Last week I wrote about the "why" of our journey to a healthier lifestyle (read about that here). I've gotten a lot of questions about what we're doing differently so today I am going to share the "how" which will include the practical ways we're implementing this into our life in the way of food, nutrition and wellness, as well as some of the challenges we are facing.
There are so many different ways to view a healthy lifestyle. I am not suggesting we are doing it the right way, just the way that's working for us right now. I'm convinced that our journey of health will be ever-changing. Not only will we learn more along the way but the needs of our bodies will likely change throughout the years. Another thing that I'm sure will fluctuate is our income. There may be seasons where I can do more and seasons where I'll have to do less depending on cash flow.
Let's get down to business.
1. Processed food=gone. We cleaned out our pantry, refrigerator and deep freezer. Some things went to the local food shelf, some to family and others just got tossed in the garbage. Examples of what we threw: frozen convenience meals (pizza, French fries, etc), preservative packed foods (ex: salad dressings, canned foods such as refried beans, fruit and tomato soup), conventional bread, most cold cereals, baking supplies such as enriched flour and refined sugars and just about anything else that is purchased in the 'middle isles' of the grocery store.
2. Breads, grains and pasta. We now eat brown rice pasta or other variations that don't include wheat or other refined flours. As far as bread goes we have been eating Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 bread which is a flourless, sprouted wheat bread that is prepared in a much healthier way. We recently decided to cut all wheat/gluten out of our diet to see if it helps my daughter gain weight and get rid of my toddlers cradle cap but when we decide to re-introduce bread this is what we plan to go back to.
3. Meat. We recently got connected with a local farmer that raises grass-fed beef, pork and free range chickens. This meat is awesome! By far the best we've ever bought. Just last week Jake made a pork rope for dinner while I was out with a friend and let's just say there was no hope for me getting any when I got home. My whole family loves everything we have bought from this amazing little farm. Not only that but the family that owns it is incredibly sweet and fun to visit with. My girls love going there. When we went shopping there last week one of the owners took my girls to go meet the baby chicks and pigs. Seriously, amazing. In the short time we've been going there they have become more like friends than just a business transaction. I also love that my kids get to see where their food comes from. They used to refer to our food as coming from the grocery store, now they talk about it coming from a farm. If you've heard me reference "grocery shopping at the farms" this is one of those places I am referring to. We plan to buy in bulk at some point but for now we've just made trips and filled our cooler bag full with goodies for the month. It's more expensive than conventional meat from chain grocery stores that are packed with antibiotics, hormones and horrible feed BUT it's cheaper to buy this grade of healthy meat directly from the farm then to go to a Whole Foods or co-op and pay prices that include the 'middle man fees'. I still buy chicken breasts from the store but I always reach for the organic, free range options. Otherwise we plan on buying our meat directly from the farm.
3. Dairy. We now buy organic dairy if at all possible. Just as I don't want to eat meat with the added hormones and antibiotics, I don't want to eat my dairy with it. We also drink raw milk directly from the farm vs pasteurized from the store. I called around and found a farm that raises their cows hormone and antibiotic free. We LOVE the milk. The times that we've run out and picked up a jug from the store my girls have looked at me and said, "yucky milk mama." They love their farm milk. We use it for drinking, cooking, baking and I also love it for my coffee. I can't have my coffee without it! I skim the cream off the top of the jar and add it to my mug with a dollop of raw honey. Yum. I'm also looking forward to using the cream on top to make fresh whipped cream for desserts. There's a lot of buzz about whether raw milk is safe to consume. We feel completely comfortable with it. The farm we go to is very clean and we're very happy with their operation. I've done a lot of reading and here's why we've chosen to drink it. 1) I've come to believe that most, if not all, foods will be better for us in their natural form. Once we disrupt our food with things such as high heat levels we risk stripping it of its natural properties/nutrients leaving something less nutritious at best or 'mutated' at worst which can leave our bodies confused on how to process and absorb the right vitamins, minerals, etc. I see this being true of milk. Along with that, I like that we are getting the good full fat milk naturally has in it. It's visible by seeing the cream/fat separate and float to the top of the jar. 2) We have lactose sensitivity in our home but raw milk is not a problem for us. 3) We like supporting local farms/business' and knowing exactly where our food comes, when possible. There is a lot of information out there about the benefits vs the risks. If you're interested in learning more I encourage you to do some reading but be careful about your source. As with all things, there are strong opposing opinions and not everyone is going to have an educated, credible source for their argument for or against it. We also buy farm fresh eggs that are free range and organic from this farm. It is pretty crazy to see the difference in color of the yoke when compared to store bought eggs. The farm eggs are a deep yellow/orange while the store bought ones we sometimes get are more of a light yellow. This is the other farm I refer to when talking about "grocery shopping at the farms".
