Simply Rawgeous: Inside a Raw Vegan Journey to Healing

What if healing your body meant not just eliminating symptoms—but completely transforming your life, your energy, your purpose? For Pete and Hana, co-founders of Simply Rawgeous, their raw vegan journey began not just with a change in diet, but with a complete transformation of body, mind, and spirit.

A rebirth. A raw, vibrant, enzyme-rich journey that began in moments of deep personal crisis—and led to radiant wellness, inner peace, and a mission to help others reclaim their vitality.

In this intimate interview, they share their powerful backstories, the fire (literal and metaphorical) that sparked their transformation, and how they’ve turned a raw vegan lifestyle into a holistic movement that touches hearts and changes lives. From cleansing retreats to gourmet Ital-inspired living foods, their path is anything but ordinary.

Curious about how food, fasting, and spirit intertwine? Wondering how someone goes from chronic pain and burnout to coaching others toward joy and health?

You’re about to step into a story that might just make you rethink everything you thought you knew about healing.

1) Could you share your personal journeys and what led you both to embrace a raw vegan journey?

Hana
I had been struggling deeply with serious health issues—so much so that I was truly at death’s door—and found no remedy in the Western world. I asked, sought, knocked, prayed, and literally begged on my knees for help from the spiritual realms. I made a firm decision to pursue a natural path toward healing. Shortly after that, I met Pete, and I felt very strongly that I needed to integrate some of the ways he was living.

In fact, during a retreat weekend—where my friends and I were simply using Pete’s space for accommodation—I found myself far more drawn to what Pete was doing and eating than to the retreat I had actually signed up for. That weekend was the first time in many months that I felt even a glimpse of wellness, marking the beginning of my raw vegan journey.

The vibrant health Pete radiated was a kind of energy I deeply longed for. That experience marked the beginning of my raw vegan journey, and I’ve never looked back. That was six years ago.

My raw vegan journey has been a profound and transformative path. Today, I am a completely different person—healthy, alive, and continually blessed by this lifestyle, especially now that I’ve incorporated more enzymes and living foods inspired by the beautiful teachings of the incredible Ann Wigmore.

I’ve completed many fasts and cleanses during this time and feel immense gratitude for the health and vitality I now experience. Sharing this lifestyle with others and witnessing their own healing journeys has been one of the greatest gifts. My body and life have undergone a complete transformation—one that continues to deepen and evolve every day.

Pete
Nearly 18 years ago, I didn’t ask or seek—but I most certainly got knocked. It felt like Thor’s hammer to the head: my workspace literally went up in flames. That experience was a safe wake-up call, but I was shown that the next one wouldn’t be. I was vividly and unmistakably shown—like a scene from A Christmas Carol—a tombstone with my name on it, a clear warning of where my life was heading if I didn’t make a change.

So I listened. I embraced the message and the calling. Over the years, I came to realize just how toxic my previous lifestyle had been—carcinogenic, really—and I had been completely unaware of the many symptoms of dis-ease in my body.

I had my own small car bodywork restoration business for 25 years, which brought me joy but also a lot of stress, especially as I started young—at 19—with a mortgage and a growing family. The work involved constant exposure to toxic fumes, and looking back, I was not at all cautious. By the age of 17, I had 18 mercury fillings in my mouth, some topped with gold caps—highly toxic, though I didn’t understand the risks. I kept them for another 28 years.

I suffered from chronic lower back pain, insomnia, and in hindsight, severe depression and repression—though I was in complete denial about the long list of issues I was carrying.

When I was 28, my eldest sister passed away at 33 from colon cancer, leaving behind her husband and two young children aged 2 and 3. It was a heartbreaking time for our family and a powerful wake-up call for me. That loss led to profound spiritual experiences. A few months later, my partner and I separated after nine years together. I spent three to four years exploring a new version of myself before entering another long-term relationship—mortgage and all—only to separate again after 11 years.

Then came the real turning point—my “Thor’s hammer” moment—at age 44. A year earlier, I had already started a raw vegan journey. Now, 17 years later, I’m still walking that path.

A year before going raw vegan, I had begun practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu, a beautiful healing art that rekindled my spiritual journey. These two elements—Jin Shin Jyutsu and raw living foods—continue to play a fundamental role in my raw vegan journey and spiritual growth.They’ve opened me up to receive more and more guidance from spirit.

