16 May
Healthy Epicurean

Holistic Chef Shelley Alexander Finds Harmony from Within with a Healing Tune-Up

 

Healthy Epicurean Featured Book:  Deliciously Holistic 

Author, Holistic Chef and Certified Healing Foods Specialist: Shelley Alexander, CHFS

We have explored many ideas with expert nutritionist about what it means to be a Healthy Epicurean at World Wise Beauty but today we “dig in” with Holistic Chef, Shelley Alexander and author of “Deliciously Holistic” and discover how food can be tasty as well as restorative and healing.

In today’s stress driven world, many people are living with chronic and painful conditions. Shelly herself experienced health challenges and not feeling well motivated her to focus her expertise in the culinary arts on nutrient rich healing foods. Shelley found that a holistic based diet filled her body with energy, strength, immunity and peace.  Now that is a strong testimonial for whole foods! So before you “pop a pill” or undergo another invasive test, consider a healing tune-up with Shelley Alexander or with professionals like her in your area.

Lauroly Q- Welcome Shelley to World Wise Beauty and the Healthy Epicurean series. I have to admit that we could really spend this whole blog talking about your beautiful presentations and recipes found in your book. Having held impressive Executive Chef positions with top catering and event planning companies, your experience as a professional chef shines through in your book!  So let’s get up to date and talk about how your company “A Harmony Healing” got off the ground. Share with us how your personal and professional passions came together…

Shelley Alexander: Hi Lauroly! First of all thanks so much for all the kind words about my new book! I really appreciate you interviewing me for your wonderful blog. I’m truly passionate about all things related to food. I grew up in Ohio eating ripe, juicy, vegetables and fruits fresh from my grandparents’ extensive garden and the local farmers’ markets which made me really appreciate how fantastic seasonal, local foods are. I started my business A Harmony Healing in 2010 and my blog in October 2011. My career in natural health and healing foods started when I was experiencing weight gain, digestion, and low energy. I healed my body using holistic healing methods and eating traditional, organic, nutrient-rich healing whole foods and taking whole food supplements.

The success of my own healing and gift of radiant health encouraged me to go for training to become a certified healing foods specialist in 2008. Once I completed the program and did additional studies in nutrition and holistic healing, I decided to combine my love of healing foods, holistic health, and my professional chef skills to start my company A Harmony Healing. My company and blog are giving me the opportunity every day to share my knowledge, joy, and passion to help empower people to make optimal nutrition and holistic lifestyle choices to achieve their own healing and experience vibrant health.

Lauroly Q- It is amazing how food and especially whole foods can help us restore, heal and fuel up! But it seems to me when someone says they have trouble let’s just say with sleeping, the first thing they are recommended is a pill by the medical community. My Mom has been fighting cancer for a few years  and swears by dark Bing cherries for better sleep. According to research studies cherries have melatonin in them and can help with sleeping soundly. Who knew a sweet treat like cherries could be so useful! What other healing foods do you love to recommend as a Certified Healing Foods Specialist?

Shelley Alexander: There are so many wonderful healing foods but some of my favorite superstars are kale, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, spinach, garlic, onions, turmeric, romaine lettuce, all berries, citrus fruits, radishes, carrots, avocados, coconut, chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, wild salmon, and wild black cod.

Lauroly Q- The term bio-individuality really resonates with me personally. It seems to me that we all thrive on different diets based on our own unique bio-chemistry. I wish we could all be vegans or vegetarians but I think the one size diet does not fit all. Shelley, how do you work with all the diverse diets out there? One woman’s healing food could be another’s trigger for painful symptoms! For example, many people with Rheumatoid Arthritis are encouraged to avoid vegetables that grow in the night (night shades) yet many of these vegetables removed from their diets are bursting with healing properties. This indicates to me that diets must be individualized and eating holistically has to be crafted for an individual’s overall health condition and lifestyle. What are your thoughts on this subject as a Holistic Chef?

 

Shelley Alexander, Holistic Chef

Shelley Alexander: I agree with you that there is no one diet or lifestyle that fits every person. It’s really important to me to talk with my clients to find out what matters most to them regarding their food and lifestyle choices and what they would like to achieve in order to have a happier life with more joy, energy, strength, and a strong immune system. Once we have that discussion, I can start to customize my client’s food and lifestyle plan based on their unique bio-individuality, health conditions, and lifestyle. Some of the tools which I use to do so are stress reduction techniques, detox cleanses, Alcat testing, and an extensive questionnaire and food diary. The Alcat test in particular is an excellent tool for me to use because it uses a whole blood test to measure the body’s cellular response to a wide array of substances including whole foods, functional foods, medicinal herbs, food additives, food colorings, environmental chemicals, molds, pharmacoactive agents, and antibiotics. This test truly helps me to create a plan based on each person’s unique biochemistry.

 

Once I discover what is causing my clients issues with their health, I can design a customized program with the right foods, personal care and home products, and lifestyle solutions to help them heal. Another thing I also like to do is encourage all my clients to learn to listen to their body’s response when they make certain choices on foods, beverages, and lifestyle. Our body has innate intelligence and if we learn to listen it will let us know exactly what we need to do to feel our best.

Lauroly Closing: Thank you Shelley. The wisdom you just shared about tuning in to our own innate intelligence is so important to emphasize. Wish we could all be your client and your dinner guest! So happy you dropped by to share your wisdom and expertise. You are a true Healthy Epicurean and a World Wise Beauty!

For those who can’t hire Shelley you will find over fifty pages of holistic lifestyle tips to help improve energy and strengthen the immune system and much more in her book “Deliciously Holistic”.  A “purple pill” can’t compare to the pleasure of nature’s bounty and Shelly’s book gives you a plethora of creative options to try before you have to make a visit to the pharmacy. Oh and did I mention her Double Chocolate Almond Cookies or Avocado Lime Popsicles? Just leaving you with a little healthy temptation!

Trulyherself,
Lauroly

WWB Note: Sometimes medications and treatments are necessary and can help.  Always consider all your treatment options when facing illness or experiencing pain.  Make the best decision for your individual health and listen to you own inner pilot…

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *