Friday, June 27, 2008

wellness

hi guys-

well, it's a hot and humid monday and i am just coming off teaching my 3-day hands on intensive cooking seminar at drexel u. it was an amazing group; most were real beginners to a natural way of cooking and living, some with health concerns, some just curious. that was totally inspiring for me. to watch them interact with each other, exchanging ideas, creating support and offering advice was a very cool experience. i have the best job in the world, teaching people to cook and live more healthfully. i will admit that i am beat today...i had to have been 100o in that kitchen, but you know what they say...if you can't stand the heat...

the weekend got me to thinking, too...about wellness and what it means to people in their lives. for some, it's enough to be happy. they may not eat the healthiest diet, but they are fun to be with and simply love their lives and are well for the sheer joy of living. for others, it's service. the more they do for others, the more vital they feel. for others, it's their life mission. the harder they work toward their goal, the more they experience wellness.

then there are the holier-than-thou, preachy types who grimly endure life, eating only the purest of foods, cooked in the purest way. They frown their way through their days depressing everyone they meet with their finger-pointing and condescending attitudes. it's hard for me to believe that can be healthy over the long term. the grimness alone would kill me.

and finally, (for me anyway) there are those who eat well and stay fit in a relaxed and playful manner, doing the best they can to be healthy and leave a lighter footprint on the planet. they are the future of the world.

even if the most dire of diseases is what brings you to the point in life that you must change what you eat...radically or kiss this life goodbye, it's important to approach each and every moment with gratitude and joy. i saw that in this group of students at my intensive. the heat in the sixth floor kitchen was stifling; everyone glistened with sweat, but there was more laughter, more sharing, more chatter...more life in that kitchen than many will experience in all their days.

wellness is personal as well as obvious. certainly wellness means robust health and vital well-being and fitness. but wellness is so much more. it means that you are having a love affair with life itself, with all its ups and downs, all the joy and the pain, illness and health. with wellness, you have the strength to embrace it all.

i want to dedicate this blog to my students from this weekend...from the professional clowns (i kid you not...) to the future teachers of natural living and all the people in between, i thank you.

3 comments:

Bonnie said...

Hi Christina,

I feel like I got to know you while watching your show and now that it is no longer on I feel like I miss you. I looked foward to watching your show everyday. I wanted to ask what you thought of the use of oil, I follow a particular eating plan that is vegan but really frowns upon the use of oil, salt and grains. I find it stifling and very extreme. You can eat these things and still have health, right? What is your take on using these ingredients.
Also, I think your health initiative is great, I am studying to become a teacher and this is something that I will experience on a daily basis, I would love to do all that I can to help.

Thanks for everything!

Bonnie

Jen said...

I am interested in taking a cooking class. How do I learn more about your seminars?? I didn't see it on the drexel web site.

Unknown said...

Christina and Crew,

Lessons from the intensive pop up every day, and our food just keeps getting more interesting! Thank you.

The technique of tasting ingredients as you go has been really helpful, and our menu planning is getting more imaginative. Our guests thank you!!

The hijiki appetizers and those asteroids!! We didn't know what was hitting us, but even the grand babies love them.

Thank you for making the process so much fun and so full.

Carol and Bill