From Gut Struggles to Gut Wisdom: My Journey to Healing Through Food (And an Invitation to Join Me)

Living with Gut Issues: The Hidden Struggle

For most of my life, my gut ruled my world. Pain, bloating, anxiety around food, endless doctor visits, and a constant cycle of hope and disappointment were my norm. I chased every solution I could find: raw food, paleo, alkaline diets, supplements, cleanses. Sometimes they helped briefly, but more often, they left me feeling worse—physically, emotionally, and mentally.

If you’ve lived through digestive struggles, you know it’s never just about food. It’s about the isolation, the second-guessing, the quiet heartbreak of feeling disconnected from your own body.

The Turning Point: Finding a Different Way

While I was caught in a cycle of fast fixes and diets, my mum—rooted deeply in yoga and natural living—was quietly studying Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of life. At first, I resisted her advice. I thought faster, stricter, newer was better. But as the years passed and I watched her transform gently, steadily, with grace, I realised maybe there was something to this slower, nature-connected way.

Maybe the answer wasn’t to do more, but to listen more. Maybe healing was less about control and more about connection.

"Food stopped being the enemy."

Learning to Heal Through Food (Not Fight With It)

I started small: paying attention to how different foods felt in my body, cooking with the seasons, honouring daily rhythms. As a chef, this changed everything. Food stopped being the enemy. It became my guide, my medicine, my joy. It became my way back to myself.

Sharing the Journey: The Chef’s Canvas Retreat

Today, after nearly a decade of working professionally with plant-based, seasonal, gut-supportive food, I feel called to share what I’ve learned in a deeper way.

This summer, I’ll be hosting a 3-day immersive cooking and wellness retreat in North Devon:The Chef’s Canvas: Summer Kitchen.

It's a space for anyone longing to reconnect with their food, their body, and their sense of wholeness.Throughout the weekend, I’ll gently guide you through:

• Creating nourishing, gut-supportive vegan meals

• Exploring seasonal eating and natural digestion rhythms

• Tuning into simple Ayurvedic principles to support balance and energy

• Rekindling joy and trust in the way you eat and live

We'll be cooking, sharing meals, practicing gentle yoga, dipping in the ocean, walking the wild beauty of Braunton Burrows, and unwinding by the fire under the stars.

You'll stay in beautiful bell tents nestled in a coastal orchard with sea views—a space designed for rest, reflection, and reconnection.

An Invitation

If you're tired of feeling overwhelmed by health advice...If you're ready for a softer, kinder way back to yourself...If you're curious about how food can be a bridge to deeper healing, not just a source of stress…

I'd love to cook with you.I'd love to walk alongside you on this journey of remembering that you are whole, wise, and capable of healing.

You can find out more about The Chef’s Canvas: Summer Kitchen here or reach out to me directly at nikita@vegan-wise.com.

Let's cook, nourish, and heal—together. 🌿