Isabelle's Health & Wellness Journey

It’s my turn to tell the story of my journey of becoming a vegetarian. I have got to tell you, my story has had its ups and downs. I still like the smell of roasted chicken and of a grilled steak, but like my daughters, I changed my diet overnight after reading The China Study. I went home and emptied the pantry and the fridge of all animal protein. I was left not knowing what to cook for dinner. For me, being in the kitchen preparing a meal was never about what you put on your plate but much more about the ritual of cooking as a form of offering to the one I love. When I cook it brings back memories of my childhood in France, of my mother taking her time and love to prepare meals for our family and friends. In France, we take time and pleasure in preparing and enjoying a meal. You may find yourself at the table for 3-4 hours! In contrast, my experience of the American way of life introduced me to the concept of feeding yourself to stay alive rather than living to enjoy food!

As a French person, it saddened me. I have always enjoyed eating, preparing food and loved sharing a meal with friends and family. For me, cooking has always been a beautiful and joyful time! So from the moment I had kids, I decided that I would give them the French food experience. This meant no sugar, no eating between meals, fruit for dessert, healthy breakfasts, ready-to-go lunches prepared at home, and family dinners. Finally, I taught them to eat only seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. A little bit extreme you might think, yes it was! I think my kids hold a small grudge towards me for not allowing them to have Oreos until they were about 15! Yet, this decision was a choice in lifestyle, much like deciding to be vegan overnight. At the time I was going through a difficult journey, and food had without exception been synonym with love in my mind. So the change in diet felt like a healing process for me and my daughters. Going back to my roots with real food, or what felt like real food, brought me back to nature and grounded me.

Becoming vegetarian became like a project for our family, something we did together. For all of us, it was an awakening. We took the time to learn about the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet. We were stripped back to the basics, learning how to eat whole foods over processed foods. It was finally an opportunity for my children to get involved in the kitchen and learn how to cook. We took turns cooking weekly meals, and in the end, it sparked our creativity. The learning process was not easy, we may have burned a few meals and grimaced at our first bite of tofu. Yet, this whole process had a profound impact on each of our lives. For me, it sparked the desire to become a certified health coach. I wanted to have a deeper understanding of nutrition and wellness, and the effects it has on your overall well being. Which led me to a path of guiding others to a more holistic life. This lifestyle change eventually led us to make the decision to move back to France and start Summers in the Ardèche. We wanted to share our knowledge of plant-based food and lifestyle with others through our cooking classes, trips, and workshops. We are still on this journey of health and wellness, and creating new friendships. Thank you for continuing to follow and support us!

XO

Isabelle