In my first seven days of eating raw, I discovered what heaven on earth could feel like, especially when I attended my first potluck. Seventeen years in, with a few wake-up knocks along the way, I’m still deeply passionate about this lifestyle. Why? Because I was lost—like so many are—and through this way of living, I found my way home. I hadn’t even realized that such a connection to life and spirit existed. The belief systems I had followed before had veiled that truth. I now see those systems not as mistakes but as invitations to connect more authentically. I have no regrets.

That feeling—that sense of home—has guided me ever since. I’ve recreated many of the foods I once craved, and they now far surpass the cooked versions. With my awareness of inner cleansing, the art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, and my connection to dreamwork, I’ve revisited and cleared deep layers of trauma.

At 17, I was involved in spiritual self-inquiry groups, keeping daily journals and dream diaries. We learned how to interpret our own inner symbols and messages. I also studied astrology, rebirthing breathwork, and participated in weekends focused on shadow and constellation work.

2) What inspired you to establish Simply Rawgeous, and how has your mission evolved since its inception?

Pete
I was about a year and a half into my journey—fully raw vegan during that time—and deeply immersed in my Jin Shin Jyutsu practice. I was soaring, in a state of what felt like ecstasy (totally sober), thanks to the lifestyle and the tools I had found to truly support, nurture, and embrace myself.

Through the detox protocols and inner work, I began to see and digest more of what was being revealed to me in my dream state. What struck me deeply was the realization that humanity is lost and in a chronic state of dis-ease and dysfunction.

At the same time, I received what I’d call a cosmic push—an undeniable calling—to go out and share this way of living, the embodiment of what I had integrated at that point in my life That moment planted the seed for Simply Rawgeous, born from the desire to share everything I had learned during my raw vegan journey. I had no initial aspiration to create a brand or business—but I had received my mission from the Most High.

The mission has evolved immensely over the past 16 years. Words can’t fully describe it. I’ve witnessed both my own transformation and the transformation of countless others whom I’ve worked with and supported. After 16 years of bringing our café, sauna, and nurturing space to festivals, we’re now transitioning toward more retreats, workshops, chef certifications, coaching, and training programs. Taking the Simply Rawgeous setup to festivals has become incredibly demanding—we literally bring everything with us, including the kitchen sink (sometimes two!).

We still support good causes and will continue to offer smaller gatherings. Our next one will be held in the UK on September 11, 2025.

3) Your offerings include gourmet raw Ital living plant-based foods. How do you approach creating dishes that are both nutritious and flavorful?

Over the years, I’ve been guided by a deeply holistic approach. What I always strive to share—what I’ve shared consistently—is that the number one ingredient is a loving presence, joyful connection, and a passion for ourselves first and foremost.

That’s the foundation of everything we do in the Simply Rawgeous meditative kitchen, deeply connected to our raw vegan journey.

We combine this energy with the highest-quality organic foods, rich in enzymes and nutrients. We also grow much of our own food veganically and source locally whenever possible, from places like Crops Not Shops near Glastonbury.

We aim to include as much enzyme-rich produce and garden herbs as possible in every gourmet dish we create. These include herbs like dandelion leaf, borage, sage, milk thistle, nettle, rosemary—and seaweeds we forage ourselves. We dry and grind these herbs to use in crusts, cakes, burgers, breads, falafel, crackers—wherever we can.

We also soak and dehydrate all our nuts and seeds to activate them and remove enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest. Some of our nuts and seeds are also cultured to increase enzyme content and probiotics, supporting gut health and microbiome balance.

We grow and prepare a variety of living foods—sprouts, fermented sauerkrauts and kimchi, cultured cheeses and yogurts, microgreens, and of course… oh my gosh, Rejuvelac! (Thanks again, Ann Wigmore.)

We also love catering to people with unique allergies, which we’ve done often at festivals and retreats. It’s such a joy to offer alternatives to people who thought they couldn’t enjoy certain foods because 99% of products contain ingredients they can’t have. Creating something special for them—something they thought was off-limits—is incredibly rewarding.

What makes our dishes so delicious, beyond being fresh and vibrant, is the passion and childlike creativity we pour into them. It’s like channeling healing art through raw vegan enzyme-rich food. We recreate beloved dishes—quiches, lasagnas, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and more—as healthier, healing versions. You can see some of these creations on our Instagram @simplyrawgeous, where we’re always experimenting with new dishes.

4) Simply Rawgeous provides various wellness services, such as detox programs and rejuvenation retreats. Could you elaborate on these services and their benefits?

We’ve offered a wide variety of detox and rejuvenation retreats, all grounded in a foundation of juices, smoothies, and raw, enzyme-rich living vegan foods. We incorporate Jin Shin Jyutsu, saunas, ice baths, movement and meditative practices, breathwork, sound healing, and astrology—tailored to each person’s specific organs and needs in the moment.

