I did the coolest thing yesterday. Albeit, most people would probably not agree with me, BUT most people are stuck in the fog of conventional wisdom/living/breathing/etc!
As you know, Korey and I live on a farm, in the country, out in the middle of beautiful NOWHERE. We love it. This Saturday we are having a pig pickin' for the owners and staff of my workplace, Fitness Together. This will be the 2nd annual Meadows-hosted pig pickin' and we are thrilled to have folks out to the house. I mean, I get to cook, entertain, EAT WELL, and be with folks that I enjoy being around. Who could ask for more?!
Back to the coolest thing...
This year Korey wanted to go all out with the vittles, so he decided no matter how few folks we were going to end up having at the house, we MUST have a whole hog for the cooker...for the visual, of course. (You gotta know that we're just about the only true country folk that wonder the streets of metropolitan areas, so it's kinda cool to freak people out with whole, dead livestock!) Well, we were invited out to the farm where we purchase our local, pastured pork yesterday. We've been buying from him, Brian, for quite some time but we've never been to see the pigs.
We got there and in front of me was literally a HERD of freely roaming, freely grazing hogs of all sizes--from babies to sows and boars of at least 400-500 pounds! Loud as they could be, they'd squeal and play and eat and repeat. Brian had some separate from the rest of the herd in a smaller area. These were the ones for us to look over to choose for our cookout. We chose one of about 100 pounds, a small-to-medium pig that would easily feed 50 people; but WHAT THE HELL, WHY NOT?!
On the way back home I couldn't help but think about how awesome my life is. I live a mile from my beef farmer, a mile-and-a-half from my pig farmer, I raise my own chickens and collect my own eggs, and right now we have a garden so abundant with produce that we literally don't even have to leave the house for groceries! How could it get any better? What people don't understand, or realize even, how far we've come from just a mere 50-75 years ago. A complete ancestry of living off of the land only to be quickly trumped by convenience, impatience, and lack of desire to know where our food comes from.
There's something to be said about knowing exactly where your food comes from, not simply how it's prepared. Last weekend we bough 11 more hens to add to our flock. We don't plan on eating these hens (at least not right now) but they will provide us with nutrition by way of eggs and eventually by the sacrifice of their own lives. Ronnie, our beef farmer, was once our egg man. He now has some layers that are aging out and is willing to give them to us for free--to have when we want to eat them. I can't say I've even slaughtered a chicken, but there's a good deal of freedom in knowing where those hens were raised, that we took them into our care (another stress-free environment), and took good care of them until the day that they would give up their lives for the purpose of our consumption. With their sacrifice, we will enjoy the experience of using the entirety of it's being. The same goes with our hog.
Korey will pick up our hog, already slaughtered and ready for the cooker Friday afternoon. With it he will also pick up what modern society usually tosses out back--the liver, heart, kidneys, and other 'odd bits' that most folks turn their noses up to in disgust. What burns me up is the disrepect these animals are given once they've given their lives for us to be able to continue ours! Not to mention the greatest nutrition is found in the parts that aren't usually on modern-day menus. If you're going to spare an animal's life, enjoy and be grateful for all that the animal had to offer for crying out loud.
I look forward to every BIT of that pig. Praise the Lard!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Hold the mayo...or NOT!
This is not just your typical post about mayonnaise. Is there a typical post about mayonnaise?! Well, either way, I'm gonna talk mayo in a moment, so bare with me!
What I want to talk about first is the importance of understanding not only your own preferences when it comes to food, but also consider the preferences and/or limitations of the ones around you. I've made it pretty clear already that I have several food restrictions that are necessary if I want to remain feeling top-notch and as healthy as I possibly can. People around me know this about me and have known for long enough to accept it as reality and understand that I'm not just being a bitch or insulting their cooking/their eating habits/etc. It certainly took a long time for people to really understand that I didn't have an incredibly restrictive diet that border lined on an eating disorder. I didn't choose this for myself (who would want to limit themselves from the majority of nature's bounty of vegetables and fruits?!) and I certainly wish I could CURE myself of all that ails my poor little digestive tract but that just AIN'T HAPPNIN'.
There's this little 30-day commitment. I'm sure at least some of you have heard of it: The Whole30. This program is a 30-day period of strict Paleo eating--eliminating grains, dairy, legumes and anything else that poses psychological, hormonal, intestinal, and auto-immune distress on your body. I have completed the Whole30; Korey and I made the commitment in February this year. Now, granted, all I had to give up at the time was stevia and protein powder, but I did it anyway for two reasons: to see I could possibly feel any better (which I DID!) and to help support my husband who was in need of a dietary clean-up. I've stayed off of these two things ever since and I've never felt better. Where am I getting with this, you ask? Here we go...
I've recently gained a friend. Her name is Jennie and we bumped into each other via facebook (believe it or not!) through her Paleo-based blog called Easy Paleo. As it turned out, she buys her grass-fed beef from a farmer that is literally right down the road from my house. With very few folks our way that actively live a Paleo lifestyle, I had to contact her and make friends! There was also the added bonus that we both love food and we both love to cook, so there's always something to talk about. We've had lunch a couple of times during the work week and got along well, so we decided to have our husbands meet and have a little dinner get-together at my and Korey's house. The dinner took place last night.
Jennie and her husband, Dustin, are currently doing their version of the Whole30--a Whole43 as a matter of fact (taking it to the end of July, I believe). This meant that since I was hosting, I'd need to take this into consideration when creating our menu. Now, let's just come out and say it...it's easy to avoid grains, dairy, and the like if I don't already eat that stuff! But, the point is that I was so accepting of the choice they are currently making and I by no means was judgmental or questioning their reasoning for committing to the program even though they live very similarly to Korey and me. The even greater lesson comes from Jennie's end. She knows (and accepts) my dietary limitations and gladly cleared all the ingredients she would be using in the dishes she was bringing to the dinner. No questioning, no sneering, no NOTHING! For once, it's so nice to have someone for dinner that understands the reasons you eat the way you eat and doesn't make it point to POINT OUT what you're eating and what you're not. And, can I just add right here that our meal was AMAZING, and there's no way in this world any of us felt deprived!
