An Interview with Natural Health Writer Nicky Rogers
H&B: We recently had the opportunity to sit down with one of our resident health writers, Nicky Rogers. Rogers has been writing for us since 2005. His article themes range from self improvement to gardening to natural health.
Nicky Rogers is in his late thirties and lives with his wife, Nicole "Nicky" Rogers. They own condos in three U.S. states as well as land in Mexico and Belize. Nicky is always on the move, so it was a pleasure to meet with him and have this sit-down.
H&B: What got you interested in natural health?
Rogers: (Laughing) I guess you can say I've always been interested. I've always been the anti-stablishment, "challenge authority" type. When I was younger, I'd consume some French fries from a fast food place every now and then and usually vomit an hour later, feeling terrible for the rest of the day. Heavily processed foods always seemed to tear me up. Getting into natural health only seemed natural.
H&B: Can you tell us a little about your exploits into natural health?
Rogers: Absolutely. I'm only a recent convert per se, but I consider myself to have been eating healthier than the majority of Americans since I left high school. Always felt better after eating a big salad with a garden variety of veggies. Same with fresh seafood like crab and fish I caught myself. When you compare eating a good, nutritious, unprocessed meal to a dinner you have to nuke in the microwave, there is no comparison, know what I mean?
Anyway, I really got into the movement, if you want to call it that, back in the year 1998. I read Chet Day's article Cow to Cannibal and thought, Wow, that's crazy. Then I started going to the library and read a lot of old books on the subject of Natural Hygiene, as well as the so-called medical profession before the 20th century.
Did you know back before 1920 the majority of "doctors" were considered shysters and conmen? I actually read one account of a medical doctor being run out of town on a rail, literally. I think it's amazing to see how far the medical profession has come in 100 years. And I guess it depends on the way you look at it. Either they're one of the biggest success stories in the history of mankind, or one of the largest scam operations since Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall, but on a global scale!
H&B: In addition to natural health, you also write about self improvement and gardening. What can you tell us about them?
Rogers: I think we're all in the business of self improvement. Even the laziest person you know wants a bigger piece of the pie, and to me that means self improvement, although not everyone sees it that way (laughing). I've done a lot during my life, and I've been called eccentric on more than one occasion. I've learned a lot too but the biggest thing I've learned is we're always learning, and there is no expert so to speak... and there is no substitute for doing your own homework and making your own decisions.
I grew up in urban Chicago but went to the rural suburbs on weekends to stay at my grandparents. I've loved growing things since I was very young. I remember trying to grow lima beans from grammar school science projects in my awful back yard--this was like trying to grow an oak tree in a bonsai tray filled with cigarette ash. But the amazing thing is I actually grew a plant or two! And I've loved gardening ever since.
H&B: I understand you're what some people call a "Renaissance Man." Could you tell us about some of the things you've done in your life?
Rogers: Renaissance man. Wow, what a concept. And what a term. I think we're all renaissance men and women when it comes down to it, though. Especially in the natural health field. There are so many schools of thought and way of life camps out there that it's hard to find the right one for each individual. In my quest for health, I've found that the salad bar approach is best. You take a little here, take a little there, then grab a roll or two to push the lettuce and olives onto your fork.
(Laughing.) Ok. I'm sorry, what was the question again?
H&B: You've traveled abroad and sailed the Mediterranean. Most people haven't enjoyed the experiences you've had. Could you tell us a little about that?
Rogers: Well, I've loved The Odyssey since I was a little kid. Same with boating. When I read about some guys who sailed the Mediterranean and found many of the locations mentioned in The Odyssey, this became a personal dream of mine. I actually did it in 1996.
It was a one-man operation. I saved up about twenty K over ten years, then I sailed the boat to Illium and began my journey. I didn't see the cyclops or any sirens, but the islands I sailed to were unbelievable. The best year of my life, man.
I have to come clean and say my journey was more of a vacation, more of a tour than an actual attempt to reach the islands and spots discussed in The Odyssey. However, I have shot an arrow through ten of twelve axe handles, and as far as I know, no one's come close to beating that.
H&B: So what's a typical day like for Nicky Rogers?
Rogers: (Scratching head) a typical day for me... well, it's typical, you could say. I wake up at 7:00 every morning and do a little gardening. I actually have a specially plumbed room in my condo in New York state that I've filled with carbon, gravel, and a foot of peat and rich soil. I use 6 metal halide lighting fixtures and I can grow pretty much anything. It's fun during the winter months, and I can keep a harvest going pretty much year round. But fruit and veggies don't taste the same without fresh air.
I skip breakfast or have a watermelon or honeydew smoothie. I skip lunch a lot too, or I eat homemade tortilla chips and pico de gallo, or go to a sushi restaurant and order some sashimi. Or drink another smoothie, depends on what I want. For dinner I eat pretty much what I want, though I hate processed crap. I like making my own food, starting from scratch as much as possible. My stomach feels so much better after a healthy dinner, you know?
H&B: To wrap up, do you have anything you'd like to offer your readers?
Rogers: You know me, I always have something to say. I've always wanted to end an interview with a Mr. Miyagi quote. "If a bug walk left side road, ok. If a bug walk right side road, ok. If bug walk middle road, squish. Karate same thing. If Daniel-san karate do yes, ok. If Daniel-san karate do no, ok. If karate do maybe, squish just like bug."
The 21 day program is a great example of this. I've tried it a couple times, but I've gotten the best results when I cut out all caffeine, sugar, white flour, and all the rest of the crap. True, going the middle of the road in this case is better than nothing at all, but why not give it your all?
Nicky Rogers is an exclusive H&B writer and lives with his wife in New York, Arizona, and Montana, depending on the time of year.
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