After the lovely interview I have done with Ashley from “Nourish Me Mom”, here is new, inspiring piece about another incredible woman who’s come up with her own, unique way to approach health, food and personal fulfillment. Today’s guest is the lovely Nathalie Sader, who talks about the spiritual energy of healthy food and much, much more!
AMBRA: Nathalie, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how did you get to Maryland?
NATHALIE: I am originally from Lebanon. I used to work as a clinical psychologist and a french teacher until I met my husband, 7 years ago.
After that, I moved to the U.S., we got married in Vegas and have been moving around the country since then due to my husband’s work: from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Huntington
Back in Lebanon, I have never imagined my life the way it is today. Moving here, getting married and becoming a mom, all of these things have changed my life tremendously; and today I couldn’t be more grateful.
AMBRA: You just launched a beautiful website www.nathaliesader.com
NATHALIE: My food Innergy has a lot of connotations to it, first it stresses the importance of food that goes beyond what’s on our plates which is Soul food.
What makes me feel nourished, happy, inspired and aligned to my true nature is My Food Innergy, it is the food that my soul needs in order to feel fulfilled and healthy, it is finding my life purpose, or simply finding my happiness.
When I first started with this lifestyle, I used to think that eating healthy food would assure a healthy and happy lifestyle. In the past two years, it became so clear to me that food alone, if it is not supported by healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, some spiritual practice, a pleasurable body movement, and a desirable sexuality, is not enough.
And because every person is so unique, My food Innergy may alternate in importance when it comes to all those different areas in a way that is so unique to the person’s constitution, heritage, life experience, personality, taste, lifestyle etc…
My food Innergy is also the name of my company, where I provide health coaching for women all around the world empowering them to love themselves through healthy rituals and discover their food Innergy. I don’t have One size approach that fits all, because I believe in our singularity. I named the company “MY” Food Innergy so that each client feels that the services I provide are so singular and unique for her.
What is the spiritual energy of healthy food?
One of my food philosophies is that food has energy: Where does that food come from? Is it organic or not? How is it cooked? …I believe there is a lot more than the ingredients we use to make a meal, there are invisible ingredients that can transform the food: the love, anger, joy, intention we add to it will transform it to be the most or least nourishing meal. Here also comes My Food Innergy, or how we can change the energy of the food we eat by the way we prepare it, how we eat it and with whom.
AMBRA: Among the services you offer to women, there is a training practice called “Goddess Coach”. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
NATHALIE: Goddess coaching is a 6-month program where I meet with my clients, either in person, or virtually, twice a month.
During this program, I guide my clients to reconnect with their inner goddess, to remember their divinity through healthy rituals, healthy food is just one of them.
I believe that having the awareness to eat healthy food and making a deliberate choice to feed your body nothing but the best, is a form of self-love.
You cannot reconnect with your sacred feminine energy if you hate your body, hate yourself, or put yourself down all the time.
Usually, my clients come with almost the same goal: loosing weight. But when we dig deeper, and not long time after the first session, their true desire come up to surface: find their life purpose, find something that makes them happy again, that makes them alive and vibrant and beautiful… find their soul food or what I call Food Innergy.
And this is only possible by reconnecting to what is already within, we are all born with that sacred feminine energy that is capable of moving mountains. We only need to reconnect to her, to acknowledge her presence and to remember what we are capable of.
We work on breathing techniques to calm the mind and silence the chatter that creates resistance and keeps us away from our intuition and source energy.
We also work with meditation, tapping or EFT (emotion freedom techniques), journaling, practicing gratitude, creating awareness, mindful eating, sensual dance practice and more to reconnect to that inner goddess that have been put to sleep for a long time and through many lifetimes.
AMBRA: What does it mean to define yourself as a “Holistic Coach”? What brought you to your current dietary lifestyle?
NATHALIE: A holistic health coach is a guiding mentor who believes not only in the spiritual energy of healthy food, but also into that health and wellness go beyond food and exercise. Defining myself as a holistic health coach means that I partake in creating more awareness and consciousness in all areas of my clients life and guiding them to create the change that will bring more health and happiness to their life. I do not prescribe a diet or an exercise routine, I meet my clients where they are and I create individualized programs based on their unique and special entity.
