Reflection

I hope you’ll forgive me for the lack of food talk in this particular blog post. There has been a lot going on in my life lately, and as I’m working through some pretty complex emotions, I find that it’s incredibly therapeutic for me to write.

The past couple of months have introduced some real challenges into my life. As usual, December was a whirlwind month, with lots of parties, events, and shopping. Just a few days before Christmas, my grandfather passed away so Dave and I made the trek back home to Missouri to attend his funeral. Many of you know how special Grandpa was (and is) to me, so it’s been an emotional process to deal with this loss. But, as strange as it sounds, going back home was an enormous blessing in disguise. You see, I haven’t always appreciated my family or my roots. To some degree I’ve even been a little embarrassed about where I grew up and have always had a bit of a complex about being from a small town in the Midwest. When I was little, I dreamed about getting out, travelling, and escaping Missouri for good. The amount of energy I devoted to my plans of relocation finally paid off when I moved to Colorado with the idea that I was finally “free.” However, since my departure, I’ve come to realize that what I had wasn’t so bad to begin with. It’s that whole “don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone” lesson that we all learn eventually. I don’t know if I’ll ever move back to Missouri, but I do know that it will always be home to me, and I love that.

Some of you know that Dave and I are excited to start a family of our own but have been struggling with a few infertility issues. While my diet has certainly improved my health on this front, there are some problems that just won’t go away, no matter how hard I try. We learned shortly after returning from Missouri that having a child naturally is not much of a possibility for us right now. I can’t say I was shocked, but news like that is definitely hard to take. This comes after devoting a good two years of my life to religiously charting my cycles, temping, reading fertility blogs daily, researching like crazy, taking various supplements and vitamins, adjusting my diet, exercising more, exercising less, visiting a million different doctors, spending tons of money, and taking fertility meds (some of which made me really sick!). By far, the hardest part of this whole ordeal has been going through each cycle getting so excited and truly believing I was pregnant, then finding out I wasn’t, telling Dave, and subsequently being heartbroken each time. It’s taking some time to internalize everything, but that’s ok. Yeah, I know I’m still young, anything could happen, and I shouldn’t give up hope – I’ve told myself all of that a million times. But, the fact of the matter is that this is just plain difficult to go through.

So, as I’ve been working through all of this intense emotional stuff, one would think I’d want to tone it down a little and watch a funny movie or something. No, not me. I tend to be a very cerebral person, so the deeper the better! Upon the recommendation of my cousin, I have been reading “The Highly Sensitive Person” by Dr. Elaine Aron. This book has had such an impact on the way I view myself (past, present, and future) and how I interpret the actions of others. I’ve identified so strongly with the information in this book that I’m reframing nearly every significant event that’s happened in my life in terms of being a highly sensitive person (HSP). I think the title of the book is a bit misleading, as some people I’ve talked with immediately think they are an HSP simply because they cry at movies or struggle with emotions on a regular basis. That is NOT what this book is about. HSPs make up about 15-20% of the population and include equal numbers of men and women. Being highly sensitive mostly has to do with the amount of stimulation your brain can handle before reaching a “shut off” point. HSPs tend to reach this point much more quickly than the majority of the population. As a result, many HSPs are labeled as shy and introverted. These terms have negative connotations in western society, and even though most HSPs are not shy and many are not introverted (there IS a difference between the two), we grow up with those negative labels thinking something is wrong with us. I can relate as I was constantly scolded for being too quiet and shy when I was younger. Looking back, I now realize that my highly sensitive nervous system was working overtime trying to process all the information I was getting. Being quiet didn’t mean I was scared to talk, it just meant I had some things to work through in my head before engaging in conversation. I am finally recognizing my difference as something positive instead of trying to rid myself of my bad habits of “thinking too much” or being “too quiet” in social situations. As an HSP I do value alone time more than the average person, and I believe I also need lots more of it. When I am around people, I generally prefer to have serious conversations, not because I’m depressed or unhappy, but because that’s what I honestly love to do. My family is filled with HSPs and I’ve noticed that we tend to have a LOT of serious conversations at family gatherings. I love that :) Thankfully, my husband has a highly sensitive gene as well (which is probably why we gravitated toward each other), so we’re able to share our experiences and talk through this together. I found this book immensely helpful, and hope this doesn’t sound like a “woe is me, I’m so tortured!” type rant. Obviously I just touched on a few things related to HSPs, but if it sounds interesting to you, I’d encourage you to grab a copy of the book at the library or bookstore. It’s always nice to do a little self-reflection.

Thanks for reading. I promise next time I'll discuss food :)

Friday Thoughts...

Keeping an Open Mind

Many of us are searching for holistic, natural solutions to weight gain, disease, and other ailments, but oftentimes we’re too quick to put everyone in the same box. The point I’m trying to make with my blog is not that everyone should eat how I do, but that people should constantly search for and make the best decisions for their particular situations. I follow Chris Kresser’s blog fairly regularly and really like his outlook on nutrition and health. I especially enjoyed his post today which touched on the idea that there is not one single solution to fit everyone’s health needs. Many people in the paleo community are way too set in their ways and as a result they don’t even entertain viewpoints differing from their own. The same can be said for proponents of most other mainstream diets. While it’s true that we are all human and have the same basic chemistry, we are still very different (especially genetically) and therefore may require different treatments for similar conditions.

Maybe some of us need to go completely gluten-free, others might need to eliminate dairy, and still others may require nutrient supplementation beyond the norm. I’d like us all to be proactive about our health and continually search for the right answers to our health questions. Be open to making changes and don’t become so set in your ways that you disregard helpful new information. You may be asking “if that’s the case, then why are you so adamant about consumption of animal products?” My answer to you: At the core all humans do require the same basic nutrient profile, and while supplementation can be helpful, nutrients are most beneficial in their natural state. Many important nutrients only occur in animals, which is why I believe consumption of these products is so vital to good health. That being said, I will respect your position on food much more if you have done proper research to determine what’s best for you (health, lifestyle, and ethics) AND the planet.

