Today we wanted to talk about calcium. Calcium is a mineral the body needs for numerous functions, including building and maintaining bones and teeth, blood clotting, the transmission of nerve impulses, and the regulation of the heart’s rhythm. 99% of the calcium in the human body is stored in the bones and teeth, the remaining 1% […]

Today we wanted to talk about the best way to start the day. There are many things you can do to start your day on the right foot! Here are some easy tips: 1) Make sure you wake up at your desired time, not with the light Wear an eye mask when you sleep, this will help you stay asleep […]

Today we wanted to talk about probiotics. Probiotics are “good” bacteria touted to help maintain digestive health and boost the immune system. You can take them in a dietary supplement or get them from food sources. The best sources are: 1. Kombucha 2. Apple Cider Vinegar 3. Miso, Natto & Tempeh 4. Sauerkraut 5. Water Kefir 6. Pickles […]

Today we wanted to talk about salt. Salt is a crystalline mineral made of two elements, sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Salt is arguably the most important ingredient in cooking. Without it, most meals would taste bland and unexciting. However… not all salt is created equal and there are many “types” to choose from, but […]

Today we wanted to talk about the pH of foods. The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is and ranges from 0 to 14. Seven is neutral. Below 7 becomes increasingly acidic, above 7 increasingly alkaline. Proper pH varies throughout your body for many reasons. For example, your bowels, skin and private […]

Today we wanted to talk about legumes. They are delicious and a great addition to EVERY meal. All cultures around the world consume beans, from soy in Asia, to red kidney beans in Africa. Beans are loved not only for their high plant-protein content but also for these incredible benefits: – they have an exceptionally […]

Today we wanted to talk about detox morning drinks. They are a great addition to your healthy routine. They can help you lose weight, alkalise your body, flush toxins, increase your energy level and keep your immune system in check. If you’d like to experience all these benefits too, you can make this easy detox […]

Today we wanted to talk about fish. You’ve probably heard many times that you’re supposed to eat fish twice a week and that fish is a lean, healthy alternative to meat, but is it true? The fish industry would like you to believe that fish can help you lose weight, alkalise your body, flush toxins, increase your […]

  You may have noticed the sky has not been very clear the past week. The air pollution in HCM has reached unhealthy levels, with an AQI above 150. At these levels everyone is likely to feel negative effects to their health, which can be more serious for sensitive groups. Check HCMs pollution levels. Pollutants […]

  Address: 7F Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Phường Bến Nghé,Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh Food type: Vegetarian Organic Kitchen with Zero Waste Taste: 9 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 9 / 10 stars. Menu changes weekly according to availability of vegetables; whole grains only. Brunch available; delicious and generous platter for Sunday brunch Price range: 65k-189k VND Cleanliness level: 9 / 10 […]

  Address: 84 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh Food type: Vegan Multicultural Food Taste: 8 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 8 / 10 stars. Menu is handwritten and changes weekly; multicultural dishes, whole grains are usually available; handmade tofu. Price range: 45k-99k VND Cleanliness level: 8 / 10 stars Organic: sometimes Dietary requirements catered for: vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free […]

&nbps; This week we are all about proteins. As you might know by now, the concerns about protein intake are a bit dated and scientists have now discovered that people thrive best with a plant-based protein intake between 5% and 20% of their total calories. We like to support our beliefs with scientific datas, so please […]

  This week is also about proteins and we’d like to share this useful chart about the protein content in nuts (we also included coconut, technically a seed, and peanuts, technically a legume).     As you can see, the winner in that category is peanut, followed by pine nut, pistachio, cashew, and almond. You […]

  Today we’d like to share this useful chart about the protein content in grains.     As you can see, the winner in this category are oats, a staple in our delicious products; in fact, oats are the base of our popular Meal Replacement Bar and Oat Cookies. They are not only a good […]

Most of our clients struggle with drinking enough water, that’s why we wanted to share with you some tips on how to drink more of it. With such a humid and hot weather, you should try to aim for around 3 liters of water every day, but make sure you stop 2 hours before bedtime […]

  Today we wanted to give you some ideas on how to improve your sleep. &nbsp   Sleep plays an important role in your physical health; it’s involved in the healing and repairing of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Not to […]

  Today we wanted to talk about gluten-free. Gluten is a general name for the protein found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, kamut, and einkorn), rye, barley, and triticale. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together, that’s why gluten can be found in many types of foods, even the ones […]

  Today we wanted to talk about probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut […]

  According to the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine, keeping your bones strong depends more on preventing the loss of calcium from your body than on boosting your calcium intake. A number of factors affect calcium loss from the body: Diets that are high in protein cause more calcium to be lost through the urine. Protein […]

  You may not know this but keeping your diet primarily alkaline rather than acidic can improve your health and add years to your life. The human body goes to great lengths to maintain a slightly alkaline pH of 7.35, and poor diet and stress can change the pH to an acidic one in which disease can thrive. Eating specific foods […]

