It's been almost ten years since I began on this crazy real food journey. (Read about my “food conversion”.) The other day when I was asked the following questions, it got me thinking about what I'd say if I had the chance to give myself advice all those years ago…
1) You offer amazing advice on your website so you've obviously been leading a lifestyle of traditional and nourishing foods for a while now. But can you look back and remember a time when you really struggled to make progress with making the changes you desired? What were some of the barriers you had to overcome?
Oh I've had MANY bumps along the way! Every time I'd make something new and the kids hated it, every time I'd spend too much on a recipe that flopped, every time I'd finally figure out how to make something *healthier* and then realize that one more ingredient I'd been using wasn't good for us after all, I'd feel very discouraged. It can be overwhelming in the beginning! Just know that it's normal to feel this way and hang in there.
2) Can you think of a breakthrough moment that really gave you the momentum you needed to get over any of those barriers?
Not one specific breakthrough moment, but for every ‘down', I've had many more ‘ups'. And those ‘ups' are really sweet when they happen (like success with my homemade mayo!) — such as when I adapt another recipe over to real food and everyone loves it! Because I know this journey is SO *worth it* – we are rarely sick, we have no more behavior or learning issues, and who knows what other health problems we're avoiding?
Whenever I feel stuck, now I know that the answers are out there. Traditional cultures have been cooking with Real Food a LOT longer than we've all gotten accustomed to cooking with the fake stuff, so it's just a matter of time and patience in order to get a handle on all of it. And Real Food tastes better anyway, so we've always got that going for us!
A lot of trial and error was necessary, and thankfully my family hung in there. My many friends (my real life AND many of YOU, my reader friends) have helped me a ton. I'm constantly asking my readers questions either on my blog or on my Facebook page and I learn a lot that way. It's not that I never have flops anymore, I always will because I love playing around in the kitchen, but now they don't bother me quite as much because I know that's how I learn. Unless I spent a lot of money on a flop, now that still drives me crazy. (See some of my Friday Food Flops…)
3) For someone who is just getting started (or thinking about getting started) with integrating traditional foods into their diet, what would you recommend as a small and easy action they can take today that will likely have big impact long term?
Some ideas:
- Get a copy of my book, Real Food for Rookies to save you a lot of guesswork! Or sign up for the online Real Food for Rookies class for a crash course.
- Sarah Pope had some great advice in her talk at the conference last weekend: Always start with the fats, because when you do that you'll feel better almost immediately, and this will give you the energy and motivation to keep making more changes! Have you seen her new book: Get Your Fats Straight? (No Kindle? Get a free reader for your phone, tablet or computer by clicking here.)
- Also, connect with others who have been on this journey for a while and don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions! No need to reinvent the wheel when your friends probably have a lot already figured out.
- Don't forget to get the “real food bible” by Mary Enig and Sally Fallon: Nourishing Traditions.
- Search for what you are wondering about here on the site like this: In your online search, type in “Kitchen Kop SUBJECT GOES HERE” and see what comes up. Also, subscribe to my blog so you get new posts as often as you want them (I'd love to help you!) or other traditional food blogs so you can keep learning that way. When I first started my blog almost 6 years ago it was months before I even found any other real foodie bloggers, now there are so many!
Attend your local WAPF meetings, that's a great way to connect with other real foodies!
Attend your local WAPF meetings, that's a great way to connect with other real foodies!Thanks @ Sacred Eats for asking these questions!
Jonathan Drake says
Have enjoyed watching and learning from you over the years.
You continue to amaze with your ability to post and truly be helpful to so many.
Commenter via Facebook says
I would say, “You will be diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2012 if you don’t change your ways!”
Commenter via Facebook says
LOL- I actually grew up eating or at least hearing about some of this stuff, I just didn’t know it was so amazingly good for you. We didn’t do “bone broth” but we had turkey carcass soup every year after Thanksgiving. I never bought many processed foods when I moved out on my own but I had a lot around growing up. My biggest issue was leaning towards low fat SAD diet, though mainly home cooked. I also have a huge sweet tooth and used to love to binge eat. Now that I am eating butter and other fats like it’s going out of style, I find myself feeling full and not able to eat more. Only time I never could stuff myself before was when I was queasy at the beginning of my pregnancy with my 2yo. I guess I wish I had liked eggs growing up. We even had a pet duck- her eggs were amazing but they got used mainly for baking. I was vegan for a few yrs (ala Skinny B****) and after I reverted, I was eating eggs like crazy. They were so good! Seriously would eat a half dozen easily!
Commenter via Facebook says
You’re an idiot. Eat as God intended, it’ll never be wrong.
Commenter via Facebook says
I’d say, ‘What are you thinking?!?’ and then give myself a swift kick in the behind.
Marie says
Another bit of advice… “Don’t sacrifice the good for the perfect.” In other words, just because you can’t buy xyz perfect food, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy as close as you can get. For example, if you can’t get grass fed raw milk all the time, at least shoot for whole pasteurized milk until you can get affordable raw milk. The only raw milk I can get in CA right now is $9.55 per half gallon. I still buy it, but in order to have enough milk for my whole family that I can afford, I have to buy some pasteurized too 🙁 Same goes for pastured eggs. I shop around, but with the who-knows-how-many dozen eggs we eat, I can’t afford to buy eggs at $7.55 per dozen, so I do some pastured, some cage free organic. I know it isn’t perfect, but still better than eating cereal for breakfast! I incorporate better things as the budget allows or as I find better and affordable items locally. And, eventually we hope to get chickens and goats and a good veggie garden and truly have an abundant and affordable supply of good foods. It’s truly a journey!
Tienne McKenzie says
My number one piece of advice to people is “Start where you can.” For many of us, it’s switching out one store-bought item at a time, or learning to plan one meal that doesn’t include processed grains and sugar, or making one good choice at a restaurant. I also tell people that the goal is not perfection, it’s progress. If in one year you are eating healthier than before, that is SUCESS, not failure!
On the money end, it has always helped me to consider that everything we buy is a declaration of our values. EVERYTHING. It’s not fair to compare the price of grassfed local beef with Walmart beef. They are not even the same product!! A better comparison is the price of grassfed beef to a doctor’s visit. Even with co-payment and insurance, you’re way ahead buying real, nourishing food!