The High Priestess approach to food, digestion, intuition, and the art of nourishing your entire being.
My beautiful friends,
After 31 years of living a plant based lifestyle, there is something I have come to understand on a profoundly personal level…
A HIGH PRIESTESS DOESN’T JUST WATCH WHAT SHE EATS. SHE PAYS ATTENTION TO WHAT SHE ALLOWS INTO HER ENERGY.
I want to invite you into my kitchen today. Not to show you a perfectly curated diet or convince you that every item I purchase belongs on some imaginary pedestal of nutritional perfection, but to share something real.
The foods I actually buy. The things I enjoy. The little indulgences that make me smile. And, perhaps most importantly, the philosophy that has guided my relationship with nourishment for more than three decades.
You see, I’ve never believed that true wellness begins and ends with what we put on our plates. Our thoughts nourish us. Our relationships influence us. Our environments affect us. Even the boundaries we establish, or fail to establish, can shape how we experience our lives.
My body is my sacred vessel. My intuition is my compass. And what I consume goes far beyond my plate.
31 Years Plant Based ~ Nourishment Is a Sacred Practice, Not a Punishment
When I first embraced a plant based lifestyle 31 years ago, I could never have imagined how profoundly that decision would influence the woman I would become. For the first eleven and a half years, I followed an entirely raw food lifestyle. Over time, my relationship with food evolved, but my appreciation for fresh produce, living foods, and intentional choices never left me.
What has changed most significantly is my understanding of balance. I no longer view nourishment exclusively through the lens of ingredients, vitamins, or minerals. I see it as part of a much larger relationship with myself.
Food should nourish the body, certainly. But I also believe the experience of eating should bring pleasure, gratitude, and peace. There is something deeply incongruent about pursuing perfect nutrition while living in a constant state of anxiety over every bite.
I would much rather see someone enjoy a beautiful, colorful meal with genuine appreciation than become consumed by food rules that leave them feeling fearful or inadequate. Perfection is not the goal. Consciousness is.
The Real Foods I Keep in My Kitchen
Let me share some of my current favorites. These aren’t necessarily foods I eat together in one meal. They are simply staples, conveniences, and occasional indulgences that make my lifestyle enjoyable.
Fresh blueberries and blackberries; colorful fruit and greens bowls; Mountain Valley spring water; Juice Plus+ Superfood and probiotic packets; Juice Plus+ Complete French Vanilla shake; Amy’s split pea soup; Mom’s Place cream of celery soup; artichoke hearts; Kite Hill dairy free sour cream; Upton’s Naturals shredded jackfruit; Maxine’s Heavenly chocolate creme sandwiches; and whole leaf aloe vera products.
And yes, my friends… I EAT TREATS TOO! I don’t believe that occasional enjoyment somehow negates decades of nourishing choices. A sustainable lifestyle should have room for both intention and pleasure.
The Beauty of Eating Foods That Still Resemble Nature
One of my favorite things about grocery shopping is finding beautiful produce that requires very little intervention. A bowl of blueberries. Fresh blackberries. Beautiful leafy greens. A ripe avocado. There is an understated elegance in simplicity.
Berries, Greens, and Colorful Plant Foods
Blueberries and blackberries are favorites because I enjoy their flavor, freshness, and versatility. They also provide dietary fiber and naturally occurring plant compounds, including polyphenols. A variety of fruits and vegetables can provide different nutrients and fiber. I encourage people to think about the overall diversity of their meals rather than obsessing over a single superfood.
My Simple Plant Based Bowl Philosophy
I love meals that feel abundant. I often begin with greens, then add colorful vegetables, a satisfying plant protein, healthy fats, and herbs or seasonings. Some days I want something light and refreshing. Other days I want a warm, comforting soup. Sometimes I want a hearty bowl with a little of everything.
A Tip From My Kitchen
Build a balanced bowl with vegetables or fruit, a protein source such as beans, lentils, tofu, or tempeh, whole grains or another satisfying carbohydrate, and fats from avocado, nuts, seeds, or olive oil. Adequate calories, protein, vitamin B12, and other essential nutrients still matter on a plant based diet.
Hydration, Digestive Wellness, and Listening to Your Body
One of my longtime habits is being intentional about hydration. I enjoy Mountain Valley spring water and appreciate daily routines that leave me feeling supported. Water is fundamental to normal digestion, circulation, and temperature regulation, but hydration is not a competition. Needs vary according to activity, climate, diet, and individual health conditions.
Whole Leaf Aloe Vera ~ Understanding the Difference
Aloe vera has a long history of traditional use, but inner leaf gel and whole leaf preparations are not the same thing. Inner leaf products primarily use the clear gel inside the leaf. Whole leaf preparations may contain compounds from outer portions of the plant, including aloe latex and aloin.
