29 Jul Sexy Food Philosophies with James

James Kuiper is spreading the sexy in Cape Town from his prime location in Bree Street where you can pick up a fabulous selection of mouth-watering living raw foods and loads of information about just what it means to eat sexy. He’s put the sexy back into traditional fermented foods and is actively teaching the flavour, nutrition and craft of indigenous fermentation to restore good digestion and healthy gut bacteria. He’s earned his stripes with this one, having overcome cancer and chemotherapy at the tender age of 17 by delving into the philosophies of natural healing and unlocking the wealth of sexy living nutrition in a way that is, we’ll say it again, super sexy!

We’re so inspired by his example we were bursting with questions when we had the chance to catch up with him.

What is your food philosophy?

Let’s reclaim our food, and bring the original Sexy back! Food is much more than simply nourishment, or joining diets and eating boundaries. It embodies a complex web of relationships, the biggest being the one with yourself. There is no-one else in the world with the same digestive system, let’s celebrate this unique journey that is ever changing and evolving as you grow. It is a huge part of the context in which we exist. Reclaiming our food and getting to know your individual metabolism system means actively involving ourselves in this web.

A call to get out there and catch a wake up. Nature is real and you are a part of it, from your big beautiful eyes to the microorganisms dancing around your internal organs. See yourself as an integrated part of the cosmos and harness a lifelong conversation with ‘gut-feeling’ and the beneficial flora existing within you.

Sexy Food is a live-cultured formula to effortless digestion, an eclectic expression of the miracle of thriving in the urban lifestyle. Where modern on-the-go minds meet ancient slow disciplines. Where freshly foraged, simple ingredients capture the flavour of the moment. A flourishing community of living organisms welcomes all types of people from every walk of life. Time is art, and I believe in the importance of clever slow enjoyable integration.

Optimise your adventure through adding amplified condiments to your on-the-go meals. It’s about creating a net-positive vibe. Save money on supplements, regenerate your microbiome and restore the importance of including diverse gut flora into your daily routine. Take full responsibility for your life and become your own dietician and doctor. Be an example to your community, and live your unique truth.

(via sexyfoods)

Why are live probiotics so important?

You’ve probably heard the buzz already about the many natural wild benefits of real live pro-biotics. A word which literally translates to: pro- “for” + biotics “life” — FOR LIFE. But did you know that these remarkable commensal microorganisms, which outnumber our bodily cells 10 to 1, and contribute over 95% of our body’s total genetic information, also break down highly toxic manmade chemicals which your body is either incapable, or only partially capable, of defending itself from?

Cultivating beneficial gut bacteria is your first line of defence against cancer and many other serious diseases. It does this by boosting your immune system at the places you’re almost always hit first with − toxins, heavy metals, parasites, fungi, and harmful bacteria. Nurturing the system that protects you from so many layers of possible invasion of foreign contaminants should be common sense. But you’d be shocked how many in the medical community don’t recognize the importance of the gastrointestinal system in total health.

The Role of Your Immune System Against Cancer

In order to boost the immune system, to prevent cancer (and so much more), its important to boost your colony of good gut flora. You let your bowels fight cancer. We’re talking about fighting cancer without destroying all the healthy cells in your body! Using your own body to fight for you. Gut health and cancer prevention go hand in hand. It appears that mainstream scientists and doctors are finally seeing that there are better ways to fight cancer than destroying your entire body in the process.

The Supremacy of Your Gut Flora in the Fight Against Cancer

The human microbiome is an incredible network of 100 trillion organisms that live in and on the body. They’re made up of beneficial bacteria as well as fungi, viruses, and bacteria that isn’t so beneficial. We need this microcosm to survive. The relationship between them and the humans who carry them is symbiotic in nature.

Antibiotics disrupt this relationship in a similar way that chemotherapy affects the human body. Chemotherapy wipes out perfectly healthy, non-cancerous cells inside you along with the cancerous cells. Similarly, antibiotics wipe out all bacteria (the bad kind as well as the good kind you can’t live without).

For years, I’ve pointed to the overuse of antibiotics as a leading cause in the rise of cancer cases. Destroying what keeps you healthy simply isn’t a sustainable method of treatment. Antibiotics can alleviate the symptoms, but the critical root causes are never touched.

