing a ton.

Was it hard to do the diet at first?

Yes, it was a little at first, but I think it’s one of those things you just kind of have to jump into and do right, you can’t like ease your way into it. You just have to jump in full fledged or you start to miss the chocolate or something like that. From day one, let’s do it.

What’s changed or improved since starting on the diet and how long have you been on it?

I’ve been on the diet for probably 8 months. My skin is so much better. I used to have, even when my skin looked clear, there were so many bumps underneath the surface that gave it another profile. It was awful. So my skin is definitely clear, my bloating has gone away. I’m not really tired all the time. My energy is pretty constant. And it’s not like taking a nap every day and I don’t get the headaches like I used to.

What’s the best thing about the diet?

The best thing about the diet, I actually really like the new spin on food. Like taking recipes that are mainstream and spinning them B.E.D. style. It’s fun. And it’s something that like, at Christmas, when I went home and everyone thought they were eating something that was totally normal, and I was actually like, “this is this” and “this is this”, and they were all amazed because it tasted so good.

So what did you spin that got the big response?

I made cookies. I made pancake style stuff. But we made syrup with coconut oil and maple extract and Lakanto and melted them together and it was really good.

What’s the hardest thing about the diet?

The hardest thing about the diet is it requires a little bit of planning for your day. Some days I’m in a rush, I’m on the set, I’m going to auditions, whatever, and if I don’t have the stuff on me, it’s easy, in my mind, to be like, “well, I should stop and grab something here”, but you can’t do that. You kinda have to have something on you. I make stuff and keep it with me or steamed greens or whatever. So it’s the planning I think.

So when you’re on the run, what type of snacks do you take with you?

I sprout almonds. I do dried kale chips. Or any type of raw veggie.

What has helped sticking with the diet?

The Tonic Bar has definitely helped. And having friends on the same journey. You can go out and not feel pressured to order the stuff you used to get, cause you are all making modifications to the meals that they have at the restaurants. Just getting steamed greens or vegetables without the dressing or whatever.

What are your favorite recipes?

The pancakes. The green salad dressing. I make really good soups, steaming veggies and putting it with veggy stock and fajita seasoning. It’s a really good soup.

What would help you do the diet better?

If it were more mainstream, I think if more people knew about it. Around here it’s becoming more mainstream. I had a friend in Seattle who just called me who knew I had candida symptoms and she was like, “Oh my god, I found the perfect diet for you” and I’ve actually been doing it already. It would be great if there was a B.E.D. take on a certain meal. You know how they have the guilt-free version, they should have a B.E.D. version.

Any advice for people just starting the diet?

Yes, stick it out. It’s worth it. If you can make it through that first six weeks, and if you can make it through that, it’s good, you stop craving the sugar. You stop craving the things you used to think that you couldn’t go without. You find alternatives.

Any advice for people on the diet now that could make it easier for them?

Focus on what it is you want to get out of the diet. For me, it was skin and not feeling sick all the time after I ate. And so when I focus on that, the answer was very simple if I wanted to go off it or cheat. It was like, no, I can’t do this, I’m seeing the effects of it. I’m seeing clear skin. I’m feeling better. I know what happens when I’m not doing that. And get on the herbs! I’m doing all the herbs. I do a lot of Pearl and Tonix brand Reishi and Schizandra and Holy Basil and you know, it’s part of my routine. Part of being in it is taking the herbs in the morning, drinking my greens, and coming in here.

Elaborate on drinking your greens.

In the morning, I make Vitality Greens with the kefir water and stevia, barley greens, and maca, whatever. All the good stuff.