Karen Knowler Interview by Alex Malinksy

1. When and where were you born and what is your educational and professional background?
I was born in Chelmsford, England, on 11 October 1972. I stayed on at school until I was 18, taking “A” Levels in English Literature, Art, History and an “AS” in History of Art. I was what’s probably best referred to as “a cool swot” (!) I loved school, and got great grades in every area including sports, but didn’t make it my life. I would have gone to Uni to do English Literature, but love got in the way ; )
After school I went on to work in publishing in London in the sales and marketing department for two different well-known children’s book publishers. It was a wonderful experience, but I realized fairly early on that I wanted to write my own books rather than promote other people’s! I also worked weekends in “Planet Organic” on the fresh produce section for a while - at that time London’s one and only organic supermarket. This was because even back then (c. 1995) I felt my future was raw-food related and wanted to gain experience in the field, but didn’t have a clue at that point where my journey would take me. After going through an incredibly spiritually-oriented phase and deciding to leave London in 1997/8 I went on to work in a meditation centre as a PA to the directors. Life was magical, but as fate would have it due to the lease on my flat ending suddenly, I was there for just 7 months, so I had to find a new job quickly. I went on to have a short spell in PR for a firm based in Cambridge. I found the majority of the PR environment to be so unethical I quit after 2 weeks! It was then that I took the leap of faith to grow The Fresh Network, which I had taken over the running of in June 1998, but at that point, was very small and relatively inactive.
At the point where I left my job in PR, in early 2000, both The Fresh Network and I were in many ways just tiny green shoots with a big dream, a little faith – and next to no money! But we did have vision.

2. What made you go raw? Are you %100 raw?
I went raw because, after a lot of reading and experimenting, it just felt completely right. Every time I ate cooked food I felt worse – it was as simple as that. Plus going raw bestowed on me a huge array of benefits that extended way beyond my body – the inner and outer journey was awesome.
My initial motivations had been predominantly body related as I had struggled with weight all of my young adult life and had awful painful cellulite – yuck! I also spent some of my teens working in my parent’s butcher’s shop which really opened my eyes to what “meat” is all about. As soon as I left home at 19, I went veggie, so going raw was a progressive thing for me. When I was diagnosed with “sever cervical cell abnormalities” in my early 20’s I was horrified and desperate to avoid surgery. So I went 100% raw and adopted a living foods approach, including taking wheatgrass juice internally and externally. When I was retested a few months later I had completely reversed the condition and have been clear ever since. That for me was proof enough.
I am 100% raw vegan right now, yes.

3. What is your daily diet like?
Like most people who have been playing with raw food for a while, my diet is really quite simple most of the time. I love eating raw recipes as well though, and enjoy experimenting myself (when I have the time!) – for me variety is the spice of life. I have always had great digestion, so bad food combining affects me, but nowhere near as much as it seems to other people. Overall I see to have a very strong constitution. I don’t always feel hungry in the morning, in fact mostly I don’t, so I don’t eat until I do. On the mornings that I go to the gym I usually come back with an appetite, and I usually fancy some fresh fruit, so I will probably eat a mango, or grapes, or raspberries – anything juicy, sweet and ripe basically. I work from home, so I can grab what I want when I want, and I really am intuition led in my eating, so I only eat when hungry, and I eat what my body is asking for. So I don’t work to meal plans of any kind, and I do snack occasionally. Mostly I work with my own favourite “staples” such as an almond milk smoothie either straight as a milk or with banana and/or some kind of flavouring, such as cacao, mesquite, agave, or fresh fruit. I just make them up as I go along. I love avocadoes, tomatoes, olives, watercress and at the moment, onion, so I will eat these most days either in a wrap or within a juicy kale salad that I make “Chad Sarno style”, using a little pure olive oil and crystal salt to make it more succulent and massaging the avocado in to the leaves. Yum! I make a fresh vegetable juice every night before dinner as this works well with my routine, and my son (now approaching 2 1/2 years old) helps me make it in a Champion each night, which he loves! We all drink our juice together – it’s fantastic – and I’m so happy that Luke was introduced to this way of life since pre-conception – it’s the way of the future, it’s the way it should be.

