Vancouver’s Juice Lady proves that we are what we eat

Since I developed an interest in food pairing, I’ve been on the look out for locals who talk about it. So when I heard Juice Caboose Truck mama mention green smoothies and food pairing at a natural foods demo, I invited her for herbal tea.

We never got to food pairing because I was so captivated by Suzanne Serwatuk Seeger’s candid tale about the health crises that compelled her to transition from a life of suffering, processed food and alcohol to an empowered version of health, balance and moderation.

Suzanne proves that we are what we eat and we can claim control over our health. Follow the highlights of her story:

By the time I was eight years old…

I was lactose intolerant, had bad eczema on my legs and arms, seasonal allergies, PMS, depression and chronic diarrhea.

Back then nobody knew about enough about nutrition or food intolerances to make the link between my health symptoms and a diet loaded with processed foods.

I continued to struggle with severe health issues throughout high school and university, while living off of processed foods and beer.

I hated my body all those years. I felt that it worked against me. I felt really alone.

When my weight climbed to over 160 lbs in my mid-twenties and I developed a so called “allergic reaction to the sun,” I knew I had to take control of my health.

My first step at controlled eating, exercise and weight loss was to try The Zone – a mainstream low carb, high protein diet endorsed by Jennifer Aniston.

Although I lost about 40lbs and had more energy, I explored healthier alternatives like the blood type diet and macrobiotics before committing to raw foods for a while.

Some health issues got better and others didn’t.

Then I engaged with a naturopath to identify and treat a hormone imbalance, hyperthyroidism and gluten intolerance.

We also found out that my previous “allergic reaction” to the sun was a result of too much yeast in my system from excess beer and processed foods.

Gradually, with the right vitamins, supplements and a diet of both raw and cooked foods, my health finally started to come into balance. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to use these experiences to make sure that my five year old son, who is also gluten intolerant is not held back from living a full live.

On this new path, I discovered a passion for making green smoothies and juices with my son, which inspired me to create the Juice Caboose mobile truck with my husband in 2010.

I love my Juice Caboose business. In the summer I travel around the Farmer’s Markets serving these great drinks and sharing what I’ve learned about them.

My future plans are to establish a permanent truck spot and hire new staff so that I can spend more time with my son, get my certificate in holistic nutrition, organize green smoothie challenges, create cleansing packages and more.

I feel awesome about my life today. I don’t always have the time and the means to stay balanced, but I now know what my body needs and how to take care of it.

Arthur Ashe says it all: Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Meet Suzanne on Twitter @TheJuiceCaboose