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Laurie Kortowich

@lkortowich

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Cleveland-based, plant-based | 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

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Just wrapped another magical week in Sedona with the Plant Strong Retreat Team. Our feet are tired and our hearts are full. Can’t wait til next year!

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And that’s a wrap on our Findley Lake era~

Last month, we sold Starry Cove, our cottage in Findley Lake, NY, after five years of Airbnb hosting!

First, a HUGE thank-you to everyone who stayed with us, sent friends and fam our way, or joined us there to make some fantastic memories. Turns out, running an Airbnb is a GREAT skill to learn. One we’re glad we learned. One we’re also perfectly happy not doing forever. 😂

One of the best parts of hosting? Reading the reviews and messages each week. People would say the funniest things, share their adventures/photos, and occasionally leave us wondering WHAT ON EARTH JUST HAPPENED.

Exhibit A: The Great Paddle Boat Incident.

Our first year hosting, a guest messaged us AFTER checkout to let us know they had taken our paddle boat across the lake and left it at another Airbnb.

TINY PROBLEM: WE DIDN’T OWN A PADDLE BOAT 😬

Our NEIGHBORS did.

So, naturally, Chris got to go on a little lake adventure of his own. He drove around the lake looking for our neighbors’ missing paddle boat, eventually found it, and then had to PADDLE IT BACK ACROSS A MOSTLY FROZEN LAKE. IN A SNOWSTORM.

Thankfully that was a one-off. Mostly there were the beautiful sunsets, the joyful lake days, the coffee mornings on the dock, the guest messages that made us laugh out loud, and all the little moments that made Starry Cove so special to us.

We learned a lot, met some wonderful people, and discovered that hospitality is equal parts making people feel at home and wondering if you need to retrieve a neighbor’s watercraft in a blizzard.

We’re closing this chapter with full hearts, a ridiculous collection of stories, and absolutely no paddle boats to return.

On to the next adventure!

#findleylake #lakelifeisthebestlife #findleylakeny @milfords_lakehouse @aframeonfindley #duckrace #solongandthanksforallthefish

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Celebrity client!! In Laurie we trust. 💅

#cleveland #clevelandhairstylist

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What if the most powerful prescription for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and chronic inflammation wasn’t found in a pill bottle?

What if it was already sitting on your plate?

The healthcare system spends trillions treating chronic disease.

Yet most physicians receive surprisingly little nutrition education during training.

That’s a problem.

I recently joined the PLANTSTRONG Podcast for a powerful discussion about Food as Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, preventive healthcare, and why the future of medicine must focus on addressing root causes—not just managing symptoms.

We discussed:

🥗 Why nutrition should be a vital sign
❤️ The evidence behind Food as Medicine
💊 Why medications and lifestyle medicine are partners, not competitors
📈 How physicians can improve patient outcomes through evidence-based lifestyle interventions
🏥 The future of healthcare and chronic disease prevention

The truth is that we don’t have a healthcare crisis.

We have a chronic disease crisis.

And much of it is driven by factors that are more modifiable than most people realize.

Patients have more power than they’ve been led to believe.

Doctors have more tools than they’ve been trained to use.

And healthcare must evolve.

This conversation is a preview of the Vital Signs Conference this October, where I’ll be joining some of the leading voices in Lifestyle Medicine, nutrition science, cardiology, and preventive healthcare to discuss what the future of medicine should look like.

The next revolution in healthcare won’t come from treating disease better.

It will come from creating less disease in the first place.

Podcast and conference links in the comments.

What do you think is the biggest thing our healthcare system gets wrong about prevention?

#LifestyleMedicine #FoodAsMedicine #PreventiveMedicine #Nutrition #PlantBased

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What if the most powerful prescription for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and chronic inflammation wasn’t found in a pill bottle?

What if it was already sitting on your plate?

The healthcare system spends trillions treating chronic disease.

Yet most physicians receive surprisingly little nutrition education during training.

That’s a problem.

I recently joined the PLANTSTRONG Podcast for a powerful discussion about Food as Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, preventive healthcare, and why the future of medicine must focus on addressing root causes—not just managing symptoms.

We discussed:

🥗 Why nutrition should be a vital sign
❤️ The evidence behind Food as Medicine
💊 Why medications and lifestyle medicine are partners, not competitors
📈 How physicians can improve patient outcomes through evidence-based lifestyle interventions
🏥 The future of healthcare and chronic disease prevention

The truth is that we don’t have a healthcare crisis.

We have a chronic disease crisis.

And much of it is driven by factors that are more modifiable than most people realize.

Patients have more power than they’ve been led to believe.

Doctors have more tools than they’ve been trained to use.

And healthcare must evolve.

This conversation is a preview of the Vital Signs Conference this October, where I’ll be joining some of the leading voices in Lifestyle Medicine, nutrition science, cardiology, and preventive healthcare to discuss what the future of medicine should look like.

The next revolution in healthcare won’t come from treating disease better.

It will come from creating less disease in the first place.

Podcast and conference links in the comments.

What do you think is the biggest thing our healthcare system gets wrong about prevention?

#LifestyleMedicine #FoodAsMedicine #PreventiveMedicine #Nutrition #plantbased

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Lifestyle medicine became personal for me the moment I became the patient.

Walking through my own health challenge changed how I practice medicine forever.

