My Organic Transformation – an Interview with Jennifer B. Niles
Jennifer B. Niles is what I would call a ‘renaissance woman’. She is an author, yogi, vegan and Health Coach. Jennifer currently lives on a small island in the middle of the South Pacific.
Several years ago, Jennifer relocated from the US to the tropical island of her dreams. Jennifer reinvented her life and began to pursue her lifelong dream of writing inspirational books.
Jennifer is the author of My Organic Transformation and The Organic Transformation. She is also the author of Eating Vegan—On a Budget!, Dippers, Dinners and Desserts and Vegan Cheat Day, as well as several articles on yoga, weight-loss and healthy vegan eating.
I became aware of Jennifer’s incredible journey from an unhealthy standard western diet to a healthy plant-based lifestyle about 3 years ago.
Jennifer’s dramatic weight loss and brave rejection of the typical nine-to-five rat-race is truly inspirational. If you’re interested in improving your health and circumstances, you’ll appreciate Jennifer’s story and life lessons.
Recently Jennifer added yet another title to her name: internet entrepreneur. Jennifer has established two online businesses. One promotes her own unique blends of essential oils – Plant-Based Essentials . The other, The Organic Transformation, is billed as ‘the ultimate, all-inclusive holistic approach to weight loss, dramatically improved health, an abundant life, and inner happiness. It is a complete lifestyle makeover that harnesses the healing powers of a plant-based diet, yoga, and energy work.‘
Q1: Jennifer, what was the single most important reason you became involved with essential oils?
Living on a small, undeveloped island in the middle of nowhere leaves you with little choice but to become your own holistic doctor…and veterinarian. Initially, a lack of resources and qualified health professionals is what made me turn to essential oils. After a few of my essential oil “experiments” were successful – like curing my cat of skin cancer and naturally removing my lifelong facial moles – there was no turning back. These situations made me realize that essential oils are not some new-age fad for modern hippies; they are nature’s medicine.
Q2: I previously assumed that essential oils were mainly used for aromatherapy, that is, to merely make your place smell nice. Can you please talk about the medicinal benefits of essential oils?
In our modern world, where we rely heavily on manmade pharmaceuticals, yes, essential oils are more commonly known for making your place smell nice. However, in many ancient (and current) civilizations, essential oils were (and still are) used for their highly potent medicinal benefits.
At their root, essential oils are a natural form of medicine. All oils are different and contain their own healing properties. But in general, essential oils offer antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, analgesic, cancer-fighting, and depression/anxiety-battling properties…just to name a few! From healing cuts to conquering pain to curing colds, there’s an all-natural essential oil remedy for every ailment.
Q3: What is ‘The Organic Transformation’ and why did you launch this business?
Simply put, The Organic Transformation is a program that teaches you how to adopt a healthy, natural lifestyle.
The website (https://theorganictransformation.com) offers a series of books that guide people through the transition to a healing plant-based diet – at their own pace. These books (which can be purchased separately or together) also include hundreds of easy, delicious vegan recipes to get you started.
In addition to the diet/health portion of The Organic Transformation, this program also teaches people how to manifest the life of their dreams by using the law of attraction and positive thinking.
And, last but not least, by late 2020, The Organic Transformation will also include a complete yoga course suitable for everyone – even complete beginners.
I launched this business because over the past 10 years, I have been able to lose 100+ pounds and completely transform my life on all levels. In addition to improving my health, I was able to break free of Corporate America and move to the tropical island of my dreams. Because of my experiences, I am now a firm believer in the healing powers of a vegan diet, as well as in the law of attraction. And now, I am fully dedicated to helping others make the same positive changes in their lives.
Q4: In your story you detail how you went from very poor health and habits to a healthy, active plant-based lifestyle. What was the single most important turning-point for you in changing your lifestyle so radically?
There are several reasons why I chose to transform my lifestyle, but the main reason why I was successful, was because I finally stopped allowing toxic relationships and situations to dictate my actions.
After years of unhealthy, dysfunctional relationships, which led to years of consoling myself with alcohol and fattening food, I finally took back the control over my life. I removed the toxicity on all levels and started to really focus on myself – and my health – for the first time. I stopped allowing the actions of others to affect me in a negative way.
