FEELFUL EATING: Madi of Nook
Food became a ‘big deal’ for Madi, Founder of Nook, when she was just 14 years old. Her sister went into surgery for spinal ependymoma, and Madi wanted to do anything & everything she could in order to soothe & support her sister through this devastating and understandably frightening time.
Sure, offering to bring in however many tubs of mint chocolate chip ice cream to the hospital seems caring at the start, but once Madi (& the rest of the family) realized this was a recurring illness, they knew their soothing had to take a different route.
Madi reveals that she was flooded with guilt - she felt helpless, like she couldn’t do anything…except make really nourishing meals for her sister to eat. It was in food that Madi felt her savior - the hero inside her was able to come alive. Today, she is able to live out that truth not only for her sister, but also for anyone in need of a nourishing, life-supporting meal, through her company Nook.
And yes, sure, being a woman in wellness - Madi herself went through moments of bowing deep into “healthy eating culture” which ultimately led her to losing way too much weight, strength, and joy in her life. “Life becomes narrow when you’re so obsessed,” Madi admits.
She also recognizes that cooking became her crutch - an excuse to hide away and avoid her problems. While it took her a long time to find a true healthy balance, Madi jokes that now, she follows NO “diet” and will happily eat and enjoy meals regardless of their current trendiness on the health radar.
How?
Mainly…gratitude.
“I am surrounded by food on a daily basis because of my work, and I have such a close connection to those who grow my food - it’s helped me to remove any negative thoughts about food.”
Instead, the thought is more along the lines of: “Wow, someone MADE this. I am so grateful that I get to enjoy the food that I do.”
When Madi eats - whether it’s Nook’s delicious Mac & ‘Cheese’ (I’ve tried & tested…it’s DIVINE!) or their new omnivorous bowls like her Fennel + Turkey Pasta, she uses it as a moment to practice GRATITUDE.
I loved what Madi opened up about towards the end of our conversation, which is that, whenever she detects a bad pattern with her eating, she asks herself: What am I hiding? Essentially, she acknowledges that this isn’t necessarily a “food issue” nor an “eating issue” but rather a LIFE issue. Thus, she takes the time to be with herself so that she can truly understand what might be going on in her thoughts - that are ultimately leading her to make not-so-nice eating choices.
Madi reminds us that food is a way we can offer support & care for others, ourselves, and ultimately, deepen our appreciation for this crazy thing called life!
If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend you check out her truly life-supporting company, Nook Vibrant Kitchen, and if you are lucky enough to be in her delivery area, order yourself something delicious to enjoy & be grateful for!
