in the beginning

On January 1, 2011, when this 53 year old grandma first changed my eating style, I was not sure how long it would last or if I could even do it.  Since then I have learned a lot.  I continue to learn and have decided to create a blog to share and document that information.

My nutritional background comes from...plenty of bad diets, plenty of reading and studying and good mentors.  I have met with nutritionists and have taken nutrition classes in a university setting.  I am not a nutritionist and I am not a doctor.  I am simply a proud owner of a body that is improving daily.

The past 10 years I have followed "Eating For Life" by Bill Phillips.  In 2010 he published "Transformation" and proposed 50% good carbohydrates, 30% protein and 20% good fats.   I strongly recommend his new book as it has very good and very easy to understand information that is scientifically supported.  There is also a mind, body, soul relationship in his book that is invaluable.

 

Five years ago one of my doctors did a series of food allergy tests and found that I was allergic to "almost everything."  Gluten, cheese, egg whites, green beans, papaya and milk are only a few of the things that I am allergic to.  At first I tried giving everything up but suffered from "deprivation syndrome."  My GP told me that almost everyone suffered from allergies and life was too short.  So I jumped on this and started eating whatever I wanted again.  

Over the last few years I have suffered from gastrointestinal problems that I just couldn't rid myself of.  Last year I had almost every medical test that there is, including swallowing a camera that took 60,000 pictures of my healthy intestines.  Finally I decided to change the way I eat.  I no longer eat processed sugar, meat, dairy products or wheat.  You might ask...what does that leave?  It leaves everything fresh and nutritious and delicious.  The other thing....I no longer suffer from any gastrointestinal problem and the results were within 24 hours of my "big changeover"!

The food I eat now is so good that I am always full and satisfied.  I no longer crave or even want sugary deserts.  I no longer desire white starchy foods or bread.  I am eating fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado and flax oil and beans and nuts.  I eat raw cocoa, raw honey and raw nut butters. 

My biggest challenge is to include enough protein.  Most of the vegan menu/recipes are low on protein.  I have been using isolated proteins in green shakes.  These proteins are in powder form.  I like hemp, pea and soy.  I do not like rice protein but I know people who do.

I feel really good!  I have tons of energy and I am taking a more active role in preparing my own food.  I am eating as often and as much as I want and I am losing 1 to 1/2 pound per week.  If I wanted to gain weight or maintain my weight, I would simply add more calorie rich foods like nut butters, avocados, flax oil and nuts.

Food allergies have caused major inflammation for me in the last 15 years.  A photo from 2 years ago shows inflammation that resembled a pregnant woman in her 7th or 8th month.  I am beginning to see that inflammation disappear and I know that this style of eating will have major health benefits that I will never even know because I am avoiding problems that would have appeared for me later in life.