Here are some ideas to help you get on track this year!
- Go through these Rookie Tips one at a time and start putting them into place slowly, until they become no big deal for your family. This takes time, and that's OK, I've still got a long way to go, too.
- Strive to eat less processed foods – buy less food that comes in boxes or bags. Some say it like this, “eat foods without a barcode.” In the meantime, become a label reader! Find short labels with words you can pronounce.
- Eat local, seasonal, sustainable and organic foods whenever you can. Join a CSA, frequent your farm market, grow a garden. Know where you food comes from, and get to know your farmer. (Read this great post from Kristen about Why organic isn't enough.)
- Think about what you're putting ON your body, not just what you're putting IN it.
- Don't believe something just because you always thought it to be the truth. Question everything. Then share what you've found with others.
- Learn about the teachings of Weston A. Price: buy the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook, join the Weston A. Price Foundation (so you get their quarterly publication full of good info and also help to spread the word about good nutrition), and attend your local WAP chapter meetings. It's really neat to go someplace where others “speak your language”, or what will become your language soon!
- Try a recipe from the above cookbook (or try one of mine), and keep experimenting. I love taking a recipe and making it healthier by eliminating the vegetable oils, or cutting the sugar a little, etc. (These days I'm thinking low-carb.) Just don't be afraid to use plenty of healthy fats and real sea salt to make your food taste great, these are good for you!
- Eat out rarely. Make time for preparing food at home. Eat as a family around the table and share the good and bad about your day with each other. (We call it, “high point, low point”.)
- You know this, but I still have to include it here: get moving! Just do something active. And by the way, I'm not a “go to the gym” person, are you? I'd rather just go outside and walk. If it's really bad out, I'll go to the treadmill and watch a Hallmark movie while I walk there. (I have a treadmill desk where my computer can sit.) Here's why I love walking best!
- Work on decreasing the stress in your life. It's different for everyone, but you know what triggers it for you. If you feel like you can't eliminate it, then change how you react to it. And did you know that cod liver oil helps even out your emotions and decrease stress? Lastly, don't forget to have some fun!
Get my book, Real Food for Rookies for help with all of this!
Kelly says
Hi Jen,
My heart goes out to you! You have a big job ahead, but I can tell you are a great Mom and ready for this challenge. It won’t be easy, as you already know, but just keep praying that God leads you right where you need to be – He’ll show you the way by leading you to the right resources, etc.
Have you seen my posts on the GAPS Diet? (Look under “GAPS” along the right side where all the topics are listed.) I think this could be very helpful for you as you sort through all this information!
I’ll say a prayer for you, too, that you feel at peace as you calmly move forward step by step in your journey to help your kids. 🙂
Kelly
Jen says
Kelly,
I didn’t see where to email you directly, so I’m posting to this topic because it was the answer to my prayers.
Although I have suspected it for a long time now, my two children were recently diagnosed with ADHD. There was a sense of relief followed by a sense of being overwhelmed. The overwhelming feeling came after all the reading I did on ADHD which lead to reading about Food Allergies, Diet Changes, and a Natural Approach to ADHD. Between the ADHD information and ALL that goes with the allergies/diet changes/ natural approach there is SO much to sort through and make sense of. One reading about something prompted another direction/reading and another, and another. You know how that goes. Of course, this was all combined with my own sense of urgency and the need to fix it overnight even though we’ve obviously been dealing with it for years.
I started making lists and notes of good versus bad things, pulling things out of the closet and reading labels, pulling things out of the refrigerator and reading labels. Boy was that scary! I USE to think we ate fairly healthy….a good balance of fresh fruits, fresh/frozen veggies, protein (fish, chicken, meat), etc. What I didn’t realize was how much I still relied on boxed and canned things, how some of our healthy snacks really aren’t that healthy, how much of all that is processed, and how much bad stuff is in that processed stuff. What an eye opener! Most importantly I realized we needed to change our eating habits more then I thought, and that I REALLY needed to look into going organic. Needless to say it only helped to further my sense of urgency, BUT I realized that all these changes could not happen overnight as much as I’d like. (This would be a good time when the powers of Bewitched or a genie would come in handy. LOL!)
My head was (and still is) spinning………until I came upon your website today. It was like a light at the end of the tunnel for me. Like you I want my kids to appreciate healthy eating as a good thing, not a punishment, and to continue those habits long after they leave here and build their own lives. So, I came to the realization that things would have to be in steps – exactly like your steps above. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
I’ve only just begun reading your website, but I have already learned a wealth of information between you and your readers. I feel like I have a foundation, a small one now, but that’s a start isn’t it?!
MANY THANKS!!
Jen
Kelly says
Shannon,
Yeah, I’m addressing the Dr. Cannell stuff in the post I’m working on, too.
The feed issue drives me crazy – it switched fine for most subscribers, except for 100 of them!!! Why it would do some and not all, I have no idea!
Kelly
Shannon says
Wowser, I totally forgot to switch my feed over to your new site. Love it, btw. Looking forward to the low carb carnival tomorrow, as I am doing low carb now due to weight and blood sugar issues.
Shauna says
Looking forward to the follow up post……. I’m still in the WAPF camp, but am looking into all of this (Dr. Cannell vs. WAPF recommendations)
Shauna
Kelly says
Kristen, I agree!
Lisa,
Many people have been asking about this and I’m planning on doing a post on it soon. For now check out the comments at these two posts for my opinions on this subject:
https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/fermented-cod-liver-oil-series-part-1.html
https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/06/organic-virgin-coconut-oil-deals-best.html
Lisa says
Hi Kelly,
Have you read the most recent from Dr. Mercola re: Cod Liver Oil? https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/23/important-cod-liver-oil-update.aspx
I just purchased two bottles from your recommendations, so am hoping I can take them safely.
What do you think?
Thanks,
Lisa
FoodRenegade says
I would only add that people shouldn’t be overwhelmed by attempting all (or even multiple) changes at once. If your goal really is CHANGE, then it’s best to change one thing at a time and give yourself grace to break the other rules. After a week or two or three of making this change, you’ll be through the hard part. You’ll have learned what foods you can and can’t buy to facilitate that change. You’ll have learned what to look for (and what to look out for). Instead of requiring a lot of thought, it’ll become habitual. At that point, it’s safe to examine what other change you can prioritize next. Taking them one at a time ensures you’ll master each change until it becomes a regular part of your life. This steady but sure progress will also motivate and empower you to keep making these baby steps towards your ultimate goal.
Holly Young says
Just thinking about growing some of my own food instead of thinking about his cold and snow gives me hope! 🙂
Love the new layout, too!