yum. Gluten Free had the pleasure of sitting down with Founder and Director of GoodnessMe Box, Peta Shulman. Peta’s inspiration behind creating GoodnessMe Box was spun by her personal journey to health. Read all about this amazing brand and the heart behind the product.

ygf: Hi Peta! Tell us a bit about yourself.

When I was 21 years old, what began as the flu resulted in three months of bed-rest and with me experiencing constant headaches, heavy and achy limbs, low energy, fatigue and overall a low immune system.  I saw a number of doctors during this time but received no real answer to the cause of the problem.

I eventually got well enough to start work in a public relations role as a publicist looking after clients in the health and wellness space. The world of integrative health and wellness was opened up to me and I had the opportunity to speak to hundreds of health practitioners, attend integrative health conferences, work with the latest health foods and supplements and learn about the movement of prevention. It became clear to me that what we put in our bodies, how active we choose to be and how we manage our stress all plays a fundamental role in our overall health.

The problem was that I still felt unwell on a fortnightly basis. Even though I was functioning with a low immune system, it became my everyday and I accepted it as normal. The final straw was the ninth time I had a cold in a twelve month period and I was told to go on yet another antibiotic. After further investigation a doctor discovered I was suffering from an autoimmune condition and as a result had a very low immune system.

ygf: Wow Peta… what a rough start to your 20’s. Where did you go from there and how did that become your journey to GoodnessMe Box?

Well, changing my food choices played a significant role in getting better. I began to cut out all processed and refined foods, only eating whole foods, free from artificial ingredients. I also eliminated inflammatory foods from my diet including gluten and refined sugar and began to take measures to look after my gut health after learning that over 70% of the immune system is located in our gut. Along with dietary and other lifestyle changes, it took three months to begin to feel better. After nine months I ran tests again and my results had improved. The doctors were astonished! Finally, it took two years to receive all my test results in the normal range and this showed me truly how powerful food is for your body to heal.

Starting a business takes time, sacrifice and energy. If I had not taken charge of my health there is no chance I would have been able to have the stamina to start and continue GoodnessMe Box.

ygf: Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing! How do you continue to nurture your health while running a very busy business?

Today my health has significantly improved. When I look back on how I once functioned day-to-day I always think, there is nothing as good as healthy feels. I wake up with energy and a clear mind. I know my limits and am conscious that lack of sleep can push my immune system over the edge. When running a business I need to put my health first to ensure I am at the top of my game every day. To nurture my health these are my non-negotiables:

• Read the Food Label – It sounds simple but learning to read the ingredients and nutritional panel of foods at the start of my health journey was empowering. There are some clever marketing techniques out there so it is important I know exactly what I am putting into my body. I shop for food as close to its natural state as possible and search for foods that are GMO-free. This forms our philosophy at GoodnessMe Box.
• 8 hours sleep – Sleep is absolutely critical to my overall health and wellness. I find if I take the time to replenish and recharge it makes all the difference in the world. I know with 8 hours sleep I function at my best.
• Bone Broth – I have a small mug each and every morning to look after my gut health.
• Probiotic and Zinc – I take my probiotic and zinc twice every single day.
• Follow an anti-inflammatory diet – I’ve eliminated inflammatory foods including gluten and refined sugar and eat plenty of protein, healthy fats, vegetables and unrefined “whole” carbohydrates.
• See a health practitioner – I am a big believer in not self-prescribing or self-diagnosing be it with supplements or cutting out food groups. Food can be so powerful to help heal. I see my health practitioners regularly as our bodies are constantly changing.
• Make time for friends and family – Relationships are critical for support and for emotional wellbeing and I’m lucky to have a very tight network around me.

ygf: So tell us more about your product, GoodnessMe Box. 

My health journey cemented the idea of GoodnessMe Box, a health food sampling box delivered monthly to help discover the latest and greatest foods on the market, designed to get people excited about living well. I loved the concept of receiving health food goodies to your door – offering a surprise and delight each month! Think of the newest superfoods, whole-food bars to eat on the go, nut butters, kale chips, herbal teas, raw chocolates, natural protein powders, gluten-free baking mixes or gluten free mueslis.

Together with a team of health practitioners, we fill the boxes each month with only the highest quality health products. We also take it one step further, requiring all the goodies in the boxes to fall in at least TWO of these categories: organic, sustainable, raw, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free or vegan.

We seek products free of artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, food additives, synthetic trans fats, artificial flavours, artificial colours, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

ygf: Do you cater for allergies?

When signing up for a GoodnessMe Box it is possible to fill out a health profile outlining your specific dietary preferences. We try to allocate the products in the box as best we can and can guarantee that all products are natural and GMO-free, free of additives and anything artificial. Most of the products featured in the monthly GoodnessMe Box are gluten free, as we find a large number of health food companies will cater to this dietary requirement first and foremost. Be sure to take responsibility for your own health and always read the labels though.

The foods discovered in GoodnessMe Box each month show that leading a lifestyle with a food intolerance or following specific dietary requirements does not mean food choices need to be difficult or lack deliciousness!

We include remarkable gluten-free products every month from gluten-free pasta, made 100% from corn, crunchy crackers made from almond meal, gluten-free pancake mixes, biscuits, snack bars and mueslis, chips made from quinoa and lentils. You would be surprised how many products that you wouldn’t suspect that contain gluten or traces of gluten such as nut butters, sauces, spice mixes etc. We also feature these products which are free of gluten such as gluten, sugar and dairy free nut butters (yes they do sneak added sugar and dairy into nut butters!), BPA-free organic chopped tomatoes, balsamic glazes, remarkable spice mixes, jerky, milks made from rice, macadamias or almonds and much much more.

ygf: How did your business begin?

