Vegan, paleo, vegetarian, Autoimmune Protocol, FODMAPS – any diet you can name, Ashley Jubinville has tried it.
Not because she is obsessed with her weight, but because she wanted to see how eating certain foods would make her feel.
The Buderim resident, also known as The Kitchen Coach, has transferred the problem-solving skills she learned as a structural engineer to helping people find ways to better nourish their bodies and keep lifestyle diseases at bay.
Ms Jubinville says those who are not overly excited about spending time in the kitchen can fall into bad habits of relying on packaged ‘convenience’ foods, which can start them on a slippery slope of poor food choices and future ill health
“The more packaged food that they eat, the worst they feel and the more frustrated they are with food and the kitchen and cooking in general,” she says.
“These are the people who need to learn new skills to make cooking enjoyable, so they can create something that nourishes their body, rather than just fills it. My key message is to come back to quality and to learn how to listen to your own body, which is one of the biggest skills people are lacking,”
Ms Jubinville has devised a process people can go through to learn how to pay attention to how their bodies are alerting them that something is unbalanced. She says tired and itchy eyes, eczema, and constipation are some of the signs your body uses to alert you to change your eating habits.
“People need to realise what they are doing to themselves with their food choices. Chronic disease doesn’t happen overnight, it’s about what you put in your mouth every single day over time,” she says.
“It all comes back to food and I personally believe that food can prevent most ailments. By listening to the signs our body is trying to give us and knowing what to do about them, we can work to fix it before it progresses into chronic disease.
“It’s an ongoing process. I don’t believe a person would choose a diet and stick to it for the rest of their life. Your body and stress levels change and you need to know how to adapt, which is why this knowledge is so critical.”
Ms Jubinville started an innovative Cook With Me Live online program, which allowed her to stream interactive cooking classes live with people across the country and the world, but now it is only a taste-tester compared to the transformation she is truly passionate about – helping people to reset their whole kitchen mindset and approach.
She runs a 12-week program that focuses on how her clients cook and how they behave in their kitchen. It involves cooking demonstrations, tasting new foods, how to shop, how to organise their kitchen and their pantry, and how to change detrimental relationships to food. It also includes going through a cleanse process so they can experience first-hand what it’s like to feel better.
“It’s very comprehensive and holistic in that sense,” she says.
“This is where I get the most exciting results, because people become submersed in it. One of my favourite sayings is that baby steps count and we absolutely have to take it step-by-step. It’s important to remember not to have guilt for what’s already been done, your body holds no grudges and it can turn around really quickly – so can your tastebuds.”
To find out more, visit thekitchencoach.com.au, or check out the free cooking classes at cookwithme.live.
