Matt Ruscigno, Registered Dietitian

by Matt Ruscigno | December 22, 2016 · 4:18 pm

Upcoming Nutrition Events in Pasadena

With Nutrinic in full swing, we have some great events lined up for the new year! These can compliment Veganuary or the PCRM 21-day challenge nicely, if you choose to do one of them or know someone who is.

Grocery Store Tours

Ever want to see the grocery store through the eyes of a nutrition expert? Join me for our upcoming grocery store tours in Pasadena! These one-hour tours will show you how to shop for healthy food without spending a fortune (yes, even at Whole Foods!) and how to incorporate time-saving foods when you can’t cook from scratch. I really enjoy doing these and I think you’ll have fun and learn something new. Pick a date and a store here. Sign-up soon because we are keeping these to only a few people.

Nutrition Talks

Most of my talks in 2016 were about sports nutrition or how you don’t have to eat exotic or expensive food to be healthy or vegan. But with Nutrinic our goal is cardiovascular disease (CVD) therapy and prevention. What does that entail? Come to one of my talks in January! I’ll cover the evidence showing plant foods are excellent for CVD, how to incorporate them, and we’ll even have a light plant-based, vegan meal. Join us and bring a friend!

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by Matt Ruscigno | December 13, 2016 · 1:39 pm

Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer #11 Saturday December 17th 2016

This Saturday is the 11th annual Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer!

For the first time ever I’m asking for a donation at the start for Danny Chew, who created the Dirty Dozen, which FML is based on. Danny was in a solo bicycle accident that has left him paralyzed. Money is being collected to help him with basic needs including making his home wheelchair accessible. Read more about him in this excellent story in Outside Magazine. Looking for $5 to ride and $10 if you are going for points, collected at the start. If you’d like to give additionally, you can use this link, but if riding please bring it day of.

I know there are many organizations that need your money now more than ever. But for those who have ridden this anytime since 2006 I want to remind you I took the exact concept of the Dirty Dozen and simply applied it in Los Angeles. I’ve also never charged and spent my own money for shirts, patches, bananas, coffee, etc in the past. The very least we could do now is give a little back to the Million Mile Man who inspired ten years of hill exploration in our city! Thank you for considering.

Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer #11

730am Saturday December 17th 2016

Sunset Triangle Plaza

facebook event page

This is an event where we ride up 10 of the hardest/steepest/dumbest hills in Los Angeles. See map below.

You can buy these terrific Danny Chew benefit shirts from my good friends at Garbella. Make sure to tell them you are donating from #bikeLA and pick up a pierogi button while you are there. We will have sample sizes at the start and a way to place your order there.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1wvRirxmPgwR1Atsw_lkby0p9kO8

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by Matt Ruscigno | December 7, 2016 · 10:36 am

Announcing Nutrinic: A Plant-based Nutrition Center in Pasadena, CA

It has been awhile since I have posted, but today I have big news: I’ve opened a nutrition center in Pasadena, CA called Nutrinic!

Nutrinic is a place for you to send your friends and family who could benefit from eating healthier or who want to learn how to incorporate more plant-based meals. And we have video-based consulting for those not in Southern California.

Read more about us in this press release.

Over the years, my small practice focused primarily on helping vegans and aspiring vegans to develop healthy eating habits. I will continue this work through Nutrinic, however our focus is on plant-based diets as therapeutic treatment and prevention of the major cardiovascular diseases, which together are the number one killer in America.
Our approach is different because we go beyond education by focusing on skill acquisition and habit building to sustain long-term change. Our goal is not successful diets, but new lifestyles.

Our services:

A one-time nutrition check-in to review your current diet and learn how you can make improvements.
The Fundamentals: a more intensive look at your eating patterns with a focus on addressing shortcomings and learning new skills and habits. Includes before and after lipid panels.
Want to go all-in, revamp your relationship with food, and learn the skills for continued health from shopping to cooking to habit formation? Our 21-day program is coming soon.

I have been a Registered Dietitian for 13 years and involved in the plant-based/vegan world for two decades and now is a time like no other. The evidence for the efficacy of plant-based diets in the prevention of disease is growing daily, as is the availability of vegan options in grocery stores and restaurants. It’s an exciting time!

This next chapter is big and I’m elated for what the future holds for plant-based nutrition. Thank you for being a part of this with me! Also please note that some changes are going to come to my website(s), please stay tuned.

Ps. We are having a small office warming party this Saturday at 5pm, if you’re local and would like to come, please let me know and I’ll happily send you the details.

