Eco lifestylist. Injecting vitality, energy and health into your lifestyle, through raw food and your surroundings.

In the 1970’s and 80’s I had a very ‘typical’ family up bringing. I grew up in the North East of Scotland on a farm next to small village called New Byth where my dad reared cattle and sheep, grew cereals such as wheat and oil seed rape. He still lives there to this day.

Our diet was very typically meat orientated such as mince and tatties, spaghetti bolognese, curry, sausages, burgers, fish and chips etc. Dairy also played a large part of our diet. Although I could not stand milk and cream (and still can’t), I ate a lot of cheese and yogurt. I also loved junk food such as chocolate, crisps and chips. Even though my mum tried to ration these foods in the house, with 3 sisters, 1 brother and a dad who loved chocolate, it was the type of food that didn’t last 2 minutes in our household.

Once I hit puberty, I remember to this day, my first period. I felt so unwell and sick. In fact, almost every time I had my period I had severe stomach cramps that often made me physically sick. I remember one particular day I was home alone, the pain was so unbearable I thought I was going to die. I had no idea what was going on with my body. My mum took me to the doctor and he suggested I should go on the pill. At the time this solution worked very well.

In 1988 the school arrange for me to do an YTS (Youth Training Scheme) job working in a reception for a local slaughter house. At the same time I applied for Art College in Aberdeen where to my surprise I was successful (I was never very confident in myself)!! I handed my notice to my employer, but instead of leaving they offered me a summer job in the sales office helping out with the orders and invoices, which I gladly accepted. Little did I know that this would be the first change towards my eating habits. Whilst working in the sales office, I was in much more contact with the main slaughterhouse. Workers would come in with their white coats handing over their invoices and orders covered in blood. The metallic smell of blood was very overpowering. Even to this day, just a sniff of a butchers or even someone preparing meat will bring those memories flooding back. Without going into too much detail, I saw enough at the slaughterhouse that put me off meat forever and became a vegetarian.

Life continued to plod along. I went through Art College in Aberdeen. Then I moved to Kingston Upon Thames where I completed my Interior Design Degree in 1996. After graduating I worked for several retail design consultancies before working for the highly successful design consultancy, iDEA in 2000, where I later became an Associate for the company. During my time at iDEA I built up a greater understanding of the importance of sustainable design and how design reflects the way we work and feel. I was lucky enough to work for many prestigious clients, including Royal Sun Alliance, The Bank of New York, BBC, Sky, Prudential, Karrimor, Schuch and Dixons.

Over those years I attempted to come off the contraceptive pill several times and the same problems would re-occur. On my worse days I would often go through a whole packet of Nurofen (paracetamol tablets) in one day to kill the pain. I hated taking these painkillers or the contraceptive pill, but at the time I felt I had no other option. Anything else I tried just failed.

Working hours became longer and more stressful. I would frequently come down with more colds, loss of energy, felt continually tired and suffered from IBS. I would often comfort eat and consume foods that were easy, instant and highly processed, loaded with sugar, salt and fat. I was addicted to these foods especially to chocolate, crisps, cheese and coffee!

On day, looking for answers on the Internet I came across raw food. The more I read about it the more it made sense to me. In 2007 I travelled to one of Karen Knowlers raw food day classes where I was bold over. I was hooked! I began to realise and feel the benefits of going on a high raw diet. I then progressed onto Karen’s 30 Days on Raw on line program, which lead to completing her Raw Coach Training Course. Hungry for more knowledge, in summer 2008, I took time out to travel to California to the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and graduated as a raw food associate chef under Cherie Soria. It was there I learned the principles of creating delicious raw food meals that taste as good as cooked and the organisation required to create raw food recipes. It was during this time I realised raw food was beginning to heal my period pains. I was no longer feeling the over whelming pain.

Over the last few years I have made mistakes and I’m continually learning, but when I make these mistakes it only fuels my belief in raw vegan foods.

Three years ago I met my lovely partner Gordon at a friends wedding who I knew from my late school years. I took the plunge moved back to my hometown Turriff to be closer to him and my family. I now combine my passion for interior design and raw food creating the ultimate eco lifestyle!! Helping others to lead their own eco lifestyle aspirations as well as continuously to improve my own!

Raw by Design, St Patrick's, 1 Rae Street, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, AB53 4QU
Tel: 01888 288 056 Email: info@rawbydesign.co.uk  Web: www.rawbydesign.co.uk