Afternoon Naps, and an Interview With Me (for a change)
Happy Friday, guys.
I could not possibly be more glad that the weekend is here. This has been a tiring week from start to finish—too many commitments, too much to-do. I will admit without reservation that yesterday afternoon marked a new low in the annals of work week exhaustion: I was napping on the floor of my office with a legal pad under my head at 4:15 p.m., until my timid intern roused me (thank you, Gloria).
Needless to say, I did not feel particularly proud of my midday repose. Aren’t raw foodists supposed to be, you know, brimming with energy and vibrancy all the time? When I emailed my buddy Charles to say that I was feeling like the least appropriate raw role model ever, he responded with typical wit and kindness: “You’re still a role model. I admire all the passion you’re bringing to the raw scene.”
Thanks, C, for reminding me that we all have highs and lows. No matter how well we treat our bodies—and I think I treat mine pretty well—there’s simply no way to avoid an energy slump when you burn the candle at both ends. And that’s what I’ve been doing. This is a reminder for me to slow down a bit, but it’s also a reminder that, if I’m going to be busy, I might as well prepare myself to be forgiving, too. As I always like to remind my clients, no one is perfect! We all need a spontaneous nap now and then.
While we’re on the topic of being busy, I’d like to share with you all a recent interview I did for the Beam Green newsletter. As you may know, Beam Green is an organization that I’m proudly affiliated with as health counselor. Or was, until this week. Mary, Beam Green’s amazing founder, has taken an exciting new job opportunity, and so, for the foreseeable future, Beam Green is no more. I’m sad about this, of course, but thrilled for Mary. I know she’ll go on to do great things
For the final Beam Green newsletter, I did a quick Q&A about my story, my practice, and my lifestyle. Most of the questions are health-related, but you’ll see that the final note of the interview is a little meditation on being busy, and what it means to strive for some work/life (or work/work) balance. I hope the interview gives you some insight into who I am and what I do, but what I really hope is that you take away a sense of professional possibility. For a long time, I feared the juggling act of two jobs: it’s still a challenge, to be sure, but in the end, my work gives me tremendous energy (the occasional office nap aside). When you love what you do, time becomes elastic (as a good friend once reminded me).
Enjoy the interview, and have a great weekend!
9 Questions for Gena Hamshaw
1. You recently signed on as BeamGreen’s Raw Food and Detox Coach. How will you be coaching BeamGreen members?
I like to think I’m here to offer as much or as little guidance as Beam Green members need. For those members who have queries about health and wellness, I’m here to provide well-researched and honest information. For those members who need a little encouragement with healthy lifestyle choices—whether that’s eating more greens or quitting smoking—I’m here to offer support. And for those members who are seeking more detailed nutritional assistance, I’ll be offering a discount on my coaching rates for Beam Green members.
2. How did you get involved in BeamGreen and meet its Founding Director, Mary Boehmer?
I met Mary through our mutual friend, Cassie. As soon as I met her, I was struck by her grace, poise, and passion for the environment and for health. I couldn’t believe all that she’d accomplished at her tender age, and I was excited to collaborate with her in helping to spread word about healthy and green lifestyle choices. Fortunately for me, she’s been very receptive and a terrific collaborator!
3. In 10 sentences or less, can you explain how you got to the dietary level you are at now?
That’s easy! I’m high-raw, and all vegan. This means that I’m a strict vegan dietetically—I sometimes wear vintage leather—and I eat mostly raw foods. I’d say that I eat nearly 100% raw on most days, but I never exclude cooked options from my diet: I enjoy warm soups, cooked grains and legumes, and cooked root vegetables whenever I crave them. I’ve been a vegetarian since childhood, a vegan for the past few years, and high raw for the last year and a half.
4. You come from a Greek family, where food is central to its culture, traditions and way of life. How did your food choices affect the relationship with your family?
It wasn’t easy at first; in Greek families, food means love, tradition, hospitality, and so much more. I began eating differently from my family when I was very young, and it was always highly contentious. My grandmother, especially, had a difficult time understanding my decision to stop eating meat. This meant that my mother was caught in between us—she respected my autonomy, but I don’t think it was easy for her to see my diverging from family tradition.
