Coming backAs I sit here at my laptop, I think ... "How am I going to do this?" Where do I start? What am I going to talk about? HOW am I going to even begin writing about the journey that I have been on?
Countless times have I started typing and set aside a few words, a paragraph or two, or even a whole page. Though, I never did post. I didn't think I was ready. Thoughts, feelings, insights, etc... entries in my email or journal, in personal texts, on scraps of paper, or swimming in my mind. And I am finally deciding to bring it all together. To share my burdens, my joys, my strengths and weaknesses, my insights, ... my life; this blog is no longer just about food. And if there's an ear out there, I am blessed. And perhaps I can bring truth to your world, as God has brought it to mine. Truth. About our purpose here. Truth. About my struggles. Truth. About my joys. Truth. About health. Truth. About our world. There are so many lies we were born or taught into believing and their manifestations are far beyond UgLy. But when we learn the Truth, we can make the changes we need to be better for our Lord and Savior. The changes that perfect us and make us new. I am becoming new. It is no easy journey and I am certainly not through, but I will no longer let the waiting period dictate the postponement of sharing my story. And so let it begin. This is my story... |
"Food is an infinitely rich subject, and there's always something about it to understand better, something new to discover, a fresh source of interest, ideas, and delight." |
Just when you think the paleo diet couldn’t be any more restrictive, something else pops up and it gets ‘worse’. Basically, for the past (almost) week, I’ve been on a no fruit/starch/any sugar diet as well. No mold-forming foods either. It certainly has made me lose some weight… not that I wanted to lose any.
Fortunately, my angst over the past year and a half (and even through my whole lifetime) now has an ending. Those visits to the many doctors who have stared at me and said either ‘nothing is wrong’ or ‘you’re just stressed’ or ‘I don’t know why this is happening’ or even ‘just go back on said medication’ are over. My countless hours stacked upon weeks of research have finally yielded me an answer. God has answered so many prayed requests. This problem no longer has a hold on me; it has lost its consuming power. Away with the anxiety, so long digestive issues, farewell hormone imbalances, adieu congested sinuses, and down with the other million negative things going on with my body. I’m sure you’re wondering how one thing could cause so many horrendous symptoms and what that one thing could be? It’s called Candida albicans. Actually, 70-80% of people have it in their bodies, but it remains mostly dormant. It affects your digestive, endocrine, and neurological systems and makes you look like a crazy person who just wants to feel normal. I believe I got it from my mom, on the day I was born into this world. You, too, likely got it, along with the other millions of bacteria to help you survive this world. A few years ago I had a flare up and had to go on a 6 week restricted diet with an anti-fungal. I thought that I had gotten rid of it, when in reality I only just abated the beast. Years later after some changes and actions that unknowingly stimulate yeast overgrowth, Candida has come back with a vengeance. But, it can no longer hide from me; it’s been discovered! And if it’s a battle it wants, it’s a battle it shall get. The Plan? Murder it. Every. Single. Cell. How? With a restricted diet, many natural anti-fungals /yeast killers, and being more conscientious about how I work my body. The Results? Initially? Candida die-off (fatigue, GI issues, headaches, pains, dizziness, etc). But, what would you expect when you’re trying to kill something that has lived inside of you for so long? And then a re-populating of that space with good bacteria. So, really, how am I doing this? I’ll take you step-by-step:
It certainly is not cheap, but with enough research, it can be done. I’ve already made lists of where to buy the cheapest items and how to make the more inexpensive products, without compromising quality. This encompasses Amazon, Jet.com, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Wal-mart, and a few more. And, really, making my own body products and laundry detergent actually are cheaper than what I would buy in the store. If you’re trying to go all natural, do some research and make it yourself. Trust me. It may take some trial and error and even acclimation, but you’ll know everything ingredient inside that container. If you are even more curious about this or would like to give or receive pointers, please feel free to comment below or email me at [email protected]. I’ve done a lot of research on the gut and auto-immune diseases as well, so really, email me about anything you might like. I love to research. I was once told that you sometimes need to be your own advocate for your health, and she was right. And so it begins… Recipes and DIY links to come!! Note: The reason I'm sharing this is to bring awareness to other health issues that maybe even you or a friend are suffering from and how to combat them. Doctors tend to overlook the source of the issues, but instead throw medicine at us, to get us to feel better. Yeah, well it causes a number of other side effects. Problem not solved. Candida and the gut, in general, are topics that few doctors have knowledge of. Chris Kresser and Robb Wolf are two great men who talk lengths about diseases on their podcasts. If this is an area of research that interests you, I encourage you to take a look at their websites and tune in. There's so much to learn about our in world and with our bodies. And from what we learn, we profit. And when we share, others, too, profit.