It's good to know Paleo peeps! And that's all I'll say about that.
Now for the mayo...
It came up in conversation last night that my one-and-only attempt at homemade Paleo mayo was an EPIC FAILURE. Not only did I waste a butt-load of good olive oil, but I wasted a lot of time. I ended up with a milky, watery, tangy dressing and NOT A MAYONNAISE. Since I'm not good at being NOT GOOD at something, I totally wrote it off and swore I'd never try THAT again!
Jennie admitted she had similar issues with her attempts in the past, but after talking with her, it seems she's got it figured out. I was inspired...I decided I was going to tackle that mayo again...and WIN.
Flipping through all of my Paleo cookbooks, I ran across a recipe for which I wouldn't have to go buy more ingredients that what I already had at the house. I'll admit I had one bottle of not-so-great-but-usable-on-a-rare-occasion-when-there's-nothing-better olive oil that I was willing to scrap if I failed again. A couple of other things appealed to me about this particular recipe: it required a mix of coconut oil (which intrigued me given that coconut oil is solid at temps greater than about 70 degrees) and it used only the yolks of the eggs (folks like me with auto-immune disease should avoid the whites of eggs due to certain proteins in the whites that can wreak havoc on our intestinal tract). With all my ingredients in-house, it was time to (literally) beat this mayo once and for all!
Remembering why I had probably failed last time--pouring my oil too fast and being inconsistent with my whipping speed--I wanted to make sure I took it nice and easy, mustering up and exercising all of the patience I possibly could to do this RIGHT this time.
Mixer on low...
Oil added one spoon at a time...
Continuing to mix...
More oil...
Mix some more...
More oil...
You get the idea. Then, finally...SUCCESS! I'd reached MAYO PERFECTION! I'm not even a mayonnaise person, never have been even in my not-so-healthy days; but I had done something that I didn't think I could. I was elated and proud...and still am! It just goes to show that even if you've failed in the past, with enough guts, patience, and positive thinking you can do anything you put your mind to...even if it's simply making mayonnaise!
How about the recipe? It's from "The Paleo Diet: Cook like a Caveman" by Anna Conrad.
2 egg yolks
1 tsp mustard (I used 1/2 tsp dry mustard)
3 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot
Mix together yolks, 1 tsp lemon juice and mustard in a blender or food processor. (I used a hand mixer on the lowest setting for this recipe.) While blending or mixing (still on low setting), add the oil very slowly, even drop by drop in the beginning. You're creating an emulsion and if you add too much oil at once, it will separate and will be very hard to save. Mix non-stop, using a towel under the bowl to help stabilize the bowl. As you add more oil, the emulsion will form, the mayo will start to thicken, and you can pour the oil faster at this point. When all of the oil is incorporated and the mayo is thick, add the rest of the lemon juice (I only added one other tsp, not 2) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy without guilt!
What I want to talk about first is the importance of understanding not only your own preferences when it comes to food, but also consider the preferences and/or limitations of the ones around you. I've made it pretty clear already that I have several food restrictions that are necessary if I want to remain feeling top-notch and as healthy as I possibly can. People around me know this about me and have known for long enough to accept it as reality and understand that I'm not just being a bitch or insulting their cooking/their eating habits/etc. It certainly took a long time for people to really understand that I didn't have an incredibly restrictive diet that border lined on an eating disorder. I didn't choose this for myself (who would want to limit themselves from the majority of nature's bounty of vegetables and fruits?!) and I certainly wish I could CURE myself of all that ails my poor little digestive tract but that just AIN'T HAPPNIN'.
There's this little 30-day commitment. I'm sure at least some of you have heard of it: The Whole30. This program is a 30-day period of strict Paleo eating--eliminating grains, dairy, legumes and anything else that poses psychological, hormonal, intestinal, and auto-immune distress on your body. I have completed the Whole30; Korey and I made the commitment in February this year. Now, granted, all I had to give up at the time was stevia and protein powder, but I did it anyway for two reasons: to see I could possibly feel any better (which I DID!) and to help support my husband who was in need of a dietary clean-up. I've stayed off of these two things ever since and I've never felt better. Where am I getting with this, you ask? Here we go...
I've recently gained a friend. Her name is Jennie and we bumped into each other via facebook (believe it or not!) through her Paleo-based blog called Easy Paleo. As it turned out, she buys her grass-fed beef from a farmer that is literally right down the road from my house. With very few folks our way that actively live a Paleo lifestyle, I had to contact her and make friends! There was also the added bonus that we both love food and we both love to cook, so there's always something to talk about. We've had lunch a couple of times during the work week and got along well, so we decided to have our husbands meet and have a little dinner get-together at my and Korey's house. The dinner took place last night.
Jennie and her husband, Dustin, are currently doing their version of the Whole30--a Whole43 as a matter of fact (taking it to the end of July, I believe). This meant that since I was hosting, I'd need to take this into consideration when creating our menu. Now, let's just come out and say it...it's easy to avoid grains, dairy, and the like if I don't already eat that stuff! But, the point is that I was so accepting of the choice they are currently making and I by no means was judgmental or questioning their reasoning for committing to the program even though they live very similarly to Korey and me. The even greater lesson comes from Jennie's end. She knows (and accepts) my dietary limitations and gladly cleared all the ingredients she would be using in the dishes she was bringing to the dinner. No questioning, no sneering, no NOTHING! For once, it's so nice to have someone for dinner that understands the reasons you eat the way you eat and doesn't make it point to POINT OUT what you're eating and what you're not. And, can I just add right here that our meal was AMAZING, and there's no way in this world any of us felt deprived!