There are tons of different diets out there and the paleo/primal approach is just one of them. While the basic premise seems to work for my particular health problems, perhaps a different approach is better for you. I’ve done some research and experimental cooking with other diets (particularly raw, vegan, and vegetarian) and can see the appeal but am also aware of the nutrient deficiencies that come along with these diets. They can work for SOME people, but be careful that you’re not just jumping onto a wagon that seems like it’s the right choice. Like I said earlier, we’re all different and what works for one person may not work for you, no matter how right the concept seems to be. Whatever route you choose, I encourage EVERYONE to eat a whole foods based diet, minus all the chemicals and processing found in modern foods. We can probably all agree that this alone will make most people feel lots better!

On a slightly different note, I’ve noticed lately that the “traditional foods/whole foods” lifestyle seems to be under attack by mainstream media and, of course, most corporate food manufacturers. (Note that I’m not talking about Whole Foods itself, which seems to be thriving with its vegetarian agenda :). Folks trying to make smart, educated decisions about food are made out to be neurotic and extreme. Sure, there are some crazies out there, but is drinking raw milk really that weird? It’s been going on for centuries and only became an oddity in the last fifty or so years. Is demanding that our food be free of hormones and chemicals really an over-reaction or simply a desire to turn back the clock to the way things used to be?

Orthorexia … seriously?
Have you ever heard of orthorexia? It’s a new term used to describe people who take healthy eating to the extreme. Most true cases involve a person who cuts out all “unhealthy” foods to the point where they are eating virtually nothing. The true orthorexic is a person who takes eating healthy too far and may blame every ailment on what they eat (or don’t eat), won’t leave the house for fear of being introduced to toxins, and isolates themselves from friends and family members because those people don’t adhere to their lifestyle beliefs. These people obviously have problems that have more to do with emotional issues than a pure desire to lead a healthy life.

Orthorexia is essentially a very specific type of anorexia. However, orthorexia is also being used to describe people like myself (and you!) who are simply concerned and proactive about their health and food choices. I read one article in which it described a supposed orthorexic’s activities: she shopped for fresh vegetables at a farmer’s market, drank raw milk and made raw dairy products at home, shopped at a health food store for raw nuts and then sprouted them herself at home. This woman was made out to be a complete nutcase, when in reality she is probably very educated about food and nutrition and uses this knowledge to better the health of her family.

Orthorexia, our nation’s newest health crisis, has been all over the news lately which I actually find to be quite comical. For as long as I can remember, the news media has been obsessed with reporting on how fat, lazy, and unhealthy Americans are. There are entire television series that profile the lives of extremely overweight people, special news programs discussing the tragic rates of obesity in our children, and of course “The Biggest Loser” which challenges overweight people to compete to lose the most weight. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the term “obesity epidemic” on the news – always in reference to the typical American eating a typical processed foods based diet. So after being told day in and day out that we are fat, lazy, and unhealthy, suddenly we also have an extreme problem in our country where people are trying to be too healthy and are therefore “orthorexic.” That’s just ridiculous.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are people who have eating disorders that stem from serious issues. The pathology of eating disorders is different for everyone: some people are obsessed with perfection, some are starved for attention, some are emotionally unstable, and some may develop neurosis about particular foods or chemicals. I would group orthorexia under the eating disorder umbrella but I don’t think the traditional foods industry should be penalized for this. A person prone to developing neurotic behaviors in relation to food is probably prone to obsessive or destructive behaviors in many other areas of life.

There is an extreme for everything but to attack an industry that is doing mostly good things is ridiculous. Should we blame an orthorexic’s issues on the decision to lead a healthy lifestyle? Absolutely not. Should we discourage others from trying to be healthy for fear that they might turn out like the true orthorexic? Of course not. Am I concerned about developing a complex about food and becoming orthorexic myself? Nope. Truthfully, for the first time in my life I feel like I finally have power over food because I have knowledge about it. I honestly believe that the more we educate ourselves on proper nutrition and how to obtain whole sources of foods, the healthier we will be. Most would agree that this is not a crazy statement, and I suppose that is where I was trying to go with this post…in a really round about way.

My Grocery List

What do I eat?

I’ve had several people interested to know exactly what someone on a paleo/traditional diet might eat. In previous posts I’ve made it a point to discuss several items I don’t eat, so hopefully this will give you a better idea of what I try to include in my diet week to week.

Eggs – I eat eggs daily. Please eat the yolks!! I used to be an egg white only type of gal until I discovered that the whites are not meant to be digested without the yolk. Plus, the egg yolk is one of the most nutrient dense foods in existence!

Grass-fed/pastured beef, bison, and lamb – This is a staple. I usually purchase mine from the farmer’s market, but there are some great grass-fed brands being offered in stores now too. Grass-fed beef is generally leaner, contains more omega-3 than grain-fed meat, and usually isn’t full of antibiotics and hormones.

Poultry - Another staple. Again, be sure you are purchasing good quality meat as often as possible – no hormones/antibiotics and avoid grain, corn, and soy fed chickens.

Salmon (canned or fresh), Sardines, Anchovies – Seafood is great, but be careful where you get it. Wild caught Alaskan salmon is a pretty safe bet. Keep in mind that smaller fish are more free of toxins than larger varieties.

Bacon –Yes, I eat bacon. It does not scare me anymore :) Just be careful when purchasing bacon that your brand doesn’t contain sugar, MSG, or other harmful additives.

Nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts) – I always buy raw nuts and then soak and dehydrate them. I make nut butter and trail mixes or use nuts in salads and sometimes sauces. The nut as a whole is pretty nutritionally sound but be careful about including too many in your diet as they tend to be high in omega-6.

Quinoa – Technically a dipod, and thus a seed, quinoa is one of my “in between” foods. Meaning, it’s not technically paleo but it’s certainly a traditional food if prepared properly. So, I always soak and sprout my quinoa before cooking and tend to keep my consumption down to once a week or less. This is a food I’m slowly introducing back into my diet after eliminating all grains, so I want to make sure my body can handle it. Oh, and it's gluten-free, making it a much easier to digest than other grains!

