Olivia Newton-John - Livwise Cookbook Easy, Well-Balanced, And Delicious Recipes For A Healthy, Happy Life

This is my first book ever! Who would have thought it would be a cookbook? Over my lifetime I have made two attempts at writing a book but didnt finish either of them. This book means more to me than my previous attempts as it isnt about my personal life, but my life experience with food, the effect it has on my body and how eating the right foods in combination has helped to keep me fit and healthy.

There is an old, familiar saying We are what we eat! and I am a firm believer that what we put into our bodies creates the building blocks of our existence. I also believe that what we think about what we eat is just as important. Considering where food is grown, how it is transported and stored, and finally, how it is prepared, means that each meal can be gratefully received and enjoyed as the precious gift that it is. Every plant and animal once had life, and each time I eat, I try to acknowledge this and honour that life with a quiet grace.

There are thousands of cookbooks on the market but what makes this one so special is not just my own passion for the role food has in maintaining good health, but the support I have had in compiling the recipes. I have been fortunate to be able to include recipes written by some of my favourite people, whose taste buds I respect. The contributors in this book have not only devoted their time, but also their knowledge of food and experience in the kitchen to ensure that this collection of recipes not only reflects the way I like to eat, but may help set you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.

Naturally, my first port of call was to all the talented chefs, both past and present, at Gaia Retreat and Spa in Byron Bay, Australia (www.gaiaretreat.com.au) which in my opinion is the best healing retreat in the world, and my favourite place to eat. As co-owner, I was proud to develop an organic garden at the retreat so that the food we serve can be picked fresh each day just a part of what makes mealtimes at Gaia so special.

Karen Inge, a well-respected nutritionist from Melbourne, Australia, was also asked to contribute to LivWise. I have been lucky enough to dine at Karens table and her food is always delicious, nutritious and beautiful to behold!

In early 2010 I was in Australia fundraising for The Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre (ONJCWC) and someone gave me a book to read called From Cancer to Wellness: The Forgotten Secrets. I couldnt put it down. It was written by Kristine Matheson, also a cancer thriver, who, as coincidence would have it, lives very close to Gaia Retreat. I was so impressed with her book and her thoughts on raw food that I immediately asked if she would contribute some of her recipes and she kindly has.

The common thread between all these recipes is the food philosophy behind them and a mutual respect for the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet and increasing your intake of plant foods, some raw as well as organic foods where possible. Along with regular exercise, this helps your body find its own natural balance and achieve a healthy weight. The aim of this book therefore is to introduce you to ways of eating that will help to keep you in good health, whether you are going through the cancer journey or just wanting to maintain optimum health.

We have included many tasty simple vegetarian meals within these covers. You can add fish or meat as you wish, but Im always pleasantly surprised at how satisfying vegetarian meals can be on their own. We all agree that you have to enjoy what you eat, so there are also sweet treats included.

I am very proud to say that 100 per cent of the profits I receive from the sale of LivWise will support the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre (www.oliviaappeal.com) to help make available cutting-edge treatments and support cancer research. I am proud to say it will include a dedicated Wellness Centre with complimentary programs, such as massage, yoga and music therapy and so much more, that focus on the needs of the whole person body, mind and spirit. It is a centre I dreamed of as I was going through my cancer journey. Ultimately, my vision is that cancer becomes a footnote in history.

Love and light,

Olivia

the common sense diet

Now that I am eighteen years past my initial diagnosis of breast cancer and feeling better than Ive ever felt before I think of myself as a cancer thriver! People often ask me what my secret is and want to know how I manage to stay slim, active and healthy at my age I feel timeless and even though my passport says so it is hard for me to comprehend that I am 62 years young!

I am no cordon bleu chef, nor am I a doctor or nutritionist, but I have picked up some pieces of information over the years about health and nutrition. Without getting too complicated, I wanted to present in this book some of what I do to stay healthy.

As I sat down to write this book I began to realise how many different eating choices I have succumbed to over the years. I have been a vegetarian at times, followed a strict macrobiotic diet on occasion, restricted my dairy and wheat intake on and off and have now returned to a more balanced diet that includes chicken and fish and occasionally some red meat. I am a very simple cook and like to keep things pretty basic in the kitchen (thanks Mum!). I believe first and foremost that simplicity is the key to healthy eating. I love eating this way as I can taste the freshness of my food. To me it seems obvious when I start adding heavy sauces and toppings to meals I get into trouble!

The simplest way for me to explain my food philosophy is to remember that what goes up must come down. What you eat goes in, and if it doesnt come out it has to go somewhere else like on your hips! I believe it starts with a combination of controlling the portion size of what goes in, ensuring the food is of the best quality you can find (organic is preferable), exercising regularly, drinking lots of water, and eating enough fibre to keep your internal wheels turning so you can expel the waste, and any toxins, efficiently.

Of course, following a diet can be hard to do over long periods of time. I am lucky I have a quick metabolism and I listen to my body. If I eat a large amount of food one day, the next day my body will tell me to ease up. I cut back on my food intake and do a work-out. That way, I never let my body accrue extra kilograms.

From what I have learned over the years the one thing that everybody seems to agree upon is that combining a balanced diet with regular exercise and clean water (and, I believe, a positive attitude) is the best-known way to stay healthy. A balanced diet should consist mostly of plants, vegetables and fruit, some wholegrains, nuts and seeds. It should include some protein-rich foods such as fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes (beans and lentils) and a small amount of healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds and seed oils, olive oil and oily fish.

This is basically the eating regime I follow. Its not really a secret at all. I call it the common sense diet!

listen to your instincts

In all areas of my life I have learned to trust my instincts after all, they once saved my life. After finding a lump in my breast (it wasnt the first, but all the others had been benign) I went to the doctor to have it checked. I was sent for a mammogram, which was negative. I then had a needle biopsy, which also turned out to be negative. I still wasnt feeling right in myself or with the lump, which was a little tender, so my doctor and I decided I should undergo some exploratory surgery. Although I had heard that breast cancer wasnt necessarily tender to the touch, this was my experience, and Im glad I listened to my instincts and persevered.