  Vitamin B12 is not made by animals or plants, but by microbes. Although vitamin B12 is found in animal foods, it is not synthesised by plants or animals. Only bacteria make biologically active vitamin B12, animal tissues store “bacteria-synthesised B12” which can then be passed along the food chain by animals eating another animal’s tissues. B12 has become […]

  Another chapter of our new segment to help you get new ideas on what to eat on a plant-based healthy diet. Enjoy this blog post about Rob! Name: Rob West Nationality: British Occupation: PE Teacher, Co-owner of La Holista Co., Ltd., Triathlete Diet philosophy: Rob says: ‘I eat a plant-based diet, trying to get as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible. […]

  Address: 215 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền, Quận 2, Hồ Chí Minh Food type: Vegetarian Asian Food Taste: 6 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 6 / 10 stars – very wide menu, but majority of grains are refined, many eggs products like egg tofu and egg noodles, watch out! Price range: 45k-250k VND Cleanliness level: 7 / 10 stars Organic: no Dietary […]

  Address: 19 Võ Văn Tần, phường 6, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh Food type: Vegetarian Asian Food Taste: 8 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 9 / 10 stars – very wide menu, but majority of grains are refined Price range: 45k-150k VND Cleanliness level: 8 / 10 stars Organic: no Dietary requirements catered for: vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free Negative points: they don’t have […]

  We are launching a new segment to help you get new ideas on what to eat on a plant-based healthy diet. Enjoy our first blog post! Name: Pascale Fioretti Nationality: French Occupation: Co-owner of La Holista Co., Ltd. Diet philosophy: Pascale says: ‘I started eating a plant-based diet 5 years ago for ethical reasons. Taking a […]

  Address: 21 Trần Não, Khu phố 2, Bình An, Quận 2, Hồ Chí Minh, close to Saigon Bridge Food type: Vegetarian Asian Food Taste: 9 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 9 / 10 stars – very wide menu, but all the grains are refined Price range: 45k-70k VND Cleanliness level: 8 / 10 stars Organic: no Dietary requirements catered for: vegan, nut-free, […]

  Address: 23 Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, Phường 22, Bình Thạnh District, close to the Manor Food type: Vegan Vietnamese Food Taste: 6 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 2 / 10 stars – very small menu, many mock meats, everything refined-grains based Price range: 45k-70k VND Cleanliness level: 6 / 10 stars Organic: only coffee Dietary requirements catered for: nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free […]

It seems like vegetarianism and veganism are more and more on everybody’s mind and that the movement is starting to get a real voice around the world. Some cultures more than others know very well what a plant-based diet is, India for example. Veganism is both the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, […]

We handpicked the top 12 vegan products & places for you to try in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). If you love lists like this, make sure to also check: The top 3 organic shops in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) and The top 5 healthy restaurants in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) 12. Marou Chocolate Bars, MAROU crafts the finest single origin […]

  Address: 42 Trần Hưng Đạo, Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, very central, just outside Bui Vien Food type: Vegan Ramen Fast Food Taste: 8 / 10 stars Variety of dishes: 2 / 10 stars – only boiled ramen available Price range: 70k-150k VND Cleanliness level: 7 / 10 stars Organic: No Dietary requirements catered […]

A new initiative with our partner Mandala Juice to get the most out of their juice detox!   Don’t forget that pre-detoxing and post-detoxing are essential for your body’s health and for better detox results.   Here are some suggestions on what to eat to feel at your best while juicing.   – You should […]

  If you haven’t hopped on this trend yet, Energy Balls are small, Ping-Pong ball-sized snacks that pack a seriously big punch when you need it the most. Depending on your taste buds and what you are aiming for, you can pick from our 4 different flavours: Cacao and Matcha for a kick of energy, […]

When we are getting ready for a race, the majority of us focus on the training, several on rest too, some on recovery and only a few of us get the nutrition part 100% right. During my many years on supporting athletes with their diets, I have seen it all. From the average runner who thinks he can do […]

After completing my first Ironman in Bolton UK on July 17th, 2016, I wanted to share my personal experience on it. It is a huge commitment Both in regards to time and money, just to finish the race you will need to train 10-12 hours per week during the peak weeks. If you want to race competitively, […]

My health coaching clients often ask where to find clean, organic vegetables Ho Chi Minh. Although Saigon, and in general Vietnam, is a great place to find less processed foods compared to all the other countries, organic certifications are not available yet in Vietnam and local certifications do not carry the same high standards as they do […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, coming up is: SWEET POTATOES. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Sweet potato skin colors come in various shades of creamy white, yellow-orange, tan, reddish-purple and red. Sweet potato flesh colors come in shades of orange, yellow-orange, white, purple and red. These are the most common:    […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, coming up is: KIMCHI. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Kimchi, also spelled kimchee or gimchi, is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. In traditional preparation, kimchi was stored underground in jars to keep cool during the summer months and unfrozen […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, coming up is: RED RICE. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Red rice is a variety of rice that is colored red by its anthocyanin content. It is usually eaten unhulled or partially hulled, and has a red husk, rather than the more common brown. […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, second of the list are: DATES. DEFINITION AND TYPES: A product of the date palm and cultivated since approximately 6000 B.C, the date fruit is one of the sweetest fruits around. This delicious fruit comes in many different varieties, […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, second of the list are: CHIA SEEDS. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Chia seeds comes from the plant of salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia (/ˈtʃiːə/), is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, second of the list are: CASHEWS. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal […]