It reinforced something I now know with absolute conviction:

The most powerful tools in medicine are often the ones we underutilize.

Nutrition.
Movement.
Sleep.
Stress management.
Connection.

These aren’t “adjuncts” to care.
They are the foundation of true healing.

I’m honored to join an incredible panel of clinicians for this free live webinar with PLANTSTRONG on June 3rd at 7 PM ET, where we’ll share the practical tools we use every day to bring lifestyle medicine into real-world patient care.

If you’re a physician, APP, nurse, dietitian, health coach, or healthcare professional who wants evidence-based strategies to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease, I’d love for you to join us.

This is a preview of what’s ahead at Vital Signs 2026.

The future of medicine isn’t just managing disease.

It’s creating health.

Register free at:
plantstrongevents.com/vitalsigns/watch

Hope to see you there.

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Lifestyle medicine became personal for me the moment I became the patient.

Walking through my own health challenge changed how I practice medicine forever.

It reinforced something I now know with absolute conviction:

The most powerful tools in medicine are often the ones we underutilize.

Nutrition.
Movement.
Sleep.
Stress management.
Connection.

These aren’t “adjuncts” to care.
They are the foundation of true healing.

I’m honored to join an incredible panel of clinicians for this free live webinar with PLANTSTRONG on June 3rd at 7 PM ET, where we’ll share the practical tools we use every day to bring lifestyle medicine into real-world patient care.

If you’re a physician, APP, nurse, dietitian, health coach, or healthcare professional who wants evidence-based strategies to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease, I’d love for you to join us.

This is a preview of what’s ahead at Vital Signs 2026.

The future of medicine isn’t just managing disease.

It’s creating health.

Register free at:
plantstrongevents.com/vitalsigns/watch

Hope to see you there.

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Why I Use a Pie Chart Not a Food Pyramid

I use a pie chart because it represents balance, not hierarchy.
There’s no “top,” no “bottom,” and no food group that’s more important than another. Every section matters, and they work together to nourish.

This approach removes confusion, restriction, food guilt, food fear—and replaces it with clarity and food freedom.

⸻

The Benefits of My 4-Section Pie Chart

🫘 Beans & Legumes
This section provides:
• Plant protein for muscle repair and satiety
• Fiber for gut health and blood sugar stability
• Key minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium

Beans and legumes are grounding, filling, and deeply nourishing—without excess fat.

⸻

🥬 Leafy Greens & Non-Starchy Vegetables
This section floods the body with:
• Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
• Volume and fiber with very low calorie density

These foods support gut health, and long-term disease prevention.

⸻

🍠🍓 Starchy Vegetables & Fruits
This section fuels the body with:
• Clean energy from whole-food complex carbohydrates
• Fiber and phytonutrients for gut health
• Natural sweetness that supports satiation (not deprivation)

Potatoes, fruits, and starchy vegetables provide energy and satiation without guilt and help prevent overeating later.

⸻

🌾 Grains, Nuts & Plant Milks
This section adds:
• Sustained energy
• Comfort, satiation

Whole grains and plant milks help meals feel complete and satisfying—supporting consistency and sustainability.

⸻

Why This Works So Well
• ✔️ No restriction
• ✔️ No food demonization, no guilt, no food fears
• ✔️ Encourages eating more variety, variety = more nutrients
• ✔️ Supports weight loss and weight maintenance
• ✔️ Helps quiet food noise and obsession
• ✔️ Helps Reverse and Prevent Chronic Diseases

Instead of chasing perfection, this pie chart teaches balance, abundance, and nourishment.

⸻

The Big Picture

This isn’t a diet.
It’s a framework for eating real food, consistently, for life.

Balanced. Simple. Nourishing. Sustainable.
That’s why I choose the pie chart. 💚

Spread the Word of Health ❤️‍🩹
Have a Happy Day! ☀️
KISS – Keep it Simple & Scrumptious 😘
Ana María
#myfoodpyramid

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Every retreat reminds me how powerful real transformation can be.

A week of sharing meals, moving our bodies, and having honest conversations brings out a sense of connection that is hard to find in everyday life.

Each person who shows up adds something meaningful, and together we create a space where real change feels possible.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this year.

Your energy, your openness, and your commitment to your health make these retreats what they are. I am grateful for the time we shared and inspired by the strength you are taking home.

And thank you to our incredible team for making it all possible.

Until next time, stay real and keep it plant strong.

Rip

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A week-long PLANTSTRONG immersions is my favorite week of work! So wonderful to meet, dance, hike (in the snow!), eat, cook, learn, and grow with everyone this past week! 🥬👩‍🍳Thank you, @ripesselstyn and @goplantstrong!
Looking forward to the April 2026 Immersion in Black Mountain and October in Sedona! Check out future Plant-Strong events at liveplantstrong.com👀🏜️ #plantstrongretreat

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Pizza Night and a conversation with Jay

Jay and I talk about things we do to help us with our WFPB Health Journey.

Use code ANAMARIA15 for 15% your first Plantstrong Order

#mycutco
#plantbased #plantstrong

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Last full day in Sedona and our hearts (and bellies) are full 🥰🌄

We moved our bodies on red rock trails, shared nourishing meals that fed more than just hunger, and connected with some of the most inspiring people around.

Gratitude is the word of the day.

For movement.
For community.
For food that fuels.
And for this unforgettable PLANTSTRONG experience 💪🌱

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