Leafy Greens (kale, collard, chard, spinach) – Need I say more? This one is pretty obvious. These foods are so rich in wonderful nutrients, it’s hard to pass them up.

Bone Broths – I hope to soon write a blog solely about the nutritional benefits of homemade bone broths, but until then I just have to say this is the most rewarding traditional food I have made to date! If you don’t already make homemade bone broths, I have to encourage you to do so. It really enhances the flavor and nutrient content of soups and sauces and you will feel like such an accomplished chef!

Raw milk – Refer to my previous blog entry to read more about why I drink raw milk.

Plain, full fat yogurt – Although I don’t yet make my yogurt from scratch, I often use it in sauces and dressings or eat it as a snack, and I sometimes even eat it with some fruit for dessert.

Avacado – Oh, avocado, I love you! These little guys are so full of healthy fats.

Sweet Potatoes – If you’re not ready to go paleo full-force, at least try a simple switch and replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes. If you’re like me and very sensitive to carbs, take it easy on the sweet potatoes until you get your system under control.

Berries – When in season, I buy fresh. I’ll also keep a variety of frozen berries in my fridge during their “off season.” With frozen berries, I can make smoothies, sauces, and desserts.

Seasonal veggies – I like to vary my veggies, so whatever is seasonal and local, I’ll figure out how to use it! Keep in mind that many vegetables have fat-soluble vitamins and actually need to be eaten with fat in order to receive their full benefits.

Garlic – Yum! Garlic is an antioxidant and contains a host of beneficial nutrients. Plus, it’s so flavorful and I find myself adding it to many of my favorite dishes.

Onion – Like garlic, the onion is an antioxidant, helps to reduce inflammation, and is high in flavanoids. These are just a few of the onion’s health benefits, so remember to include them in your weekly (or daily) menu!

Coconut Oil – This is an awesome source of fat that a lot of people tend to overlook. At this point, I’ve completely replaced vegetable oil with coconut oil. It’s a very stable fat and great for high-heat cooking.

Olive Oil – We’ve all heard about the benefits of olive oil. I primarily use olive oil in salad dressings, homemade mayonnaise, sauces, and low-heat cooking.

Pastured Butter – Good quality butter can’t be beat. I use butter for high-heat cooking (tastes great with eggs or sautéed veggies!). If you have a dairy intolerance, try clarified butter (ghee) as it has the milk solids removed and is easier to digest.

Fermented Foods – I’m trying to get better about this one as I’ve learned traditionally prepared fermented foods are so essential to good health. For now, I eat Bubbie’s brand pickles and sauerkraut, which is so far the only brand I can find that doesn’t use vinegar.

Chamomile Tea (with an added cinnamon stick) – Dave makes fun of me for this one. He thinks I’m addicted. But hey, if there is anything I’m going to be addicted to, chamomile tea can’t be that bad, right? It definitely falls into that tension tamer category and fulfils my morning (and evening) desire to sip on something warm.

Dark Chocolate – C’mon, I’ve gotta have something fun! I like to buy a bar of great quality, super dark chocolate and nibble on it throughout the week. It really does the trick!

Red Wine – Hey, I enjoy it and it’s an antioxidant :) I enjoy my ONE glass while I’m making dinner and try to refrain from that late night indulgence.

Just to reiterate, I try to avoid the following: all gluten-containing foods, soy (except when fermented), legumes (including peanuts), grains, corn, industrial seed oils (i.e. vegetable oils), and anything processed or containing refined sugar or flour.

Stress, anyone?

I just can’t help myself. If I don’t have anything to obsess or stress about, Lord knows I’ll hunt something down. It’s really quite annoying. Oftentimes, if I’ve had a relatively peaceful day, I’ll find myself having nightmares that evening…nightmares about ridiculously exaggerated daily events! I feel like I have some sort of autoimmune condition where my sanity attacks itself over and over to the point where I’m a complete mess!

It all started when I was younger. It was fun back then; I would make lists to stay organized, I would make sure I was always responsible, always on time, and always adhered to the social norms. Looking back, it was actually a pretty rough life for a kid in elementary school. I was constantly under my own self-imposed pressure to be perfect. I also read a lot (not a bad thing) and developed a grammatical intelligence far beyond my years. I loved reading other kid’s papers in school and correcting all of their grammatical errors (how weird is that?!). This further contributed to my perfectionist mentality.

What the heck does all of this have to do with cooking and health, you might ask. It actually has a lot to do with it, in my kitchen anyway. Yes, I want to find that perfect combination of ingredients and create meals that everyone will love, but that won’t always happen. And I don’t need to beat myself up if it doesn’t. Preparing food should, first and foremost, be a therapeutic activity.

For me, cooking has become the ultimate in healing. Not only is my body healed when I cook with whole, organic foods but my mind is also restored. That may be an odd thing to say since I think most people view cooking as a pesky household chore, but I think it needs to be approached differently. I have found that when placing more of an emphasis on quality of ingredients, your grocery store purchase suddenly becomes much more valuable. No longer do I throw a few boxes of mac and cheese on the shelf and forget about them, but now I know every single food that is in my kitchen and where it can be found. Also, when I have really great ingredients in my home, it’s difficult NOT to make nutritiously dense meals.

When I’m super stressed, I find comfort in slicing veggies for a homemade soup or creating a flavorful meat sauce on the stove. On those days when I’m full of anxiety, I usually go for more familiar dishes and skip the twenty step gourmet meals. Cooking familiar foods simply and from scratch is a very therapeutic experience. Maybe it’s all those succulent aromas, maybe it’s the feeling of being in my own kitchen away from the world, or maybe it’s just knowing that I’m going to be eating a deliciously healthy meal, but suddenly my soul is happy. I encourage you all to find that peace for yourselves.

Some Hard Evidence for Skeptics

I wanted to write a quick post today as a response to some of the questions I’ve gotten lately as to how I know this diet is “working” for me. As I mentioned in my original post, I don’t participate in fad dieting and have never made a lifestyle change as drastic as this one before. The decision to change my diet came after a lot of research, contemplation, and quite frankly, a little desperation. If I hadn’t seen results so quickly, I probably would have gotten off this horse a while ago. But, I think if you’re really dedicated to doing this thing, a good 30 days of strict eating will change your life forever.