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Research. It’s what I do. “Oh, I can’t eat A, B, C? Okay, then I’ll find a healthier, more flavorful alternative.” Hmm…Yucca, plantain, jicama ... Yes, a lot of these are better known roots internationally, but look at where I live (Orlando)! EVERYONE comes to live here or at least visit, which makes it a great market for great varieties of produce. And they’re super yummy anyway. I can’t tell you I’ve ever cooked with any of these, but that’s where the research, the fun, and the culinary experiments come into play. I’ve already played around with plantain. Ever heard of tostones? They are basically twice fried plantain. Though, there are two types of plantains: the green kind and the yellow. The green ones are purposed for tostones while the yellow ones are better served as plantanos maduros (or sweet plantains). So you get your pick: sweet or savory? For Tostones, here is what you need: Ingredients:
Directions:
Now if you’re like me, you LOVE saucy things. “Chicken with my alfredo please?” “Can I have an extra side of tomato sauce, just to drink?” “Where’s the ketchup and mustard?” Now for those health gurus out there, none of this is necessarily healthy. Alfredo = high fat milk and butter (with flour or a starch as a thickener), tomato sauce probably has sugar in it, and ketchup is a hot mess of corn syrup… Mustard is definitely my safest bet. ANYWAY. What does all of this have to do with tostones? SAUCE. A garlic and lemon mojo sauce. Mojo sauce Ingredients:
Directions:
*I roasted my garlic to get a better flavor profiled mojo sauce. If you choose that route, take a whole garlic head, remove the outer skin around the entire head (individual bulb skin is fine), pour over a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt, wrap in aluminum foil, and roast for 30-45 minutes at 325 degrees. Blend and add to the ingredients above! I've been listening to more podcasts and the more I hear the more despaired I feel. The body is such a complex thing that it's hard to really hone in on one leading issue and its origin. Everything is so inter-related and what we eat may be affecting our health. Though only to a certain extent and sometimes you need other interventions. Travis and I have spent enough money trying to figure this out and, though we've gotten to a certain point, I am still not at all where I would like to be. It's really annoying sometimes and painful both physically, mentally, and spiritually. I wish I had the answers (don't we all?), but I do not. I hope that remaining on this diet will reveal something and many of which are good. ... Two days ago I had a hard day. I really wanted sugar and fruit and sweet potatoes were my only option. Yesterday morning I tried making a pancake, but did the "let's not follow a recipe" thing and ended up with sad mush. I tried to ameliorate it by adding spiced coconut milk and it worked, but only some. The problem is the lack of SUGAR. If I could add just a small amount of pure maple syrup or raw local honey, I would. Though, for a certain length of time, I am omitting any added sugars. Only fruits and cooked vegetables are my source of sugar. This helps curb that quick fix empty food ordeal: when you get a craving and you grab that 3 musketeers. It's just not an option. And that's what I keep telling myself: It's not an option. Think of someone who has a peanut allergy. Maybe they LOVE the taste of peanut butter, but it might put them into anaphylactic shock. Do they often entice their taste buds with the thought of eating it? No. Why would I do that to myself? It's just not an option and I move on. I have been venturing a little bit into the umami flavor category and right now a lot of it has to do with bone broth. I get sooo much out of this nice, big osso buco bone: broth, some meat/fat, and then fat that separates and is skimmed from the top (lard). And let’s not forget all of the nutrients that are cooked out of the bone, from the marrow. I use all but the lard for soups and when I want to fry something, I use the lard. There’s such a bad connotation with lard, but if it’s from the bone of a grass-fed, hormone free cow, there’s not much to be concerned about. Plus, it’s great for high heat cooking. With this homemade beef-based bouillon concoction, I’ve made many a soup. One was extra delicious and had organic carrots from the garden along with some herbs and spices. It was yummy yummy, delicious! I can’t wait to get more produce and another beef bone to whip up another several batches of soup. I do need to find more recipes, though. I really need to get creative. So here’s to looking forward to that in future posts! Oh yes. But not to lose weight, not because I'm crazy, and not because it's a thing to do (certainly not). But rather because I'm angry and I'm tired of feeling terrible. I need to feel better. Not so I can live a perfect life, but so that I can take care of others and serve them and love them well; I can’t do that very well when I am sick. I need to be great to my body, not even just good.