It’s gotten much easier over time, if only because I’ve gotten older and more confident. Much of the trouble with eating differently from one’s family is simply a matter of determination and firmness: if you put your foot down and make clear that your lifestyle matters to you, there will be no room for argument. Obviously, supportive and loving relatives help, too. My father isn’t entirely supportive of my lifestyle, which is too bad, but my mother is entirely open-minded—she’s even incorporating some of my dietary practices into her own life! If respect and love are present, one’s choices should never be too fractious.
5. What motivated you to start coaching people on nutrition and diets?
A lifelong interest in a healthy diet and a desire to help people find the root of their health complains, which I believe is almost always dietetic. Growing up, I didn’t feel that I had many examples of the kind of healthy, plant-based diet. When I tried to educate myself, I ran into some trouble with restrictive eating patterns—mostly because I was so young. My hope is that young people today and tomorrow will have an increased number of role models in their lives when it comes to plant-based nutrition and healthy, balanced approaches to food, and that parents will be equipped with information to provide kids who are interested in vegetarianism and veganism, even if they don’t ultimately eat those diets themselves.
I’ve never considered myself a naturally altruistic person, but my coaching work has shown me a new and unexpected side of myself: I love to help people. Each time a client overcomes an unhealthy eating pattern or makes a personal breakthrough, I am so glad; each time a client with a health condition feels better, I am thrilled.
6. What is the most frequently asked question you receive from clients and how do you answer it?
The question I get most is this one: “What do you eat?” It also happens to be the question I refuse to answer. First of all, I consider it part of my job to help clients learn to think independently and self-sufficiently; if they constantly look to me for guidance, they’ll never feel confident with their own choices.
Moreover, I believe firmly that we’re all different. No two bodies will respond differently to the same foods and protocols; my most crucial work as a coach is in helping clients to find an individualized plan that works specifically for them. Looking at what other people eat only induces guilt, pressure, or feelings of superiority, and it’s never healthy; working on a specialized dietary program with one’s own needs in mind is the only way to achieve a lasting and peaceful relationship with food.
7. What’s your favorite meal look like?
It would involve my three favorite foods: avocados, kale, and squash. I would make a big batch of guacamole, which I make both tart (with lime) and sweet (with agave), a huge green salad with raw kale, and some baked winter squash or raw summer squash, all united with a simple lemon and flax oil dressing. Yum!
8. What is something people don’t know about you that you don’t mind sharing?
I used to be a smoker. Even as a vegan and frequent exerciser, I smoked. I smoked a pack a day for eight years. It’s not something I’m super proud of, but it’s a part of my past that I embrace and forgive myself for. As much as it can be tough to admit to other raw foodies, it’s also comforting for my clients to hear that I’m human, just like them! None of us are immune to the temptation of addiction, bad habits, etc. It’s how we confront these things that demonstrates our mettle.
9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Right now, I have two lives: I’m a full time book editor at a publishing house in the city, and a health counselor. I love both jobs dearly and don’t wish to give either of them up. I’m young, and this is the time in my life for me to devote all of my energy and passion and wisdom to my career—or careers, as it were!
Whether or not this will still be possible in ten years is up in the air. I might experience so much progress in my coaching practice that my job as an editor becomes untenable; the publishing economy might improve and I may need to devote more time to my editorial work, but in that case I remain firm in my determination to continue with at least a few clients and to do meaningful work in the health community in whatever fashion possible. I may have a family at that point, too, which will mean only more commitments!
But I believe that time is elastic: when you love what you do, you can make anything fit. That’s the principle I live by now, and hope to live by always.
P.S. For another perspective on being busy, check out Melissa’s latest post!
36 Responses to “Afternoon Naps, and an Interview With Me (for a change)”
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Testimonials
–Lyn D., MarylandBefore I started working with Gena, I wasn’t sure whether it would be worth it, since I knew what I “should” be doing. Her counseling, however, turned out to be a key factor in my success.
Not only does she have great advice when I am struggling, but her realistic approach helped me make major changes despite having no time and limited funds. Her recipes and ideas are for real people with lives beyond their diets, and they are great. Gena is down to earth and non-judgmental. She strikes a great balance between encouraging me to go a little father but to keep things in perspective and have fun with the process.
Read more >>
FAQ
So where do you get your protein?Ah, the million dollar question. I know that my fellow raw foodists are uttering a collective sigh of frustration with me. But it’s inevitable, so here goes:
I get my protein from a wide array of vegetables, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. The notion that we need to supplement our diet with large amounts of protein, especially in the form of animal products, is mistaken: our bodies are capable of assembling amino acids from all of the foods we eat and building the “complete proteins” that we’ve all been told we need to get in a single sitting.