Fermentation and probiotic foods is one way in which we may consciously cultivate this web of relationships.

This is the daily practise of cultural revival. By engaging life forces, we discover and reconnect with our context. When you find fellow fermenters who can provide you with desired cultures, make an effort to build relationships of sharing information and mutual aid. The internet can be a powerful resource for networking, with many opportunities to post messages to targeted groups with similar interests and messages. Use your quest for Kombucha SCOBY’s, Kefir grains and other cultures as an opportunity to make connections and build community. The bacteria and yeasts are the primary actors in fermentation, but their growth and spread are the result of human actions and interactions. Be creative and persist in your cultural revival efforts.

(via Sexyfoods)

Do you eat meat/dairy? 

Yes I do! I love 100% A2 – Beta-casein milk in the form of raw cultured lactose-free Kefir Yogurt. When the body is calling for wild meat and the circumstances are perfect, I’ll celebrate in a ceremonial manner!

What is your take on flexitarianism?

I think flexitariansm is great, as it’s a flexible mindset gravitating towards ingredients that work best for individual digestion. Respecting everyone else’s journey with no judgement. I haven’t signed up to any eating parameters, or ‘isms’, my body is always changing like the seasons, and I enjoy adapting and keeping the gut flora strong and happy! If anything, I’d call myself a ‘Sexytarian’!

Favourite Sexy Food product?

That is a very difficult question as I’m in love with them all at different times during the day! I let the ‘gut feeling’ do the deciding, jumping from Newlands Spring Water, Milk Kefir, Water Kefir, Jun Kombucha ice tea, Buchu Water, Yerba Mate Tea, Sprouts, Pickled brine shots, Krauts & Kimchi’s, Sweet Shiro Miso, Tempeh Bean Culture, Sexy Burgers, Sourdough Bread, Cultured Dressings. The combinations of the products we produce are endless, and that’s why its smashing being surrounded by what I do!

What is your no. 1 immune booster for winter?

My champion immune booster all-year equation combo: Lactose-free Raw Milk Kefir, Pickle Brine Shot, Kombucha Tea, Kraut & Kimchi, Distilled Buchu Water.

(via Sexyfoods)

Got a recipe you can share with our readers?

THE SEXY BURGER VEG PATTY

(Replace with any free, wild or grass-fed meat patty)

You will need: Kraut, Egg, Kefir Cheese, Roast Veg, Sprouted Pulse, Fresh Herbs & Spices, Activated & Cooked Grain, Coconut Flour, Sweet Miso Paste.

Method: Combine any of the ingredients mentioned above to your liking. The combinations are endless. The trick is getting the patty to hold firm with texture and crunch. Roast Sweet Potato, Egg, Coconut Flour, Flax Seed, Chia Seed, Ground Sunflower, Oats, Rice are all great patty binders. Sear the patty on a medium heat pan with virgin coconut oil till light brown on both sides.

NUT or SEED SPREAD

You will need: 115g raw unsalted cashews (or any nut you enjoy) or sunflower seeds. 180ml Kombucha Vinegar, 180ml Kraut Brine Juice, 1 Litre Preserving Jar. 

Method: Place the cashew nuts or sunflower seeds into jar. Add Kraut Brine Juice & Kombucha Vinegar, making sure nuts or seeds are submerged. Screw the lid on and ferment at room temp for 2-3 days. In a food processor, combine the nuts or seeds and half of the soaking liquid. Blend until creamy, adding more soaking liquid if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.

KEFIR MINT MAYO

You will need: Fresh Mint, Milk Kefir Yogurt, Shiro Miso, Raw Honey

Method: Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend to mayo consistency.

Instructions: Create a delicious lemon dressed bed of chopped leafy greens salad as your base, toss some lacto-fermented kraut or kimchi in-between, place the Sexy Patty on-top straight off the pan, smear nut or seed spread over, add a slice of avo, drizzle some fresh alfalfa for your luxury garnishing, drizzle the kefir mint mayo all over for final satisfaction!

And there you have it, the original bun-less burger with a Sexy Pro-biotic twist 🙂

What’s next for you/anything exciting we should know about?

The SEXY FOOD book.

There you have it, an amazing, dazzling free flow of living information for you to wrap your head around – inspired to eat Sexy yet?