Module One
LISTEN HERE
The aim of this course is to demonstrate how our relationships with food goes way beyond our diet, and to provide you with certain recipes and lifestyle tips as practical tools to support you in the world.
From my research on diets, cultures, cooking, and general health, I have discovered there is a huge amount of overlap.
Despite appearances, and the multitude of information and opinions society and social media inundates us with, it is actually really easy to eat well, and therefore live longer. However, underpinning this is a true understanding of our relationship with food and our body.
Ultimately, we need to support our Mind, Body and Spirit. I shall address these topics in this course and break down the key bodily systems for you to understand.
This first module is an introduction into how the rest of the course is going to work. Modules 2 to 6 will focus on one of the 5 Traditional Chinese Elements, and also deep-dive into areas that will give you a better understanding of how your mind and body work and, most importantly, how they are inter linked. Finally, each module will have a cook-a-long at the end, during which you can follow me in a live video to cook delicious homemade recipes aligned with all the teachings of that module.
Module 1 will be looking at -
My story
Making small changes and starting to understand ingredients (as energy)
The building blocks of life - Macro nutrients and Micro nutrients etc
Store cupboard and Freezer
How to get the most from your time
Traditional Chinese Medicine
An introduction to Knife Skills
Recipes, Practises and Rituals
Cook a long
Modules 2 – 6
An Element
Which foods support that Element. Deep dive into the Element and which bodily functions / organs are impacted
Recipes, Practises and Rituals associated with the specific Element
A Cook A Long with printable/ downloadable content for you to prepare ahead of our live cooking sessions
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world” Albert Einstein
Can we try and tone down the science…
CAN WE TRY AND TONE DOWN THE SCIENCE
Being under pressure can often mean you are working in overdrive. With this comes a weakening of your bodily systems. I believe that by gaining a better understanding of the general functions of our bodies and how we eat, move, and listen to them, can make positive impacts on our health.
Perhaps you like cooking. Perhaps you believe yourself to be a great cook with a solid understanding of nutrition. But do you actually know the building blocks of nutrition and how to make up a plate of food? Do you think about this instinctively whenever you eat a meal?
If you can get your head around the general principles of what to put on your plate at every meal, then a huge part of the battle will be won.
However, I’d also like to add that I am not a nutritionist, nor do I want to be. I have worked with, and learnt from, many wonderful nutritionists over the years and have come to the conclusion that, unless there is something you specifically need to know, just focus on the basics (all laid out on this course) and from there it is possible to simply enjoy food again.
There is SO much information out there. Honestly, though, it is quite simple: eat whole foods, solw down, and tune into your body. honestly it’s quite straight forwards - whole food, slow down and tune in.
You know when food is processed or made badly so let’s not make excuses.
We seem to have become obsessed with living in a culture where everything has to be “scientifically proven” to be given any credibility – yet we are all here. Our grandmothers certainly didn’t run off to google health benefits of things or ask doctors – they cooked for necessity and enjoyment…wouldn’t that be nice?
All this jumbled information can add to the overwhelm, removing the joy from cooking and distracting us from our gut (literally!) instinct. Of course, science does play a large in our understanding of diet, and in advances in technology and medicines. However, for most of us just wanting to cook a wholesome, simple meal, it can feel hard not to get lost and very confused.
We also seem to be living in a time where we consume so much knowledge in constant hope of gaining wisdom. Yet, so often by living inside all these books, we don’t actually allow any time to assimilate any of this knowledge and it just passes us by. I’d like to urge you to try and slow down, possibly go more into your body (if it feels safe to do so - we will cover this more in the Nervous System talk with James Dowler) with a greater understanding, and ultimately trust in your intuition.
The more you can learn about the seasons, the basics about nutritious whole foods and, most importantly, how food makes you feel when preparing and eating it, the better. This said, do also try not to obsess over it – trust me, it really doesn’t make you any happier. This should not become another stressor, but a joyful calming experience and learning.
IMPORTANT…
Please stick to only looking at each weeks module. Don’t be tempted to rush ahead as there is magic in staying with what we are learning and holding that space between us.
In the Recipes, practice and rituals section I encourage you to try out a couple of the recipes in that week, as well as the rituals and practises. Over time you can begin to build up a TOOLBOX of what you have and havent enjoyed.
DO buy a journal or note pad and start to make notes on how you are feeling and what things might come up for you - you’ll find it useful to look back on.
You will also be asked to join the CONSCIOUS COOKING group on Instagram. This is a private group where people can ask questions and interact with one another.
