As a child growing up, when it came to medicines and doctors, I did not have a conventional American upbringing. I never even took (or needed) an antibiotic until I went to college. I grew up taking echinacea, vitamin C and zinc at the first sign of an oncoming cold. I knew more about herbal remedies than aspirin. I cut out all white flour and sugar from my diet when I was 17 to try to cure a skin ailment, although unfortunately there are only so many things you can do to battle hormonal acne.
Illustration by Jessie Kanelos Weiner.
And I rarely went to doctors mainly because I was never sick. As a child that was raised macrobiotic until five and vegetarian until 18 and was breast-fed until two, my immune system was solid. What was exposed to what would be the closest to a doctor was a naturopath. I tagged along with my mother to her appointments and at a young age learned that perhaps most of our ailments need to be looked at holistically; that one ailment most likely is a direct result of another in balance in the body and that we need to take step back to examine what is happening everywhere and not just where here is a problem.
Illustration by Jessie Kanelos Weiner.
So when James Roe, the man behind An English Naturopath in Paris, contacted me for a consultation, I jumped at the opportunity. Fluent in English and French, James studied Naturopathy at le Collège Européen de Naturopathie Traditionnelle Holistique (CENATHO) and will begin working with children in the fall. To learn more about detoxing and juicing, he’s currently spending his summer working for Bob’s Cold Press.
It had been years since I’d interacted with a naturopath and actually talked through how I eat, what I eat and other ways I am (or at least think I am) taking care of myself. We talked through my constitution, temperament and by using iridology, James was able to remind me that incorporating more alkaline vegetables and aiming to do a light detox might not hurt. Because not even the kale lady always eats enough greens. I was able to walk away with an extensive information in two different documents with reminders and suggestions of the small things I can do to greatly improve daily life.
For fellow kale-enthusiasts in Paris, James is offering a consultation at 30% off the normal price of 75€ if you mention The Kale Project. Here he shares his love of kale.
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What does kale taste like in one-sentence?
A creamy, green dream in a glass.
When did you first eat kale?
Well I’ve been in Paris for 6 years and so I had been deprived of it until The Kale Project made it available. I had been looking for it for a while. So early this year.
Illustration by Jessie Kanelos Weiner.
How would you introduce kale to a kale-virgin?
I would say it is THE healthiest green vegetable and quite possibly the healthiest food full stop :
-A form of cabbage that evaded domestication so keeping much of its wild state nutrition. -It has all the essential amino acids in an easily absorbable form.
-A fat ratio of more omega 3 to omega 6 (almost unheard of in nature).
-More calcium per gram than a glass of whole milk.
-An excellent source of magnesium and chlorophyll thus very alkalising.
Illustration by Jessie Kanelos Weiner.
What is your favorite way to eat kale?
In a cold-pressed green juice with apple, celery, lemon, parsley, ginger. Or as the delicious The Kale Project kale chips!
Illustration by Jessie Kanelos Weiner.
Don’t forget that James is offering a consultation at 30% off the normal price of 75€ if you mention The Kale Project.
An English Naturopath in Paris
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