Food IS Medicine

When I first got sick and started seeking help from the natural medicine world (after western medicine miserably failed me), I was traumatized by the changes I had to make in my diet. I only wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cereal, cookies, you name it. To already be going through all the pain and sickness and THEN have to add sugar and comfort food withdrawal on top of that was so depressing. I felt claustrophobic in a way. Punished. One thing that was especially hard was having to feel so alienated from society. You don't realize how food-based society is until you can't socially eat. You can't stop at fast food places, and forget about thoroughly enjoying holiday gatherings. It. Was. HARD. It still is hard, and sometimes just flat out embarrassing. But when you have leaky gut, food sensitivities, poor digestion, and are infested with Lyme bugs, "You Are What You Eat" takes on a whole new meaning.

However, as the months went by, I started to adapt. Very slowly I started to accept this new way of eating. VERY slowly. I think it's been 2 years now, and I've FINALLY been able to adapt. I took an IGG food sensitivity panel that made me say goodbye to all dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, corn, yeast, processed sugar, white potatoes, and basically EVERYTHING that is in EVERYTHING. Acidic foods are a no no, most condiments, etc. However, over time, I have seriously learned that food IS medicine. It is! Every ounce of food that is put here on this earth has an actual, medicinal purpose, granted that it doesn't get tainted, tarnished, and poisoned by us humans who think we know better. 

Fruits & veggies, herbs & spices, nuts & seeds, and all things natural have such a purpose to our bodies. Everything in it's non-GMO, organic form is so good! I've come to look at food in a whole new light. I eat with a purpose. I eat for nutrients. Not socially. Not for convenience. Not to satisfy cravings. Ok, sometimes I have cravings (cue the paleo treats).

Luckily, I have an awesome husband who is into cooking, baking, and nutrition! I'm too sick, clumsy, and confused to work in the kitchen most days, so he is the main reason I have been able to adapt to this new lifestyle. Now, mind you, I am nowhere near a perfect eater. I simply cannot eat EVERYTHING organic. It's just not possible in this day and age. Even if it was, we just can't afford it (don't even get me started on how crap food is cheap and pure food breaks the bank). However, I try to follow an organic, alkaline, paleo diet as best I can. I am a hypocrite sometimes, though. I know chocolate is acidic, peas aren't Paleo, nor are ancient grains, oats and eggs are controversial, etc, but I'm working on it. Yes, some stuff listed below is hypocritical, but I'm getting better. Here's my favorite things to eat right now. They're not perfect, but they get me by in this Lyme life.

The green soup we invented is actually ALL organic: Chicken broth, celery, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, asparagus, kale, turmeric, garlic, and himalayan sea salt. There's variations where we'll do carrots, onions, spinach, broccoli, and I'm thinking about adding cilantro, oregano, and other Lyme fighting herbs to it, I put it in a food processor so I don't need to depend on my weak stomach to digest more than it has to. We make a massive pot, freeze half of it, and it lasts 2 weeks.

This is my favorite! The recipe is at http://wellnessmama.com/3396/grain-free-pumpkin-pie/

I don't have the recipe for this one but they're Paleo brownies. They literally saved my depressing birthday party where real birthday cake and going out to eat were not options. The ingredients, though, are almond flour, cocoa, baking soda, sea salt, organic eggs, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic vanilla, organic raw agave, and Enjoy Life chocolate chips which are simply 

                           Evaporated Cane Juice, Chocolate Liquor, and Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter

 These are raw superfood Goji Bars and they are heaven sent! 

                                                                   1 cup rolled or quick oats (gluten free)

1/2 cup almond, chopped

2 Tablespoons vegetarian protein powder

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted)

2/3 cup almond butter

1/3 cup raw agave nectar

1/8 teaspoon himalayan sea salt 

1/2 cup goji berries

1/4 cup cacao nibs

2 TBS Chia seeds

Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients, spread in a pan, and refrigerate. Add quinoa if you like.

(this is a variation of a recipe we found online, but I can't find the original)

 If you absolutely must have ice cream, which I wanted on my birthday, this is probably the second most acceptable thing aside from pureeing bananas and freezing them.

I feel like I owe a lot of my happiness to www.bouldercookie.com. It's a cookie, but it's not! 

These are the shakes I have. I do Mediclear every morning and Greens First in the evening. Mediclear is a protein powder with vitamins and minerals, and Greens First is an alkaline, superfood mix of many dried/powdered fruits, veggies, and probiotics. I need shakes to dump my supplement capsules in, and these help. They're easy on my digestion, and taste pretty good, too.

I also have to give a shoutout to these little cheats. They do have cane sugar, so not the best, but they are dairy, corn, gluten, soy free, non-gmo and all kinds of wonderfulness. They're made from ancient grains, and I have them with unsweetened coconut milk. They come in chocolate and strawberry, too. 

Anyway, like I said, far from perfection but these are a good start on the road to nutritional perfection. Or at least an attempt at nutritional perfection. :)