So, how do I know this is working for me? Besides feeling lots better both physically and mentally, I’ve also witnessed physical changes in my body signaling that I’m on the right track. Of the most notable change is the regulation of a monthly cycle, which used to be almost non-existent. The most amazing part of this whole process has been how quickly these changes happened. Like many people, for me it was all about getting my insulin under control and that was as simple (or difficult, depending on how you look at it!) as cutting out processed foods, grains, soy, legumes, and sugar. Once my insulin became regulated, I began to have monthly cycles and noticed the disappearance of symptoms like sugar cravings, headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and ovarian pain.

Aside from the alleviation of these symptoms, I recently received the news from my doctor that my hormone levels are completely normal, for the first time in my life. I can’t explain how I felt when I received this news. Knowing that I have successfully figured out the solution to my problem – a problem that so many doctors had not been able to fix – is gratifying, to say the least.

Not only have I had great experience from going paleo, Dave has had some amazing changes as well. His report of high cholesterol last year was definitely cause for concern, and we immediately started following all the conventional wisdom in an attempt to lower it. Being the concerned wife that I am, I rushed to the library and got several books on how to lower cholesterol. We cooked with vegetables oils, ate egg whites only, cut out what little saturated fat was in our diet, replaced animal protein with tofu, and ate lots of whole grains. Since we were on this track anyway, these weren’t major changes for us. Of course, I soon discovered this was not the best way to healthy living and we made a complete 180 degree turn to a paleo lifestyle. Four months into eating a higher fat, lower carb diet, Dave had his cholesterol checked. His results showed that his bad cholesterol had gone down and his good cholesterol had gone up!

While I waffle back and forth as to how much stock I want to put into routine medical tests, I must say I’m quite ecstatic about these results. This proves a lot more than me simply saying I “feel better” or a paleo diet is “delicious and easy.” These results are so real and meaningful to us and provide tangible evidence as to how this diet actually is healthy.

Who Wants Dessert?

For the past six months I’ve attempted to overcome this massive sweet tooth that I’ve had for as long as I can remember. When I was young, not unlike most kids, I would milk my parents for as many sweets as I could get. In my teenage years I fed my cravings with Mountain Dew, skittles, ice cream, and plenty of other junk that is oh so irresistible at that age. Through college and most of the years following, I toned it down a bit with the idea that anything in moderation was “ok.” I concentrated largely on cutting out fat, meat, and general caloric consumption but didn’t realize that sugar was by far the most damaging food I was eating. I lived off of 100 calorie snack packs, granola bars, breakfast cereals, and other sugar filled processed foods. Several times a month I would indulge in one of those huge ice cream sundaes topped with candy and fudge. After a while I started to notice the negative effect these foods had on my body. It wasn’t until I began pouring myself into nutrition research that I realized exactly how much sugar I was consuming on a regular basis and just how bad it was for my body.

Sugar, Insulin, and the Body

It’s important to understand how sugar affects the human body. It’s especially important if you are someone with PCOS (like me) or if you have another disease that is strongly affected by insulin response and blood sugar surges. At the heart and soul of PCOS, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes is insulin resistance. Many medical practitioners refer to insulin resistance as “pre-diabetes.” Personally, I don’t care for that title as I think many patients misinterpret this title as a diagnosis of diabetes itself. This is not the case and it’s vital to understand that insulin resistance can be managed and even reversed. To put it simply, insulin’s job is to carry glucose (sugar) to the cells where it is used for energy. Each time a person eats a sugar-containing food, insulin levels surge to remove the glucose from the blood to store it for future use. As this cycle is repeated more and more frequently, insulin receptors slow in their response time. This leads to increased glucose in the bloodstream and causes energy levels to decrease since the insulin receptors are no longer responding to convert glucose into energy. A person in this scenario will become fatigued (along with a host of other symptoms) and actually crave more food, usually in the form of sugar. Eating food will give the person a brief feeling of relief until the cycle repeats itself again. Eventually this can lead to type 2 diabetes, a permanent condition in which the body can no longer manufacture insulin. Insulin resistance is often a condition which a person encourages within their own body, making it both preventable and manageable for many people.

Since learning about the importance of cutting back on the sugar in my diet, I’m much more aware of foods that contain sugar, what types of sugar they contain, and how they will affect my body. I find it quite easy to consume very little sugar on a daily basis since I cook most of my meals using a whole foods approach. But I certainly haven’t cut out all sugar; that would be pretty darn hard and not much fun for my palate! For years I’ve had the terrible habit of consistently following dinner with something sweet even if I am not hungry. It’s been hard for me to break this habit completely since I think it’s somewhat of a “Pavlov’s dog” response with me. Eat dinner = get dessert! And I doubt I’m the only one out there struggling with this issue.

I don’t think it’s terrible to have a sweet treat every once in a while. Heck, I still have one several times a week, but nothing like the monster ice cream sundaes I used to eat. I’ve discovered a few satisfying alternatives to the huge desserts many of us have become accustomed to. Enjoy!

Coconut milk ice cream

I like the Coconut Bliss and Purely Decadent brands. These brands have very few ingredients, especially in the vanilla and chocolate flavors, and are sweetened using agave syrup (definitely not the best sweetener, but not the worst either). They are also soy-free and dairy-free, making them a good option for those who may otherwise be unable to eat ice cream. Vanilla and chocolate flavors are also lower in sugar content than the other flavors. I have yet to find an ice cream actually made from cream that has as little sugar as coconut milk ice cream. The down side to the coconut milk ice cream is that it’s very expensive. One pint costs between $4 and $5 dollars. I’ve found Purely Decadent frequently goes on sale, so I purchase it more often than the Coconut Bliss. Even on sale it’s pretty costly, so, Dave and I don’t eat a lot and only buy about a pint every week or two. For dessert, I’ll eat a few spoonfuls and sometimes add a little nut butter or berries on top to make it an extra tasty treat. Better yet, if you have an ice cream maker, try making your own ice cream.

