For as long as I can remember, my mother was deeply aware of what constituted a healthy diet. While other kids were eating sugary boxed cereals for breakfast, we had nutritious porridge (typically made with oatmeal) and the occasional bowl of Weet-Bix, a wheat-based cereal with no added sugar. Instead of white bread sandwiches with peanut butter and jam, we had whole wheat sandwiches filled with lettuce, Marmite, and cheese. While my classmates snacked on candy, we had fresh apples and oranges, a habit that shaped my lifelong understanding of healthy eating habits.

Even earlier, at two years of age, my mother noticed something about me that, to this day, most doctors haven’t figured out. When I transitioned from my mother’s milk to cow’s milk, I developed patches of eczema on my hands and cheeks. She put two and two together, took me off cow’s milk immediately, and purchased a real, live goat to milk for me. My eczema cleared right up, just as she knew it would.

By age nine, I was back on dairy products and developed asthma. My mother, always my biggest advocate, took me to our family doctor, who wanted to prescribe a steroid inhaler. She said, “No way”, and she didn’t stop there. She pushed for natural asthma treatments, leading us to a local hospital program focused on breathing exercises. For a full year, I attended weekly sessions, practicing techniques like blowing cotton balls across the floor, duck-walking with our hands under our armpits, and other fun but purposeful activities. The result? My asthma disappeared—permanently cured without long-term medication.

Our home in Christchurch, where I lived from ages four to twelve, was a haven for fresh, organic food. We had multiple apple trees, pear trees, apricots, peaches, red currants, black currants, white currants, gooseberries, and rhubarb—all grown without pesticides. My parents, committed to a self-sustaining lifestyle, cultivated a home vegetable garden with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard (silver beet), lettuce, parsley, and herbs. With seven children and only one teacher’s income, grocery shopping was limited, but our organic backyard produce provided an abundance of nutritious meals.

Dinners were simple yet packed with whole foods—freshly cooked green vegetables and lean meats whenever we could afford them. My mother, years ahead of her time, limited sugar consumption, knowing even then that it contributed to chronic health issues. She created homemade desserts from our homegrown fruits, including apple crumble, rhubarb pie, and gooseberry dishes, using only natural sweeteners like raw brown sugar, milk, and butter in moderation.

Except for birthdays and special occasions, soda (fizzy drinks) was off-limits in our house. Luckily, I never had a taste for it—especially since I didn’t like ice, and warm lemonade or Coke wasn’t appealing. To this day, I can count on one hand the number of sodas I’ve ever consumed!

Of course, kids will be kids, and despite my mother’s best efforts, we found a way to indulge in sugar-filled treats. As soon as we received our weekly five-cent allowance, we’d run—yes, run, because with seven kids, we only had one second-hand bike—straight to the local store on Staveley Street. Our prized purchases? Toffee milks (chocolate-covered toffee), milk bottles (chewy vanilla-flavored candies), and colorful lollies (candy) in little white paper bags. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Did we find our healthy food lifestyle embarrassing at times? Absolutely. Did my classmates snicker at my whole grain sandwiches with Marmite? Without a doubt. But looking back, I see how fortunate I was to have been raised with an early awareness of clean eating, organic food, and whole-food nutrition—principles that, though I took for granted as a child, I have since fully embraced in my adult life.

Learn More About My Health Journey

My passion for healthy living, mindful nutrition, and holistic wellness continues to shape my lifestyle today. You can read more about my journey in my latest book, His Name is Eric, where I share my experiences, insights, and personal growth. Visit my website PhillipaLeseberg.com for more about nutrition, wellness, and living a life rooted in health and adventure.