It's good to know Paleo peeps! And that's all I'll say about that.
Now for the mayo...
It came up in conversation last night that my one-and-only attempt at homemade Paleo mayo was an EPIC FAILURE. Not only did I waste a butt-load of good olive oil, but I wasted a lot of time. I ended up with a milky, watery, tangy dressing and NOT A MAYONNAISE. Since I'm not good at being NOT GOOD at something, I totally wrote it off and swore I'd never try THAT again!
Jennie admitted she had similar issues with her attempts in the past, but after talking with her, it seems she's got it figured out. I was inspired...I decided I was going to tackle that mayo again...and WIN.
Flipping through all of my Paleo cookbooks, I ran across a recipe for which I wouldn't have to go buy more ingredients that what I already had at the house. I'll admit I had one bottle of not-so-great-but-usable-on-a-rare-occasion-when-there's-nothing-better olive oil that I was willing to scrap if I failed again. A couple of other things appealed to me about this particular recipe: it required a mix of coconut oil (which intrigued me given that coconut oil is solid at temps greater than about 70 degrees) and it used only the yolks of the eggs (folks like me with auto-immune disease should avoid the whites of eggs due to certain proteins in the whites that can wreak havoc on our intestinal tract). With all my ingredients in-house, it was time to (literally) beat this mayo once and for all!
Remembering why I had probably failed last time--pouring my oil too fast and being inconsistent with my whipping speed--I wanted to make sure I took it nice and easy, mustering up and exercising all of the patience I possibly could to do this RIGHT this time.
Mixer on low...
Oil added one spoon at a time...
Continuing to mix...
More oil...
Mix some more...
More oil...
You get the idea. Then, finally...SUCCESS! I'd reached MAYO PERFECTION! I'm not even a mayonnaise person, never have been even in my not-so-healthy days; but I had done something that I didn't think I could. I was elated and proud...and still am! It just goes to show that even if you've failed in the past, with enough guts, patience, and positive thinking you can do anything you put your mind to...even if it's simply making mayonnaise!
How about the recipe? It's from "The Paleo Diet: Cook like a Caveman" by Anna Conrad.
2 egg yolks
1 tsp mustard (I used 1/2 tsp dry mustard)
3 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot
Mix together yolks, 1 tsp lemon juice and mustard in a blender or food processor. (I used a hand mixer on the lowest setting for this recipe.) While blending or mixing (still on low setting), add the oil very slowly, even drop by drop in the beginning. You're creating an emulsion and if you add too much oil at once, it will separate and will be very hard to save. Mix non-stop, using a towel under the bowl to help stabilize the bowl. As you add more oil, the emulsion will form, the mayo will start to thicken, and you can pour the oil faster at this point. When all of the oil is incorporated and the mayo is thick, add the rest of the lemon juice (I only added one other tsp, not 2) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy without guilt!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Mr. Meadows
Oh, my husband. How I love him so. He's my perfect match, made especially for me and I'm sure of it! As you've read, you can't really know me unless you know something about those that are around me. Of all people, he's the one that knows me the most and owns the most square feet of my heart.
Much like my dad Korey's a good 'ol country boy. (In fact, he's pretty much a near replica of my dad, just 40 years younger!) He grew up in Eastern North Carolina in a "town" by the name of Maysville. This is the type of "town" that most people never leave if they were born there. If you're from there, you know everyone there and are probably related to them in one way or another. Fortunately for ME (because I am admittedly selfish this way) he made it out of Maysville to the big city of Raleigh where we met when we were both attending NC State.
The summer before my senior year and his junior year were the beginnings of the life that was meant to be shared by the two of us. A twisted triangle of drama and emotions worked its way out and spawned a love that you could never truly describe unless you've felt it for yourself. There was just something about him from moment one that lead me to believe that I was going to be his wife one day. As much as I was independent and swore off the idea of marriage, HE changed me--and the rest is mostly history.
We got married in May of 2008. It was the best day of my life. I cried uncontrollably through every second of the ceremony (strange feeling to not be able to control tears streaming down your face or SNOT dripping out of your nose!). We were both so happy, so blessed...and still are to this day!
Korey is a Registered Forester. He works in the woods. That's what I can tell you. I'll admit I'm not that keen on exactly what it is that he does. I figure as long as he enjoys it and makes a decent living and we are secure in our mortgage/savings/fill-in-the-financial-blank, then we're good! Needless to say he's active all day, trekking up and down and up and down. This is his exercise. In fact the last time he worked out on a regular basis was spring of 2010 when I basically "made" him do P90X with me in an effort to get him working out again. He made the 90 days (which ironically ended on his birthday), and after that it's once in a blue moon that he'll do some push ups or hang the pull up bar. Bless him. He's still fit and looks great, but I'm still constantly encouraging him to stay fit enough so his back/shoulder/fill-in-the-joint doesn't hurt.
His nutritional history, you ask? Let me hold back the disgust and disdain! Or NOT! Let's just say his mother was never (and still isn't) a fan of vegetables. If it didn't come from a can and wasn't a soggy green bean, it didn't get served when he was growing up! Well, I take that back...potatoes and corn were in there every now and then, BUT I said vegetables and these certainly don't count in my book! Then there's the cooked cabbage. By the term "cooked" used here, I mean "boiled to death and devoid of all that could have made it a healthy choice." Korey grew up eating frozen pizza, boxed hamburger-enhanced dishes, family-sized cans of spaghetti, all with absolutely no nutrition other than calories. Did he make it out alive, yes, but I'd say barely! At least he made it out of Maysville!