Custards and Claufoutis

These desserts can be made easily with few ingredients and don’t need much sweetener. Just the other night I made a strawberry claufouti based on a recipe from the Primal Blueprint Cookbook. The ingredients I used for my claufouti filled two pie plates and only needed about three tablespoons of maple syrup as a sweetener. Be cautious though, as most traditional recipes call for white sugar, so try making your own recipe using maple syrup or honey, or do a quick internet search for low-sugar custard recipes.

Plain, full fat yogurt with fruit, honey, nuts, and cinnamon

I’ve mentioned this combination in previous posts and it just never gets old! Yogurt makes a great snack and adding a few items can really ramp it up to dessert level. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even need honey in my yogurt anymore; the fruit alone is enough sugar for me. Just make sure you’re getting a good quality plain yogurt, preferably full fat with no added sweeteners.

Dark chocolate

Need I say more? I like the Endangered Species Extreme Dark Chocolate (88% cocoa). Typically, higher cocoa content means less sugar. And, dark chocolate is usually more filling than milk chocolate varieties. The down side to this brand is that it does have some soy in it and it’s on the pricey side ($2.50 for a 3 oz. bar), but I don’t find myself eating more than half a bar a week, so it does the trick for me.

Cheesecake

This is something I have yet to experiment with on a paleo/primal level. I have made a gluten- free cheesecake using almond meal for the crust instead of graham crackers and it was delicious. There are plenty of sugar-free and low-sugar cheesecake recipes online and combining that with a gluten-free crust would be delicious. I’ll save that for a future post!

Nut Butter

I highly recommend making your own nut butter since most brands do not soak and dehydrate nuts to deactivate enzyme inhibitors. Doing so will increase the nutrient content of the nuts and also ease digestion. It’s easy to make nut butter – simply grind the nuts in a food processor. Sally Fallon has an excellent recipe for sweeter nut butter in her Nourishing Traditions cookbook.

Smoothies

I posted a basic smoothie recipe last week and suggested it as a post-workout snack. Smoothies are great for snacks or breakfast, but they can also make an awesome dessert! Start with the basic recipe: 1 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp nut butter. After that, add whatever fruit you like and if you need to sweeten it up a little bit, add a touch of honey.

Plain ol’ fruit

This is about as primal as you can get!

To Workout…or Not (Plus a smoothie recipe!)

I’ve been pretty busy the past couple of weeks: working, travelling, creating our container garden, going to summertime functions, and trying to keep life somewhat organized. The time just seems to escape and I find myself wrestling in the morning with whether I should stay in bed or get up to work out. The old me would force myself out of bed even if I knew I was sleep deprived. Now, I believe that if I feel tired, then I NEED to sleep! Normally, when I feel this way (and I’m referring to being legitimately exhausted, not lazy) I go ahead and catch another hour or so of sleep. I don’t always have the luxury to do this, as I know many of you don’t either, but I’m becoming much more aware of my body’s sleep requirements and if I don’t get my 8-9 hours of sleep every night I end up dragging all day long. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been especially tired and, unfortunately, have neglected my strength training workout which in turn has made me feel incredibly guilty.

My Take on Working Out

Working out successfully has a lot to do with attitude. I’ve finally learned this after years and years of feeling like I’m not good enough to participate in any sort of athletic activity, fun or otherwise. After skipping strength training for about a week, I told Dave I felt terrible for not sticking to my self-imposed schedule. I figured he would agree with me, but instead he told me not to add unneeded stress to my life by feeling guilty about something like that, and when I had the time and energy to get back to the gym then I would. With all the other changes I’ve made in my life, his advice just seemed to click and completely make sense. The hardest part about this journey has been learning how to take it a little easier on myself, and let me tell you that’s not easy for a perfectionist! One of the keys to leading a content life (in my opinion) is to mentally stay in the game by reducing stress, relaxing, and finding happiness. For me, diet is also vital to my well-being and is something I have rarely compromised in the past six months, and I certainly don’t plan to change that anytime soon. Working out is important too, but it’s not something I will put before sleep, relaxation, or proper diet. Last Friday, I was going on two weeks of missing my gym time, but in the mean time I continued to do my daily walking combined with some very light weights and yoga at home. Although I had to train myself to stop feeling guilty for “skipping” my gym workouts, I was still very excited to get back into the gym last Friday afternoon.

I’m no fitness guru, but I have been reading a lot lately about working out and I love the new perspective I’m getting. Personally, I’ve never enjoyed working out in a gym. First off, I’ve always felt a little self-conscious in that type of setting. Second, I feel so confined, trapped, and unnatural. Third, how can running on a treadmill be fun for anyone? Over the years I’ve tried several different workouts including Pilates, yoga, and aerobics classes. None of them seemed to be a good fit for me and so I’ve always felt kind of like a slacker in the athletic world. I think a lot of people would share the idea with me that many athletic programs have some sort of unrealistic expectation attached, making it very difficult for the average Joe to stay in the game, much less feel good about their progress. I’ve always done a good amount of brisk walking along with some light weight training and stretching at home, but never really felt like it was a “workout” in the sense that I was sweating, out of breath or doing those activities with any sort of regularity. Shortly after discovering the paleo lifestyle, I was introduced to cross-fit and more primal ways of working out. I realized that maybe my self-guided workout plan wasn’t so bad after all, and with a little tweaking I feel like I have a great workout in place.

My Workout Routine

Each week, Dave and I try to get into the gym for about two hours of strength training. This usually ends up being two or three days in the gym. We completely bypass the treadmills, elipticals, and most of the more specialized weight machines. I like my work out to be as natural as possible and usually focus on resistance exercises or weight training using dumbbells. Currently, I’m not quite strong enough to do a “real” dead lift and can barely do a squat with the bar, but I hope to be there soon! In addition to strength training, we try to walk 30 minutes to an hour every day. Sometimes we add some jogging or even sprinting, depending on energy levels. I also enjoy having some quiet yoga/stretching time at home for about 15 minutes every day.