I always wanted to start a PR agency from day one when I entered the industry. Through my health journey, I began to manage my condition and became truly inspired by the power of food. There are the most amazing wholefoods out there and you can reclaim your health with nourishing foods. I was so excited, thrilled, inspired by what food had quite simply done for my health and I wanted to share it. I began to think, what if I can combine what I’m passionate about and what I’m good at? After much research and planning I discovered this concept had been successful overseas. There was no reason why it wouldn’t work in Australia- the health industry was on the cusp of booming.

After around six months of planning, I took a risk and quit my job. I gave myself two months full-time to focus on launching the business. On day one of launch the response was overwhelming, I received hundreds of pre-orders within just a few days and GoodnessMe Box was sold out. I knew at that moment this was something special.

ygf: What’s the best part about your business?

The most rewarding part of running GoodnessMe Box is being reminded each day of the value of good health and being able to share this with our customers. I love the saying “the greatest wealth is health” and it truly is.

ygf: What does a normal day in your life look like?

 I normally wake up at around 6:00am and jump out of bed. My usual routine is to go to pilates, a weight classes or for a walk. This is followed by breakfast and then I’m off to the office. Team meetings, emails, speaking and meeting with brands are among the first few tasks. Sometimes there is the odd event to attend in the morning, be it a food expo or a product launch.

The work days can be quite different each day, whether it’s planning for our upcoming Wholefood Market event, working on the marketing plans, developing new website features, reviewing designs or liaising with our nutritionist to evaluate the suitability of products for an upcoming GoodnessMe Box edition. We get approached regularly for partnership opportunities and we take the time to identify which opportunities we can commit to and those that will provide our customers and suppliers the most value. Often deliveries arrive in the office which is always exciting to explore new or undiscovered products on the market.

Towards to the end of the day I will review our reporting along with our social media sites. I keep a close eye on the comments and communication taking place. This is our best way to communicate with our audience and their feedback is critical to the business.

ygf: What makes you unique?

 That is a tough question. I read something very special in a book called The 50^th Law the other week, which I keep going back to. “You are one of a kind. Your character traits are a kind of chemical mix that will never be repeated in history. There are ideas unique to you, a specific rhythm and perspective that are your strengths, not your weaknesses. You must not be afraid of your uniqueness and you must care less and less what people think of you… The world can’t help but respond to such authenticity.”

ygf: What are some of your favourite products that you use regularly?

There are so many favourites but a few include Pic’s Peanut Butter, BSKT Wholefoods Vegan Chocolate, Food To Nourish Bliss Balls, Table of Plenty Dukkah, Thomas Chipman beetroot chips, Banting Food Co Muesli, Pure Harvest Cocoquench, The Carob Kitchen Banjo Bear, Love My Earth spices, The Fit Foodie Fit Mixes, Pukka tea, Jomeis Fine Foods sugar free balsamic reduction, Farmer Jo Cacao Paleo granola, Cocolife coconut oil spray and Pure Phytocare Papaya ointment (we do a bonus beauty item some months!).

ygf: What is your vision for the future? Anything exciting in the pipeline?

We are very excited to be holding our third GoodnessMe Box Wholefood Markets at The Grounds of Alexandria on November 8^th & 9^th, 2016 for two full days and nights. The idea is to bring the GoodnessMe Box to life so you can explore all our favourite wholefood stalls for tastings and shop exclusive discounts. You can also learn from some amazing speakers and watch cooking demonstrations from the likes of Luke Hines, Jessica Sepel, The Brown Paper Bag, The Fit Foodie, Carla Oates, Lee Holmes and many more. For tickets visit www.goodnessmebox.com

We also have a number of other exciting projects in the works to roll out. One of my passion projects has been a free e-book ‘How To Read Food Labels’ which I hope will really empower our audience.

My Favourite Gluten Free Recipe:

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I’ll wake up that little bit earlier to simply savour my meal and feel truly nourished for the day ahead.  My ultimate recipe is my four step maca & almond meal pancakes.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 x egg
• 1 tbs almond meal
• 1/2 tbs coconut flour
• 1 tbs vanilla pea protein
• 1 tsp maca powder
• Naturally sweetened vanilla essence
• Natural sweetener of your choice (optional)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Toppings

• Raspberries
• Peanut butter
• Coconut yoghurt

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mug and stir.
2. Add about ¼ cup of water to thin the mixture.
3. Add a tsp of coconut oil in the pan. Pour the pancake mixture and flip the pancakes when golden on each side.
4. Drizzle with a tbsp of peanut butter, coconut yoghurt and top with fresh raspberries.

 ygf: Last but not least, how do we stay in touch with you?

Twitter @goodnessmebox / Insta @goodnessmebox / Facebook GoodnessMeBox / YouTube GoodnessMe Box / Web www.goodnessmebox.com

Or you can find me on Instagram @petashulman

Answered by Peta Shulman Founder and Director of the GoodnessMe Box Wholefood Markets- 8^th and 9^th November 2016 at The Grounds of Alexandria. Tickets are available to buy now for $35 at: https://goodnessmebox.com/event_stuff/1