Writing lab reports back in college I remember how I always wrote the Introduction section last. I found it easier to write where I was going after I'd already concluded where I had been. As it turns out this blog has turned into something similar. When I began I was gluten free. Then I decided to give Whole 30 a try after my acupuncturist reminded me how my body holds onto heat. After my Whole 30 I didn't have much success with reintroducing the foods I had eliminated which then led me to suspect I might have rheumatoid arthritis. Previously I attributed my joint pain to practicing massage therapy for a dozen years coupled with turning 40. I had followed The Paleo Mom on Pinterest because she posts great recipes and incredibly informative articles. Little did I know at the time that she wrote The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. In January of 2015 I began my AIP (autoimmune protocol) journey.
What I have loved about my paleo journey is learning that paleo is not one thing. That is, each person finds the version of paleo that works for them. Some tolerate dairy and others add white potatoes. I think there are too many people in the world telling each other how they should conduct themselves and I don't want to add to those voices. While I contemplated removing some of my earlier recipes because they weren't textbook paleo I decided to leave them because they are good if you tolerate those ingredients. My goal is to use the recipes I create to write a cookbook even if it's only for the people I know.
It seems these days that most people give their diet a definition or put some kind of constraint on what they put into their body. Most of these constraints, I think, are too restrictive because most people can't follow them for years on end because there is usually something missing. Our body needs carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in order to function so when some are completely eliminated and others are overly consumed it leaves us not feeling well. In my opinion if you're not eating enough vitamins and minerals from real food then hitting a desired fat, carbohydrate, and protein ratio doesn't really matter to me. I do strongly believe in listening to your body. If sugar makes your joints hurt or foods upset your digestion then it's up to you to adjust your diet accordingly. Many versions of paleo exist because we are all individuals with our own set of needs.
You won't find any wheat here nor will you find any sauces from cans or packets or processed foods. I'll do my best to let you know when you should definitely buy organic and when it is o.k. to buy conventional. Of course I'll always push for as much organic as possible. It's better for the soil, water, farmers health, health and happiness of the animals, and you and your family. I'm a gardener so I'll also encourage you to play in the dirt. With a small investment and a little work a garden is your cheapest source of real food.
To me, real food is the stuff our great grandparents ate. It's cooking with single ingredients and making everything from scratch. Our current food system is such a mess because farmers have to pay the government twice to prove their product is organic whereas the government subsidizes non-organic foods thereby making them cheaper. Consequently we have the highest cancer rates in the world. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, fatty liver disease, and food allergies are all skyrocketing. Those diseases have been a huge source of motivation for me to create this blog because I'm surrounded by people who suffer from these diseases and they keep looking to me for ideas on what to eat. As of today I'm 6' tall, 145 lbs, blood pressure is 110/68, and fasting glucose was 85. All of these numbers were taken in the last year and I'm sharing them as my "evidence" for what the medical community defines as health. Some who have know me for years attribute my numbers to genetics but with 60% of the nation labeled as being overweight you have to believe me (based on statistics) when I say that I too have overweight relatives. Cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are all found in my family history.
I think people look to me for suggestions because those who know me well know that I do not look at food the way most people do. In high school I took 2 years of chemistry and I still remember the day I pulled the tub of "butter" from my parents refrigerator and was shocked when I read the ingredients. This tub was called butter yet nothing contained within had anything to do with a cow. I went on to get a degree in Environmental Science and worked professionally in laboratories for the next 5 years. My experience includes soil toxicology, analysis of fish for PCB's and pesticides, and analytical chemistry/quality control for a cosmetic and pharmaceutical company. When I read ingredients on food labels odds are I've come across them in a laboratory and I've seen the MSDS (material data safety sheet). 99.9% of the time I end up putting foods in a traditional supermarket back on the shelf. Then I went to massage therapy school for 18 months and had an in-depth education in anatomy and physiology. Our instructor said it was equivalent to second year med school but since I've never been to med school you'll have to take his word for it. I've been a massage therapist since 2002 and I taught anatomy and physiology, along with other coursework, for a massage therapy program for 7 years. Once upon a time I thought about culinary school but when a friend pointed out that restaurants do the bulk of their business every evening I decided I'd rather work in my home kitchen. I love cooking shows, cookbooks, books about food, and watching food documentaries.
