A Spirited, Fresh, Timeless Life ◦ eating real food
Let me start off this post with saying, I know I do not know it all. I share my life and what has changed it for the better in hopes that it might help just one other person. I share my life and what is still changing and what I am trying to accomplish for the same reason.
I specifically share my experience with things like the subject of real food because I know the person I used to be, the perceptions I had and the struggles I dealt with from lack of knowledge. I share because these things have changed my life. And because people ask.
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. -Hosea 4:6
My perception about food was that “healthy foods” (i.e. low fat, low calorie, tasteless food) made you “healthy” (i.e. skinny) and “junkfood” (i.e. the food the majority of America eats) made you “unhealthy” (i.e. fat). My perception about food was that, while I did not want to be fat, I also wasn’t that big of a fan of low fat, low calorie tasteless food, if the only result I would get from it was to be skinnier. It just wasn’t very good motivation for me. My perception about food was that other than my weight, food didn’t have much to do with my actual health or quality of life.
Then this happened. We started learning how much food really does affect our entire lives. That when I eat foods that have been sprayed with chemicals and fed hormones, my body is getting those chemicals and hormones and it doesn’t like them very much. And when I eat “foods” that aren’t even actually food, all of those synthetic additives, chemicals and preservatives set my body up for sickness and disease.
When it came down to it, if you asked me a few years ago if I’d rather have a soda & donut for breakfast or live a long, healthy and fulfilling life, of course I would have told you that I’d take life over donuts. What it took me a little longer to learn (and am still learning) is that what I do with my life and my body affect my quality of life. So if I want a long, healthy and fulfilling life, I have to make intentional choices to do my very best to get there.
For us that has meant completely changing what we allow into our bodies. If it’s been sprayed with chemicals, fed hormones, antibiotics and well, you get the idea…then we’ve had to make a conscious effort to get rid of it. And sadly for America, that means almost our entire grocery store. And nearly every restaurant. But happily it means eating things grown & raised right here in Tennessee, simplifying our lives, getting rid of chronic migraines, canceling surgeries, enjoying food the way God made it and not yawning our way through the day! Completely worth it.
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So, for those of you who have asked, what does our refrigerator & pantry look like?
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*FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE
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*GRASS FED, ORGANIC MEAT (chicken, beef, turkey & wild caught fish…but no pork or shellfish)
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*ORGANIC EGGS
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*RAW DAIRY (raw milk, cheese & kefir)
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*NUTS, SEEDS & BEANS (cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hummus, yum!)
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*GLUTEN FREE CARBS (Quinoa, brown rice, sprouted grains)
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*OILS (Coconut, Olive & Grapeseed)
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*SWEETENERS (Honey, stevia, maple syrup)
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*QUALITY WATER, TEA & FERMENTED BEVERAGES
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I’m planning to expand on some of these topics in the coming weeks and share some of our favorite recipes so I would love to hear from you…what would you like to know more about? Questions? Please share in the comments section below!
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loooove this!
how do you maintain all this while travelling or long wedding days?
Happy that you are sharing. Most of it I already know and have watched you, and in some instances shared, what you’ve been eating but it’s good to have it all laid out so that we “aging parents” can refer back to in the event that we have a senior moment. One request though…….please share with everyone the vitamins/supplements that you take each day and why you chose the ones you use. That is also interesting information to pass along.
Hmmmmmm……..exercise regimen and your new shoe of choice might intrigue people too at some point.
You’ve made so many changes that I really think you could write a book and I’m quite sure the photos in that book would be amazing :) Love you! Mom
Um, LOVE.
I am sooooo thankful rice is gluten-free. And I’m right there with you with anything that has the label “low-whatever” to it. It never tasted right and there’s a big reason for that – we’re not meant to eat those artificial ingredients.
Thanks for the links, it’ll be nice to refer people to those when I can’t articulate my case for free range or organic produce and dairy.
I’m still confused on why no seafood? I quite enjoy the yummy fish my hubby catches. We just can’t eat it daily, since all wild fish have a slight mercury count. Is seafood meaning shellfish? And this because of the biblical reference?
Sorry, Emily, that was a typo :) I meant to say shellfish (bottom feeders). Wild caught fish is awesome and we eat as much of it as we can get here in land locked Tennessee :)
Love this Krystyn! My gf is vegan and she’s been teaching me a lot about organic foods.. any chance of you making your fonts darker? I dont know if i am getting old but it was a little bit hard to read but worth reading! :-) thanks again for posting!
Alex, the best thing you can do is plan ahead and pack a cooler with fresh veggies, fruits, smoothies, and healthy snacks like nuts, seeds, raisins, etc. More on this in an upcoming post!
Oooh ooh, so helpful!!!! I need to convert Drew once we get a place (and kitchen!!!) of our own! I’ve eaten clean once before {a 21-day plant-based food diet} and absolutely saw the benefits. It’s just getting back to that point where you realize it’s sustainable. that’s the hardest!! Looking forward to more tips on maintaining whilst traveling/long work days!