4. What do you think is the best way to get into raw foods?
Personally I think “slow and steady wins the race” for most people, although I also know that when people continue eating cooked foods, even in tiny amounts, it’s hard to give them up. But when someone is completely new to raw food, the body, mind and spirit usually still have to go through huge shifts to accommodate this new way of living, so going raw overnight is way too much for most people. I certainly could never have done it like that. It took me 5 years to go raw and stay raw for a significant period of time. I had a lot of false starts! Most people need support inside and out, in fact I think everyone does. That’s why I do what I do, and that’s why it’s easier to go raw nowadays than it ever was before – more people have trodden the path now and know what they’re talking about and from what I can see people who know nothing about it are much more open to it now than ever before.5. What are some of the main problems people encounter when going raw?
Perhaps surprisingly, many people say that it’s actually the emotional side of eating that is the biggest obstacle for them. Usually people can “get” the food prep side of things quite quickly, but what they don’t get is why they’re feeling new feelings and thinking new thoughts. This can be quite alarming unless people know this is part of the process – they can wonder what on earth is going on and even have a mini identity crisis! This is the side of things I’m personally most passionate about which is why I now have a raw coaching practice and why my new book has a “living journal” running through it. It’s vital that people have support when everyone around them thinks they’re crazy – sometimes even themselves.
The other main problems seem to be weight loss issues for men who are naturally tall and slim, getting bored with the food (not a problem when you know what you’re doing!) and feeling different to partners, friends and family. But unfortunately there are a huge number of potential obstacles in the current culture we live in, as cooked food eating is so entrenched into beliefs and the very fabric of society itself. So some of the issues are internal, but many others besides are external. I see it as my job to help people navigate their way through these obstacles in a healthy and happy balanced way, while with my other hand I’m working on massaging mainstream (UK) into seeing that this couldn’t be further from “another wacky diet”. One day these two will happily intertwine. Hopefully in my lifetime!

6. How did you begin the Fresh Network? How did you come up with the name?
It was Susie Miller who actually founded The Fresh Network. She began it in January 1992 and I discovered it a year later through an advert in “The Vegetarian” magazine and became a member. The name originally was an acronym and appeared in print as “The F.R.E.SH. Network”, standing for “Fruitarian Raw Energy Support and Help”, but I dropped that a year or so into taking over the Network as I thought it was a bit confusing and even misleading, as opinions had changed massively around fruitarians and whether it was a viable option. (It’s not!). Over the years we’ve thought about changing the name to include the word raw, but we think the word “Fresh” has a much better feel to it, and also the Network is ultimately about much more than raw food, even if that’s the badge that we wear. “Fresh” is a great word, it’s just a shame that people use it in anything-but fresh ways, just as the word “natural” has been corrupted also.

7. What is your new book, "Pure & Simple: Raw Food Prep & Menu Planning" about? When will it be available for sale?
It’s actually been renamed “Raw Food For Beginners” as it has ended up being about a whole lot more than raw food prep and menu planning, although that still constitutes a large part of the book. I was looking to write a book that anyone off the street could pick up and instantly know where to begin with raw food – it amazes me that such a book doesn’t exist yet – but it will soon! I’ve been working on it for over 3-4 years, so it’s been a long time in coming, but I think will be well worth the wait, and will open the door to many thousands, if not millions of people, who otherwise might not have come across it or made a start. The concept of raw eating can seem quite intimidating at first if you’ve never come across anything like it before, so I am making it super-easy and fun for new people. That said, the book is also perfect for people who have started playing with raw food but want to check they are getting it right, or to pick up lots of handy hints and tips to save them learning the hard way. The journal aspect I mentioned earlier runs all the way through the book, so people can chart their progress and really get deep down into the subject and their journey if they so wish – it’s great fun and very eye-opening. My own raw food journey began in spring 1993, so there’s 12 years of experience packed into that book!
It will be available to buy from the end of May 2005 and we’ll be having a book launch and party for it in Cambridge, England on 28 May, as well as a separate media launch, as we’re going all the way with this here in the UK - raw foods are suddenly becoming very “now”.
8. What is your favorite recipe in the book? Can you share it with us?
Good question! About 95% of the recipes in the book can be made in less than 15 minutes, so they’re all quick and easy, which is great. Basically people won’t stick to raw unless they can fit it into their life, so that’s why they’re there. I’m certainly a visionary, but I’m also a realist! So all the recipes are suitable for people that just want to eat and get on with their day.

