Happy Friday, everyone! I am so excited to share this interview with you! When I decided to expand who I followed on IG (beyond just family and friends), @feedurlife was one of the first accounts I chose. Not only is Eden one of the most inspiring women I know, but her journey is incredible. She is passionate about food, health, and natural living – since doing this interview, my admiration for Eden has multiplied.
INTERVIEW WITH EDEN ELIZABETH…
Tell us a little about yourself! {ex. Your name, where you’re from, interests, etc.}
“Hi, I’m Eden Elizabeth. I was born and still live in the beautiful paradise of the Pacific Northwest. My husband I split our time between the gorgeous crazy vibe of downtown Vancouver and the peaceful serenity of Vancouver Island. I have a serious interest in all things food related (creating, eating, analyzing, reading about, taking photos of). I love being on the water (not so much in it) whether it’s a paddle board, boat or dock I love listening to its many moods. I love to write and create. I am a student of yoga. I am happiest spending time with my husband, Colin, and our fur babies Autumn (chocolate lab), Gremmie (French bulldog), Shadow (quarter horse)and Hobbes (cat). I’ve been a nutritionist for 10 years. I founded a humanitarian organization when I was 20 and the majority of my adult life I have worked in Sri Lanka – whether there in person or fundraising and planning back in Vancouver. A huge piece of my heart is there all the time. The first time I stepped off the plane on vacation there before the 2004 tsunami I felt at home. That island pearl in the Indian Ocean has been my greatest teacher and healer. I also currently run Feed Life – a plant-based lifestyle company with Colin.”
How did Feed Life begin?
“It started the day I decided to heal my body from cancer using food and the mind-body connection. Being immersed in the conventional medical system initially for my healing I realized how little support there is for cancer patients to learn about natural healing. My husband and I created Feed Life to facilitate that learning for others. When we first started offering classes in 2011 we were sold out within days. We realized that we were on our path and what made it special was that it was the perfect venue for us to share our skills and passions together. Colin is an incredible teacher and I love to express myself through creating and the written word. We are both working fulltime at Feed Life and Colin also works as a firefighter.”
Who or what inspires you?
“Colin inspires me. He has taught me about unconditional love for myself and for others. He embodies so much of what I aspire to be. We’ve recently been challenged by another cancer diagnosis – a different type than what I had 5 years ago. He has supported and encouraged me with such grace. He provides for me while I take this time to love the cancer out of my body through rest and doing the things that make my heart sing.”
When did you first decide to go vegan? What was your ‘aha’ moment?
“I decided to go vegetarian at 16. I have always felt deeply connected to animals and an avid equestrian from an early age. I made the connection between what I was eating and where it came from and that was enough for me. A few years later I realized that I was lactose intolerant so I removed the dairy but often ‘cheated’. It wasn’t until I started to work for Whole Foods Market that I became vegan forever. I was hired as a Healthy Eating Specialist when they first launched their healthy eating program in 2009. After experiencing how amazing vegan cheese could be and learning from Dr. Furhman and Dr. Esselstyn it was a no brainer to remove the dairy for good. Now I would never even consider adding it back in after realizing the horrors of the dairy industry. We adopted a cow named, Michael from the Farm Sanctuary (www.farmsanctuary.org) who was rescued from being auctioned off for veal. We hope to visit him soon in upstate NY. His photo reminds me everyday to be proud of the lifestyle that we have chosen and promote to thousands of others.”
I saw the list of services you offer; first of all, let me say I am so impressed! As far as consultations go, what are some of the biggest concerns and/or questions you hear? How do you respond?
“Oh thank you! My clients are aware that they will be on a completely plant-based diet for at least 3 months. Not only will it be full of plants it’s all whole food and nutrient dense. I often get questions about cravings. I bring it back to the psycho-spiritual aspect of healing. If there is a sweet craving we explore where the sweetness is missing in their life – what are they missing that makes them laugh, love and feel joy. Is there a way to achieve that feeling without the refined sugars? So much of healing starts at a spiritual and emotional level the diet is really a supportive tool for holistic growth. Our bodies are a physical manifestation of our spiritual life. When there is imbalance at the physical level there is most likely something going on at an emotional and spiritual level. We can rebalance by sending a lot of love to that area. There is a lot of negativity and labelling around physical dis-ease that makes it scary when in reality it is an opportunity to grow and learn new aspects of ourselves. Removing the fear is a huge part of rebalancing the body. This has been a hard realization for me to come to with my own health so I enjoy supporting others on the same path. One of the best ways to learn and affirm is to teach.”
For those who are unfamiliar with Feed Life, could you talk a little bit more about those services that you offer?
“We promote a plant-based, mindful and simple lifestyle. We teach culinary classes in Vancouver, BC and soon to be online. Our course, Eat for Life, will be available online in the next few weeks. It’s a culmination of my culinary training and culinary method to help you create nutrient dense meals in minutes without using recipes. We do a bit of catering and Colin is a photographer so we enjoy connecting with other entrepreneurs and local businesses that way. I’m currently working on our first cookbook, a skin care line and a few joint ventures with other plant-based businesses.”
What is your favorite go-to meal?
“Depends on the season and where I am. If in the city it’s likely asian noodles – brown rice noodles steam sautéed with coconut aminos, shitake mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, ginger, broccoli and celery.
in the country – veggie burgers with fresh cabbage leaves from the garden as the bun
while travelling – a large papaya or guacamole
This is my favourite breakfast recipe by far: Salted Maple Granola”
http://www.feedlife.ca/salted-maple-granola/
A kitchen tool you couldn’t live without and why?
“My vitamix. It got me into smoothies and I use it at least once a day to make some aspect of a meal. It keeps meals simple and easy to prepare and clean up after.”
Who or what were some of the resources you used or still use?
I love PCRM they have excellent articles and resources.
http://www.pcrm.org/
Dr. Michael Gregors – nutritionfacts.org – awesome videos!
Kris Carr a savvy business woman and fellow cancer thriver
Jess Ainscough has such great content on her website and a beautiful person.
Gabrielle Bernstein such a tender-hearted spiritual warrior.
Louise Hay – You Can Heal Your Life – The book is a constant guide for me.
Marianne Williamson I read A Return to Love at least 3 times a year. It gets me back to my path every time.
What is your favorite cruelty-free product? {Cleaning, personal care, etc.}
“I’m creating a skin care line and I’m finding so many great natural ingredients that do amazing things. Rose Hip oil is so powerful at balancing the complexion and healing the skin. I love baking soda for a hair rinse and avocado and aloe vera as a face and hair mask.
In the meantime while I’m trying out new formulations I’ve always got Juice Beauty Cleanser as my go-to beauty product.”
Any words of wisdom to anyone making the transition to a plant-based lifestyle?
“Be kind and compassionate with yourself and the lifestyle will follow – they all go together like avocados, lime juice and salt.”
Where can people find you as far as social media goes?
“We are @feedurlife on twitter, IG and Facebook”
Thank you so much, Eden, for being a part of this interview series! It was truly an honor. I’m looking forward to the skin care line and cookbook…keep us posted!
To learn more about Eden and Feed Life, please check out her IG page and website.
{ @feedurlife | http://www.feedlife.ca/ }
Thanks for stopping by!
Be Sol-Ful Living 