Chynna Phillips photographed by Jeff Katz
at La Casa de Maria in Montecito, California.

Anyone over 25 surely remembers the uplifting vocal trio Wilson Phillips. Wilson Phillips united childhood friends Carnie and Wendy Wilson (daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys) and Chynna Phillips (daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas) for several chart toppers in the early ’90s. Last year, Wilson Phillips made a cameo appearance in the hit comedy Bridesmaids singing their number-one single “Hold On,” bringing about a Wilson Phillips resurgence. And Chynna’s turn on season 13 of Dancing with the Stars simply added to the buzz. Healthy Living caught up with Chynna this spring to talk about her new reality series Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On, Wilson Phillips’ new album Dedicated and of course—health!

I met Chynna at the retreat center La Casa de Maria in lush Montecito by the sea, where she and her actor husband William Baldwin and three children make their home. The film crew for Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On was waiting when I arrived. Our own crew arrived moments later, and we all made our way to a lovely Tuscan looking house adjacent to an orange orchard. Inside, crew members bustled preparing for the first setup while Chynna chatted with her longtime hair stylist and makeup artist. I sat down with her for our interview amid the chaos.

I was a young twenty something when Wilson Phillips first hit the charts, and my early childhood memories were colored by the songs of the Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas. I was excited to talk to Chynna and had a sense that she would possess a certain depth and wisdom that comes from having grown up in the wake of rock ’n’ roll musician parents. And I was right.

EARLY DAYS

“What did you learn about health growing up?” I ask Chynna. “Nothing,” she says with a laugh. I quickly learn that Chynna is quite candid—and funny. She retracts her words and tells me about her wonderful nanny named Rosa, who looked after her from the age of 2 until 18 and cooked meals for her every day. “She made me pork chops, spaghetti, chicken…always served with a vegetable and milk to drink. Not exactly healthy by today’s standards, but they were home-cooked meals. It’s the polar opposite of how I eat now,” she says. Chynna credits her mother for keeping processed foods out of the house. “There wasn’t any sugar in the house. My mom was really serious about not having any cereals like Trix or Cap’n Crunch or processed foods in our house ever. The worst it got was maybe a fruit rollup or Kraft Cheez ’n Crackers. So scary! That was in my lunch every day,” she explains.

THE RAW CULTURED DIFFERENCE

Finding the right kind of diet to support optimal health has been a process for Chynna as an adult. She has followed many of the fads over the years. “I was completely vegetarian for about six years, and then I was vegan for about four. Then there was a time when I just thought screw it and ate everything on the menu and didn’t care,” she says. But all the experimenting finally led her to a way of eating and living that works.

“I’m proud to say that I really feel like I’ve turned a corner. The true test of whether or not you have incorporated a new diet is your palate. Do you still crave the old stuff? If you feel deprived, it’s not going to last,” she explains. With her new way of eating, Chynna has curbed the dreaded sugar cravings. “I don’t need a big dessert or a piece of candy anymore. I’m so grateful for that!” she explains.

So what’s her secret? Chynna credits The Body Ecology Diet and the incorporation of raw cultured vegetables into her diet as the major cornerstone of her newfound health.

SUPPLEMENTS

Although Chynna strives to get her nutrition from her diet, she does supplement. First thing in the morning, she flushes her system with mineralized water. “The water we get is stripped of minerals—so I drink water that has the minerals added back in,” she says. Then she takes several probiotic supplements and drinks a green drink with whey protein in it. She also takes an omega-3 supplement and CoQ10. If she feels like she might be getting sick, she’ll take some buffered vitamin C. If her symptoms are more cold-like, she takes Coldcalm. For flu symptoms, she takes Wellness by Source Naturals or the popular homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum. “I can’t afford to be sick. I’m a singer. A guitar player can still play if he or she is sick, but a singer can’t,” she says.