Aloin containing products can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and other safety concerns. Some commercial whole leaf products are processed to reduce these compounds, but natural does not automatically mean safe. Look for transparent processing and quality testing. Consult a qualified clinician before taking oral aloe, especially if you are pregnant, take medications, or have digestive or kidney conditions.
Evidence does not establish that drinking aloe reliably improves digestion or removes toxins from the body. An informed choice is always more empowering than an impulsive one.
My Favorite Convenient Foods ~ Because Real Life Happens
Even after 31 years plant based, I don’t always want to prepare an elaborate meal. I enjoy keeping comforting soups and artichoke hearts in my pantry. I also enjoy Upton’s Naturals shredded jackfruit in savory dishes. Jackfruit creates a lovely shredded texture, although it contains less protein than tofu, tempeh, beans, or lentils.
Kite Hill dairy free sour cream can make a simple savory bowl feel special. And when I want something sweet, I enjoy Maxine’s Heavenly chocolate creme sandwiches. One cookie does not undo decades of conscious choices. Consistency matters more than impossible perfection.
Food Combining ~ What Three Decades of Experience Have Taught Me
Food combining has been part of my personal wellness education for many years. I studied mindful eating, juicing, and food combining early in my journey. Some traditional approaches advise eating fruit separately or separating starches and proteins. I appreciate the invitation to observe how meals feel in my body, but personal experience must be distinguished from established scientific evidence.
Our bodies can digest mixed meals. Research has not shown that strict food combining is necessary for healthy digestion or produces extra weight loss compared with balanced eating. My advice is to notice patterns without becoming rigid or fearful about food.
Five Gentle Practices for Digestive Awareness
1. Slow down and enjoy meals.
2. Chew thoroughly.
3. Increase fiber gradually.
4. Drink adequate fluids.
5. Keep a simple food and symptom journal if particular foods seem to bother you.
Persistent or severe digestive symptoms deserve medical evaluation.
Watch My Video on the Principles of Food Combining
The High Priestess Understands That Nourishment Goes Beyond Food
Now I want to speak to something I believe is just as important as what we eat: our environment, thoughts, relationships, and emotional boundaries. You can drink all the green juice in the world, but if you constantly allow chaos, resentment, and emotional exhaustion into your life, you may still feel depleted.
I have learned that self respect must extend beyond the kitchen. We must become discerning about what we entertain, what we tolerate, and where we direct our attention. In spiritual language, I call this protecting our energy. In everyday language, we might call it establishing healthy boundaries and respecting our emotional needs.
Vibrational Alignment as a Daily Practice
When I speak about vibrational frequency, I am describing a spiritual framework for understanding my inner world, not a scientifically established healing frequency of particular foods or emotions. For me, a high vibration life is one in which choices reflect values: choosing peace when conflict is unnecessary, honoring intuition, nurturing supportive relationships, and recognizing that time and attention are precious.
Five Ways I Practice Conscious Nourishment
1. I pay attention to what I eat.
2. I observe how I feel.
3. I honor my boundaries.
4. I create moments of stillness through prayer, meditation, reflection, or nature.
5. I embrace consistency over perfection.
One difficult day does not define an entire wellness journey.
A Few More of My Favorite Grocery Store Finds
After decades exploring plant based nutrition, I still get excited about discovering new combinations. I enjoy products that make preparation easier during a full schedule. My advice is to look beyond packaging: read ingredient lists, serving sizes, sodium, added sugars, protein, and fiber. For powders and supplements, quality testing and possible medication interactions also matter.
I occasionally use Juice Plus+ packets and French Vanilla shakes as conveniences, not as replacements for a varied, adequately nourishing diet. I never assume a supplement is essential for everyone merely because I enjoy it.
Come Grocery Shopping With Me
The Most Important Lesson 31 Years Have Taught Me
My beautiful friends, if there is one thing I hope you take away from this letter, it is this: NOURISHMENT IS A SACRED PRACTICE, NOT A PUNISHMENT.
You do not need to live exactly as I live to begin caring for yourself more consciously. You do not need a refrigerator overflowing with expensive specialty foods, an elaborate morning routine, or perfection before deciding your well being deserves your attention.
Start where you are. Drink some water. Prepare a beautiful meal. Take a walk. Rest when you need rest. Give yourself permission to establish a boundary without explaining it endlessly. Notice what genuinely nourishes you and what repeatedly leaves you feeling depleted.
After 31 years, I am still learning, evolving, and discovering new ways to support my well being. That is the beauty of a lifelong wellness practice. It is not a destination where we finally become flawless. It is an ongoing relationship with ourselves.
Perhaps that is the deeper wisdom of the High Priestess: she doesn’t search endlessly outside herself for permission to honor what she already knows within.
The highest vibration isn’t perfection. It’s alignment.
With love and light,
Andrea Leigh Cox | Intuitive Healer and Holistic Wellness Mentor
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