Our retreats also include hands-on living food workshops, colon cleansing, parasite cleansing, and individualized care based on where each participant is on their journey. We always remain deeply aware of the emotional and spiritual layers that these practices bring to the surface. That’s why our work includes a great deal of counseling and emotional support, offered organically as needed.

The benefits we’ve witnessed—both personally and through countless testimonials—are profound. These programs support deep healing and transformation, helping people to reclaim their vitality, health, joy, and zest for life.

5) How do you integrate spiritual practices into your approach to health and wellness?

Every single day. Spiritual practices have become second nature for us—they’re woven into the fabric of our lifestyle.

What might appear to others as a continuous detox program is, in fact, our daily norm. We incorporate regular saunas, ice baths, a 100% raw vegan enzyme-rich diet, juicing, and seasonal cleanses. We’ve both done many fasts—dry fasts, water fasts, juice fasts—and parasite cleanses three to four times a year, often combined with enemas.

For us, these aren’t just physical tools—they’re deeply spiritual practices. They enable spirit to come through more clearly and allow a stronger connection to the Divine, or what we call the Most High. In our view, this is the root of true spirituality: when the temple (the body) is clean, the divine can enter and guide us from within.

6) What challenges have you faced in promoting a raw plant-based lifestyle, and how have you addressed them?

In the beginning, the biggest challenges were cravings for old foods, old emotional patterns, and unresolved traumas surfacing. Traveling or being unprepared food-wise during early transitions was also difficult.

We addressed these challenges by using the tools we’ve mentioned—developing awareness and adopting a simple yet conscious approach to emotions and triggers. Whether it’s frustration, sadness, or anger, we’ve come to understand that these reactions often stem from early traumas—womb, birth, and childhood experiences—that arise in different ways along our journey. The outer world often mirrors these inner dynamics.

When I was 18, I became certified in rebirthing breathwork, which gave me a strong foundation for trauma awareness and emotional release. Jin Shin Jyutsu has also been fundamental in supporting this process. We’ve approached this lifestyle holistically, recognizing that awareness and healing tools are essential for sustaining such an ethos over time.

7) Could you share a success story from someone who has benefited from your guidance and services?

There have been many.

One woman who was suffering from daily migraines and hot flashes reached out to us and began incorporating some of our suggestions. Within just seven days, all her symptoms stopped. She was absolutely blown away.

Another woman, who experienced chronic migraines—up to 16 a month—came to a few of our retreats and fully embraced the lifestyle at home. She recently texted to say she hasn’t had a single migraine in the past six months.

We’ve also seen people rise above conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, asthma—the list goes on.

One woman, we later found out, had been hospitalized every Christmas for the past five years due to severe eating disorders and psychological trauma. That year, she spent Christmas with us, feeling safe, nurtured, and joyfully sharing a fully raw vegan feast with her loved ones over a video call. She told us multiple times how life-changing that moment was for her.

Seeing others heal and thrive by following their own raw vegan journey brings so much love and joy into our hearts. They are the reason we continue to share this work. At the same time, we’ve learned the importance of maintaining our own health and boundaries to serve authentically. That’s a key part of the Simply Rawgeous ethos—supporting others through empowerment, not depletion.

8) Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Simply Rawgeous and its role in the holistic health community?

As you’ve seen, we’ve already shared a lot above—but to summarize here:

As we continue walking our raw vegan journey, our core aspiration is to educate people based on our lived experiences and embodied knowledge while staying connected to ourselves first and foremost. That connection allows us to receive guidance from the Most High and to walk our path with clarity and purpose.

We aim to raise awareness and support others on their journey back to true health and vitality—through the lifestyle principles we’ve discussed here and many more, including topics like conscious birthing, homeschooling, esoteric knowledge, hidden history… and the list goes on.

Thank You, Pete & Hana!

We’re deeply grateful to Pete and Hana for sharing their time, wisdom, and transformative journey with us in this interview. Their story is a powerful reminder that true healing begins within—and that food, spirit, and presence can lead us home to ourselves.

If you’ve felt inspired—or simply curious—to explore more, we invite you to follow their journey and connect with the vibrant Simply Rawgeous community:

📸 Instagram: @simplyrawgeous
📘 Facebook: Simply Rawgeous
🌱 Website: www.simplyrawgeous.com

Whether you’re taking your first step or already deep on your wellness path, Pete and Hana offer a space of nourishment, creativity, and deep, joyful transformation.