EXERCISE

Exercise can be tricky for Chynna as she has some issues with her hips and knees. But she finds exercise that works despite her physical limitations. “I end up doing yoga, regular calisthenics and cardio barre (a high-energy/no-impact workout). I love nature and take lots of walks on the beach,” she explains. The problem for Chynna is getting a good sweat. That’s not always easy with low-impact activity. So she uses an infrared sauna. “I go in my infrared sauna every night for 25 to 30 minutes and I get a really great sweat. After a lukewarm shower, I go right off to bed. It’s very relaxing and detoxifying,” she says.

NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR HOME AND BODY

A California girl through and through, Chynna goes all natural when it comes to products used on her skin and in her home. “I love Youthology plant-based products for my skin,” she says. Like most products Chynna uses, Youthology’s have no parabens, are not animal tested and are made from natural ingredients. The same standards go for cleaning products. “We use natural cleaning products for everything in our home. Living as green as possible is really important to me. I want to create a compost and grow my own vegetables. I want to have an electric car and live in a house of hay walls,” she says laughing. But the truth is, Chynna is moving in this direction with small everyday choices.

SPIRIT

It’s hard to fully talk about health without addressing how we tend to our spirits and emotions. Chynna finds her balance through her faith. A Christian, she says her “higher power” is Jesus. “I’m praying constantly. Jesus is my rock. I’m in constant dialogue with the Lord all day long. And I take time each morning to read a little bit of scripture,” she explains. It’s clear that this relationship with her higher power is central to her ability to be compassionate and forgiving with herself and others. “No human is perfect and I can be particularly hard on myself. And that’s not what God wants me to do. God wants me to be really gentle on myself and to remind myself that he bore all of that for me. I’m forgiven. I’m a beautiful child of God,” she explains. As we sit in the room with everyone around, I notice it has become very quiet. Although the crew members are busy setting up, I’m aware that they are all listening. There’s something very beautiful about this faith—moving, whether Christian or not. The kind of acceptance she speaks of is certainly an important piece of health.

GIVING BACK

Chynna pays it forward. She works with an orphanage in Tijuana, called Los Angelitos (“The Little Angeles”). And in some ways, her choice pays homage to the lovely Latina nanny who cared for her for so many years. Nearly fluent in Spanish, she is able to use that skill and contribute to those in need, which in turn fills her soul.

HEALING POWER OF MUSIC

Chynna’s faith extends to her music. In 2009, she teamed with singer/songwriter Vaughan Penn to form the duo Chynna & Vaughan and debuted a Christian album titled One Reason. But more recently, she joined her Wilson Phillips bandmates to record a special album called Dedicated, a compilation of covers of the most well-known (as well as some lesser-known) songs penned by Brian Wilson and John Phillips. It proved to be an emotional journey for them all—and a surprisingly healing one for Chynna. John Phillips died in 2001. Recording his songs brought up grief as well as the joy of celebrating the legacy of her father’s music. Chynna explains how for her personally, it helped bring levity and healing to a deeply dark period. “Singing his songs brings him back. And it makes me feel his essence again. Of course, I enjoyed songs like ‘California Dreamin’ and ‘Monday, Monday’—but the obscure ones moved me the most. They reflect him working through his own struggles. ‘Got a Feeling’ is one of those,” she explains. She also alludes to the dark period that began at the end of 2009 and continued for nearly a year, when her sister, Mackenzie Phillips, alleged a long-term incestuous relationship with their father. “I think also with the traumatic year that I had with all the allegations from my sister about my dad, it was so refreshing to be in a positive space and celebrate his music—and his life. Instead of focusing on something that was so dark and ugly. It was nice to be doing something that honored him—the beautiful aspects of him.” The recording of Dedicated is documented in the reality series Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On. Chynna is pretty excited about the show. “It’s cute and entertaining. It has integrity and yet it still has the dramatic essence to it that will keep viewers watching,” she says.

It appears Chynna is on an upswing. And health is at the foundation of it all. She doesn’t mind if people laugh or think it is strange that she carries raw cultured vegetables or supplements with her. She knows what she needs to be healthy, strong and centered—and able to give to her family and community. I’d say there’s a lot of depth and beauty to this California girl.

