Michael Smith is manager of Country Life Vegetarian Restaurant
photo by Suzanne Walker
“We believe what affects the body, affects the mind,” said Country Life Vegetarian Restaurant manager Michael Smith. “Our diet offers a better way of life.”
In its third year at its Market Street location, Country Life is owned by Wildwood Lifestyle Center and Hospital.
Michael said the food served at Country Life contains no animal products or by-products. It’s high in fiber and the restaurant avoids using white or refined foods. Ninety percent of the food is made from scratch, he said, and much of the food comes directly from Wildwood Farm.
“We try to make the food simple.” He said too many spices can be too stimulating and, for people recovering from alcoholism or other illnesses, spices can cause cravings. “We offer a healthful diet that is easily digestible.”
Wildwood and Country Life are based on Seventh Day Adventist beliefs. By taking care of the body through diet, nutrition, hydrotherapy and exercise, the mind is positively affected, Michael said.
Michael said he knows first hand the role food plays in enabling the mind. Several years ago, Michael was living in his home state Texas and was a drug addict. One night, after mixing two drugs with alcohol, he went unconscious. He said when his roommate found him, his eyes were rolled back in his head and he was blue. When paramedics came, his roommate asked if Michael would be okay, but they wouldn’t answer because they thought he was about to die.
In the hospital, doctors told Michael’s parents that if he survived he would be a vegetable. However, Michael slowly recovered. Eventually, he was sent to Wildwood Rehabilitation Center.
At Wildwood, he said “food played an important part from the beginning.” He was put on a vegetarian diet and he went from “having heartburn and headaches” every day to thinking more clearly. During this time, Michael said he spent much time in nature and reading the Bible. Michael eventually became a Christian and started doing missions work once he was rehabilitated.
Michael did missions in the Philippines and Thailand. He said he started a program working with starving children in Thailand and returns there each year.
Months ago Michael returned to Wildwood for missionary training and while he was there he heard that the former manager of Country Life was leaving, so he took the position. Michael has been the manager since November.
Country Life is “more of a ministry. Food is one of the biggest problems in America. It’s an addiction.” He said information is provided on each table about a proper diet for those who are interested. “We don’t try to force our ideas on anyone, but we like to provide information to those who are open to it.”
Prevention is key to leading a healthy life, Michael said. By using herbs and hydrotherapy and having a good diet, people are able to prevent a lot of diseases. He noted, “We are not against medicine, but medicine is like dropping a bomb — it kills the good and the bad. Sometimes you need a bomb dropped, but it’s better to focus on prevention.”
Country Life provides several different options daily and publishes a calendar listing the foods that will be served. Michael said the cooks are from New York, the Philippines, Korea, Brazil, Portugal and at one time from Russia, so the food has many international influences.
Country Life has locations all over the world including New York, London, Paris, Alabama, Prague, Kenya and Switzerland. The restaurant in Prague serves about 1,200 people daily.
Country Life is open for lunch on Sunday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., except 2:30 p.m. on Fridays. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays.
Now Country Life is also serving breakfast from 6:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Michael said the restaurant will continue serving breakfast for the next three months and permanently if there are enough customers. The breakfast is an all you can eat buffet that serves dry cereal with soy or rice milk, oatmeal, granola, fresh fruit, whole wheat waffles, coffee and much more.
On Tuesday nights, lectures are given on health from different doctors. Country Life also offers cooking classes.