This recipe is one of my own personal favorites:

Winter cabbage wraps with garlic-ginger dip
You’ll need:
White cabbage leaves
Avocado
Tomatoes
Black pitted olives
Coriander (Cilantro)
Onion

Open the cabbage leaf and make a thick column of avocado slices down the middle, leaving a fair amount of space either side. Pile on slices of fresh tomato, pieces of black pitted olives and top with a generous amount of fresh coriander. Onion is optional.

To make the dip you’ll need:
Olive oil
Water
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Coriander (Cilantro)
Garlic
Fresh ginger
Tamari or Nama Shoyu to taste

Pour a small amount (about 3 tablespoons) of olive oil into a small bowl. Add the juice of half a lemon, and, if you have one, the juice of a lime. Add about 20 stalks of finely chopped fresh coriander, a small piece of ginger finely chopped, and half a bulb of garlic, finely chopped. Add water to make the mixture less oily, but obviously do not water it down too much, or the taste will be spoiled. Use this dip to give an oriental twist to the cabbage wraps.

9. Have you have had any problems with your teeth on the raw food diet?
I’ve been fortunate compared to many people I know of, and I wish the advice that is around today was available back then. I personally have not needed any fillings since starting my raw journey, but I have had some tiny patches of enamel erosion around my gums – probably from eating too much dried fruit in days gone by. I have had a little cosmetic work done to prevent further erosion, but overall I’ve been OK. It’s imperative that people keep their food as green as possible and their dried fruit intake as low as possible to prevent tooth damage on a raw diet – I’ve seen some terrible teeth in my time, including young children with teeth that had rotted and/or fallen out and one guy who had gone fruitarian and had lost the lot. It frightened the life out of me. It’s such a shame to see people let things get that far, but the people who eat high green diets appear to avoid all these issues.

10. Why is your magazine, "Get Fresh!" such a huge hit? How do you keep it so "fresh"?
Get Fresh! is such a joy to work on, and each issue, although still completely about raw and living foods, is always so different to the last - or to any other previous issue in fact. We keep it fresh by imagining that every reader has read every issue since day 1 (13 years ago!) and also by imaging that they have never seen a raw food magazine in their entire life. This way we cater for everyone. Of course, we also have some of the most fantastic raw food writers on our list of contributors (too many to mention, but you’ll know all of the names), and because raw foodists are traditionally visionary, forward thinking, pro-active people, there’s always something new to talk about and explore. Great new raw recipes are being discovered all the time and each authority has their own unique projects going on in the background that they report on – it’s hard to get stale when you’re creating with such a “live” bunch of people.
Get Fresh! is actually being relaunched at the end of March 2005, so your question is well timed! Although we have been very happy with the look we have right now, the new one will blow everyone away, and I don’t say that lightly! Readers will be able to download a free taster off our new web site when that goes live at the end of March as well, so everyone can have a look (and print it off) for free. It’s a very exciting time for us and the whole raw food community will benefit from it. This magazine is effectively one of our launch missiles into the world, so it has to look right and therefore the content is not too radical but is always thought-provoking, enlightening and one big step ahead of mainstream. Nothing is going to stop us taking the concept of raw and living food to the public. It’s our mission, and we’re completely dedicated.

11. What are some of your current events and projects?
Well, a complete rebrand of The Fresh Network is a big enough project in itself, and I am working on this as we speak. Everything will be new apart from the staff and the office! As above, all this will become visible at the end of March 2005, just before Easter, which is kind of symbolic. It will be awesome. I just can’t wait to be able to unveil it. The new web site is looking phenomenal. (Sign up to FreshNews via www.fresh-network.com to be told when it goes live).
Aside from that, we have some great events coming up this year. We have been hosting speakers since 1999 and our events programme is always diverse and inspirational. Our next event is the “Raw Food For Beginners” book launch in May that I mentioned earlier – Chad Sarno will be catering for that and we’re expecting 100+ people. In June I’ll be giving a “Raw Food For Beginners” class for the first time, then in July Gabriel Cousens will be presenting twice in London. After July we’ll be full on preparing for our second Raw Food Festival (The Fresh Festival) which we launched last July. It was a MASSIVE success and we have a phenomenal programme lined up. This year it will be the last long weekend of October, which means that any Americans interested in coming over will be able to get a really cheap flight and have an incredible time. As far as raw food events go, this one has everything. I couldn’t put into words how incredible last year’s was.
On a personal level (I am co-director of The Fresh Network but also have my own raw food business separate to the Network), I am currently finishing my book and working on my own web site (www.karenknowler.com) which is a completely new project and also very exciting. This will go live in May. My raw food coaching practice is now very busy and I enjoy it immensely, so I am devoting a fair amount of time to that as well and I speak with the media on an almost daily basis. As soon as “Raw Food For Beginners” is finished I am off and running on my next book, “Living With Raw Passion”.
Basically life is super busy, but has never been more exciting. I couldn’t do what I do if I wasn’t running on raw energy – and yes, I do still manage to have a life – just not many holidays!