I've never dieted or counted calories because I don't believe all calories are created equal. Your body will react differently to a candy bar than it will an avocado. I consider myself to be a foodie and I recognize that there are flavor components that must be present to balance the flavor of a dish. Many people think that eating healthy doesn't taste good and much of the American diet is full of sugar and salt. It may take your taste buds some time to adjust but my hopes are that you won't miss them because I use herbs and spices to give food flavor. Thoughts, comments, suggestions, and feedback are always welcome. I'm a scientist so I'm curious to see if my way of eating and recipes will have an impact on others currently struggling with their health.
(Because we live in a crazy world)
Medical Disclaimer
The information contained is meant for informational and educational purposes only. My hopes are to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and partnership with a health care provider. Please do not solely rely upon this information to determine dietary changes, medical diagnosis, or courses of treatment.
What I have loved about my paleo journey is learning that paleo is not one thing. That is, each person finds the version of paleo that works for them. Some tolerate dairy and others add white potatoes. I think there are too many people in the world telling each other how they should conduct themselves and I don't want to add to those voices. While I contemplated removing some of my earlier recipes because they weren't textbook paleo I decided to leave them because they are good if you tolerate those ingredients. My goal is to use the recipes I create to write a cookbook even if it's only for the people I know.
It seems these days that most people give their diet a definition or put some kind of constraint on what they put into their body. Most of these constraints, I think, are too restrictive because most people can't follow them for years on end because there is usually something missing. Our body needs carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in order to function so when some are completely eliminated and others are overly consumed it leaves us not feeling well. In my opinion if you're not eating enough vitamins and minerals from real food then hitting a desired fat, carbohydrate, and protein ratio doesn't really matter to me. I do strongly believe in listening to your body. If sugar makes your joints hurt or foods upset your digestion then it's up to you to adjust your diet accordingly. Many versions of paleo exist because we are all individuals with our own set of needs.
You won't find any wheat here nor will you find any sauces from cans or packets or processed foods. I'll do my best to let you know when you should definitely buy organic and when it is o.k. to buy conventional. Of course I'll always push for as much organic as possible. It's better for the soil, water, farmers health, health and happiness of the animals, and you and your family. I'm a gardener so I'll also encourage you to play in the dirt. With a small investment and a little work a garden is your cheapest source of real food.
I think people look to me for suggestions because those who know me well know that I do not look at food the way most people do. In high school I took 2 years of chemistry and I still remember the day I pulled the tub of "butter" from my parents refrigerator and was shocked when I read the ingredients. This tub was called butter yet nothing contained within had anything to do with a cow. I went on to get a degree in Environmental Science and worked professionally in laboratories for the next 5 years. My experience includes soil toxicology, analysis of fish for PCB's and pesticides, and analytical chemistry/quality control for a cosmetic and pharmaceutical company. When I read ingredients on food labels odds are I've come across them in a laboratory and I've seen the MSDS (material data safety sheet). 99.9% of the time I end up putting foods in a traditional supermarket back on the shelf. Then I went to massage therapy school for 18 months and had an in-depth education in anatomy and physiology. Our instructor said it was equivalent to second year med school but since I've never been to med school you'll have to take his word for it. I've been a massage therapist since 2002 and I taught anatomy and physiology, along with other coursework, for a massage therapy program for 7 years. Once upon a time I thought about culinary school but when a friend pointed out that restaurants do the bulk of their business every evening I decided I'd rather work in my home kitchen. I love cooking shows, cookbooks, books about food, and watching food documentaries.
I've never dieted or counted calories because I don't believe all calories are created equal. Your body will react differently to a candy bar than it will an avocado. I consider myself to be a foodie and I recognize that there are flavor components that must be present to balance the flavor of a dish. Many people think that eating healthy doesn't taste good and much of the American diet is full of sugar and salt. It may take your taste buds some time to adjust but my hopes are that you won't miss them because I use herbs and spices to give food flavor. Thoughts, comments, suggestions, and feedback are always welcome. I'm a scientist so I'm curious to see if my way of eating and recipes will have an impact on others currently struggling with their health.
(Because we live in a crazy world)
Medical Disclaimer
The information contained is meant for informational and educational purposes only. My hopes are to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and partnership with a health care provider. Please do not solely rely upon this information to determine dietary changes, medical diagnosis, or courses of treatment.
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