The best advice I can give someone who wants to get healthy and change their lifestyle for good, is to get rid of the toxicity in your life. Whether that be relationships or surroundings. If you’re constantly bombarded by people or situations that bring you down, making a positive change will be that much harder. Instead, start to surround yourself with people who raise you up and inspire you to be a better person.
Q5: For many people who are busy with full-time jobs, kids, spouses, living a hectic, stressful life, and who might have limited time to exercise or buy and prepare healthy organic food, what advice do you have for them to begin on a path towards better health and diet?
Everyone has to start somewhere. My life was also extremely hectic when I first began my health journey almost ten years ago. My advice would be to prioritize your health goals – no matter how busy things are. At the end of the day, most people can spare at least one hour to dedicate to their health. Whether you use that hour to exercise, or to prepare healthy meals for the following day or week, you MUST make it a priority.
Remember, in order to really take care of and give back to others, you must take care of yourself first.
Q6: You’ve been a committed vegan now for years. What’s your take on the recent spate of former vegan YouTubers and Social Media influencers coming out as non-vegans?
I’ve actually made a YouTube video on this very topic, and I plan to publish a follow-up video to it very soon. The fact that so many influential vegans have recently denounced their cruelty-free diet makes me very sad. It makes me sad for the innocent animals who will lose their lives, for the decay of our planet, and for the thousands of impressionable followers who will now believe a vegan diet is unhealthy when it’s not.
The fact is these YouTubers who have recently denounced their vegan diet were never vegan for the animals. They were vegan for the weight loss, and once they lost the weight, they gave it up like any other fad diet.
Being vegan is not just a diet (although yes, you will lose weight). It is a lifestyle choice. The decision to go vegan should be based on long-term health, healing, disease prevention, and last but not least, the animals who don’t deserve a lifetime of slavery so we can eat a hamburger and cheese pizza.
Q7: Why did you make the transition to a plant-based, vegan diet and lifestyle?
There are many factors that eventually led me to a 100% plant-based diet. As a child, I never particularly liked meat – or at least not anything on a bone – so the initial transition to vegetarianism was an easy one for me. However, even after cutting out meat, I was still very overweight and desperate to lose it. It took a long time for me to realize that my love for cheese and bread was sabotaging my efforts.
Then, after living in a third world country for a year or two, where I was confronted on a daily basis with real-life animal suffering, was when I decided to give up the cheese and all other animal products. I was no longer able to turn a blind eye to the reality of where our cheese, eggs, milk, etc. comes from.
Q8: Can you tell us a bit about your YouTube channel and what led you to publish your videos online?
I started a YouTube channel because I’m on a mission to help others by sharing my experiences. My channel offers videos on several topics as I have many different interests, but I mainly focus on issues surrounding the vegan diet, natural health, weight loss, yoga, and island life.
You can watch my videos and subscribe to my channel here: www.youtube.com/jenniferbniles
Q9: What are your favourite vegan foods?
That’s a good question, and a hard one to answer! I love all vegan food. But, if I had to pick a couple, I would have to say potatoes and rice. These two natural starches are extremely satisfying, versatile and inexpensive plant-based foods that I just can’t live without. Besides my two staple dinner foods, I’m obsessed with all kinds of fresh fruit. I can’t get enough bananas, papaya and shredded coconut!
Q10: If there is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wanted to lose weight or improve their health and fitness, what would it be?
After many years of health-related trial and error, it now seems so simple to me. However, it took a long time to fully understand where I was going wrong. The best advice I can give someone who is looking to lose weight and improve their health (what helped me to lose over 100 pounds) is: Eliminate meat, dairy and all flour products. Limit your alcohol intake to once a month or less, and of course, exercise on a regular basis. Committing to these lifestyle changes has transformed my entire world – physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Q11: If readers are interested in purchasing from your website, what specials or recommended items do you currently have on offer with your books?
Until June 1st, I will be running a 25% off special on all my e-books. They can be found on my website here: https://theorganictransformation.com .
Thank you, Jennifer!
Tom Perry
