Matthew Bate and Tegan Steele, Sport Nutrition and Health Ambassadors. Co-Authors of 365 Days of Wholeness

How did you and Tegan come to work together as a team and co-author your book, 365 Days of Wholeness?

Tegan and I met through a mutual friend back in 2012. Our friend actually saw us both post the exact same thing on Facebook on the exact same day. It was a health related post so our friend correctly decided we would get along. Tegan and I met up and we were really excited to discover we had been going down the exact same path regarding health and nutrition over the last few years. So we decided to team up and eventually had the idea to write ‘365 Days of Wholeness’ and help get this information out to as many people as possible.

What inspired you to become so passionate about sharing the message of health and wellbeing in the way that you do?

Both of us have come from different backgrounds however we both went through periods of poor health and feeling terrible that made us extremely passionate about discovering optimum health and vitality. Tegan used to suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and her Mum had Crohns disease that was said to be incurable and caused her a lot of suffering. I went through a long phase in my professional sporting career where I was heavily reliant on stimulants, sugary snacks, and pharmaceutical drugs just to feel “good” and recover between games and training sessions. As we researched and found natural solutions that really worked for us, we became passionate about sharing them with others, because we knew there are many people out there suffering from the same things.

What is your shared mission and vision, where are you going with this wonderful work?

We are both very compassionate people. We love our family, our friends everyone in the wider community, the animals, and also our planet. When we really stood back and observed the system we are living in we realised that it is causing a lot of pain and destruction. Obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases are heading towards epidemic levels. So many people are sick and we find this quite distressing because we know many of these diseases are preventable by simple lifestyle changes. So our mission is to inspire people to get back to natural living, and to become addicted to seeking vibrant health rather than being addicted to junk food, alcohol, or drugs.

Why the title of your book, 365 days of wholeness, what does this mean or refer to?

Our belief is that the body is the by-product of millions of years of evolution and perfection in its design. We evolved live in harmony with nature, and to live in a clean and toxin free world. In the book we compare the body to a plant. When a plant is given the right conditions, good soil, sunlight, and water, then it will thrive for its entire existence. All plant life and animal life are the same vibrant health is their natural state as long as the proper conditions are present.

The human body is no different. When given the right conditions it thrives!
If a plant starts wilting or dying we know that certain conditions aren’t being met, maybe it’s not getting enough water. So we simply correct that condition and the plant regains vibrant health. We don’t rush the plant off to our local doctor, and distressingly ask for a drug to “cure” it. This seems crazy but it’s exactly what we do with ourselves and our children.

The human body is a much more complex organism than a plant and so it requires a few more conditions. The goal of the book is to help people understand how to provide these conditions for the body every single day and as a result experience a fusion of mind, body and emotional health, which leads to 365 Days of Wholeness.

Unfortunately many of these conditions are being seriously violated in modern society and as a result we are paying the ultimate price through preventable diseases. The answer most people are seeking is through quick fixes such as pharmaceutical drugs and stimulants. We want to help people trust in the infinite wisdom and brilliance of their own bodies. What Tegan and I realised is that no-one is born with a manual on how to provide the correct conditions for our bodies. So we naturally adopt the habits of our family, friends and society, and these habits are often the exact habits that lead to preventable diseases.

The conditions we cover in the book are;

- How to eliminate all toxic substances from your life (this is the chapter that can really shock people with how many toxins we unknowingly dump onto our bodies.).
- Providing your body with the necessary conditions for health (this is where we cover exercise, rest, sunlight, fresh air, water and fasting).
- Consuming a predominantly plant based, whole-food diet.
- Maintaining the optimum acid/alkaline balance within the body (the modern way of living has unfortunately become very acid forming to the body.)
- Maintaining life balance (living a life on purpose and minimising stress)
- Eliminating or minimising meat, dairy, addictive substances, and incorporating juice cleansing.

The human body demands that the conditions above be properly met, and it then rewards us with vibrant health. So by simply learning to adopt new habits and applying these conditions to the best of their ability each and every day, then this is what we believe will lead the reader to ‘365 Days of Wholeness’.
This is very empowering because you now have a blueprint for health that you can always rely on, and if you violate any of the conditions (because none of us are perfect) then you at least know how to get back on the straight line and give your body what it actually needs rather than turning straight to a stimulant or a drug just to mask a symptom or an ailment.

One thing we also stress upon the reader is to learn to speak the language of the body. The body is your friend, so any aches, pains, fatigue, or chronic distress, is simply your body trying to tell you that what you’re doing isn’t working. It’s a feedback system. Pharmaceutical drugs and quick fixes are our way of trying to shut the body up and muffle its cries. This way of approaching health has led us down a dark path and we really believe the world is ready for a new way of thinking, and that’s exactly what we are attempting to give the world in 365 Days of Wholeness.

In your book, 365 Days of Wholeness, what do you mean when you refer to the body as brilliant, what is this ‘brilliance’ that you refer to?

Our bodies are made of trillions of microscopic cells. Each cell is more complex than an entire city. This alone is compelling enough to completely blow our minds.

