Every now and again, I am going to sprinkle in a handful of personal blog posts about my journey with health and food in the hope that something resonates with someone and helps someone through a rough patch.

Today, I squealed a little when I saw Geoff Jansz's name on the cover of Wellbeing magazine's 30th anniversary issue which has inspired my first post. Why? Well, besides his name sitting with Lee Holmes* on the cover, Geoff & I have a bit of a history 😉

It's come up to 20 years since I was first diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and my life changed forever. As a teenager, I always wanted to become a chef, except I hated the idea of working nights & weekends, so I decided not to pursue it. My love of food & cooking was still strong, so it was a cruel cruel blow to be struck down with an illness that not only robbed me of all my energy, but destroyed my digestive system as well.

Despite this, I NEVER gave up.

I spent the first 4-5 year of my CFS journey propped up in bed watching a LOT of TV. One of my favourite TV shows was WHAT'S COOKING with GEOFF JANSZ. While it would have been perfectly understandable for me to turn away from cooking shows, I was addicted. I would tune in every day, listening to Geoff cook, make his corny / cute jokes and always calling eggs 'cackleberries'. He was the 'Jamie Oliver' before Jamie existed - cute, funny and highly entertaining.

geoff jansz

Even in my darkest hours, watching Geoff cook was an uplifting experience, and one of hope. I started a recipe box, and each week, I would write out recipes by and and cut out recipes from magazines and file them away 'for a later date'. I learnt how to cook like a chef from the comfort of my bed, without the use of any kitchen appliances, utensils or ingredients and without smelling or tasting anything.

There are still many taste sensations and ingredients that I am yet to experience off the screen, but I'm slowly working my way through all kinds of things. It has only been in the last 12-18 months that I've ever eaten a fig, a date, a pomegranate and many other things. I'm learning, experiencing and totally LOVING my 'real life' experiences with food now. Finally ...............

Fast forward to day (20 years now), and I have found my food / career passion. It may never have happened without having something positive to cling to back in those early days. I may not be a chef, but I take great joy in providing good quality health food online, writing blogs, sharing recipes and researching nutrition. Last year I became a Health Coach and earlier this year, I started studying Nutritional Medicine. While I have had to defer my studies for a short period of time, in the meantime, I am reading everything I can get my hands on and absorbing information like a sponge and hope to get back to it later in the year.

So, Mr Geoff Jansz. THANK YOU !!

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*PS. I'm tickled pink for Lee Holmes from Supercharged Food to have her name on the cover with an 'old school' and 'new school' celebrity chef. Lee writes amazing books, is a regular columnist for Wellbeing and reading the opening of her first published book was the reason I had a 'lightbulb' moment about permanently changing the way I eat instead of 'healing and reverting to crap and getting sick and healing and reverting to crap'. So, thank you too Lee 🙂

Geoff Jansz update

Just 24 hours after writing this, I get the following tweet from Mr Cackleberry himself. It made my night! Folks, don't ever underestimate the impact you can have on someone else just by pausing for a quick moment and saying something nice about someone. It's free and generates a ripple effect.

Visit the official Geoff Jansz website to learn more about him.