When Korey and I first started dating, I was a "healthy" eater. I should probably just chalk one up and admit that I was a victim of conventional wisdom back then--a low-fat (mostly NO-fat), high-fruit and high-grain, and adequate protein kind of eater. I was aware of what I was doing and I was an avid exerciser (in hindsight I now know I was an OVER-exerciser). He had carried the same eating/food preparation habits to college from Maysville. The one and only time he's ever cooked a meal for me consisted of processed kielbasa, boxed mashed potatoes, canned green peas, refrigerated-bake-and-eat croissants, and sweet tea. Yes, I ate it even though that was stepping outside of my comfort zone even then. Did I mention this was the only time he's ever cooked for me?
We've both come a long way since.
Since we've been together, we've both evolved. He had a little farther to go than I did. The first time he ever touched a sweet potato was in the form of a sugar-laden, dessert-like sweet potato casserole I made when his grandmother passed away. Sweet potatoes were one of those things he "didn't like" even though he'd never even tried them. I hate that, don't you? Now he has them on a daily basis...sans the CRAP!
He does a great job now of keeping his eating as clean as he can manage. Back in February I encouraged him to do a Whole30. I told him I would do it with him to support his efforts, although all I had to give up was stevia extract and protein shakes (I should mention I haven't had either since completion, so it goes to show you the power of that 30-day program!). He had to give up sodas and really watch it with bread. He can control what he eats at home, but since he's on the road every day for lunch, he'd been known to stop at some mom-and-pop joint and have a burger and fries. During the 30 days, he eliminated soda and when subject to the mom-and-pops, he choose a meat and the vegetable "of the day" type of meal. After the thirty days he's only added back Sierra Mist, because in his mind it's the "best of the worst" since it's "natural." I won't go there...
In all that I've gone through from a health standpoint, he appreciates the importance of eating the right foods. Unlike a lot of folks around me, he doesn't think I'm radical or fanatical. He doesn't think I have an eating disorder. He loves my creativity in the kitchen and he's learning to prepare paleo-style meals for himself when I'm not there to cook. I couldn't be more proud of him. I'd say that he'd probably say the only downside to this lifestyle change for him is how frustrated he gets when he goes home and is subject to the same crap he grew up on. Not to mention he wants to explain to his family why what they are eating isn't healthy only to get slapped in the face with an unwillingness to listen and make changes. The saying "ignorance is bliss" has come up before when we've looked back on how we've changed--back then when we didn't pay attention and didn't care, we certainly weren't frustrated when our families were shoveling crap down their throats and ours.
Korey has learned a lot. He's learned enough to pay it forward. This is all that I really ask of him, after simply taking care of himself first. He's my love, my best friend and my sous chef (and gladly so!). I couldn't ask for a better partner in life...and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way!
Much like my dad Korey's a good 'ol country boy. (In fact, he's pretty much a near replica of my dad, just 40 years younger!) He grew up in Eastern North Carolina in a "town" by the name of Maysville. This is the type of "town" that most people never leave if they were born there. If you're from there, you know everyone there and are probably related to them in one way or another. Fortunately for ME (because I am admittedly selfish this way) he made it out of Maysville to the big city of Raleigh where we met when we were both attending NC State.
The summer before my senior year and his junior year were the beginnings of the life that was meant to be shared by the two of us. A twisted triangle of drama and emotions worked its way out and spawned a love that you could never truly describe unless you've felt it for yourself. There was just something about him from moment one that lead me to believe that I was going to be his wife one day. As much as I was independent and swore off the idea of marriage, HE changed me--and the rest is mostly history.
We got married in May of 2008. It was the best day of my life. I cried uncontrollably through every second of the ceremony (strange feeling to not be able to control tears streaming down your face or SNOT dripping out of your nose!). We were both so happy, so blessed...and still are to this day!
Korey is a Registered Forester. He works in the woods. That's what I can tell you. I'll admit I'm not that keen on exactly what it is that he does. I figure as long as he enjoys it and makes a decent living and we are secure in our mortgage/savings/fill-in-the-financial-blank, then we're good! Needless to say he's active all day, trekking up and down and up and down. This is his exercise. In fact the last time he worked out on a regular basis was spring of 2010 when I basically "made" him do P90X with me in an effort to get him working out again. He made the 90 days (which ironically ended on his birthday), and after that it's once in a blue moon that he'll do some push ups or hang the pull up bar. Bless him. He's still fit and looks great, but I'm still constantly encouraging him to stay fit enough so his back/shoulder/fill-in-the-joint doesn't hurt.
His nutritional history, you ask? Let me hold back the disgust and disdain! Or NOT! Let's just say his mother was never (and still isn't) a fan of vegetables. If it didn't come from a can and wasn't a soggy green bean, it didn't get served when he was growing up! Well, I take that back...potatoes and corn were in there every now and then, BUT I said vegetables and these certainly don't count in my book! Then there's the cooked cabbage. By the term "cooked" used here, I mean "boiled to death and devoid of all that could have made it a healthy choice." Korey grew up eating frozen pizza, boxed hamburger-enhanced dishes, family-sized cans of spaghetti, all with absolutely no nutrition other than calories. Did he make it out alive, yes, but I'd say barely! At least he made it out of Maysville!
When Korey and I first started dating, I was a "healthy" eater. I should probably just chalk one up and admit that I was a victim of conventional wisdom back then--a low-fat (mostly NO-fat), high-fruit and high-grain, and adequate protein kind of eater. I was aware of what I was doing and I was an avid exerciser (in hindsight I now know I was an OVER-exerciser). He had carried the same eating/food preparation habits to college from Maysville. The one and only time he's ever cooked a meal for me consisted of processed kielbasa, boxed mashed potatoes, canned green peas, refrigerated-bake-and-eat croissants, and sweet tea. Yes, I ate it even though that was stepping outside of my comfort zone even then. Did I mention this was the only time he's ever cooked for me?