4) Supplements and nutrition response testing (NRT). We don't take 'vitamins' per se. Our goal is to get as much nutrients from food as we can however, there is definitely a need for some supplements. I have been seeing a wonderful health and nutrition coach who has been immensely helpful in our whole foods journey. I am currently doing muscle testing to help identity what foods and supplements my body needs to have as well as avoid. It's been so helpful. We've been focusing on whole food supplements, not synthetic ones that can be bought from the store. In addition to the individual supplements a couple of us take (based on our NRT) my whole family currently takes cod liver oil. My girls get excited to have it every day! In fact, they almost always ask for more! Jake and I have the pill form but I feed my girls their liquid form right from a spoon. I like that it not only has high levels of vitamin A and D but it also supports our immune systems. There are a lot of good reason to take cod liver oil. Again, something you can read about it you'd like to. We also have a quality probiotic on hand to help support good gut health for my kids. They don't always get it every day but for sure when they aren't feeling good or if they are on antibiotics.
5) Fruits and veggies. This one seems obvious but we really do eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables! With every meal I try to have some of each. My girls are pretty good about eating them most of the time. As my health coach reminds me, if I start them young they won't know any different. That's what I try to remind myself. I mean really, I never would have thought my kids would love cod liver oil and avocados and bell peppers!
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6) Essential oils. I haven't taken a formal class on oils but I have been learning on my own and as well as from friends. I really do love our oils! We use them every day through the day. My favorites right now are probably lavender, tea tree and eucalyptus. We use many more than that though for anything from a relaxing bath to helping with a cough. Those tiny little bottles hold some awesome little magic!
7) Sugar. This is the hardest part for me. I love using natural sugars so I wasn't too upset about throwing out the white and brown sugar but I love sweets. The problem is that too many 'good' sweets like fruit can still be 'bad' for us. I tend to eat more fruit than veggies. When I make baked goodies, they don't last long. So I limit the amount of 'treats' we have around. We don't do processed sugar anymore, if at all possible. My girls get a sucker or piece or candy here and there but mostly we just avoid it all.
8) Miscellaneous stuff. I started making bone broth in our crock pot. Super easy and so good for us! We'll drink it straight out of the cup or just use it to cook with. Fermented foods have a lot of great health benefits so I am planning on trying some things soon. I just bought a head of cabbage to try sauerkraut. I'm excited as we have been eating a lot of sauerkraut lately!
9) Challenges we are facing. It's a different way of living which means challenges along the way. Although I am noticing a trend towards healthier, whole food eating, we are still kind of unicorns among a lot of our friends and family. I think the biggest challenges are going out to eat, social gatherings and planning my time. We have to be careful about what places we go out to eat because we need to know there are menu choices that support our eating without blowing our diet and feeling sick afterward. My mantra is always people before food. So, if we go somewhere and are served food made with love, we will eat it with happy, grateful hearts. We love people and we love that people serve us food that they pour their hearts into. They will always be more important than our goal of avoiding refined sugar or breaded food. If we can pick and choose to avoid things our bodies aren't used to, we will. If not, we'll deal with the consequences. I've also learned the hard way that I need to pack snacks for my family. I don't expect people to keep a stock of foods we eat everywhere we go. That's not the responsibility of my friends and family. I also recognize that when my three little kids get hungry, I need to feed them and drive-thru's are not known for their healthy choices so I need to be prepared, if possible. However, a the end of the day I know they will not die if they have chicken nuggets. It will be okay. And if I am doing my best to feed them well most of the time, their little bodies should be able to handle some less healthy food from time to time. I don't lose sleep over it. Really, I don't. As far as time goes, we have a very busy schedule just like many of you and honestly, sometimes I just plain don't feel like cooking. That means I have to plan better which I am not very good at. I'm learning the value in keeping convenience foods on hand like hot dogs (from the farm) and using my crock pot more. Some go-to quick and easy meals for us are breakfast (omelets and paleo pancakes), tacos and spaghetti.
I feel like I could write so much more but hopefully this answers some of your questions and gives you a glimpse into the changes we've made this last year. I would love to answer any questions you have so please leave a comment below and I'll do my best to get back to you quickly. Also, if you have any encouragement for me, ideas or recipes to try I would love to hear that too!
As I said above, these are the things that work for us right now. I am not recommending or preaching to you about what is best for your family. It's all a journey as we grow and learn along the way. Thank you for letting me share this journey with you!
Cheers to health and holiness!
Chels
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