I was shocked when my glucose test came back positive in 2008 while pregnant with my first child. I was young and seemingly healthy and this diagnosis took me aback. Disappointed yet determined I wanted to know what was causing my body not to produce enough insulin. I always thought I was eating right – balanced home cooked meals made from scratch — most of the time — so what could be causing this…? I was even more careful after the diagnosis but the diabetes only got worse— in a few weeks after the diagnosis I found myself having to depend on injecting insulin every day, at least twice a day.
When we don’t have all the answers clearly in front of us, we pray, and that’s what I did, I prayed for guidance and wisdom to eliminate this completely. Answers to prayers could come any time of the day or… night. After the birth of my son, when he was about 8-9 months old, I started getting clear dreams between 3-4 am of making cooking pots from clay, pure clay, and just clay without any chemical additives. The ideas flooded in, images, descriptions… I had to wake up and take notes.
It was then I started the research… “the importance of cookware”, “the connection between cookware and the food you eat”. “What is the best cookware and why?” The resulting information/revelation was astounding. Being a naturalist and a environmental steward all my life I was thrilled to find on my research that cookware made from natural clay was far better in every way to what was currently available in the market. But to be truly beneficial the cookware had to be made from pure, All-Natural clay without the use of ANY contaminants.
It made so much sense… The nutrient rich earth that grows our food must also be used to cook it!
I did the Alkaline baking soda test on all my cookware and was shocked to taste how much junk we were ingesting from the pots… Research on nutritional value showed gross depletion when cooked in those pots.
…I had to get my hands on them!
A thorough market research showed that while there were a few people making clay pots, there was no one taking the necessary steps to ensure the purity of the clay and there was no guarantee that it was made without ANY additives. It was then that I fully felt the urge to take up this great task!
With a year-old baby in hand I decided to travel the world to a place where people still cook food in clay. I was astonished to meet and see people in clay – cooking communities living so much healthier than our own. It was my job now to bring this home.
I was determined from the beginning that if I were to make these pots, it would be in the USA. Although, I had no idea how or even where I was going to get this high quality pure clay. My people and I deserve to enjoy a healthier life, and I was going to do my part in making sure of that!
Having worked with great potters and learned the skill of working with natural clay, I gratefully said goodbye to India and returned to Boston MA.
With only an unquenchable determination to weigh me down, I set about making the tools, doing a thorough geographic research to source the clay, testing the clay, modifying machinery, and forming jigs for precision. Innovating and testing methods of clay preparation, processing, making, finishing, firing, to yield a product untouched by chemicals, additives or contaminants which are typically used in almost all making methods of cookware. In this process I had the privilege of meeting some very great people to whom I am forever grateful for their help, support, and guidance.
In a few years after we started, in order to be competitive, we decided to save by building the workshop (the pottery house) in some land we owned behind our house. We the potters, a team of 4-5 people with me leading the crew (having spent several sleepless nights learning construction) completed the workshop. This was certainly also going to help us keep the cost of a labor intensive, hand-made product at a reasonable point. We built the building in 2 sections and I was climbing ladders hauling wood and cutting planks all whilst pregnant with our 4th baby in 2016 — nothing could stop my determination!
And oh, the diabetes, it was gone never to show its ugly head again. ‘Low thyroid’, another diagnosis even before the diabetes, was gone too Other signs of sickness – slight joint and muscle aches, “signs of normal aging” as we have come to accept them, also were gone for good! Even fevers, common colds, seasonal allergies nothing, nada! Having lived life with sickness as an acquaintance & the “weaker self” a companion to now living life without any sickness or its signs thereof was the greatest blessing in all of this, only surpassed by being surrounded by healthy children & husband whose bodies refuse to fall sick. The later is equaled only to the joy of hearing from other MEC cooks from around the world sharing the same new blessing.
I have explained here in detail how food is different when cooked in pure clay and how this difference when cooking grains helped me get rid of diabetes.
The immune system is a powerful entity whose fuel is food. When provided with healthy food it can meticulously fight disease and give back health & vitality all the days of our life. When given bad food and/or food prepared in toxic cookware its power is diminished over time, as it is on a everyday battle of cleaning up this mess, and eventually becomes useless or even counterproductive.
There is no greater wealth in this world than that of living in a healthy body. A healthy body is also naturally beautiful and supports a sound mind. Something we acquired as a family through this wonderful experience and by continuing the journey of food cooked using natural ingredients in 100% pure clay pots. It let us realize how the road to a healthier you is two-fold: The choice of food, and the choice of cookware, and both played an equally important role. Today it is our mission to bring this labor of love to you, your homes, families and kitchens!
Thank you for allowing us to do so …I am humbled!
–Miriam Kattumuri