We've both come a long way since.
Since we've been together, we've both evolved. He had a little farther to go than I did. The first time he ever touched a sweet potato was in the form of a sugar-laden, dessert-like sweet potato casserole I made when his grandmother passed away. Sweet potatoes were one of those things he "didn't like" even though he'd never even tried them. I hate that, don't you? Now he has them on a daily basis...sans the CRAP!
He does a great job now of keeping his eating as clean as he can manage. Back in February I encouraged him to do a Whole30. I told him I would do it with him to support his efforts, although all I had to give up was stevia extract and protein shakes (I should mention I haven't had either since completion, so it goes to show you the power of that 30-day program!). He had to give up sodas and really watch it with bread. He can control what he eats at home, but since he's on the road every day for lunch, he'd been known to stop at some mom-and-pop joint and have a burger and fries. During the 30 days, he eliminated soda and when subject to the mom-and-pops, he choose a meat and the vegetable "of the day" type of meal. After the thirty days he's only added back Sierra Mist, because in his mind it's the "best of the worst" since it's "natural." I won't go there...
In all that I've gone through from a health standpoint, he appreciates the importance of eating the right foods. Unlike a lot of folks around me, he doesn't think I'm radical or fanatical. He doesn't think I have an eating disorder. He loves my creativity in the kitchen and he's learning to prepare paleo-style meals for himself when I'm not there to cook. I couldn't be more proud of him. I'd say that he'd probably say the only downside to this lifestyle change for him is how frustrated he gets when he goes home and is subject to the same crap he grew up on. Not to mention he wants to explain to his family why what they are eating isn't healthy only to get slapped in the face with an unwillingness to listen and make changes. The saying "ignorance is bliss" has come up before when we've looked back on how we've changed--back then when we didn't pay attention and didn't care, we certainly weren't frustrated when our families were shoveling crap down their throats and ours.
Korey has learned a lot. He's learned enough to pay it forward. This is all that I really ask of him, after simply taking care of himself first. He's my love, my best friend and my sous chef (and gladly so!). I couldn't ask for a better partner in life...and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way!
Monday, June 18, 2012
The Parentals
Today is Monday, June 18th. With every passing day I realize just how much my life is it's own story--not story like documentary story, but story like sitcom!
Yes, I know this is supposed to be a blog about Paleo living, eating, cooking, yada-yada; and here I am delving into "My life, the sitcom" mumbo jumbo. It's reasonable for me to say that in order to really understand me and my day-to-day, you have to kinda get to know my surroundings--my home, my husband, my animals, and (bless their hearts) my parents. This by no means is a shot at my beloved mother and father, because (of course) without them yours truly wouldn't be here to enlighten your world with all of my nutrition-wonderfulness, right?! Let's just say that the two of them not only provide me with the unconventional love expected of parents to their (only) child; BUT they are an endless source of entertainment for me and my husband. I love them with all of my being, however sometimes I have to say that I may find myself snickering (if not sometimes snearing) behind their backs!
Let's start with Dwain--my precious daddy (and yes I still call him that, and will until the day I'm pushin' up daisies!). He's of a different generation, a good 10 years older than my mom and on into his "retirement," though he still goes to work just about every week even if all the workday entails is drinking coffee with the other older folks in the shop. I shouldn't say that, most of the time he's there he's the one doing all the hard labor that building machines involves even though he's so beaten down from a lifetime of just that! Anyway, let's just say he's set in his ways--a good 'ol country boy, born and bred to work hard. sleep little and take care of his family. He doesn't know healthy eating. His idea of a good lunch is a peanut butter and banana sandwich (with the addition of mayonnaise!). He's got a few health problems, including an adulthood of high blood pressure that's had him in the hospital a few times over the years. Despite this, he remains a pharmaceutical guinea pig, reporting the doc every 6 months or so to receive yet another experimental blood pressure-regulating cocktail. I think he has the desire to be healthy, but the know how just isn't there and my teaching him--as I've found--is out of the question. What's interesting about my daddy, however, is that as Korey and I have embraced the Paleo lifestyle by eating organically and sourcing our meats from reputable farmers, he's doing his best to understand and appreciate the reasons why we choose to do so. Maybe there's hope that he'll be on board one day, but as for now he'll eat whatever is put in front of him by my mom who does the shopping and the cooking.
My mom, Margarget. Love her dearly. I'm her only child and I know that she loves me with every cell in her body, there's no question about that. She's the product of a broken marriage--independent at an early age, marrying my dad and acquiring two step-daughters when she was twenty years old. A move to the country from the city wasn't where she expected to end up in life, but she's obviously accepted it as how it is and has been there ever since. She's very intelligent and witty and opinionated, all of which I adore about her, but now that I'm an adult it seems we tend to but heads on a lot of things--mainly my lifestyle and "new" way of eating. She's been on this journey with me as I've been diagnosed with my autoimmune issues. Not knowing much about the body and how the immune system can actually attack YOU and not just BAD STUFF INSIDE OF YOU, she doesn't quite understand the complexity of why a childhood of eating the way I did growing up could have contributed to a lot of my issues. I often feel bad that she must in some way feel responsible, especially since I've tried to explain to her that there's a strong genetic component with things such as gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. She's got a few of her own health issues. Much like dad, her blood pressure has a tendency to run high. As far as I know, the rest of her blood work checks in "okay," but as you'll eventually learn about me, I'm a firm believer that conventional parameters are a bunch of crap when it comes to diagnosing chronic illness. She, too, doesn't eat healthy food. I'm pretty sure she still cooks the same way she did when I was growing up: a meat, a veggie, and a starch (a lot of which came out of box...think Rice-a-Roni or Velveeta Shells and Cheese). Can't really get over the convenience factor, I suppose. I'm also pretty sure that they order a lot of take out these days for the lack of desire to cook once she gets home in the evening. It truly worries me--now that they are getting older it seems, to me, that they should be putting an even greater effort, but that's simply not the case. Let me reiterate that I love my mother so much, but I've given up on discussing healthy eating habits with her. Not sure what the mental block is, but I can only be called "dictatorial" so many times. You can only help someone that wants to be helped.