As you can see, this is not an intense workout by any means. The most I ever go to the gym is three days a week, usually two, and the rest of my exercise is done outside or at home. I really believe it’s important to mimic how our ancestors got their “exercise” since they are the ones who were able to reproduce successfully for so many years to get us all here! They must have been doing something right. Forcing yourself to wake up at 5:00 am to run on a treadmill and then go sit at a desk all day just seems so unnatural and is probably not a great thing to do to the body (For the record, I’m not referring to elite athletes or people who actually enjoy these activities). I KNOW there are better ways to get in shape and be healthy, especially for people who lead very busy lives. So, don’t forget that the best ways to workout are often the most simple!

Book and Website Recommendations

If you haven’t checked out the book Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso, I highly recommend it not only for the awesome recipes, but there’s also a fairly large section devoted to simple workouts for people of all walks of life. Sarah is a Cross Fit instructor, wife, mother and blogger and has a great take on easily incorporating exercise into daily activities. Also, check out Mark's Daily Apple for some great primal exercise ideas. If you’re struggling with getting to the gym, try setting up your own workouts at home on your own time. There are tons of great resistance exercises that can be done at home, the park, the gym, and anywhere else for that matter. With all the health and wellness information out there, it’s hard to figure out what’s best for YOU, but I would encourage everyone to find their own balance, whatever that may be.

Smoothie Energy Drink
I think smoothies are a staple for a lot of people on-the-go and especially athletic types. I have smoothies a couple times a week as breakfast or for a post-workout snack. There are plenty of smoothie recipes out there, and part of the joy of making smoothies at home is that you can throw anything you like into the blender! Below is my favorite, basic smoothie recipe. The sweetness of the fruit combined with the creaminess of the yogurt and coconut milk makes this smoothie delicious without adding any extra sugar. However, if it’s still not quite sweet enough for your taste, you can always add a few drops of honey or a couple more pieces of fruit. Of course, this is only a basic recipe so feel free to add whatever you like to your smoothie!

Note: I have more of an artistic approach to cooking, and usually keep adding things until I find just the right combination and later realize I didn’t write any of it down! I’m trying to get in the habit of measuring my ingredients so I can better share with all of you :).

1 cup full fat coconut milk
¼ cup whole milk plain yogurt*
1 banana
¼ cup blueberries
1 tbsp nut butter
¼- ½ tsp cinnamon, depending on taste
1 raw egg yolk, optional

*If you're dairy-free, omit the yogurt and increase the coconut milk to 1 and 1/4 cups.

Blend together and drink immediately. Makes one serving.

Raw Milk is Scary, Right?

It wasn’t long ago that I remember being terrified and, quite frankly, disgusted by the thought of drinking raw milk. Along with the majority of Americans, I have been programmed to think that raw milk is dangerous while pasteurized milk somehow holds the key to better health. Just a few years ago, I remember chugging glass after glass of tasteless skim milk because I believed it alone could fulfill my need for essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

Last summer amidst my research, I was introduced to the idea that raw milk is not only nutritionally superior to pasteurized milk, but also that the latter is really not beneficial at all. At first I scoffed at this idea, remembering all the horrific stories I had heard about the contamination of raw milk. As I started to open my mind a bit more and look at the facts, I began to think that maybe the American public had been led astray. However, due to my stubborn nature (thanks for the Irish genes, Dad!), these concepts were still pretty hard to accept. But, while combing through some articles on the Weston A. Price website one evening, something hit home as I began to read about the traditional practices of family farms.

My mom grew up on a farm. Sometimes, when I tell people that, they instantly start in with their judgments. A common misconception is that people who live on farms (especially in the Midwest, where I’m from) are ignorant and lack the mental capacity required to make educated decisions. While I can’t speak for everyone, I do know that in my experience this is absolutely NOT true. Traditional family farms, which are few and far between these days, follow much of the same treasured wisdom that our ancestors passed down generations ago. Sadly, a large part of this wisdom has been devalued and even forgotten in modern society. The pasteurization of milk is an excellent example of this. My mom can recall drinking tall glasses of fresh milk straight from the cow for breakfast during many of her childhood years. Although pasteurization was already in full swing when my mom was growing up, my grandparents were not at all concerned about contamination of their raw milk. Instead, they reminded my mother and her brothers how precious this food was for their health. By the time I came into the picture, my grandparents had scaled down their farm and long since gotten rid of their dairy cows, but I always thought those stories my mom told of drinking fresh milk were pretty cool.

A Violent Process

I recently heard the pasteurization process referred to as “violent.” After learning about it myself, I really can’t argue with that statement. When milk comes out of the cow, it is a living food with so much to offer. Pasteurization literally takes the life out of milk. It kills essential organisms and bacteria that help strengthen the immune system and protect against disease. Pasteurization also destroys lactase, the naturally occurring enzyme in milk that is required to digest lactose (milk sugar). Valuable nutrients that naturally occur in raw milk are fragmented during processing, often to the point where they are no longer beneficial. Pasteurized milk is frequently vitamin-fortified, meaning that the vitamins which were destroyed in processing have to be added back into the milk via more processing. Homogenization goes a step further and destroys nutritious fat globules by passing milk at very high speeds through a filter. By the time pasteurized milk gets to the consumer, it’s really just another processed food.

Allergies, Intolerance, and Raw Milk

I do want to briefly touch on lactose and casein sensitivities since I know they are a very real concern for many people. As I mentioned above, raw milk contains an enzyme called lactase that helps the body digest milk’s sugar, or lactose. Since pasteurization has been pretty main stream for the past one hundred years, many people no longer produce lactase in their gut. These people have trouble digesting milk and are referred to as lactose intolerant. Thankfully, I’m NOT one of those people, but I do feel pretty sorry for those that are. If you are lactose intolerant, remember raw dairy contains vital enzymes that will help your digestion, not hamper it. From what I’ve read and heard from others, it’s best to start with small amounts and work your way up to a full glass of milk. As you introduce more lactase into your body, it will more easily be able to digest lactose. This seems to work for most people and hopefully it will work for you too! If you are one of the unlucky few who just can’t seem to digest raw milk, there is also the option of trying fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir, both of which can be made at home using raw milk. Fermented dairy products contain bacteria that make digestion even easier and usually don’t cause problems with even the most sensitive stomachs. Fermented dairy products are also an alternative to raw milk for those with casein allergies. The fermentation process predigests casein, making it much more tolerable for those with allergies.