After I moved to the U.S, my first culture shock was food, coming from a Mediterranean country, the unhealthy food I used to eat there was noting compared to the highly processed, hormone loaded fast food. But I was so unaware and careless about food and health and that there is even a correlation between them, that I thought I would get to used to the food here. Luckily, my body didn’t agree and started sending me signs in a form of stubborn rash that doctors couldn’t diagnose clearly.
So i figured i had to find out what was causing that rash, I called my mentor who was back then into macrobiotics, and he suggested i cut off dairy and sugar and later meat. I did that, even though I didn’t really understand what they have to do with the rash on my neck. And to my surprise, 10 days later, the rash faded away! That was the first Aha moment in my life!
AMBRA: What are your tips for someone who wants to eat a healthier diet, but still keep it fun and tasty?
NATHALIE: It takes time to make a transition top a healthier lifestyle, my Number one tip for someone who is just getting started on the healthy wagon is: “Don’t go by the book!” If you try something and you don’t like it, it doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you. Twist the recipe, add some things, play around, try something else until you make it desirable! And listen to your body! If it is labeled healthy, it doesn’t mean it is necessary healthy for you!
AMBRA: You are the Mom of 2 kids. How do you manage to create magic in the kitchen, be a successful food blogger and take care of your little duo at the same time?
NATHALIE: Well i don’t really know! (laughs). There is no formula, some days are easier than others. My kids are very little and almost fully dependent on me, but we are also very immersed into each others life. They love what I do and like to watch me and even help me sometimes, so we practically do things together, which makes things achievable. They are my companions, we share the love for healthy food, dance and meditation. And yes, meditation helps a LOT!
AMBRA: How is the healthy food scene in Maryland? Can you name some of your favorite healthy food spots in your area?
NATHALIE: I am going to make a confession, I LOVE staying home most of the time, especially when it comes to eating out! It was totally the opposite before I got married! And there are few healthy places here in Maryland like Whole Foods. Back in California, the choices were endless. Hopefully things are changing and people are opening up to healthier lifestyles.
AMBRA: What are you future plans with nathaliesader.com? Can you share some of your upcoming foodie projects!
NATHALIE: I have a lot of plans in mind and I am sure they will come to fruition when it’s the right time, “everything is in divine and perfect order” is my mantra. Here are a few of the things I want to do:
- Creating more videos of my healthy recipes, and showing how cooking can be a fun, pleasurable and sensual experience.
- Creating live events and webinars for healthy food and women empowerment.
- Collaborating with other websites with the same interests to reach and serve more people.
- Having my own product, not sure yet what it is.
- Writing my first book.
AMBRA: If you could pick one of your best recipes, what would it be?
NATHALIE: I’d say it’s my Carob and Buckwheat granola, a recipe I love and that has a great story behind!
AMBRA: I am excited to hear that and if you guys are too, make sure to check back next week for the full recipes of Nathalie Sader’s delicious granola, plus a behind the scene on how this treat was born!!
Hope you enjoyed the read about the spiritual energy of healthy food! Nathalie and I are excited to hear your thoughts on this, so make sure you leave a comment below!!
Love you and I will catch you next time!!
Ambra
8 Comments
Such an interesting article!! You girls are both so inspiring!
Keep up the great work!!
Thanks so much for the feedback Laura!! I loved interviewing Nathalie!!
Thank you so much Laura!
Such a nice read! I definitely believe food has a spiritual energy too!
Thanks for sharing this Ambra, I’m checking out Nathalie’s website now!
Jenny, that’s awesome! It looks like you’re going to love her!!
Jenny thank you! I am glad you also resonate with this! And I hope you liked the website and my work 🙂
I loved this interview and look forward to the next part. It is so deeply encouraging to see women, each in our own special way, reclaim our magical, spiritual, goddess side through the most ancient of all the practices–through food and feeding our bodies. You both are such inspiring women, such beautiful goddesses hard at work to awaken us all. Oh how grateful I am!
Aww thank you Sylph for this lovely comment! Much love to you goddess!
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