Health & Life Magazine April 2017

some say a lot of meat is part of our culture,
it is not our tradition—let’s realize this:
it is not a tradition, it is just a habit. Our
culture is about being respectful of food,
appreciating food, sharing it with others.
Our culture is about being peaceful towards
our environment and being conscious. Our
culture is about the principles we live our
lives by—anything that is not peaceful, that
does not bring life to this world, that doesn’t
improve human way of life, should be left to
one side. For me Islam is about peace, about
doing something good. I’m not saying let’s
make meat a taboo—you can still eat it as long
as you are respectful of it, and are conscious
of where it came from and the process it went
through to end up on your plate.
I always like to tell people that it’s
about energy and what you can accept.
For example most people could not kill an
animal themselves. I couldn’t do it myself,
even if I wanted to eat an animal I wouldn’t
be able to kill it. The energy in my body
doesn’t let me. But my energy allows me
to pick a vegetable out of the ground and
eat it. This is right for me. Many people
can’t watch an animal being slaughtered—
they don’t want to see the blood, the pain
and the fear. And in fact a lot of people go
vegetarian after watching documentaries
or becoming informed about the practices
in slaughterhouses or the dairy industry.
But it is easy for people to detach from
this reality when they are presented with
a piece of meat or processed product that
looks nothing like the slaughtered animal.
I think it is so important to be informed—
educate yourself, find out how chickens are
being raised, or what dairy cows have to go
through to produce milk.
It is possible to obtain meat and dairy in a
peaceful way. People used to raise their own
animals, for years and years. They were part
of the family, and when the time came for the
animal to be killed, it was a celebration and a
feast, something that was done occasionally.
They appreciated the animal’s life. Not like
killing killing killing without knowing, as
we see in industrial farming, so that we can
have meat every day for breakfast, lunch and
dinner.
You mention energy; do plants have a
specific energy other than their known
health benefits?
Definitely. I eat plants and I surround myself
with plants. Plants are always growing,
always giving us oxygen, helping us to
survive and making our life better. They’re
like friends. One of the rooms in my house is
completely surrounded by plants, it brings
me so much joy and relaxation. They have
an aura—fresh, hydrating, soothing. They’re
like pets in a way, keeping you young and
fresh. I read studies that show plants help
you age less, that keeping plants is like having
companions. So for me, plants definitely have
a healing energy. I feel it when I go to Bali
or a jungle, when I’m around plants I can
feel the energy is different, more powerful.
Like standing near one of those trees that
have been alive for hundreds of years—
you’re connecting with hundreds of years
through them. We imitate plants: you grow in
different ways and you stand tall and strong
and build your roots. The more connected
you are to plants, the more grounded,
connected and stable you become. I feel that
we can better understand life simply by being
around plants.
What’s the difference between veganism
and vegetarianism?
I like to say that vegan is eating everything
except animal products, which means no
dairy, meat, chicken, fish, or honey. You can
take it further by not wearing leather, and not
using any animal products anywhere possible,
for example making sure the cosmetics you
buy are vegan. If you’re vegetarian, you
can still consume dairy, and honey. I think
being vegetarian is a beautiful thing, but the
dairy industry really hurts the environment.
I’m not saying everyone should go vegan, I
always think it’s about being conscious. It’s
a journey, a long-term lifestyle. Experiment
with it, see how your body feels, understand
your motivations for going plant-based. For
me, the motivation is that there’s another
being suffering, that this earth will not last
for future generations because of the choices
we make about what we put on our plates. It’s
like a ripple effect.
Do you have any quotes or tips to inspire
our readers?
I have a beautiful quote on the wall of the
café: “If you want to be happy, plant a garden,
if you want to be healthy, eat a garden.” This
resonates with me because I believe being
surrounded by plants and connecting with
nature can make a huge difference. We go
to grocery stores and it’s convenient but it’s
good to balance this out by going to farms,
visiting the source of your food, going to the
tree, seeing where the apples come from.
I always tell people “Don’t go vegan—go
and connect with nature and then you will
understand how a plant-based lifestyle makes
more sense.”
“If you want
to be happy,
plant a
garden, if you
want to be
healthy, eat a
garden.”
Evergreen Organics
cafe offers a 100% vegan
menu, with refreshing
cold-pressed juices, and
delicious appetizers,
main meals and desserts.
Juice Cleanse programs
are also available.
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APRIL 2017