We use Wave Auto Dishwasher Gel in our home. The Lavender scent is great. Why use a conventional chemical brand when there’s Wave, which has no chemicals at all and works just as well?

FearClear is a homeopathic remedy. Lately, I carry it with me in my bag. When I feel anxiety, which stems from fear, I put half a dropper under my tongue. That may be more than is recommended! A calm comes over me five minutes later. The fearful thoughts dissipate. I give this one a thumbs up!

I chew Spry Cinnamon Xylitol Gum all the time. It’s absolutely my favorite. The kids like the Fresh Fruit Xylitol Gum the best. I like Spry because it is sweetened with xylitol, which my nutritionist says is perfectly safe and is a great sweetener substitute for sugar. I make use of it after every meal. It takes care of my sweet tooth. I’ve heard good things about xylitol—that it helps prevent cavities too!

I love the Aubrey GPB Glycogen Protein Balancing Shampoo. I love Aubrey products because they have only natural, vegan ingredients. The Rosemary Peppermint is probably my favorite scent. Unlike some other natural shampoos, it actually lathers up!

I love that Barlean’s offers organic Evening Primrose Oil. I think it’s essential for any woman. It helps with balancing your hormones— and is especially helpful with menstrual cycle cramping. I still get cramping even at 44 years old. I need to take lots of evening primrose oil to help temper my cramps because they are horrible.

I love Sovereign Silver spray for immune support. A few sprays into my mouth makes such a difference. It’s fantastic for killing off microbes. It’s great added protection for travel. I just love it!

I’m a fan of Spry Non-Fluoride Xylitol Cinnamon Toothpaste. I don’t like fluoride, and I love that it’s sweetened with xylitol. I really like the flavor.

Barlean’s Organic Flax Oil is my absolute favorite. It’s the best. I make sure I get four tablespoons a day. I don’t even take it like a lady. I just open the bottle and squeeze it into my mouth like a drunken sailor! It may sound shallow, but I even love the black packaging.

I take Bone Density Maintenance from Nature’s Rite every night before bed for its 5,000 mg of vitamin D as well as calcium and magnesium. I need to be careful because I’m fair and have the beginning of osteopenia. Bone Density Maintenance is totally natural. It stimulates bone growth and helps increase bone density with a combination of herbs, minerals and vitamins, rather than with drugs.

Bragg’s Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is my favorite. I religiously drink it diluted with water—about half a bottle. I take swigs of it before bed and in the morning. It keeps me alkaline. A lot of people don’t understand the healing properties of raw apple cider vinegar. It just does so much for the skin, digestion and helping the body to a more alkaline state. Also, it helps the body fight colds and fl u. It’s fantastic!

I finally found a gluten-free bar that I actually love! I like to carry a MacroLife Macro Greens bar with me. It’s the perfect snack! I just took one with me to the airport. It got me through the flight and was perfectly filling. Unlike other energy bars, it doesn’t have a paste-like taste. It’s delicious and has loads of greens in it! There’s also a delicious chocolate cinnamon and berry flavor.

I have Barlean’s Organic Coconut Oil sitting at the side of my stove. I use it to make sautéed vegetables and to make scrambled eggs. I take a spoonful of it every single day raw. I put it in my mouth and it melts beautifully. It’s so sublime. It melts nice and has that hint of coconut flavor. It’s almost like a healthy pudding in a way. It kind of satisfies the fat craving I have. Since I started my new diet (a lot of people would not be breaking out violins for me for this), but I lost a lot of weight. I almost looked unhealthy. My nutritionist recommended that I have virgin coconut oil before or after each meal—three teaspoons a day. That helps me keep the healthy fat on. I think a nice womanly fat is sexy. I want that on my body. I don’t want to be a stick.

I love Episilk Facial Scrub. I’m always looking for a moisturizing scrub with lots of granules. This one is loaded with granules that help remove dead skin. I love the scent. Scrubs are an essential part of skin care. I’m obnoxious about my scrubs—I use one every day!

Resources

www.wilsonphillipsmusic.com

Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On airs on the TV Guide channel.

Dedicated is available online and in stores now.

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