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Recommendations
Juicer (average $50.00 - $500.00)If you’re like me, and juicing is a crucial part of your lifestyle, then the cost of a juicer will absolutely be worth it! It will buy itself back again and again and again. The juicer I recommend is the Breville Two-Speed Juice Fountain Plus. It’s the only juicer I’ve ever owned, and it has never let me down. I recommend you invest in a juicer that has at least this level of performance in order to juice leafy greens.
Some of you have asked me whether it’s wiser to buy a juicer or a Vitamix.
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Aww, so nice to learn more about you, Miss Gena!!
P.S. I’m sending you an email a.s.a.p.
Lots of love,
Katie
*sorry for the typo-ed second smiley!
Love the Q&A. You are a busy lady, and still manage to blog! Sorry about Beam Green.
Thank goodness you made it through the week – I knew you would, since you persevere through the busyness with flying colors, always!!
Great interview!! I especially love the notion of time as being “elastic.”
Such a shame about Beam Green…I’m still sad.
You paint a funny picture, you passed out in the office! But I’m sure that was a tipping point. It happens to everyone at some time or another. I’ve never been much of a napper myself, so when the urge strikes me, I know something’s seriously whack and I better get some rest.
I think you’re wise to bring this up because someone new to the raw diet might freak out if suddenly stricken with the urge to nap. But sleep is part of a natural healing/recovery (and detox) process too, no?
Hope you’re feeling better today, but if not, well…sweet dreams! xoxo
D-Love,
Oh, it certainly is! But fatigue so intense it spurs spontaneous floor sleeping? Not so good. I’m much brighter today!
xoxo
It’s so good to hear more about you Gena! I look up to you and you’ve become a very positive role model in my life. Love ya girl! <3
Sweetie, you have no idea how much this means to me!!
You are so intelligent and confident! As a dietitian-to-be, I found your remark about clients keeping their personal needs in mind really valuable…comparing our diets to others’ diets could have potential bad effects, especially if a client were comparing themselves to their diet counselor! Thanks for offering up a new perspective – I feel like it will help me though I also feel like being a healthy example of eating to clients is another way of being a positive role model. With your interview in mind, I do now realize that it is possible for someone to feel guilty or beat themselves up if they make a bad choice or fall off the healthy wagon… Keep your wisdom coming! Your blog is a great way to tie together your love for health and your fab writing skills.
I always love and cherish your feedback, RRV! I think we have similar feelings about plant based lifestyles, and we both fall somewhere in between the allopathic and holistic models
I am sorry to hear that Beam Green is no more!
))
Your first para made me laugh. Your poor intern! Maybe you gave her a quiet giggle too
Have a great weekend,
e x
A beautiful and eloquent interview, Gena!!
Ah, the Greek grandmother. Mine can’t really wrap her head around veganism either, though she certainly tries to accomodate me with her delicious split pea soup, and this potato/artichoke/green bean/pea dish that’s really good, too. Though, I think those are the only two vegan things she knows how to make. I have to admit, sometimes I miss her pastitsio.
I loved that interview, and I so so glad you shared it. I always say it, but you are a goddess. thanks for the shout out, I am loving hearing feedback and tips on surviving and thriving on a hectic schedule. I wish you a restful and relaxing weekend. do something special for yourself, since you are always doing so much for others!
GREAT interview, Gena! That last question really got me… kind of my ideal life, really
awesome interview!! and its great to listen to your body when its calling to rest…sometimes a nap is just what we need
have a great weekend Gena!
I loved reading this interview in the newsletter on my subway ride home from the meeting! Hope you get some rest this weekend
I had a great time at the meeting and hope we can all still meet up and do something similar!
That’s too bad about Beem Green. It sounds like such a great organization.
Love the Q&A though!
Excellent interview, hope you get the rest you deserve. Wonderful to hear someone say every body is different in their own needs and desires especially in foods and spiritualities. I can and will learn a lot from you keeping eye on blogs and posts.Hope to chat on twitter.Thanks for info,Have A restful Day.
Oh boy, nothing like Yaya’s wrath eh
Luckily my husband’s Yaya is pretty cool about it (she wants her family to eat less meat) but the rest of the fam is still pretty.. well, personally offended by my dietary choices. Gena, if you ever come to Chicago, you may have to make a stop at their house to convince them of my non-craziness – saying it in Greek may help 
Hope you get some rest this weekend!
