The Ecological Kitchen
No one really knows when humans started cooking their food, but one thing is sure: every culture did it. For over a million years we have been learning the magic of food and fire. It doesn’t matter if you live in the frozen north or the jungles of the tropics, human beings cook their foods.
Our ancestors discovered that cooking makes food easier to digest, brings out hidden flavours and kills off harmful bacteria. It is a basic life skill and is now more important than ever. As food processing becomes more industrialised, the use of chemicals in the growing, transport and processing has increased. Food has lost much of its nutritional value and is laced with mystery ingredients. It’s time to reclaim the kitchen and know what we’re eating. Making our own food in our own kitchen is creative, empowering and heathy.
As a teacher of Macrobiotics and TCM and a graduate of T. Colin Campbell’s Cornell course in plant-based nutrition, I can assure you that my recipes not only please the senses but are designed to improve personal and planetary health. There is no reason why the foods that are proven to contribute most profoundly to our health cannot be prepared to provide delicious meals. We should expect it.
When nutritionists attend our Macrobiotic Vegan Health Coach programme, they tell us that we have opened a huge window of opportunity for them. Instead of merely offering their clients supplements, they start to teach them how to cook. That’s what makes me excited, getting people back into their kitchens to learn the art of creating delicious plant-based meals.
Marriage made in heaven
As a yoga teacher, I have recently partnered with a few yoga centres to bring you a series of on-going cooking/nutrition classes filled with gems of practical tips and health information. It will be like having me in your kitchen. Each week you will receive the recipe, step by step instructions and shopping list of ingredients. I will have a class assistant who will use the zoom chat box to relay your questions to me as we cook together. I see this partnership as a huge opportunity to take this message to every corner of the globe. We are currently working on the series and will be updating you soon with the launch date.
In the meantime you can learn much from my latest book Go Vegan where you will find information identified by these symbols:
The microscope indicates science
When you see this sign there will be a short note of recent science that confirms the health benefits of a vegan diet. You may be surprised that most of this information has been available for decades. It is heartening that a message that presents such hope and potential to both prevent and manage disease is finally filtering into the mainstream. Veganism is not a fad; it is an important movement towards redefining good nutrition and having an ethical approach to eating.
The tree indicates the environment
This icon represents the environment. For many people the shift to vegan eating is driven by environmental concerns. One of the most important aspects of our food choices is the impact that they have on the planet. It is a fact that some of the most critical influences on climate change and species loss are directly related to what we eat. A healthy diet should be sustainable and benefit all life, human and non-human alike.
The spiral is ancient wisdom
The thoughts and actions you will find under this symbol we call ancient wisdom. We have a tendency to think that ‘modern’ is always best, but this is not always the case. Our collective ancestors prized some traditions that are especially important for living a healthy life. Some of these had to do with food selection or preparation, and some addressed our way of thinking. Remember, there is nothing new under the sun.
It’s not difficult to be vegan
In our combined ninety years’ teaching, Bill and I have high hopes we can all come together and make a better world, a healthy vegan world where humans and non-humans alike live-in harmony. Success can only be achieved through education, understanding and, ultimately, action. Let’s face it, back in the time of Copernicus, most would have thought it impossible if you said that you were going to convince everyone that the Earth revolved around the Sun, rather than the other way around, but it did eventually happen! So, the past teaches us to have hope for the future.
Going vegan is simply a choice you make. You can do it right now. Many people waste a lot of energy pondering this as if it were a complex issue, but the only difficulty lies in making the decision – it’s easy. Remove all the animal-sourced foods and replace with delicious plant-based foods.
When we reflect deeply on our relationship with the outer world, our environment, we realise that we are never independent of its influences. Food is the link between the inside and the outside world. Our Human Ecology Diet is abundant in every vitamin and mineral required for good health, vitality, and longevity.
In good health