Now you've gotten the idea of where I come from and atleast my closest genetic contributors. Interesting duality isn't it? Now, as you know, I haven't always trekked down a path of healthy living. I was a product of my upbringing, like my dad I ate what was given to me--and gladly so, I may add. I was an overweight teen and young adult. I overate. I binge ate. I didn't exercise. I hated the way I looked and the way I felt. All the while my parents would have never guessed my struggles. They loved me no matter how I looked, and as far as they knew I felt fine.
Now that I'm grown and going on thirty, the whole concept that I will no longer eat the way they eat is still very foreign to them. Like I mentioned, daddy is trying to understand. Mom tries to understand why, but I believe she's still somewhat skeptical and wants to write everything off as radical and fanaticism. She thinks I'm unhealthy because I'm thin, not realizing how unhealthy I was when I was fat. Frustrating! Try as I may with my mom, no good doctor report trumps a mediocre one--it's all not good news as long as I'm still thin. (Note: When I mentioned "snearing," this is when that would occur!)
As for all of that, I've come to terms with the fact that no matter how healthy I am physiologically, as long as I appear "too thin," I can't possibly be healthy. I've also come to terms with the fact that trying to explain otherwise does me no good, unless confrontation is a good thing. So, I just eat what I want to eat and try not to look when I see them eat what they want to eat. I just wish they could afford the health I have found, simply by changing what they put on their plates. Sadly, the connection of food and health is still completely foreign to them, especially my mom. I hold out hope for one day, but right now I'm at peace with knowing that I've done what I can to help...take it or leave it.
I won't get into the sitcom portion of my story today, as I've already rambled sooo much about the parentals already. Sometimes it takes an actual event to spawn and interesting description. Leave it to nature and soon there will be a post about how comical my life can be. Right now I want to leave you with the fact that I want nothing but health and happiness for my parents. I have hoped that they would follow in the same foot steps as I have, gradually learning the do's and don'ts of how to eat for longevity and against chronic illness. Fingers crossed they come around because I want them around....forever.
Yes, I know this is supposed to be a blog about Paleo living, eating, cooking, yada-yada; and here I am delving into "My life, the sitcom" mumbo jumbo. It's reasonable for me to say that in order to really understand me and my day-to-day, you have to kinda get to know my surroundings--my home, my husband, my animals, and (bless their hearts) my parents. This by no means is a shot at my beloved mother and father, because (of course) without them yours truly wouldn't be here to enlighten your world with all of my nutrition-wonderfulness, right?! Let's just say that the two of them not only provide me with the unconventional love expected of parents to their (only) child; BUT they are an endless source of entertainment for me and my husband. I love them with all of my being, however sometimes I have to say that I may find myself snickering (if not sometimes snearing) behind their backs!
Let's start with Dwain--my precious daddy (and yes I still call him that, and will until the day I'm pushin' up daisies!). He's of a different generation, a good 10 years older than my mom and on into his "retirement," though he still goes to work just about every week even if all the workday entails is drinking coffee with the other older folks in the shop. I shouldn't say that, most of the time he's there he's the one doing all the hard labor that building machines involves even though he's so beaten down from a lifetime of just that! Anyway, let's just say he's set in his ways--a good 'ol country boy, born and bred to work hard. sleep little and take care of his family. He doesn't know healthy eating. His idea of a good lunch is a peanut butter and banana sandwich (with the addition of mayonnaise!). He's got a few health problems, including an adulthood of high blood pressure that's had him in the hospital a few times over the years. Despite this, he remains a pharmaceutical guinea pig, reporting the doc every 6 months or so to receive yet another experimental blood pressure-regulating cocktail. I think he has the desire to be healthy, but the know how just isn't there and my teaching him--as I've found--is out of the question. What's interesting about my daddy, however, is that as Korey and I have embraced the Paleo lifestyle by eating organically and sourcing our meats from reputable farmers, he's doing his best to understand and appreciate the reasons why we choose to do so. Maybe there's hope that he'll be on board one day, but as for now he'll eat whatever is put in front of him by my mom who does the shopping and the cooking.
My mom, Margarget. Love her dearly. I'm her only child and I know that she loves me with every cell in her body, there's no question about that. She's the product of a broken marriage--independent at an early age, marrying my dad and acquiring two step-daughters when she was twenty years old. A move to the country from the city wasn't where she expected to end up in life, but she's obviously accepted it as how it is and has been there ever since. She's very intelligent and witty and opinionated, all of which I adore about her, but now that I'm an adult it seems we tend to but heads on a lot of things--mainly my lifestyle and "new" way of eating. She's been on this journey with me as I've been diagnosed with my autoimmune issues. Not knowing much about the body and how the immune system can actually attack YOU and not just BAD STUFF INSIDE OF YOU, she doesn't quite understand the complexity of why a childhood of eating the way I did growing up could have contributed to a lot of my issues. I often feel bad that she must in some way feel responsible, especially since I've tried to explain to her that there's a strong genetic component with things such as gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. She's got a few of her own health issues. Much like dad, her blood pressure has a tendency to run high. As far as I know, the rest of her blood work checks in "okay," but as you'll eventually learn about me, I'm a firm believer that conventional parameters are a bunch of crap when it comes to diagnosing chronic illness. She, too, doesn't eat healthy food. I'm pretty sure she still cooks the same way she did when I was growing up: a meat, a veggie, and a starch (a lot of which came out of box...think Rice-a-Roni or Velveeta Shells and Cheese). Can't really get over the convenience factor, I suppose. I'm also pretty sure that they order a lot of take out these days for the lack of desire to cook once she gets home in the evening. It truly worries me--now that they are getting older it seems, to me, that they should be putting an even greater effort, but that's simply not the case. Let me reiterate that I love my mother so much, but I've given up on discussing healthy eating habits with her. Not sure what the mental block is, but I can only be called "dictatorial" so many times. You can only help someone that wants to be helped.
