Life (and Gelato) in the Raw

Kailey Donewald took a vacation to Bali and discovered a cure for her lifelong asthma and allergies—a raw, plant-based diet. Now she’s serving up vegan, coconut-based gelato with a superfood twist.

- NEIL ZEVNIK

Endless reams of text have been written about the relationship between diet and health, and the body’s ability to heal itself through nourishment. Can we achieve wellness without the help of conventional medicine?

For Kailey Donewald, these conundrums took the form of a very personal, lifelong journey. “I had grown up suffering severe cases of both asthma and allergies, and my doctors told me I was just born with these conditions and would need to rely on medication for the rest of my life,” she says.

A trip to Bali, however, proved to be life-changing, leading Donewald to embrace a raw, plant-based diet that freed her from both conditions. “The rapid and complete healing that took place simply by changing my diet was so profound that I quit my job, sold all my possessions, went back to school for nutrition, and dedicated my life to empowering more individuals to heal holistically.”

Global Healing

Donewald spent the next six years traveling the world, studying under leading practitioners in the fields of yoga, meditation, Eastern philosophy, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, whole-food nutrition, and holistic health. Then she moved back to Bali, where she worked as a holistic health practitioner.