Friday, August 13, 2010

Food and us

I don't know if you caught the link to this on my sidebar (under Favourite Blogs and The Fresh Network) recently:

http://fresh-network.typepad.com/fresh_network_blog/2010/07/what-do-you-think-of-the-weston-price-foundations-dietary-recommendations.html#more

I have quite a few friends that follow, and are rather passionate about, the Weston Price diet and the cookbook associated with that - 'Nourishing Traditions'.  I admit to owning that cookbook but frankly only use it for the information in it is that relating to the preparation and cooking of grains.  The high fat and meat content of the rest of the philosophy just does not resonate with me.

I think that's a big thing - if something resonates with you.  When you just 'know' that something is right for you.  Not just by the mental concepts and physical research, but the inner "yes" that speaks to you on a deeper, soul level of just knowing if something will work for you, or not.

I think different diets work for different people.  I do not like it when I'm told that "this is the right way...this is the best way for everyone to eat....you should only be doing this".  If something works for you, I'm honestly happy for you.  But don't try and tell me that I need to change what I'm doing.  I'm not going to tell you to give up meat, so don't tell me I need to eat it.

I've been vegetarian for 16 years, mostly vegan. 
I had a blood two weeks ago.  When going veg, many people are told to take vitamin B12 supplements.  I never have (apart from multi vitamins during pregnancy) and my test showed my B12 to be in the excellent range.  My iron and a couple of hormones were a bit low though.  The combination of the deficiencies though has been leaving me feeling lethargic and very low in motivation for much at all.  It's good to know because I'm not driving myself to work out every single day at the moment.  I'm taking time out to lie in the hammock in the sun and let my body rest. 

Summer and Cary also had blood tests.  It turns out that Summer has Insulin Resistance (pre-diabetes).  Part of our 'unschooling' has also been allowing the children to determine what food they would like to eat, and when, and how much. The thought behind that is that they will self-regulate and get all of the nutrients they actually need.  It works great with the boys.  It does not work with Summer.  I have often thought that there was 'something' going on with Summer, and at different times, after discussion with different health 'professionals', and with Summers agreement, we've tried gluten-free foods, and other slight changes in the foods that Summer ate.  After giving her the majority of the choice in what she ate, and watching her health deteriorate a little more as time passed, we have to make some big changes in what Summer eats and when.  We have to help her own this new way in order to help her health for the rest of her life.  Diabetes has a strong presence in Cary's side of the family.  Summer has obviously inherited that tendency.  Cary tests show that he also has Insulin Resistance, though not as extremely as Summer. 

...update, we went for more tests last week and my iron is now in the 'normal' range.  The only thing I did differently was to add 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses into my daily diet.

3 comments:

~Tara said...

This is an everyday discussion in our home. Type 1 has affected many of the men in my dad's family and Zeb has, thus far, taken after that side of my family. As far as I know there isn't a lot I can do to *prevent* Type 1 diabetes, but it's still important to discuss this topic a lot as both of us are hypoglycemic. It's a balancing act some days, to respect his feelings without causing issues while also making sure his body gets what it needs. I do feel though, that no health prognosis is permanent. And sometimes we just require that contrast to be able to listen to and choose the right things for our bodies.

Annette said...

Hmm, good point about requiring the contrast ... I like that.

Eli said...

We recently had a vendor neighbor who not only was a faulous artist and sculptor, but a rancher who had just cut up 2 organic grass fed cows. We got about 13lbs from her. I felt like I'd hit the jackpot. That was 3 weeks ago and we have eaten about 3lbs. When we got home, Paul commented that we had a lot of beef for a family that doesn't eat much beef.
I'm a veggie girl. I tend to go towards a Mediterranean diet. Lots of fish, veggies and olive oils. I love, love good anchovies, goat anything is my all time favorite dairy. It sings to me!
Now my son could live off seafood too. Raw fish, fish eggs and oysters are his favorite, but I'll be dang if I can get him to eat enough veggies.
I don't bug him about it. It seems that the more I preach the further away he goes. I actually enjoy watching him go more towards a healthy diet, without knowing it. But trust me, he gets to a house that has all the processed food one household can handle and he's in hog heaven!!! After 10 yrs of living he now knows that it ain't ever gonna be bought with my money!!! (But maybe his dads!)