A Little History

It’s certainly important to understand the reasoning behind pasteurized milk in the first place. By the end of the 19th century, there were some very serious problems with the conditions of milking parlors in highly concentrated cities like New York City and Boston. At that point in time, cows lived in confinement, wading in their own waste and eating things that no living being should be forced to eat (not much different from some factory farms today). People became very sick and many even died from diseases which were passed on to humans through contaminated raw milk. Pasteurization was a solution to a very serious problem, but, arguably, not the best solution. Instead of addressing the obvious issue at hand – sanitation of the milking parlors and diet of the cows – law makers decided to make pasteurization mandatory. With various political and economic interests stirring the pot, this story has many different angles but it’s truly a shame that so many people were able to justify the destruction of such a healthful food.

If you look at the numbers today, raw milk is not the health threat that it once was. In fact, you are assuming more risk by consuming fresh produce than drinking a glass of raw milk. It’s important to remember that raw milk has built-in mechanisms to help protect against contamination even if pathogens are present. Since the pasteurization process kills off beneficial bacteria, pasteurized milk has no way to fight off infection. If you’re interested in looking at specific studies involving raw milk vs. pasteurized milk and its effect on health and safety, check out the Realmilk.com website.

Raw Milk Availability, Denver and Beyond

The laws regarding the sale of raw milk vary from state to state. While it’s legal to sell unpasteurized milk for human consumption in a few states, most have passed laws making it illegal or very difficult to obtain. Fortunately, here in Colorado we are able to buy “cow shares” to get around this legality. By paying a one-time fee to purchase the share in addition to a monthly or yearly boarding fee, consumers can get fresh, raw milk each week from a local dairy. Since the share owners technically own a portion of the cow and never pay for the milk directly, this practice is not a violation of Colorado state law. Sadly, some states have even made share owning illegal.

My Personal Raw Milk Experience at Windsor Dairy

The decision to “go raw” was a big one for Dave and me. As I mentioned earlier, it was quite a step for me to even consider drinking unpasteurized milk, but the facts do not lie and it’s easy to see how much healthier a whole foods approach is. In the beginning, I expected to have a hard time finding a raw milk dairy, but I was pleasantly surprised by the many local dairy operations there are to choose from in the Denver area. We ended up settling on Windsor Dairy for several reasons:

1) Windsor is the only dairy in the country, raw or otherwise, that tests every batch of milk for milk-borne pathogens (listeria, e. coli, campylobacter, salmonella).

2) All cows are 100% grass-fed and hormone/antibiotic free.

3) They are certified organic.

4) Our downtown farmer’s market, Denver Urban Homesteading, is a weekly drop-off site.

After researching Windsor and being thoroughly pleased with what we learned, Dave and I decided to visit the farm. They hold free tours every Friday and Saturday at 3pm and actually require a visit to the farm prior to purchasing a share, so we were happy to check out the operation. On one of those strange spring-like days in the middle of January, we made the trek up to Windsor to buy our cow share. As we got out of the car, we were greeted by a couple of hogs, and a herd of goats. We could hear chickens clucking and saw a flock of lambs in the distance. After walking around the farm and visiting all of the animals, we went into the milking parlor to observe the milking process. It was a cool experience that I would recommend to anyone, even if you’re not interested in the raw milk stuff. It was definitely a breath of fresh air to see farm animals living happy and healthy lives as they were intended to.

For those interested in other farm fresh foods, Windsor Dairy has a store located on the farm offering beef, lamb, chicken, pork, eggs, and raw cheese. In addition to cow shares, they will soon be offering raw goat milk shares. Share owners receive a discount on most products. If you’re interested in purchasing some of these items but can’t make it up to Windsor, check out one of their drop-off sites in Boulder, Denver, or Fort Collins. They also offer cheese, cream, and butter making classes on-site throughout the year.

Raw Milk and Financial, Ethical, Personal Concerns

So, I’m sure you’re wondering just how expensive it is to drink raw milk every week and if it’s worth the price. Here’s how I see it:

1) Health. Raw milk contains lactase and other probiotics to aid digestion. It contains naturally occurring forms of essential nutrients and is full of beneficial bacteria that strengthen the immune system. Raw milk is an excellent source of healthy fats which are vital for nervous system health, especially for children. Pasteurized milk cannot make any of the aforementioned claims.

2) Safety. The raw milk I drink is always tested for the four main food-borne pathogens before it is given to share owners to consume. The same can’t be said for ANY brand of pasteurized milk. Plus, raw milk contains probiotics and bacteria that will help fight pathogens if they do happen to be present. Lastly, raw milk dairies often have feeding regimens and living conditions that are far superior to those of conventional dairies which ensure the safety of the end product.

3) Peace of mind. I know exactly where my milk comes from. I know exactly where the cows that produce this milk live. I know exactly what they eat, and I can visit them at any time.

4) Local. By drinking raw milk, I’m supporting local business and sustainable farming practices.

5) Personal/ethical reasons. I feel good about helping these cows lead pastured lives. I also strongly oppose conventional farming practices involving corn, soybeans, and grains which destroy topsoil, so I like to encourage pastured-raised animal products.

We DO pay a premium to have such great quality milk every week. Windsor Dairy allows consumers to purchase a half share or share of a cow. A half share (which is what we have) is a half gallon of milk per week and a share is one gallon of milk per week. We paid $25 to purchase the share itself and our boarding fees are about $17 per month. If you do the math, that’s a little over $4 per half gallon. Yes, that’s a lot but it’s worth it to us. Of course, we are only a family of two, so if your family is larger or you have kids then this starts to add up pretty quickly. In the end, this is a personal decision.

Regardless of how you feel about raw milk, I think it’s important to remember that there ARE still family farms, just like my grandparents’, that understand the wisdom in traditional food preparation. Not all cows are factory farmed. Not all cows are crammed into a feedlot and stuffed full of grain and corn. Some actually do live quite happy and healthy cow lives on green pastures and these are the types of operations we need to support because they enable us to lead nourished lives.

