Lately, I’ve found myself thinking more deeply about the food I eat.

As I chop and juice fresh fruits and vegetables during my daily ritual, I’ve realised that juicing has become something far greater than just getting nutrients in. There’s something grounding, something quietly powerful, about this simple act of preparing and drinking what the earth so generously offers. It reconnects me to nature, to rhythm, to a deeper sense of presence. It’s a moment of mindfulness. A pause. A reminder of how I nourish not just my body, but my relationship with the world around me.

a group of bottles of juice on a table

This week, while making a warm quinoa and bean lunch and listening to the radio, I caught a programme about Descartes. I’d always known his famous phrase “I think, therefore I am” – but I hadn’t realised he carried out some rather cruel experiments on animals in his pursuit of understanding. His belief? That animals didn’t have feelings like we do. A dangerous and dismissive idea, which sadly went on to shape centuries of Western thought. And it still lingers – reflected today in factory farming and the industrial exploitation of our oceans. It’s shocking that we haven’t moved on from such an old philosophy.

But here’s the good news: things are shifting. People are waking up. Ethical eating is no longer a fringe idea – it’s becoming a shared movement. We’re seeing more plant-based choices, more fair-trade options, more thoughtful questions being asked about how and what we consume. There’s a growing sense of curiosity, and with it, hope.

And that’s really what juicing has become for me. One of those quiet revolutions. A small, beautiful act of care. It connects me to the healing power of plants. It’s a way to choose nourishment that doesn’t come at the expense of another life. It’s about kindness – to my body, to the planet, to life itself.

a collage of different foods
6 lovely vegan lunch ideas

Over the past 30 years, I’ve danced between veganism, vegetarianism, and, truthfully, a little bit of everything. These days, I’m mostly vegan again, though I do occasionally eat fish. It’s not always simple. It’s about balance. Listening. Adjusting. Letting values guide me more than labels.

I’m not here to tell anyone what to eat. But I am here to gently ask:

  • Where does our food come from?
  • Was it made with care?
  • Does it align with the life we want to live, and the world we want to help create?

Because healing begins with awareness. And awareness is where real change takes root.

There is always a choice — and sometimes the smallest one changes everything.