Pps. You can support my work directly, here.

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by Matt Ruscigno | October 26, 2016 · 9:32 pm

SoCal Vegfest Speaking Events Saturday Oct 29th

This Saturday at the 2nd annual (free!) SoCal Vegfest I will be on an athlete panel, giving a talk on how you don’t need expensive/exotic foods to be vegan and healthy, and I’ll have a booth selling books and Strongest Hearts t-shirts! It will be a SUPER busy day, but I’d love to see some of my old friends who knew me when I posted on my website regularly. Plus if you visit my booth I’ll have some exciting info about an upcoming project!

The entire event is free (as is parking which I hear is a big deal) so it’s an excellent opportunity to bring some friends who are veg-curious. There’s lots of delicious food, good speakers, and it’s on a beautiful college campus. You can sit on the grass in the shade and eat your food in peace, if that’s your thing. Here are the details for Saturday:

10-6pm (both Sat and Sun!) Visit my booth, #91 (in the B Section), where I’ll have books, Strongest Hearts t-shirts (printed by Handlebar Mustache!), and Joshua Ploeg will have his new books!
1030am Registered Dietitian meet-up in cohort with the Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group! If you are an RD and want to meet others with an interest in plant-based diets and/or veganism meet us at my booth, #91. Maps here.
1120-1225pm Vegan Athlete panel on the main stage. Join me and other athletes as we discuss how to train while eating plant foods.
115-2pm My talk: Unraveling the Myth that Plant-based Foods are Expensive and Exotic, in the Speakers Hall. One of my favorite talks! Learn about vegan nutrition.

And remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more regular updates.

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by Matt Ruscigno | April 4, 2016 · 11:15 pm

2016 Plant-based Prevention of Disease National Conference May 19-23rd

As you probably know if you follow any of my social media, I am on the board of the Plant-based Prevention Of Disease conference happening this May 19-23rd in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hard to believe this is already our third annual conference!

PPOD2016-2

The idea that plant foods can lower disease risk is popular among vegans and advocates of plant-based diets, but it’s not common knowledge among health professionals. As I say often during my talks, science is slow-moving. It takes more evidence to change course than to stay on the same path. Well the path right now is that largely preventable diseases are the leading causes of death in the US! The goal of our conference, known as P-POD, is to bring science-based evidence on the benefits of plant foods to health professionals. We have continuing education for doctors, dietitians, nurses and more. There are THIRTY expert speakers this year at an insanely low registration rate. It’s going to be an incredible four days!

If you have a strong interest in nutrition and someone background knowledge, you could gain a lot by attending. Also, if you know any health professionals who may be interested please help us spread the word! We have promotional materials on our site. Can’t make the conference, but love what we do? We are a 501(c)3 non-profit so your donation is tax-deductible!

And remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for regular updates.

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by Matt Ruscigno | February 18, 2016 · 6:50 pm

Do some vegans exaggerate health claims?

A few months back the wonderful and prolific Bite Size Vegan invited me to be a guest on her YouTube channel to talk about my work and my diet as an ultra-athlete. We discussed exaggerated health claims in the second video and the reaction from her audience was so strong and negative that she invited me back to clarify my points.

My argument was, and still is, that there are many paths to good health- strict veganism is not the only one. There are many factors in determining health and multiple ways to measure it. While there is plenty of evidence that eating mostly plant food is beneficial, that is not the same as veganism.

I’ll let you decide if the point is made or not. The first video is more about me and then the second and third get juicy. Some colorful comments, as well, if you decide to click through to YouTube- including one where I’m told that I’m not a real vegan. 🙂

Let me know what you think and if there are better ways to make these points. Thanks for watching!

Remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more regular updates.

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by Matt Ruscigno | November 12, 2015 · 10:10 am

Men’s Nutrition Guide and Strongest Hearts Interview with Stic from Dead Prez!

I recently worked with The Discerning Brute to create a Men’s Guide to Nutrition that answers common questions and concerns dudes often have. Click the link or the banner below. This is the perfect page to send people who are spreading myths about vegan diets- there are lots of links and references with the science to back up the claims.

And have you seen the Strongest Hearts video where I interview Stic from Dead Prez and his wife Afya Ibomu? As a long time fan of Hip Hop and Dead Prez I was very excited to sit down with them and chat about health, RBG Fit Club, straight edge and more! Give it a watch and share with your friends. You never know who you are going to influence.

-video embedded below-