People often ask me what I did before committing to playing music full-time (which was less than a year ago). Well, at the bottom of this post is a brief history of my last few years so you know why I feel confident to talk about this topic. For now, let’s get on to the fruity flesh of this article.

How to be a healthy Musician (and a healthy person)

I am going to focus on the practicality of getting good food into yourself. I know, as a musician who has been touring and playing shows so much in the last year, that it is often very hard to eat the right food. So I’m going to make it very simple for you:

DRINK A SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE!

Really, it’s that simple (well, it’s an easy way to begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle)

I know this article is aimed specifically at other musicians but of course anyone can benefit from smoothies!

Here’s Peter from my favourite raw company Soaring Free Superfoods, spreading his epic wisdom on what superfoods are:

What you need to be a mobile smoothie master:

• a hand blender 
  • braun 450w hand blender is my favourite, it comes with a container too
  • hand blenders are easy to transport and you can use them anywhere there is a power source.
• fruits of choice for blending.
  • no excuses, bananas can be found almost everywhere!
  • good base fruits are mango, bananas, paw-paws (nice and creamy)
  • anything goes, if you like the taste add it in (keep it simple)
• superfoods
  • these are foods which have an extremely high concentration of life-giving nutrients, minerals and antioxidants.
  • A few are Goji Berries (life extender), Maca (stamina enhancer), Cacao (heart health and ant-depressant…and yes, it’s raw chocolate), and plenty more you can find on the superfoods website.
• Dates or honey
  • dates are a great natural sweetener!
  • honey is also awesome, lots of goodness there
• water
  • fresh spring water ideal, but anything which is as close to natural as you can find…
  • we have a beautiful spring in Cape Town. In Newlands, drive to the end of Springs Way (off Kildare) and there it is. Fresh, pure, tested and FREE!
  • tap water is NOT ok (the chlorine kills all the good bacteria in your tummy)
• fun additions
  • cinnamon
  • fresh vanilla
  • kalahari salt/himalayan salt/natural sea salt (plenty of good minerals in whole salt)
  • tahini (even a teaspoon of tahini can make your smoothie so amazingly creamy)

Making Your Smoothie

1. add 1 or 2 bananas (or equivalent fruit of choice, or a mixture of fruits)
2. add recommended amount of superfoods (it’ll say on the packet)
3. add dates or honey to taste (experiment)
4. add any delicious additions of your choice
5. add water to cover
6. blend until it’s smooth as you want
7. drink and enjoy the life it brings you

• experiment, be inventive, break the rules. Whatever works for you, it’s got to taste so delicious that you want it EVERY DAY:).
• avoid dairy and soya milk in your smoothies (trust me, they will be creamy enough)
• if you are desperate for a white liquid in your smoothie, I can teach you how to make almond mylk, or nut milk in general, it’s EASY:)

the go-to-guys for everything healthy in this country

Honourable mentions: Earthshine

There are some other incredible health-food masters around in our fine city of Cape Town who I would like to mention. They are Nat and Noel of Earthshine. They make the most incredibly delicious raw pizzas I have EVER tasted! They are passionate about simple, healthy foods and their raw-food prep classes are well worth visiting. When I put on gigs at my house (Pincushion Cottage) I always try to have them catering for the events. Check them out and be amazed…mmmm, making me so hungry thinking about it, time for lunch!

A Brief History of Nate the Health Nut

From about the end of 2007 I worked in the raw-food, healthfood industry. My Mum introduced me to Peter and Beryn, who own Soaring Free Superfoods. They are the people who introduced the raw-food movement to South Africa in a huge way! They run courses, import superfoods and since I’ve known them have written a book and released an incredible DVD.

When I met them I was in quite an unhappy and unhealthy space in my life. I began buying their goji berries and raw cacao and making myself smoothies every morning. Within a month I felt such a huge change in my morning energy -vs my afternoon energy after eating my usual sandwich with cheese and mayo on (basically put me to sleep)- that I went back to them and said “I don’t know what you’re doing, but I want to be a part of it.”

For the next two years I assisted them at their courses, worked the superfood stall at the Old Biscuit Mill Neighbourhood Goods Market and made myeslf useful in whichever ways they needed me. All the time I was learning more about superfoods, juicing, smoothies and many other exciting things (healthy raw ice-cream being a highlight). In august of 2009 I moved to London and spent the next year working in various raw-food/vegan cafe’s and kitchens. I even gave a talk on the benefits of juicing to a cancer charity.

I’m telling you all this so you know I know what I’m talking about…although I haven’t studied in a recognised government establishment, I have done my own learning and research (one of the things I’ve learned is that often the people who have studied the most through the usual doctor channels are the ones who know the least about real healing, which is sad because many of them really want to help people).

Yours in smoothie love and music
Nate