Dean Howell Feature Piece

I wrote this at the beginning of November as part of an assignment to hand in to uni; National School Meals week, therefore, is not this week and Junior Brown has scored another three goals since then. But the rest is still relevant, so read on!

While the nation focuses on the importance of teaching children to eat healthily, Liz Owen spoke to footballer Dean Howell about the benefits of a vegan diet and his food company, ‘Revolution Foods.’

As Tuesday morning lazily drifts into Tuesday afternoon, the last members of the Fleetwood Town squad can be seen leaving Fylde Rugby Club, where the League Two side train during the week.

Inside, the plates begin to clear and the leftover food is removed, but any assumptions that all of the players have eaten lunch are soon overturned as Dean Howell emerges from the changing rooms to speak to the chef.

His meal is noticeably different to the food his team-mates enjoyed earlier, and not something instantly recognisable to someone whose staple diet frequently includes chicken in breadcrumbs accompanied by a plate of oven chips.

Howell became a vegan over six years ago, and his interest in nutrition certainly does not stop there. The 31-year-old, who signed for Fleetwood in May, established ‘Revolution Foods’ in September 2011 which, according to its website, offers “100% natural plant-based herbs and alkaline foods and products.”

 “It’s been around 14 months since I started the company with two of my best friends,” Howell said. “We’re growing at a great rate and building a consistent fanbase. It’s going superbly.”

It’s beginning to sound complicated, but Howell offers a simple explanation of his products, which brings back vague memories of GCSE chemistry.

“The pH scale, ranging from zero to 14, measures the acidity and the alkalinity of a solution,” he said. “Anything that’s made by nature measures a pH of seven and above, and is therefore an alkaline, while anything that’s man-made is below seven, and acidic. The body will always try to stay at a level of 7.365, and will pull minerals from organs and bones in order to maintain that level, meaning it’s better to consume alkaline foods.”

It’s not a typical pastime to associate with a footballer, but then again, Howell isn’t your average footballer. Under that thick head of dreadlocks lies an awful lot of intelligence and interest in the world away from the football field.

Action: Howell celebrates after scoring Fleetwood's first
ever Football League goal against Burton in August.
Image: Liz Owen

“I’m a truth-seeker, and I’ve always questioned things,” he said. “Losing my nan to breast cancer spurred me on to look deeper into health, because people always relate cancer to smoking or drinking and she did neither.

“I’ve done so much research over the years: read tons of books, searched the internet and spoken to a lot of holistic people. I’ve found it’s about both science and common sense and, once you get the gist of certain bits and bobs, it all falls into place.”

A diet which has helped Howell “both mentally and physically” also seems to rub off on his team-mates. At Crawley Town, a club which he helped gain back-to-back promotions from the Blue Square Premier to League One, many of his fellow professionals took an interest in the products he was distributing.

His new colleagues at Fleetwood are beginning to maintain the same interest. In the canteen, young Swansea loanee Curtis Obeng reveals that his preferred pre-match meal consists of chicken and pasta. Howell is quick to inform him that, actually, wheat-based pasta isn’t as good for footballers as you’d think.

Town’s Junior Brown has undoubtedly taken his advice on board. The 23-year-old seems a different player this season, netting five times in 17 appearances to become his club’s top scorer in League Two.

After revealing his previous struggle with injuries, Brown credits a “change of attitude” as the reason behind his rich vein of form so far and praised Howell for his help.

“I couldn’t live without my meat,” he admitted, “but I am trying to stick to more natural and plant-based foods and taking on board different supplements as well. They seem to be having an effect on my body; I’m recovering faster and feeling better in myself.

“Dean’s been influential. When he first came in I didn’t think I’d get involved, but he’s so passionate about it, and after listening to him I thought why not? He’s brought a new lease of life to me and given me a new way of living, which will hopefully help me keep performing well for the team.”

November 5th marks the beginning of National School Meals week, the “biggest national healthy eating awareness week about school meals in Britain,” and the issue of educating children about what they eat is something which Howell feels strongly about.

“I feel it’s imperative that something like healthy living, especially food and nutrition, is put onto the curriculum,” he said. “I think health is a social issue which definitely needs dealing with at school.”

Vegan: Howell has maintained a vegan diet for over
six years. Image: Wikimedia Commons

In a climate where parents are finding it harder to provide for their families, the cost of living healthily can be a concern. But Howell believes that this does not have to be the case.

“I do think healthy food is affordable, because you tend not to eat as much of it; you’re fuelling your body with the right foods,” he said. “If you’re eating crap, your body’s always striving for that real goodness, which is why you’re always hungry even though you’re always eating.”

Imagine, then, that Howell has the chance to speak to local schoolchildren this week about their health. What would he tell them?

“I wouldn’t try and get too complex, because obviously they’re only children,” he said. “I’d advise them to try and eat as much fruit and vegetables as possible, and drink tons of spring water. Fruit especially is very colourful, which may appeal to them.

“I have many dishes which are healthy but also taste nice. People don’t realise that once food goes past their tastebuds, the body has to deal with the rest of it. They enjoy three seconds of taste, then a lifetime of dealing with it inside. Taste is important, but vegan food is tasty!”

Howell knows that not everyone will share that view, but as long as there are those who will listen, he will continue to give advice. One thing is for certain; such is his enthusiasm about his way of living, even a short conversation with him can inspire you to become a ‘truth-seeker’ yourself.

See for yourself: check out Howell's website http://revolution-foods.com/home.php for more information.
With thanks to Dean Howell and Junior Brown.