Jules Organic Living
Insights for the Mind Body and Spirit
Introducing Pam Oakes, The Nekkid Chef !
Today’s Present, The Loveling…
Pam Oakes. Author of The Nekkid Chef
“I have a strong belief in the goodness of those around me and trust in the Universe which makes everyday a magical experience.“
Born and raised in Lansing, Michigan. I graduated from Lansing Community College and received my Paramedics degreein 1982. I was the first female firefighter hired by the Lansing Fire Department in 1983. I became a social nudist in 1993, and AANR member since 1994 and spent many happy furloughs at Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, Michigan. I have done women’s outreach for AANR in the past, and was AANR Bulletin’s Nudist of the Month back in 2008. I began winter vacationing at Paradise Lakes in the mid-90’s, and eventually retired and moved into a Lutz/Land O’Lakes area resort in 2005. I am currently a water aerobics and yoga instructor at my resort. I enjoy walking to work naked, and living the life I’ve always dreamed of. I am the founder/organizer of the (now) 6th Annual P.A.N.D.A. Clothes Closet, a popular gently-used clothing sale for women, benefiting the Sunrise shelter of Pasco County. I am also the founder/host of P.A.N.D.A.’s monthly donation based VeganPotluck, benefiting Feeding Tampa Bay/Suncoast. I’m the Nutrition/Fitness columnist for Nusa SUN. As the Nekkid Chef,I use comical photos and humor to draw the readers attention, and feature a delicious recipe each month. A special editionnewspaper magazine called “best of….Nekkid Chef” (available April ’12) is a collection of my favorite articles and my very favorite healthy recipes from past issues 2010/2011.
Who is Pam Oakes?
At this very moment I am a very grateful person to be nestled in Lovelingland! In general I would describe myself as strong, yet flexible both physically and personality-wise. My mother noted my fiercely independent spirit early on and she remains a source of inspiration and strength to this day at 91 years young! She’s a Virgo and I’m a Pisces on the Aquarian cusp, which indicates quite accurately that life was not always easy for her raising a risk taking, rough-n-tumble tomboy turned firefighter. I became a social nudist and member of the American Association of Nude Recreation in the early 90’s, and very much consider it a natural part to a wholesome lifestyle. Never married, with no children, I take sanctuary from the mainstream, and perhaps even a little ‘delight’ in breaking social rules, preferring instead to follow where spirit leads me.
Your new recipe book, Nekkid Chef is so much fun! What inspired you to write it?
‘The Best of Pam Oakes’ is a collection of my articles and recipes that appeared in Nusa SUN Magazine www.nudistusa.com from 2010-2011. Known as the ‘Nekkid Chef’ in the ‘What’s Up Now Pam?’ column, I was their nutrition & fitness writer for 2 years. Using humor and comical photos, I chronicled my journey from pre-mature poor health to optimal health and included recipes each month that helped me to heal along the way. “If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry” holds special meaning for me having suffered for many years with chronic depression and a host of physical ailments. Humor is truly ‘the best medicine’ (next to food of course!) for me. The whole experience of putting my life story into words was very cathartic. My, what I term, autobiographical/docudrama/cookbook magazine begins with “They say suffering is the most powerful agent of change” and will perhaps not be life changing for most, but it does represent ‘a life changed’. I am currently on hiatus from my column to pursue community service work.
How else are you involved in terms of your community?
I consider myself a longtime champion of the underdog. I have lived in nudist communities for nearly 20 years, and find the lifestyle lends itself to greater understanding and acceptance of oneself, a closer connection to Mother Earth and to other human beings. Telephone, telegraph tell a nudist about another in need, and you’ve got yourself a fundraiser! Shortly after moving to Florida I heard about the philanthropic activities that the Pasco Area Naturist Development Association www.PANDAbare.org were involved in and joined. Pasco Area naturists (globally accepted word for ‘nudist’) are the top donors to the Suncoast Harvest Food Bank and of the biggest donors in a tri-county area to Florida Blood Services. I am found/organizer of the (now) 6th Annual PANDA Clothes Closet, a popular gently-used clothing and accessory sale for women that benefits Sunrise Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Center of Pasco County. I was also founder/host for many years of the PANDA Monthly donation based Vegan Potluck which is now defunct and benefited the food bank.
What are you most passionate about?
Food and Exercise! I am currently a Water Aerobics and Yoga Instructor at the resort where I live. I enjoy walking to work simply sky clad and living the life I’ve always dreamed of. I call my students Water Warriors and Yogites, and enjoy watching my fellow aging compatriots getting and staying well. I witnessed, first hand, the power of switching to an alkaline based diet and the age-reversing affect it has on the body. I share this story often with my students and anyone who will listen. In my long association with the Creative Health Institute info@creativehealthinstitute.com in Coldwater, Michigan, I witnessed countless others becoming well, in many cases, where their doctors had all but given up on them. It’s called the Wheatgrass Place, and operates under the principles of Dr. Ann Wigmore. I write about my it in “The Best of Pam Oakes” and still tip back a couple ounces of the powerful green stuff on a near-daily basis. I’m proud to show off my green tongue!
Of all the recipes in your book, do you have a favorite? Mine is a cross between the Kale Salad, and African Stew, Yum!
Those are right up there among my favorites too. My mother, boyfriend Shane and I had the Nut Pate blanketed in the Mango Chutney last night topped off with a little raw Apple/Strawberry/Fig Pie for dessert which also met with glowing reviews. But the Crustless Spinach Pie remains at the top of my yummy list. It is an occasional Lacto-Ovo vegetarian indulgence. A vast majority of the recipes in “The Best of Pam Oakes”, however, are Vegan, gluten-free and in many cases raw.
Jules Organic Living 
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