There are many reasons to eat well, we all know that. It is actually vital to a healthy existence, and we know that too. But, let’s just think about the stress we put on ourselves with regards to diet. I can think of several stresses food and diet put on us that don’t even involve taking a bite of food. This is what I want to speak to in this post, because choosing a path and sticking with it has alleviated so much stress from me. And, the best part is that I have had enormous pleasure in doing just that. Yes, it takes a little more time in the kitchen, but by being nourishing and delicious it creates a stress free feeling overall. Below is a little bit about the path I chose and some of the reasons why I don’t feel a bit stressed over my diet anymore.
Most of you know by now that I am a foodie and after all, I do call myself “Chef Teton”. My foodie path all started with my advocacy work (hyperlink to book) and then I ended up using all of that knowledge in the kitchen. For a good part of my life diet and nutrition partnered with agricultural practices and policies has been the passion behind my work. I tell you this because even with all of this dedication and study, it could be that I am as confused as you might be. There have been so many diets birthed in the last 20 years that one might wonder, what’s next? The Acorn Diet?
Adding to the challenge of choice, we have the task of feeding ourselves and our families with budgetary constraints and fresh food availability. Then mental beliefs, judgements and sometimes guilt are all thrown into the body along with every bite we take, or don’t take. The whole idea can be stressful, not to mention confusing. Out of sheer desperation at the onset of my mystery illness I had to pick and path and stick with it because honestly, I had lost my way. I was cutting corners and not nourishing myself with what my body needed for the demands I was placing on it. Additional stress was happening on various levels.
Like I mentioned in my previous post, I had been to the ER four times with these short episodes of my heart pounding, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Each time the episode would come on I would become terrified. I felt silly going to the ER again, so I would sit in a few minutes of fear based confusion until I had to make a decision to call a friend, an ambulance, or ride it out. The doctors had already ruled out any life threatening situations so what should I do? I did not have a clue how to heal or reverse the situation.
A friend recommended I read the Medical Medium (MM), by Anthony William. I had heard of him and his book, but never read it because I thought it was just another ‘slant’ on the same old stuff. Desperate for anything to help my “mystery illness” I purchased it on Audible and began to listen. I was blown away. I found the MM to shed an intriguing light on autoimmune diseases - not what I had at all expected, and I felt like he was speaking directly to me. He spoke about the symptoms of autoimmune diseases attacking so many people today, and the case studies that he shared resonated like nothing else. He blasted some of the current medical myths wide open and gave me confidence that all these problems were reversible. His message landed in my like truth. I believed him, and began to practice his dietary protocol and supplementation with grateful dedication.
The MM gave me clarity and hope. Anthony William is not a doctor, nor a nutritionist. He is a man who has been gifted with the voice of “spirit” who speaks to him. His story is actually quite fascinating. Could we call this “spirit” God, or a divine angel that has come to help us with an area of life we obviously need help with? Some may laugh at this, but the path he laid out made sense to me. Adrenal Fatigue and/or Chronic Fatigue were included in his chapters, which I intuited as my problem. I was in.
I began juicing daily, eating (and I must add enjoying) fruits, dates and a wide variety of vegetables and plant foods like never before. His protocol for healing is basically an abundance of fruit, vegetables, squash, potatoes, beans, coconut oil and/or olive oil, and animal foods (if desired) once a day. He stresses more of a low fat diet, no eggs, dairy or grains. Did I have some rice or a piece of toast now and then? Absolutely. It took me awhile to adjust, particularly with regards to fats, and I also included bone broth. His recommendation to lower animal food consumption was mostly due to the high fat content. This protocol was a big shift for me for the following reasons:
I had to lower my fat consumption. I was consuming a lot of butter, especially in my morning coffee and/or Yerba Mate. It might work for some, but not for me while healing. No more stimulants, and no more massive butter contributions, yet I still enjoyed a bit of butter here and there on veggies.
Nourishing myself became the focus. It was not about what I did not eat, it was about what I did eat.
The creativity was fun. I began to make wonderful fruit salads, and soups, which I had not enjoyed for a long time. I munched on dates, dried figs and nuts for a snack often throughout the day.
Enjoying fresh fruit was so liberating. I had adopted the belief somewhere in me that too much fruit was not that great because of the sugar content, which influences candida, parasites, and more. I so enjoy fruit now and the small little problems I had with my skin are gone.
At first it was an adjustment, but once in the groove of feeding/nourishing myself, it became easier, and I began to feel lighter and more clear headed.
There were no complex recipes to follow, which is what I advocate in my teaching. Rather, you prepare the food raw, or cooked and consume it as it is with just a few condiments as needed. There is really no need for a ton of ingredients to make a dish. The method of combining raw and cooked together is actually what started my cooking/teaching career. Keep it simple and fill up with plant foods.
As for the supplements he recommended, well, there were a lot of them. I took it slow in that department and integrated them over a bit of time.
The MM dietary and healing protocol was humming along nicely for me for a few weeks when the Shingles attacked me. For this I am very grateful because the MM also had an entire chapter on Shingles, so I was somewhat prepared with a path I felt would support me. I understood it would take some time. Even though I had fallen into the mindset of immediate healing or transformation, I could feel in my body that this would not go away with a couple of good nights sleep. I rested in knowing I was on a new journey that would require layers of space and change.
Why I recommend reading MM is not only for the food and diet but to understand and/or get a new perspective on autoimmune conditions, the fatigue and stress symptoms, and the potentially misleading information we are getting. I mean, if there was true healing for Thyroid Disease, Chronic Fatigue and/or Lupus, as an example, from the medical establishment, then great. But, from my own understanding, there is not. Medicine may alleviate symptoms but it does not truly heal and reverse most conditions. The MM explains that the EPV (Epstein Barr Virus) is the root cause of many of these conditions. I am sure there is much more for us to discover, but we know that there is a problem brewing in many of us, and shedding a new light of wisdom and a protocol that brings healing is what we need.
During my 2 months of Shingles trauma friends delivered tons of fresh veggies and fruits to me. One day there were three people in my kitchen washing and prepping everything so all I had to do was juice, cut and/or cook. What a dream that was. When people offered to bring food, I had a clear idea of what to ask for. There is more I will share in the future about getting help and some of the ways my tribe here has learned to help one another in a way that is easy and organized for all.
It has taken a bit of a learning curve in how to make nourishing myself “simple”, especially now that I am up and integrating into the world again. It was easy when others were doing the shopping and my only task each day was to prepare food for myself. I continually asked myself, “How do people do this who work. How will I do it?” I will be sharing my recipes and methods on my Blog as I journey along. I am already seeing how easy it is to get back into the stressful mode of short cuts and hurry, or sheer laziness.
To tie this up, I am going to make a strong recommendation to you, and that is to do everything you can to put fresh organic plants (fruits and veggies) into your body. If you are inclined, read the Medical Medium or listen to it on Audible - if only to get inspired as to the power of these foods, some of the myths we have come to believe, and how food can bring your body and soul back into balance. You will be inspired by the case studies and I guarantee your will drop some confusion, if you have any about your diet.
Lastly if you want to lose weight, I think the MM protocol might be the best way possible because it is not a fad, and you will not go hungry. I felt like all I did was eat, and I still lost weight. This diet is a lifetime practice for nourishment and well being. In my opinion it is in alignment with “Living As a Spiritual Practice” in that it is in alignment with what the Earth provides for us at her best. Do it!
You can purchase the Medical Medium on Amazon.
Coming Up:
The wonderful world of pain meds, marijuana and CBD’s.
How to enlist your family and friends for the help.
How to identify the stress in your life, and how to get rid of it.
