Current Roles
Cynthia Lair is a faculty member for Bastyr University's Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science and the curriculum director for Bastyr's Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. Her popular cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family Sasquatch Books, 2008) has sold more than 80,000 copies. A fourth edition will be released in 2016. Her second book, Feeding the Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players and Parents, was written with former Bastyr faculty member Scott Murdoch, PhD, RD, and a new edition was released in 2012 from local publisher Readers to Eaters.
Lair hosts and co-produces the online cooking show, Cookus Interruptus: How to cook fresh local organic whole foods despite life's interruptions. In 2012 Lair was asked to give a TEDx Rainier talk. She based the talk on her experience teaching classes at Bastyr and titled it “How to Cut an Onion”.
In 2010 she created the Discover.Cook. Nourish. workshop for school food-service workers. The 8-hour workshop was funded by a national grant and Seattle Public Health. Find her speaking engagement schedule at Cynthialair.com.
Education
- BA in speech (magna cum laude), Wichita State University, 1975
- Graduated with honors from the Health and Nutrition Program (founded by Gary Null), New York City, attended from 1984-1987
Past Experience
Lair graduated as a certified health and nutrition counselor from the health and nutrition program in New York City in 1987. After graduating, she worked as a nutritional counselor and taught classes for the Natural Gourmet Institute. She was a clinical associate for the University of Washington's School of Nursing CAM program from 2006-2008 and a regular contributor to its Faculty Integrative Health Program (FIHP). Her articles have been featured in Mothering magazine, Living Without, Delicious magazine, Unified Health, the Well-Being Journal and others.
Lair has been an invited speaker for the following organizations: UW School of Nursing Continuing Education, Starbucks Vivecorp, Aegis Corporation, Pecha Kucha, the International Food Bloggers Convention, Asante Health Systems, La Leche League, NSCAA Convention, WA State PTA Convention, WA State Breastfeeding Coalition, WA State Food & Nutrition Conference and the Greenhouse Spa as well as numerous local schools. She has taught whole foods cooking classes for the PCC Natural Markets PCC Cooks program since 1990 as well as classes for Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Pike Place Market and many other venues.
Classes Taught
Whole Foods Production, Cooking Demonstration
Interests
Lair likes to keep a vegetable garden and explore new ways to cook whole foods. She focuses her articles and lectures on current concerns in the area of food, cooking and nutrition, especially issues related to families.
Philosophy
Lair believes that becoming conscious of where one’s food originates is a primary step toward deeper awareness of self, other beings and our environment. She also maintains that education is more effective when presented with a story and with humor.
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