by Lia Aquila |
‘’Well the MRI didn’t show primary progressive MS or a brain tumour like we thought, I don’t know what else to suggest, maybe come back if it gets worse and we could send you to a another specialist’’ said the neurologist shrugging his shoulders after 2 months of tests.
Luckily I didn’t believe healthy fresh updates accepted the medication they offered to ‘ease’ some of the symptoms.
I was 26, 2 stone over weight, couldn’t move my left leg, was hobbling around, I was falling over randomly, couldn’t swallow properly, had no gag reflex, spasms in both legs and IBS. I thought that it was MS since my grandmother the same symptoms and I had known other people with the condition.
Even with this in mind before the clear scan I was determined to make a full recovery. I was already vegan and had heard about raw food having helped people to cure themselves of diabetes and cancer, so I knew this was the next step!
A natural health practitioner confirmed that it was a combination of years of high stress and not good enough nutrition that had caused the symptoms.
So my raw journey began, wonderful youtube was my school, then I started reading books. The best things that supercharged
I felt amazing, tons of energy, I was able to exercise more and more, I could think more clearly, sleep better, IBS had almost disappeared, better skin, I started losing weight and best of all the nerve problems had disappeared and feeling was returning in my leg.
My recovery were coconut oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds, maca and juicing. Of course eliminating gluten, sugar and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables made a massive difference.
Within 2 months I was able to run and started training for races. Within 7 months of starting with raw food I competed in my first ever triathlon!
The feeling was exhilarating, most of all because of how grateful I was just to be able to walk let alone take part in races.
I also felt a lot of anger, what of all the people who would have listened to the doctors? Where would I be now if I didn’t take control of my own health and turn it around?
In a wheelchair, slowly dying, or committed suicide not being able to bare the debilitating illness?
I have since met many people who have also transformed their lives by adding more natural, fresh, raw food, pure water and being in nature. The simplest of changes can make the most significant changes.
This sparked my passion to help people with similar problems and even better to prevent them. It’s a journey of self discovery, healing and trusting your own intuition. It can of course be challenging whilst detoxing the rubbish and the highs and lows of being natural in a growing concrete, chemical, toxic and stressy world, however if we want to really live to our potential this journey becomes a beautiful exploration of feeling, growing and being amazing everyday
My passion for raw food took me to Goa, India to take Kate Magic’s first Raw Magic accreditation, this opened my eyed to a different level of health and well being. Then afterwards I went to Bali to complete a gourmet raw food course which sparked even more excitement.
Although I eat very simply, to have the ‘treats’ and a variety of awesome raw dishes expanded my passion more. Wow this can really help people to transition to healthier food, better choices and enjoy making it!
Since then I have been delivering raw food workshops and events to inspire people to love themselves with raw food. I love to create interesting, delicious but simple raw dishes, and have seen that many people find the idea of living raw is complicated with lots of expensive equipment.
To introduce people who have just heard snippets about raw food or are intrigued in just being healthier, my aim is to show the really simple, easy, affordable and fast it can be!
Helping people with their nutrition is great but it’s not just about what we eat! Whilst in Bali I heard about the Swedish raw food festival, I absolutely love festivals but found it so hard to find fresh food and generally full of booze! Where do us health freaks go to enjoy music, healing and camping? That’s when my idea for a raw food festival in the UK was born.
The UK already has a great festival culture and a desperate need for nutritional education. Why not have a festival with only amazing healthy organic, raw, vegan food, pure water, health experts, free workshops and eco camping?
The first Raw Fest in 2012 was held in Cornwall where I lived at the time, we had amazing speakers, organic, locally grown and wild food, live music, great workshops in yoga, dance and meditation, we also had wonderful healers and massage therapists.
Last year the festival was in Hampshire and this year’s will be held in East Sussex. It is now an annual festival and growing each year, last year we had over 20 speakers, more workshops, incredible food, music and healers. My intention is to provide a wonderful supportive, loving, safe space for people to relax, enjoy, heal and learn how to live more naturally and that the raw journey is really a lifestyle of being conscious of what we eat, water we drink, energy we use and how we treat our bodies, animals and our planet.
Lia Aquila x
Gathering of Minds
Lia’s Next Talk – Saturday 10th October 2015 – London
Intuitive Nutrition Plus Guided Meditation
Lia is the founder of Rawfest and has been a natural health practitioner and lecturer in complementary therapies for over 13 years. She went from vegetarian to vegan and then discovering the power of raw food after suffering from stress related illnesses.
Lia had all the symptoms of primary progressive MS, Two stone overweight, suffered from IBS and asthma.
Understanding food and why it’s key at this moment in time to eat clean and as natural as possible. Why we have gone so far from living by our instincts and why it’s so important to listen to your body.
Learn about food addictions, cravings and understanding what your body needs and how to listen to your body.
This includes a guided meditation to get I touch with your body and what it’s crying out for. You will be given tips on how to increase this awareness and continue on a journey of nourishing and loving your body.
Learn:
– Easy ways to eat clean and natural
– How to listen to your body
– How to curb cravings and food addictions
– Tips on how to easily boost your energy levels, balance your weight and clear your skin