A Different Take on Food

I’ve always loved to cook and I’ve certainly always loved to eat! However, my interest and personal experience with food and nutrition has ventured far beyond the realm of simply eating good food and has expanded into a world where food is sacred, and perhaps even healing. To me, this blog is a representation of where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, and how I’m moving forward to live a healthier and happier existence while eating a diet many would call “unconventional.” It’s also a way for me to share all of this with friends and family and, of course, receive feedback from others!

To give you a point of reference, I do follow a primarily Paleo/Primal diet while also incorporating some elements of the Weston A. Price diet. As a result of these dietary changes - I don’t know any other way to say this - my body has literally started to heal itself because it is finally being nourished in the way it was intended to be. For those of you unfamiliar with the Paleolithic diet (or “Paleo”, as I’ll call it), the focus is on eating food as our ancestors did many years ago. This means that I’ve cut out virtually all gluten, grains (including corn), soy, refined sugars and processed foods. I’ve replaced these foods with meats, fats, vegetables, and fruits. Unlike many people on a Paleo diet, I do eat raw dairy products from pastured cows (as Weston A. Price recommended). This may sound like a lot of changes for many people who follow a standard American diet, but I promise it’s well worth it and still possible to eat fantastic meals!

As a person who was terrified of red meat and butter for the longest time, this was NOT an easy transition for me. I can even recall a year in college when I refused to eat any red meat. During my early 20s, I consider myself to have been quasi-vegetarian, avoiding meat most of the time except the occassional fish fillet or chicken breast. Never having been one to participate in fad dieting, changing my entire way of eating was a lot to ask. But, after fifteen years of dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome and a host of other problems as a result of this serious hormonal imbalance, I began my quest for answers. After reading Nourishing Traditions, recommended by my brother-in-law, everything started to make sense. At that point, I started researching even more intensely and began to put together the pieces of my health puzzle. It took quite some time for me to internalize all of this new information that discredited nearly every nutritional certainty I had ever believed in. After months of researching on my own, I realized that while my personal health issues definitely had a genetic component to them, they were most likely being exacerbated by what I was putting inside of my body. Slowly, I began to eliminate all of the foods I mentioned above and focused more on whole protein and fat sources. I now regularly eat eggs, raw milk, coconut oil, pastured butter, nuts, homemade stock, lots of meat/poultry/fish (including red meat!), vegetables, and fruits and I’m not fat nor have I gained any weight since changing my diet! In fact, I've unintentionally lost about 20 pounds all while managing to maintain and strengthen my muscles. Since adopting this lifestyle six months ago, I feel healthier and, more importantly, I KNOW I’m healthier. The chronic headaches and migraines that I formerly accepted as "part of life" have now disappeared. I no longer catch every cold, flu, or virus that comes near me (acutally, I haven't been ill at all since changing my eating habits). My stress levels have decreased drastically and many of my friends and family have even noted how much more laid back I seem to be. I have more energy. I’m happier. And - the most significant sign of my improvement – I’m now having regular monthly cycles. As a woman who had always been told she was infertile, this is a major victory and quite an emotional turning point for me.

Just to clarify, I’m not advocating that this diet will “heal” your disease or make all of your problems go away. I’m simply stating that eating a Paleo diet will most likely make you feel better and help to eliminate many of the ailments we’ve come to accept as normal in today’s society. As your immune system is strengthened by eating nourishing foods, your body will begin to repair itself, become less susceptible to viruses, and will be better equipped to protect itself from future illness.

Obviously I'm a big fan of the Paleo diet, but I also believe there are so many advantages to eating local, organic, and pastured food whenever possible. If making the change to a Paleo diet is something that seems a little "out there" or you simply don't agree with the general principle of it all, then I'd strongly suggest that you look into replacing more conventionally grown/raised produce and meat with better quality food whenever possible. It makes such a big difference in terms of what your body is able to get out of the food and it also tastes lots better!

On a side note, I’d like to point out that I generally don’t like labels, particularly when referring to dietary habits. I think it creates unnecessary pressure to adhere to “the rules.” I refer to my diet as Paleo even though I choose to eat raw dairy products and a select amount other foods that aren’t normally considered "Paleo." I eat what I know is most beneficial for my body based on research and also take into consideration how my body reacts to certain foods. And, of course, I have personal taste preferences that also shape my eating habits. Since most people consider the Paleo diet to be a lifestyle as opposed to a fad diet, there is inevitably a lot of tailoring that happens. It’s important to stay in tune with your body and know which foods cause reactions and are generally lacking in nutrition, and then make a conscious effort to keep them out. When I do treat myself to something that may not be on my list of most nutritionally dense foods, I don’t beat myself up about it. This isn’t a diet to lose ten pounds in a month, so just because I ate some ice cream doesn’t mean I’ve totally strayed from the plan. Our culture today is so strikingly different than it was even one hundred years ago, so part of the challenge is adapting this lifestyle to modern living. Keeping that in mind, I usually don’t plan on eating cheat foods and when I do, I tend to eat way less than I did a year ago… Probably because I’m not addicted to them anymore!

I have acquired TONS of information from why gluten is so hard to digest to where to find grass-fed burgers in Denver and how to incorporate Paleo principles into everyday cooking. Honestly, with all of this information bouncing around in my head, I’m getting a little overwhelmed! While I’ve found most of my friends and family are interested in learning about nutrition to some degree, I get the impression that they don’t like hearing about it as much as I like talking about it :). I need a parking place for all of this information as well as a healthy outlet in which to express myself. I love cooking, I love researching, and I love writing, so this just makes sense. This is where I will let it all out and hopefully make some new friends along the way.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. I hope you'll join me on this journey and, of course, feel free to drop me a note anytime!

P.S. For all you “non-Paleo but still health conscious types” out there – you’re totally welcome on my blog! We don’t discriminate. I’ll have bunches of information about organic food, local restaurants, exercising, the environment, etc. Welcome :)