When it comes to taking care of self there is no better teacher than mother nature; nature is where we have in the past and will in our future continue to find our best bet for body friendly solutions to most health issues and challenges. At first glance, you may wonder, why would Karen take the time to reflect on something as basic as food this morning? Well, I have found, at times it takes a profound experience to bring about the lifestyle changes we’ve always known we ought to make in order to live life to the fullest.

Yesterday I said goodbye to a man who I had only known for a short while but felt that I have known for a lifetime. I was introduced to Gary by my friend Hugh, aka Chef Irie Spice. Gary Ciuca’s life was a whirlwind combination of living your best life, giving back to worthwhile causes, making lasting friendships and most of all making food count. Gary was a chef but more importantly he was a lover of great food, and why not? After all, “food is the sustenance of life”. He will sorely be missed and his memory is larger than life itself. He made the dining table embody the heart of its functionality, bringing people together over the breaking of bread. Everyone memorializing Gary spoke about his enigmatic character, his gift of giving back and how he brought people together through his love of food. I don’t know about you, but what better way is there to share some love, than by sitting around the table and sharing life’s most treasured seconds; memories past and those we create in that very moment. It goes without say, Gary thought us all a special one of life’s lessons; it’s not just about the life you live it’s also about the lives you touched. Gary used food to make a difference in the lives of everyone he touched. Thank you Gary, you are gone but not forgotten.

As I read my email this morning and saw the article on food nourishing your skin from the outside in, Gary was busily running through my head. All I could see and think about was how Gary made a difference using food to nurture from the inside out. It maybe a roundabout way of saying, live your best life while making food count, but the lessons are truly the same. The real takeaway is: Life is short, make everyday count; for many of us, tomorrow will never be. Yesterday we said until we meet again to Gary and lost Eleanor Mondale and Kara Kennedy, both only 51 years young. Make a difference in someone’s life, give back with either your time or treasure, uncover your true passion and live it daily, but, do it in some special way with food. Whether it’s a bottle of vino with cheese and crackers or some freshly brewed Blue Mountain Coffee and croissants served with jam and fresh fruits on the side, make every moment count and no matter how simple or how grand, do it with food.

Let me close by sharing the article that had me running through my head, trying to keep up with thoughts of Gary. Food is such a special gift of life and lends itself to such great modes of conversation. We could talk about food for hours, how to prep it, cook it, serve it, pair it and the list goes on. Now lets take a look at how the same foods we use to repair our cells from the inside out can nourish from the outside in. All natural no additives, just good old fashion food. Think it’s a far stretch? Gary wouldn’t! Why? It’s all about the food baby, just food! I hear him spinning a tale of fruits and veggies right now, hey Karen, you can take what’s left over and use it in this dish…..goodnight Gary, sleep tight.

http://www.tinyurl.com/kitchenspa.