Now you've gotten the idea of where I come from and atleast my closest genetic contributors. Interesting duality isn't it? Now, as you know, I haven't always trekked down a path of healthy living. I was a product of my upbringing, like my dad I ate what was given to me--and gladly so, I may add. I was an overweight teen and young adult. I overate. I binge ate. I didn't exercise. I hated the way I looked and the way I felt. All the while my parents would have never guessed my struggles. They loved me no matter how I looked, and as far as they knew I felt fine.
Now that I'm grown and going on thirty, the whole concept that I will no longer eat the way they eat is still very foreign to them. Like I mentioned, daddy is trying to understand. Mom tries to understand why, but I believe she's still somewhat skeptical and wants to write everything off as radical and fanaticism. She thinks I'm unhealthy because I'm thin, not realizing how unhealthy I was when I was fat. Frustrating! Try as I may with my mom, no good doctor report trumps a mediocre one--it's all not good news as long as I'm still thin. (Note: When I mentioned "snearing," this is when that would occur!)
As for all of that, I've come to terms with the fact that no matter how healthy I am physiologically, as long as I appear "too thin," I can't possibly be healthy. I've also come to terms with the fact that trying to explain otherwise does me no good, unless confrontation is a good thing. So, I just eat what I want to eat and try not to look when I see them eat what they want to eat. I just wish they could afford the health I have found, simply by changing what they put on their plates. Sadly, the connection of food and health is still completely foreign to them, especially my mom. I hold out hope for one day, but right now I'm at peace with knowing that I've done what I can to help...take it or leave it.
I won't get into the sitcom portion of my story today, as I've already rambled sooo much about the parentals already. Sometimes it takes an actual event to spawn and interesting description. Leave it to nature and soon there will be a post about how comical my life can be. Right now I want to leave you with the fact that I want nothing but health and happiness for my parents. I have hoped that they would follow in the same foot steps as I have, gradually learning the do's and don'ts of how to eat for longevity and against chronic illness. Fingers crossed they come around because I want them around....forever.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
My POV
With this entry, I'm dedicating myself to maintaining a steady stream of useful, knowledge-based information geared towards enlightening the general public about how they've been screwed by Big Food and Big Pharma. How have they been "screwed," you ask? Well, look around you. What does the typical American look like to you? A healthy, vibrant, full of life, stress-free, fit individual? I think NOT! The typical American is exactly the opposite--an unhealthy, worn-out, lifeless, stressed out, unfit bag of bones covered in an unnecessary amount of body fat that's laden with toxins and inflammation. (And, by the way, you don't have to be "fat" to be over-fat. "Skinny" folks can be thin and have too much fat--the same fat that leads to chronic illness and disease.)
I've been on my journey for many, many years now. I've had my ups, my downs, and my share of unhealthy weight loss tactics. Yes, I've traveled down SlimFast Road a time or two, and I've even traversed Highway Diet Pills. Let's just say that was all out of shear ignorance and a desire to be thin, not necessarily healthy. I'm happy to say I've reached optimal health when it comes to how long I'm destined to live. Given my current lifestyle, I'm going to live a long life full of joy, happiness, and healthy stress and completely void of chronic illness, inflammation, and disease. I'm still technically young, but my journey has been a long time in the making, slowly cultivated over the course of several years. I've learned a lot about the human body, the do's and don'ts of exercise, and how to nourish my body in ways that promote top-notch health. Yes, I've gotten it wrong in the past. BUT, I assure you now I know what's right, and I feel that through my struggles I've gained the insight and the desire to encourage others to think twice about conventional wisdom and listen to what you're body is desperately trying to tell you..."I want to thrive, not just survive!"
What is this "lifestyle" that I mentioned? Well, you could say that the common terms used for the way I choose to live, eat, and move are "paleo" or "primal." My husband, Korey, and I have dedicated our day-to-day routines to living this way, having started in the beginning of 2010. I got turned on to the concept of Paleo eating through my research on the use of coconut oil for body heat regulation. Seems odd, doesn't it. You see, I was having a really hard time with cold temperatures and through some of my daily reading habits I ran across the use of coconut oil to boost metabolism. A side effect of an elevated metabolism is better thermoregulation. So, I gave it a shot. Long story made extremely short, my interest in coconut oil spawned a domino effect of reading several texts that lead to me to a work by Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution. In reading this book, I realized I had several of the same issues as Robb describes enduring. Let's just say, I related so much to him that I had to fix my problems in the same manner he fixed his--by way of eating and exercising the way mankind was designed.
I've gone through many health problems as a result of a childhood and early adulthood of high-calorie, yet nutrient-poor eating habits--all of which surfaced right before and during my Paleo pursuit. I've been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, a condition in which my body attacks my thyroid gland, causing chronically low thyroid function. I've also realized I have many food allergies including a severe allergy to gluten--what I believe is actually the devil reincarnated! Tack on lactose, nightshades, and FODMAPS (don't worry, you'll learn all about these terms as I carry on.). Before going Paleo, I was well on my way to fibromyalgia since I was suffering from chronic fatigue and adrenal exhaustion. Did I know this at the time? Umm...no. One thing I know to be true: You never know how bad you felt until you feel better!
