Toni Braxton
Unbroken
Yana Mandeville, Toni Braxton. Healthy Living Magazine
Part 5 of 5
HealthyLivinG: Not many people know that you're a great cook. What dishes do you like to make?
Toni Braxton: Oh my god, I am a chef. That's really what I want to be instead. That's probably it. Forget the acting. I do love to cook. Thanks for reminding me of that. I would love to go to chef's school in Paris and really, really learn the art and the joy of cooking. Don't call it chef's school but you know what I mean. First of all, I have to learn milliliters versus ounces, that's the toughest part, because here in America it's a little different. If I get this great cookbook, first cookbook, I'm, "Okay, I don't know what that means. 280 CP?" I have to practice the metric system.
HealthyLivinG: Do your family or friends have a favorite dish of yours?
Toni Braxton: I make really good lemon chicken pasta. I can pretty much cook anything, especially if I have a big recipe. I can make it my own. Gosh, it depends on what you like. For different friends, I cook different things. My sister, Tamar, likes to cook. We don't really go to Houston's a lot, because my artichoke and spinach dish is probably a little better than Houston’s, it's all organic. I try to eat hearthealthy. I should say illness-healthy. I have lupus, so I know cinnamon and good anti-inflammatory things and things like that. I'm not going to give you this whole thing. I could talk about cooking all day long, as you can hear.
HealthyLivinG: Are you planning to cook for the holidays?
Toni Braxton: My sisters and me, we are. We're going to have a family cook-off, like we always do. I'm going to win, because I've been winning the last couple years.
HealthyLivinG: As a foodie, do you still watch your diet?
Toni Braxton: Yes, I do. I have to. Oh my god, I have to. If you ever see me and I look a little bit fluffy, it's because I'm on steroids. They're for my illness. I am prone to having steroids a couple times a year. I have to watch, I don't have a choice. I will look like, oh my god, a round ball, a Rubik's Cube with arms and legs. I have to work out. But if I'm not on my steroids, then I can eat regular. Fridays and Saturdays, I eat anything I want, but Monday through Friday, I try to eat healthy and keep those carbs down.
HealthyLivinG: What is your exercise regimen?
Toni Braxton: I work out every day, every single day, seven days a week. If I do cardio, I work on my treadmill. I walk 40 minutes on my treadmill every single day. I'm very lucky, because as a singer, we always use our force. It's like nature's sit-ups for singers, but I work out every day.
HealthyLivinG: Apart from when you are in medical need of steroids, have you ever struggled with weight?
Toni Braxton: No, I've been very lucky. Never had a struggle with weight prior to my illness. Being on steroids, I never had a problem with that.
HealthyLivinG: What's your tip for our readers to achieve that same glow as yours? Do you have any special products you use? How do you take care of your skin?
Toni Braxton: I am a Dove girl. I use Dove for everything, though I take off my makeup every night with coconut oil. I've been doing that the last four or five years. Then I just use Dove on my face. Everything's Dove; bodywash, everything... I’m very, very fortunate this time of year, because sometimes I'm eating badly during the holidays and have breakouts. This year it's been doing very, very well. I drink a lot of water, which I hate doing, but it definitely helps. Especially when you're my age, I have to keep myself hydrated.
HealthyLivinG: What about coconut water? Recently it’s such a popular hydrator…
Toni Braxton: You’ve got to try different ones to find the one you like. I like Pressed Juicery coconut water. It’s my favorite one. Some of them are a little bitter, some more sweet.
HealthyLivinG: What is your most important health tip for our readers?
Toni Braxton: This is old school, but what works for me is I take a half a glass of wine every night. It heals everything. Some people take Robitussin pills every night. I take a half a glass of wine, a nightcap, every night. Not a lot: just a little bit. It keeps my blood thin. It keeps my motion going. It keeps me clear-headed. I just think it's nature's tonic. But also, what keeps me going in the morning is hot water, lemon, and a sprig or two of mint in there. I have two cups of that almost every day, at least four days a week. Keeps the pipes going, keeps my skin feeling great, gives me energy in the morning without making me feel anxiety.