The Alternate Root

My name is Paula Bashford and I am from the Ottawa Valley. Nothing brings people together like good food. My fondest memories growing up are those found in my mother’s kitchen. Since childhood, I have been somewhat obsessed with food so naturally, I studied the Culinary Management program in Toronto. Consulting with a naturopathic doctor, I provided meals for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Marlies, designed to improve health and performance. Soon I had grown to include other elite athletes such as Simon Whitfield, Steven Stamkos, and Gary Roberts. As I continued to work directly with more and more athletes, I could see that food had a much greater role to play than just to taste delicious (although that doesn’t hurt!) – it literally supplies us with life and depending on what we eat, we choose to survive or thrive. My passion lies within the local and organic food systems and I believe it is each our own responsibility to develop a healthy and ever-evolving relationship with food which includes understanding where it comes from and how it impacts our own bodies. My own health journey, being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child, kick-started my interest in nutrition at a very young age. Over the years, I have come to believe that long-lasting health is built on a foundation of a strengthened body, mind, and spirit which lead me to the holistic nutrition program in Ottawa. Here, I was introduced to the concept of bio-chemical individuality which means that the nutritional and chemical make-up of each person is unique and that dietary and other needs must vary from person to person – my treatment plan greatly differs from one client to the next. A diagnosis can be a very terrifying time, especially when it involves the word cancer. I was able to work with a client who was ready to make significant changes to his everyday life if it meant he may have a better chance at beating this disease. Together, with his surgeon, we developed a proposed “change of life” plan and now after the surgery, chemotherapy, and tests, the client is back to living life cancer-free. Seeing him smile at my quirky jokes or to hear his hearty laugh is the greatest payment I could receive. George Brown College, Chef Training, 2004 George Brown College, Culinary Management Program, 2005 George Brown College, Small Business Entrepreneurship, 2009 Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Holistic Nutrition, 2017