The fact that these cells are able to group together to form an entire organism with incomprehensibly complex systems such as the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, immune system, digestive system, and the respiratory system, which all operate autonomously, is simply incredible. Each of these cells are mini organisms in themselves, and their entire lives are dedicated to working harmoniously together, and keeping the entire organism (you) in pristine health and working order. So this means that as soon as you injure yourself your body is instantly working to heal the area. As soon as you consume a toxin (such as alcohol, drugs, junk food, etc.) your body is instantly working to detoxify it out of your system, or store it somewhere in the body where it can’t be harmful (hopefully to remove at a later date). As soon as a foreign bacteria enters your system your body’s immune system is instantly fighting to destroy it. The second the body becomes fatigue it signals for you to rest, the second blood sugars levels are low or the body needs nutrients it signals for you to eat. The body is our best friend, it works in our best interest unconditionally and it is incredibly forgiving! You can abuse your body with toxic habits, junk food, lack of exercise, or over-stress for many years. However as soon as you give the body the conditions it requires it will bring you back to pristine health without any judgement whatsoever.

When you look at the body is this light you can only stand back in awe at its complexity and loyalty. Most people have lost touch with this and don’t realise how brilliant they are, and as a result they treat their bodies worse than they would a rusty old car. As mentioned earlier, our bodies are the by-product of millions of years of absolute perfection. When you start opening yourself up to this you begin treating your body with the upmost love, care, and respect that it deserves.

Why do you promote a plant-based diet, and how will this diet support peoples wellness journey?

Great health begins with a clean digestive system. Your blood is the river of life that flows through the body, nourishing and replenishing every tissue and cell in the body. How clean your blood stream is, and what kind of material (clean of toxins) it carries to each cell is very dependent on what you put into your mouth and send down into the digestive system. What you put on your skin in terms of personal care products is also very important but that is another subject.

Skin cells renew themselves every 2-4 weeks, nails every 6-10 months, hair every 3-6 years, and bones every 10 years. These cells rebuild themselves with what we eat, which means we literally become what we eat.
After doing our research we realised that plant based whole foods are the optimum fuel for not only keeping our digestive system super clean and healthy (because they're so high in fibre), but also by giving our cells everything they need to replenish themselves such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, water, phytonutrients, natural sugars, healthy fats, and easily absorbable amino acids.

Junk and processed food, and the decaying flesh of dead animals, enter our systems and add a toxic load into our bloodstreams, leaving our cells compromised. In the end, the overall health of our bodies is completely reliant upon the health of each of our trillions of cells, and in our mind a plant based, whole food diet provides the perfect nutrition for each cell.

We are also mindful that not everyone is ready to convert to a 100% plant based diet. It took me a few years to transition into one as I came from a background of consuming meat for over 25 years, and also being involved in a professional sport where you are considered crazy if you don’t eat meat. So it wasn’t easy, but what WAS easy was the health, energy, and more youthful look, I received as a result!

Please see my article Compassionate and Mindful Eating for more information on the benefits of a plant based diet for our bodies, our eco-system and our animals.

If you could give our readers three great tips to take with them right now, what would they be?

- Replace all chemical based personal care and cleaning products around the house with plant based, toxin free products. I personally use Coconut Magic coconut oil as a face and body moisturiser, sun protector, in my toothpaste, and also for oil pulling. I know Tegan (with a background in beauty therapy) makes nearly all of her personal care products using coconut oil as the main ingredient for nearly all of them because it is such an amazing and clean product to put on your body.

- Make the bulk of your diet (80% or more) come from plant based, and mostly raw whole foods. Starting the day off with a green smoothie is a great way to incorporate more plants into your day. Our favourite smoothie is bananas, dates, berries, celery, kale, and water (or sometimes coconut water). This allows your body to gently break your overnight fast (“break-fast”), and nourish, alkalise, and hydrate you for the day ahead.

- Move or sweat (preferably both) every single day! The body’s lymphatic system, which eliminates toxins from the body, relies solely on movement as its pump, unlike the circulatory system which is pumped by the heart. So if you desire to stay toxin free (which is a crucial condition for vibrant health), then movement of some sort every day is so important. Even if it’s a light walk, or stretch any sort of movement is better than none. Getting the body to sweat multiple times per week is a great way to keep the body clean as sweat is a great way to rid toxins. If it is cold where you live, or if strenuous activity is difficult for you then at least find a sauna and sit in there for 10-20 minutes. You will feel so much better!

The wellness revolution is currently thriving, and you are both a huge part of it, is there anything that you think people need to be careful of, mindful of, such as any mistruths, misconceptions or money making fads?

Definitely! We live in a system dominated by clever marketing and biased research. I really believe that if you approach everything with an open mind you can then let your intuition guide you. Generally you know instinctively if someone is being genuine or whether a certain piece of information resonates as truth, or whether they are just trying to sell a product.

Also try things out first and base your conclusions on real results based on how you feel. Also ask yourself, are the people you’re receiving the information from getting the results that you desire? I hate saying this, but I cringe when I see an overweight and unhealthy looking doctor or health care professional. Generally the most inspiring and truthful people are the one’s fully living what they preach. For them it’s not a business or a marketing trick, it’s a lifestyle and philosophy that they believe in with all of their heart. This doesn’t always make them right but it’s at least congruent and genuine.

Find the leaders within this revolution who resonate with you and who are living what they preach, and are clearly getting the results you desire, and you will be in good hands.

Also become a keen follower and raging fan of Mother Nature. Nature has produced every flavour, shape, texture, taste, colour, and aroma through her whole foods that we could possibly conceive of! Why would we try to improve on this design that has been perfected over millions of years?

Be skeptical of anyone attempting to tell you that something humans have invented within the last few years or decades is better than what Nature has already produced.

Finally, please share with us your favourite use for coconut oil, and what you love about coconut oil?