Launching a new series of blogs for 2016 on the importance of introducing certain foods in your diet, I wanted to start with my top favourite: OATS. DEFINITION AND TYPES: Oats is a cereal plant cultivated chiefly in cool climates and widely used for animal feed as well as human consumption; they are, in my opinion, […]

Ready to transform your physique? Tired of not having the body you want? Why not enter a body transformation challenge? Check out all the details right now. WHAT DOES THE 4 –WEEK PROGRAM INCLUDE? 1) Personalized daily calories need calculation (value of 500,000 vnd) 2) Initial 30 minutes healthy eating seminar (value of 250,000 vnd) 3) […]

If you are anything like me, your days go by so hectic and busy that by bed time you are still all wired up and awake. Sometimes is it hard to stop thinking about tomorrow’s chores or stop our bodies from feeling restless after a hard training session. But a good rest is essential to recharge, recover […]

I often get asked what I think about supplements for overall health; are they really worth the money and the hassle to take them everyday? My answer is pretty much always yes. Why? If you have ever watched the movie Food Matters, you would be aware how any of the foods that we consume now are really deprived […]

Living in cities with lots of pollution and that rely mostly on air-conditioning for cold and warm in the house, it is important that you keep your filters clean. This regular cleaning will not only improve the air quality of your home, but also help improve the efficiency of your air conditioner and keep it in […]

  The typical modern diet is, unfortunately, starting to consist primarily of toxic and acid-forming foods like processed sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, conventionally produced meats and dairy, and hidden genetically modified organisms.   Our body is build to keep a neutral Ph in order to function at its best and avoid the developing of chronic, degenerative […]

If you are anything like me, you might have realised too that if you don’t get your workout in before breakfast and work, you might not get it in at all. Benefits of exercising in the morning are multiple: from better cardiovascular impact to increase daily energy, from using your hormones to your advantage to […]

    Due to popular demand, group Health Coaching sessions by Chiara Squinzi are back, at a more accessible time and with a price reduction!   Join us every Saturday from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at GreenS and start living a healthier and happier life. Studies show that having the support of a Health Coach drastically […]

Understanding nutrition labels are one of the most important aspect of being healthy; although regulated by FDA (I have a lot to say about how this association operates and how they look out for corporates’ interests instead of people’s), companies use loopholes to make their products LOOK lighter in calories and chemicals. Being able to understand the real meaning behind nutrition labels […]

I’d like to share this great infographic about the healing properties of herbs. I can always tell how health conscious people are by the number of spices and herbs in their kitchen; my personal favourite are cinnamon and turmeric (or curcumin – the yellow of the curry). I use them on anything, also in the […]

The #1 issue I get to help my clients with, is fighting sugar addiction; refined sugar is a very evil substance and creates high dependence to its consumers. The worst symptom usually reported is having cravings, but not many people really realise the impact it also has on teeth, blood and hormone health. Like smoking, industries […]

Drinking water is not the only way to keep hydrated; eating it account for almost 20% of its consumption. That’s why I wanted to share this incredibly useful list of high water content fruits and vegetables that can really make a difference in health and recovery levels. And don’t forget, melons do not mix easily […]

My health coaching clients often ask where to eat healthy, nutritious meals in Ho Chi Minh. Although Saigon, and in general Vietnam, is a great place to find less processed foods compared to all the other countries, there is still some things to watch out for, in my opinion. First of all, white, refined grains are a big no […]

Did you just move to Ho Chi Minh and you are looking for places where to shop for clean, fresh and healthy ingredients? Are you looking to eat healthier, cook more and feel better but you don’t know where to start? Join Health Coach and Yoga Teacher Chiara Squinzi every Monday morning at 9am at […]

Class 1: Healthy Eating and Shopping in Saigon Class 2: Importance, Benefits and Samples of Quick and Delicious Healthy Breakfasts Class 3: Importance, Benefits and Samples of Quick and Delicious Healthy Snacks (including for sport) Class 4: Focus on the dangers of sugar, gluten, and animal products and their healthy substitutions Class 5: How to detox? […]

As a big thank you to all of you who have supported La Holista Ltd. to born, launch and grow, we are now very gladly offering 30% off on our health coaching program purchased between August 20th and September 5th, 2014. The program program includes: two 60-minute sessions per month e-mail support between sessions recipes […]