Interview: Samantha Blackburn ? Eat Your Heart Out | Live Healthy ...

You are in for a treat today ? a vegan, Ayurvedic & gluten free treat at that! I have been following Samantha on Instagram for quiet some time now and I?ve fallen in love with her recipes and food styling. Take it away Samantha!

Tell us about your blog?

?EatYourHeartOut.ca is a collection of gluten-free, vegan, Ayurvedic recipes. Viewers will find a wide range of recipes including raw, baked, sweet, savory, smoothies, and entrees (or as I like to call them, ?Sunday Dinners?) I created the website with the intention of introducing the concepts of Ayurveda into vegan and gluten free recipes to increase their nutrient density and promote wellness. You will also find a blog where I keep viewers up-to-date about what?s new in my kitchen and in my life.

What is Ayurvedic?

?Ayurveda is literally translated to ?The science of Life?. It?s a lifestyle which incorporates practices that are traditionally honored in the Eastern world, but are gradually being accepted in the West. Most people are familiar with yoga, which is part of the Ayurvedic lifestyle. Ayurveda acknowledges subtle energies of the body, termed ?Doshas? and a natural flow of life energy within ourselves, and everything in the natural world (I.e. food, animals, nature, etc.) Ayurveda acknowledges that the three Doshas of the body (Kapha, Vata and Pitta) are the life force of each human which are responsible for active movement of the physical body, secretions and excretions. In terms of nutrition, there are connections between the Doshas and food, and the sequelae of dietary choices.

?How long have you been eating a vegan, gluten free and Ayurvedic diet and what are your reasons behind the decision?

When I was about 18 years old I began to eliminate meat from my diet (I?m now 25). To make a long story short, the gluten in a lot of the vegetarian alternatives I was eating exacerbated or triggered some serious gastrointestinal issues. I was in and out of hospitals and had dozens of diagnostic tests performed- poked and prodded everywhere. Eventually, by the age of 21, my diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed. I decided to see a naturopath, which provided increased insight into my GI issues. I ended up giving up gluten after being diagnosed with 98 food intolerances and ultimately became vegan. By the time I decided to commit to my new lifestyle choices I was in the midst of attaining my nursing degree. I used cooking and baking as an escape method from the brain-rattling information I was learning in University about illness and disease. And the more I learned about illnesses, the more I became interested in illness prevention. By the age of 24, I became interested in raw food and Ayurveda. I started looking at food completely different.

You have just launched a cook book ? Eat Your Heart Out.? How did you find the process?

?To be honest, the process of writing the cookbook unfolded organically. I hadn?t anticipated writing a cookbook while finishing my nursing degree, I would have never imagined finding the time to do it. Needless to say, I did it, despite my preconceived assumptions. I would consider myself to be a scientific person, thus, developing skills related to computers and technology were all self-taught. Creating the recipes was the fun part, but when it came to formatting and editing the book, I found myself to be a ?fish out of water? at times. Having said this, I eventually became really comfortable and proficient at what I was doing. At times, it wouldn?t be surprising to find me with two laptops an iPad and an iPhone in use simultaneously. It was also really enjoyable to receive feedback and encouragement from people as I shared the creative process on social media outlets such as Instagram and Twitter.

What advice do you have for people considering writing a book?

To anyone writing a book, my advice would be to maintain a balance. I found that it easily became a 12-hour day job of sitting in front of my computer until I couldn?t bring myself to write or edit anymore. It can actually become quite grueling when you begin to set deadlines and short-term goals for yourself. The last thing you want to do is burn yourself out or develop negativity towards the creative process. Take time away from writing to clear your head so that when you sit down to work on it again, you still have a burning sense of passion for what you?re creating.

What are your future business and work goals?

?I just wrote the Canadian Registered Nursing Exam two weeks ago to become a fully licensed healthcare practitioner, and I would certainly like to pursue that path of my life to gain a deeper understanding of disease and illness processes. In terms of ?Eat Your Heart Out? and nutrition, I like to dream big. My dream would be to to open up a wellness centre which would include a vegan, gluten-free and Ayurvedic restaurant, educational classes, a yoga studio, community garden and co-op etc.

Do you plan on combining your nursing degree with your passion for food and healthy eating?

?In terms of combining my nursing degree with nutrition and healthy eating, I would love to continue making the connections between the Eastern and Western world. I personally feel that there is a shift in awareness in terms of health and nutrition. I recognize that individuals are beginning to take control of their own health and are seeking to prevent illness and chronic disease. In my opinion, there will be drastic changes over the next decade related to the demands on the global healthcare system and the expectations of individuals regarding education and healthcare delivery models; I want to be a part of this shift and offer my knowledge and insight any way that I can.

Finally, what is the number one thing you would recommend to a person who wants to improve their health?

?Its challenging for me to narrow this down to one thing, but I think I would have to recommend yoga or meditation. As part of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, taking care of the mind-body connection is of utmost importance. I feel it?s justifiable to state that individuals are often pushed beyond what is natural for their body and mind to cope with; whether it be lacking sleep, eating improperly, not finding the time for physical activity etc., we can all benefit from slowing down and listening to what our minds and our? bodies are telling us. Taking the time to centre yourself, feel your conscious mind within your body and get a good stretch happening all the while is vital for a sense of overall well-being. I think we all too often become uncomfortably trapped within our body without even noticing it. By opening the mind and the body we can open our hearts our true potential. When we feel a sense of ease within ourselves, it then translates into a sense of positive energy in our outer domain and I think that is the most valuable first step to living a healthy life. When we respect what is occurring within ourselves, we will then respect other aspects of our lives such as what food we decide to nourish ourselves with, how we cope with stress, and how we treat each other.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to participate in the Live Healthy Simply community.

Recipe

Raw Cranberry Fibre Bites

1/8 cup hemp hearts

1/8 cup psyllium husk

1/8 cup black chia seeds

1/8 cup golden flax seeds

1/8 cup dehydrated cranberries

1/2 cup cranberry juice

Pinch of kosher sea salt

Ayurvedic Support

1/8 cup maca

2 tbsp ashwaghanda

1 tsp Norwegian kelp

1 tsp alfalfa

1 tsp schizandra

30 drops holy basil tincture

30 drops lavender tincture

Combine ingredients in no particular order. Roll into teaspoon sized balls and top with hemp hearts. Dehydrate at 110 for approximately 4-6 hours.

Fibre Facts: I originally wanted to name these ?GI/GU Bites? because they support gastrointestinal and genitourinary health?but then who would want to eat something named something so ridiculous? Psyllium husk acts as a bulk-forming laxative and cranberries support the urinary tract. Psyllium husk adds a significant amount of dietary fibre to your diet while adding very minimal calories. Cranberry juice has contents that reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli bacteria. Elimination is a key component to overall health, and as this recipe supports these two processes, go ahead and eat your heart out xoxo Samantha Blackburn, B.Sc.N.

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Take action in the comments below by reporting how your health improved when you gave up a specific food ? Sharing your experience might make someone feel a little less alone in their own food allergy or intollerance!

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