My journey has been evolving for some time, but cleaning up my diet has been the best return on my investment, so let’s start there. When I eliminated junk food and other foods that irritate my system, I felt SO much better, like I could accomplish anything! I would not have accomplished much else, if I had not found this source of clarity and bounce. Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you about some diet I went on and my daily cardio program. (I lost 40lbs pretty easily without doing cardio, yay!)
It all started to get interesting for me two years ago at the naturopath’s office. I was there about my acute acne and other hormonal imbalances, and she began asking me about my diet. She mentioned that dairy can be a source of all sorts of problems, and my fibrocystic breasts were an indicator of too much sugar and caffeine consumption. She suggested I eliminate dairy and sugar for one month, get off hormonal birth control, and take evening primrose oil to balance my hormones. Well, I didn’t listen to her then, but I did eliminate dairy for a month, and found that without dairy in my life my skin cleared up and I slept better. When I re-introduced it, I got gas and bloat, and cystic acne within 48 hours. I felt like an idiot because my son is allergic to dairy, and I had done all the research.
A year or so later, I had kicked dairy and was beginning to learn more about how food sensitivities can impact moods, skin, energy, and other subtle things, EVEN WHEN A BLOOD TEST SHOWS NO ALERGY. I knew I was putting toxins in my body, and I was tired all the time. The more tired I got, the less I planned ahead, and the more I found myself at the McDonalds drive through on my lunch break. I knew I needed to eat more healthy foods and cleanse to rid my system of toxins, but the idea of drinking maple syrup for days, or green juicing sounded too much like some fad diet of the stars.
Finally, in May of 2011, I heard about the paleo (AKA primal OR ancestral nutrition) lifestyle from a friend, and decided to give it a shot for a month. It’s incredibly simple: eat real foods: meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, oils (grains are not a necessary or ideal food, they are highly inflammatory for many of us). Eat when you’re hungry, stop when satisfied. I committed to give it a shot for a month. By day 10 I felt great and I knew I’d never go back. As my system healed from the damage inflammatory foods had done, my skin cleared, my energy and focus increased, my hormones settled down, and I learned how to cook the most delicious foods. I love that eating this way reduces my carbon footprint, supports local farmers, and reduces environmental impact. I eat grass fed meat that is ethically raised and humanely slaughtered. (Wait, vegetarians, I love you- don’t run away…this is not a paleo blog, hang with me for just a few lines further.)
My goal this month is to step up my game as it pertains to sustainability and community... I’ll be researching more locally sourced grass fed and pastured meats and eggs. I'm going to work harder to shop local and shop at my at my farmers market and explore seasonal produce.
Your goal might be to simply eat more organic this month. Learn about the differences between grass fed and grain fed meats. Drop grains and/or dairy. Whatever you'd like to work on that moves you toward a more sustainable and holistic relationship with your food would make a great goal.
I've got some really great research I want to share with you about how clean whole food diets can cure many diseases and ailments, including mood disorders, cancer, and diabetes. I'll also tell you more about the politics of food and why drug companies want you to stay obese and unhealthy.
I've been learning to cook and I've got some really awesome recipes, menu plans, grocery lists and other ideas to share with you if you're just getting started on this road. I never thought I would have so much fun cooking and eating!
Happy eating!
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