Hahaha. I don’t speak Greek, Val! But when I come visit Chicago, I’d be happy to make some raw dolmas or something with you
I enjoyed reading your Q&A. I’m not a vegan/vegetarian or a raw foodie but I am intrigued by your choice! It’s fascinating, yet seems completely natural. If we were still primitive hunter-gatherers, I’d probably be all gatherer!
Jenn
So sad about Beam Green, but good for Mary, she seems to have a great talent and I am sure whatever she is doing, she will rock it!
I had the same problem when I was younger, growing up in an Italian family. I never liked cheese (stopped eating it when I was told I had high blood pressure at 4). So I never grew fond of it. And I became a vegetarian at 15. My family use to tell me my veggie burgers were gross and I was too thin not to eat meat. Oh well! They are almost use to the whole vegan thing!
It’s sad to hear about Green Beam – I read it on the whole plate first and knew how much it meant to you, but good luck to Mary in her future endeavors!
Great interview
You’re so awesome, Gena!
Gena, how did you get into Publishing? It’s a career I’m really interested in, and would love to hear your thoughts on it…
As always, lovely, illuminating post! I learn so much from you every time you put words on … ‘the screen’ ha ha. Thanks!
Thanks Jennie!
The best advice I can give is for you to search mediabistro, monster, and all of the HR sites of the various houses, AND send out letters to the executive editors or editors in chief at each house, requesting an informal interview (if you can’t come to NYC, do it on the phone).
But the main thing to remember here is that “publishing” is a very varied industry. Before you look for a job, you have to have a very clear vision of the kinds of books you want to edit and why; it will not be rewarding for you if you just apply to jobs blind, without having a sense of all the different publishing houses and what they do.
Good luck!
Gena
I really dug the Q & A with Gena session. I enjoy that you dont answer the question, So what do you eat? It may frustrate others, because they want to know so badly, but I love that by not answering it you force the asker to look inward and do what their body is asking them, not what Gena does for hers. It also goes back to the no two people are alike mentality. I think it’s great that you reinforced that. It’s kinda like yoga, I can’t do what someone else can and they can’t do what the next person can and no one should be comparing anyway, and definitely not judging. TGIF!
haha – legal pad pillow. being raw does not mean you are perfect. everyone gets tired silly girl.
loved your interview, especially the part about eating differently than your family. my family is italian and while they try to be healthier, there are certain things they will not do because it is not traditional.
Thanks, Heaths! I know everyone gets tired. I think I just got *too* tired. But it’s life, right?
I know! It’s very hard for Greeks to understand that for me, food is more a source of nutrition than a source of pleasure/culture, whereas for them its sort of vice versa. Obviously, it’s both things for all of us, but that ratio varies.
i went straight to your interview when i opened the newsletter! i especially loved how you won’t tell clients what you eat. i think it’s been so ingrained in all of us to view any lifestyle change as a diet plan with rules to follow, and i love your approach of helping your clients discover what works best for them, with no comparisons. i wish it hadn’t taken me so long to figure that out for myself!
ps: i think you need an assistant to help manage the stress level! i’d apply for that position
hope you get some rest this weekend!
DUDE. Please be my assistant?!
Great post, again! I particulary connected with what you said about your clients, that´s exactly how i feel when it comes to my singing students!
I just had a late lunch with my family and friend to celebrate my birthday. None of them are into raw. I made your lovely salad with buttermilk chive dressing and they loved it!!
Thanks again for your great work with this blog and get some rest!!!
Love from Sweden.
Did you really, Anna?! I am so glad the dish was a success! Much love back.
This is a great interview Gena…I love learning more about you! I’m always curious to know what you and others eat throughout the day, but it makes complete sense that you’d want your clients and everyone else to figure out what they like and what works for them. As you know I am still trying to find that balance. Take care of yourself! It sounds like you deserve some well-needed rest.
thats too bad about beam green – i never even got to go!
anyways, as for this quote: “I’ve never considered myself a naturally altruistic person”
even though we only just met, i beg to differ! you are nothing but pure positivity and encouragement, and you go out of your way to answer everyones questions with such detailed, specific, insightful, and honest responses…and did i mention inspirational? if thats not altruistic, i dont know what is.