Like I've mentioned, I've come a long way. I'm a personal trainer by education and trade. I make a living teaching and guiding appropriate exercise, yet I've had it all wrong in the past. I fell victim to conventional wisdom's "move more" approach, making myself exercise to the extreme and (sadly) encouraging my clients to hit the cardio as often as they could manage. Today, of course, my view has changed--for myself and certainly for my clients. I'm a recovered over-exerciser, chronic cardio-er. I now know more is not better, and if anything, it's worse! Where the real problem lies, however, is that conventional wisdom hasn't yet seen the light and folks are still under the impression that they need to "eat less and move more" to achieve weight loss and health. Not only is the media misleading the general public, but the medical community still thinks that calorie-restricted diets that focus on low-fat and high-carbs combined with hours on the treadmill is the key to longevity and optimal health. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Call me radical, but sometimes I wonder if there is a hidden agenda: Medicine is a business and businesses need customers to stay in operation; so, as long as there are sick people keeping the waiting room full, then business is booming!
The purpose of this blog is to dispel conventional wisdom, taking what I've learned about the human body and what it takes to live healthy and happy. Yes, there will be a rant or two (or ten) sprinkled throughout, I'm sure; but it's all in an effort to pay forward the knowledge I've gained through my own successes and failures. You'll learn a lot about me, my husband and my "kids" (we'll get there later!). I want to be successful at keeping at maintaining a blog, for this is something that I've failed at achieving in the past. From today on, I'll try to educate, enlighten and guide you in the right direction by way of information, experience and some fun stuff too...like recipes! (Who doesn't enjoy a good recipe?!) Please hang with me, as I can be a little talkative. Just know it's for your own good to listen!
I've been on my journey for many, many years now. I've had my ups, my downs, and my share of unhealthy weight loss tactics. Yes, I've traveled down SlimFast Road a time or two, and I've even traversed Highway Diet Pills. Let's just say that was all out of shear ignorance and a desire to be thin, not necessarily healthy. I'm happy to say I've reached optimal health when it comes to how long I'm destined to live. Given my current lifestyle, I'm going to live a long life full of joy, happiness, and healthy stress and completely void of chronic illness, inflammation, and disease. I'm still technically young, but my journey has been a long time in the making, slowly cultivated over the course of several years. I've learned a lot about the human body, the do's and don'ts of exercise, and how to nourish my body in ways that promote top-notch health. Yes, I've gotten it wrong in the past. BUT, I assure you now I know what's right, and I feel that through my struggles I've gained the insight and the desire to encourage others to think twice about conventional wisdom and listen to what you're body is desperately trying to tell you..."I want to thrive, not just survive!"
What is this "lifestyle" that I mentioned? Well, you could say that the common terms used for the way I choose to live, eat, and move are "paleo" or "primal." My husband, Korey, and I have dedicated our day-to-day routines to living this way, having started in the beginning of 2010. I got turned on to the concept of Paleo eating through my research on the use of coconut oil for body heat regulation. Seems odd, doesn't it. You see, I was having a really hard time with cold temperatures and through some of my daily reading habits I ran across the use of coconut oil to boost metabolism. A side effect of an elevated metabolism is better thermoregulation. So, I gave it a shot. Long story made extremely short, my interest in coconut oil spawned a domino effect of reading several texts that lead to me to a work by Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution. In reading this book, I realized I had several of the same issues as Robb describes enduring. Let's just say, I related so much to him that I had to fix my problems in the same manner he fixed his--by way of eating and exercising the way mankind was designed.
I've gone through many health problems as a result of a childhood and early adulthood of high-calorie, yet nutrient-poor eating habits--all of which surfaced right before and during my Paleo pursuit. I've been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, a condition in which my body attacks my thyroid gland, causing chronically low thyroid function. I've also realized I have many food allergies including a severe allergy to gluten--what I believe is actually the devil reincarnated! Tack on lactose, nightshades, and FODMAPS (don't worry, you'll learn all about these terms as I carry on.). Before going Paleo, I was well on my way to fibromyalgia since I was suffering from chronic fatigue and adrenal exhaustion. Did I know this at the time? Umm...no. One thing I know to be true: You never know how bad you felt until you feel better!
Like I've mentioned, I've come a long way. I'm a personal trainer by education and trade. I make a living teaching and guiding appropriate exercise, yet I've had it all wrong in the past. I fell victim to conventional wisdom's "move more" approach, making myself exercise to the extreme and (sadly) encouraging my clients to hit the cardio as often as they could manage. Today, of course, my view has changed--for myself and certainly for my clients. I'm a recovered over-exerciser, chronic cardio-er. I now know more is not better, and if anything, it's worse! Where the real problem lies, however, is that conventional wisdom hasn't yet seen the light and folks are still under the impression that they need to "eat less and move more" to achieve weight loss and health. Not only is the media misleading the general public, but the medical community still thinks that calorie-restricted diets that focus on low-fat and high-carbs combined with hours on the treadmill is the key to longevity and optimal health. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Call me radical, but sometimes I wonder if there is a hidden agenda: Medicine is a business and businesses need customers to stay in operation; so, as long as there are sick people keeping the waiting room full, then business is booming!
The purpose of this blog is to dispel conventional wisdom, taking what I've learned about the human body and what it takes to live healthy and happy. Yes, there will be a rant or two (or ten) sprinkled throughout, I'm sure; but it's all in an effort to pay forward the knowledge I've gained through my own successes and failures. You'll learn a lot about me, my husband and my "kids" (we'll get there later!). I want to be successful at keeping at maintaining a blog, for this is something that I've failed at achieving in the past. From today on, I'll try to educate, enlighten and guide you in the right direction by way of information, experience and some fun stuff too...like recipes! (Who doesn't enjoy a good recipe?!) Please hang with me, as I can be a little talkative. Just know it's for your own good to listen!
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