By Edward Henderson – Contributing Writer
Watching Joan Jackson operate in her kitchen is truly a magical experience. Her utensils and ingredients are positioned with purpose. No movement is wasted and she can prepare a three course meal in under 15 minutes. However, she will be the first to admit that she isn’t a chef by any stretch of the imagination. What makes Jackson unique is how her strategically planned implementation of a vegan, organic and mostly raw food diet that has transformed her life and countless others into a prestige of health and wellness.
Background
Jackson is a San Diego native and struggled with weight and image issues since childhood.
“When I was nine, my mom told me that I had two strikes against me, I was black and I was female and I didn’t need to be fat too. That was a turning point in my life,” said Jackson.
From that moment on, Jackson focused on the things that she could control in her life and decided to let education be her super power. She studied hard and achieved her law degree from the University of California at Davis to become a civil rights attorney. Jackson’s weight, however, was still an issue. At her heaviest, Jackson reached 320 pounds.
“I realized that if I didn’t make some real changes I would be dead,” said Jackson.
She went to a cleansing and detox facility to learn about food combining, digestion and techniques to change her diet without changing her budget. Ultimately, Jackson transitioned to an organic, vegan and mostly raw diet cutting out many cooked and processed foods. The most pivotal part of her transition was setting up her kitchen for success. Utilizing her intellect and talent for organization, Jackson created systems and found the right products to make the transition easy and sustainable. Within months, her symptoms stemming from chronic hypertension, heart problems, acid reflux and diabetes went away. To date, Jackson has lost over 160 pounds with her mostly raw diet.
“There is a real connection between how you eat and how you feel. After you learn this information, it’s hard to act like you don’t know it,” said Jackson.
From Law to Raw
It wasn’t long before word of Jackson’s weight loss and beautifully organized kitchen began to spread. A roommate from the detox facility she attended brought people to see Jackson’s kitchen and the visit became her first impromptu class. After two months of people calling nonstop to see her kitchen, Jackson began scheduling classes in her home every Saturday. After a student approached her and expressed gratitude for helping transform their life, she knew the classes weren’t just a hobby.
“It let me know what I did as a teacher could be a difference between life and death for some people. I had no right to stay small with it,” said Jackson.
She methodically transitioned from her law practice into creating the Raw Kitchen Magician brand. Jackson has traveled the across the globe setting up people’s kitchens to make the raw food lifestyle sustainable and amassed the largest database of raw food photos on the planet. Her home in Lemon Grove, aptly named ‘The Healing House’, is a 4500 square foot sanctuary where clients can book rooms and engulf themselves in the lifestyle for classes and training sessions. Along with her classes, Jackson sells photo rich education products that are easy for her clients to follow and implement.
“It’s the most important work of my life. By far eclipsing what I did as an attorney,” said Jackson.
Reaching Minorities
Despite all of her success, one challenge keeps Jackson motivated to achieve more; sharing her knowledge and promoting the raw food lifestyle to the African American community.
“They’re the hardest group for me to get through to,” said Jackson. “They’re the rarest of my clients and rarely spend money on our health. Conversely that makes them the most important part of my mission.”
Jackson travels to many black churches in San Diego for outreach and to speak on healthy eating. Her hope is that the community will transition to a diet that is anywhere from 40 to 60 percent raw.
“I see it fitting in at a level that’s not preachy, that doesn’t make them spend any more money. I like to give information, statistics and use my own example,” says Jackson. “When I tell them how easy it is, it opens up the space in their hearts to hear the rest.”
Eating habits in our community can be linked all the way back to slavery. Soul food traditions started with having to turn table scraps into full meals to feed our families. These traditions, while deeply embedded in our culture, have led to many chronic health issues. Our shift to a healthier lifestyle starts with education, along with adding more fresh fruit, smoothies and salads into our diet. The beautiful thing about this journey is that we’re not alone. We have a magician on our side.
To learn more about Jackson’s offerings, visit www.rawkitchenmagician.com