12. Where do you see the raw food movement heading?
I think the raw food movement is very different in different countries and the speed at which it is moving forward is also differing greatly. The main “problem” America has is its size and huge geographic differences. For instance it’s obvious that going raw in CA is a very different trip to going raw in the Mid-West – even I know that! So as far as America goes, you have the most resources, the most authorities, the most teachers, but one of the biggest land masses and populations, also your media (from what I can gather) is not unified as much as ours, so a “campaign” over there might not have such a big overall knock-on effect as it does over here. In the States I feel you need a “Fresh Network” type of organisation going on with different offices to help unify from state to state, but that’s a massive project and not without its huge potential challenges. In all countries I see raw restaurants and catering as being the ultimate way through the barriers, and for the science behind it to become unquestionable. Also for there to be more determined people in the raw food movement who are grounded and focused, come what may. This journey is not without its challenges both on a personal and professional level. It’s hard for raw foodists to get stable and grounded on a raw vision when they are new to this and are still in the process of uncovering their true identity. Their thoughts and feelings can change from moment to moment and every new idea becomes the next big thing – it’s exciting but can be exhausting if care is not taken to get grounded and super-focused.

In the UK, things – finally - are really starting to rock. We now have 2/3 restaurants/cafes in London that cater a significant number of raw foods (and have them as their focus), all of which have come about in the past year. The Fresh Network is now 13 years old and firmly established with a strong membership and customer base, serving both the UK, all of Europe, and also beyond. We are also featured in the media on a regular basis and I have been on national TV, radio and featured in national newspapers and magazines many times, especially in the past 2/3 years. It has by no means been an overnight success, but the project does feel ever-young which is great. This year we have - for the first time ever – employed a PR & Marketing expert to help get raw food, The Fresh Network and my own work out into the media on a regular ongoing basis. I really do see great things happening. I’m also being asked to speak at an ever increasing and broader range of events, and to do talks all over the UK, so things are coming through very nicely. I learned long ago that my idea of raw hitting mainstream “overnight” is far from realistic, but it does seem to be gathering momentum very quickly right now.

In Germany and Holland, great things also happening, though I don’t know whether it’s reaching mainstream as much as over here. The Germans have a very mixed “crew” of raw food promoters whereas over here everyone is pretty much on the same page. In Holland it’s fairly new but progressive and things seem to be going really nicely. In Belgium, Groene Dag (Green Day) has been gong steadily for years, but they seem to have a tough market to crack. Interest in Italy and France seems to be very low key, but rising slowly but surely, and Sweden have had lots of fruitarian type organizations forming over the years, but we don’t have much communication with them so I couldn’t comment further. As far as Europe is concerned England and Germany have a much stronger network in place, but the key, from what I have learned, is to get the mainstream looking to us as opposed to us chasing them or trying to convert. We do hold they key to a lot of society’s ills, we just have to publicize the fact a bit more creatively, enticingly and, in my humble opinion, far less radically! Radical certainly doesn’t work over here.

Outside of Europe, and outside of the US, there’s small bursts of activity in Asia, with raw food/cleansing retreats in Thailand and the like, and even a few raw foodists in India, land of milk and curry! Australia has things going on all the time, but as with the States, faces geographic issues and also very different “bandwagons” of thought to be jumped upon.

The more I think about it, the more I am grateful to be doing this work in England – it feels like a much easier task – relatively speaking, of course!

For more information about Karen Knowler and The Fresh Network, visit www.fresh-network.com

Thanks Alex, keep up the great work!