So this is the plan: go Paleo. For how long? Possibly forever. A few months ago I started researching this diet and autoimmune conditions and I felt compelled to pursue it. And so I did. I started to surround myself with people focused on good and natural living, podcasts related to health, and general information about natural living. Immersing myself in this type of environment has made it much easier to adapt to the paleo lifestyle. Why would I not want to eliminate added sugars, grains and legumes, and processed dairy? Why would I not want to eat more natural and organic produce, grass-fed meat and free range chicken, high protein seeds and nuts, etc? If I am good to my body, then I hope that it, too, will be good to me. Not only am I paying more attention to what I am putting inside my body, but also to what I am putting on my body. So my further life changes include going chemical free in my cleaning (thank you Mindy/Norwex!!) as well as chemical free and natural in my toiletries (yes, even toothpaste). Clean home, clean eating, clean body. I can't say any of this will make the changes that I so desperately need, but many doctors (natural and conventional), medications, and protocols later, I'm at my wits end. I have much information about allergies and blood levels (hormones, vitamins, minerals, etc) and have made some progress, so at least I’ve gained that. Though, what I really need to find is the right doctor and the money to proceed with even more testing and searching. What I sooo desire is to be normal again: to feel hungry before eating and then full after, but I do not. I want my lower GI to function properly, but it remains idle. I want this debilitating anxiety to go away, but it remains. I want my endocrine system to balance out (no hard breathing, no lethargy, no twitching, no pain, no dizziness, no, no, no!!). I want. I want. I want... I know that my desires may seem selfish and, in fact, they might be, but these are things I so desire… Isn’t there something that we all desire? After just six days of being on the Paleo diet, I’ve already learned so much. So much about food quality (grass-fed, organic, etc), paleo ‘cheats’ (paleo ranch dressing for example), autoimmune diseases, etc. A more personal thing that I have learned is that I have an idol. And that idol is food. I can't tell you how many hours I have spent on Pinterest thinking about “what I'm going to make for dinner tonight”. Or going to bed, thinking about what I'm going to eat the next breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and being excited for it. It's not a bad thing, but when one starts to spend countless hours thinking and researching food, it turns into an idol. I knew this to be true, I just choose not to believe it; but believing against something does not make it untrue. So far in this new, “crazy” adventure, I have made homemade toothpaste and body butter. I’ve learned that several toiletries can contain gluten (which has caused many issues for those allergic) as well as chemicals (duh). For instance, the glycerin in toothpaste can remain on your teeth for at least 30 days, inhibiting mineralization of your teeth. Whether or not this is true, I feel more comfort in creating my own product, knowing exactly what is in it as well as where each ingredient came from. Already I feel a difference in my teeth; much smoother post brushing. Does that mean fewer particles remain? Perhaps. The benefit of making your own natural products is that you actually save tons of money over purchasing natural products from the store (which sometimes are not as natural as advertized). You HAVE to do your research on this and there is sooo much interesting information. After all, it is relevant to your own body, so how can you not be interested? And with our health, we sometimes have to be our own advocate. I've learned this all too well by now. By the way, I am not here to push anyone toward this lifestyle, but I may recommend it to someone who may benefit from it (i.e. has an auto-immune disease, wants to lose weight, has bad heart health, etc). It can be costly, yes, but there are ways around that. These are some things that I do to cut costs:
#3 has been of great benefit to me in many ways, as working on a farm and in a garden has always been of my heart’s desire. And God has so richly blessed me in this way. It also really helps to have a support team and a supporting husband to walk with me along the way. If you ever DO think about “converting”, by the way, I can tell you that you don’t have to say farewell to crepes, bread, ranch dressing, mayo, ice-cream, etc. There are many recipes that utilize different, more wholesome and allergy-free ingredients. All of these can be found on Pinterest or you can even ask me for help! Below you’ll see some things that I’ve made (captions underneath). Please feel free to comment as you’d like! |
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February 2017
"Food is an infinitely rich subject, and there's always something about it to understand better, something new to discover, a fresh source of interest, ideas, and delight."
From Pennsylvania to France to Washington DC to Florida, I've had myself many an adventure. Now it's time to indulge in the life of a Floridian. With great food, great friends, and great experiences, I offer you stories and pictures to take you away, into my world at Disney. Categories |