-What I eat...-

   Some of you- ok, lots of you- have asked me what I eat if I don't eat any grains, starches, or sugar. I know it's a surprising thing to hear someone say they don't eat grains, but rest assured, there's life on the other side of the grain&sugar train. 
Don't get me wrong here. Do I miss a buttery, warm chocolate croissant or oatmeal raisin cookies, a baguette dipped in olive oil, french fries, the quick convenience of a bowl of cereal or going to a restaurant and eating whatever? YES. 
But here's the thing: My health [and yours!]- physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual- is way, WAY more important than eating those foods. And that is precisely what I've discovered in the past months of changing what I put into my body. And I wouldn't go back.


So, I can't answer the "What DO you eat" question without sharing what I DON'T eat. Here it goes!
[I will try to include links to articles about the things I post.] 


What I DON'T eat:
• Grains in ANY form- wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, corn, soy, millet, etc, [long list. And if you buy anything that has a label on it, read it carefully. There's typically wheat &/or soy &/or corn &/or rice products in them.] [Here's an informative article about grains and starches. And Another really good article about how cutting out grains can heal lots of physical ailments]
• Sugar [takes on many different names, but it's all sugar]- refined, cane, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, beet sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple, agave, sucrose, glucose, or high quantities of fructose, etc, etc. [Here's a fascinating article about sugars.]
• Artificial sweeteners- splenda, sweet&low, equal, etc.
• Unhealthy oils- canola, corn, sunflower, soybean, safflower, or anything hydrogentated.  [Here's a great article about oils.]
• Potatoes/Legumes [beans, lentils, etc]- starchy things are high in carbs which is what I avoid.
• Fruits- most fruit has quite a bit of fructose which is bad for our bodies, especially with how we typically consume fruit in our country- in large quantities. [** My experience: After cutting out fruit for a couple months I added it back in and within 2 weeks I stopped losing weight, felt really tired&heavy, my knees hurt again, and I gained 4 pounds. I had an inkling that my symptoms were from the fruit so I cut it out again and within days lost the 4 pounds I had gained and my energy levels were higher and stable again.] NOTE: One small [a level cupped-handful] serving of fruit a day is fine. And berries are best. I personally just haven't had a desired to add fruit back in yet but will eventually.
• Juice.
• Alcohol. [Though, I've read that wine is alright on occasion.]


What I DO eat:
• Organic, grass-fed Beef- ideal is grass-fed. But if I can't find or afford it, I'll get the best quality organic I can find. ["Just because beef is labeled "organic" doesn't mean it is grass-fed. The label must specify "grass-fed" to be truly grass-fed beef!" -Dr. Mercola in this article.]
• Organic chicken [I'm trying to figure out how I can get pastured chicken. More details later.]
• Organic, omega-3 eggs [trying to get pastured eggs. More details later.]
• Butter from grass-fed cows [like Kerrygold]
• Lots of veggies of all sorts! [there are some I don't usually eat because of a high sugar content. But if it's all that's available, I'l eat them.]
• Nuts & seeds- ideal raw then soaked & air dried or dried in the oven at a temp of 150º or lower.
• Nut flours & oils [primarily almond flour and oil, but there are others.]
• Coconut- flour, oil, milk [here's an article about coconut]
• Organic dairy [ideally from grass-fed cows]- cream, cream cheese, some other cheeses: aged raw milk cheese is best [and tastes so good.
• Natural sweeteners- Erythritol is my main choice, and stevia 
• Spices & natural minerals-in real salt
• *Other things that I'd eat if I so felt like it: fish [yum- sashimi!], pork, foul, other meats [as natural&minimally processed, organic as you can find.]


I might have forgotten a thing or two. But those two lists are a pretty good roundup. 
Also, this isn't some gimicky "low-carb" diet! This is a lifestyle- one that's lived day in and day out for life. There's not and "ending point" like there is with dieting. And that's such a great feeling because I can setting into this for the long haul.
Some of you might be wondering, "Don't you need carbs to survive?!" Here's my answer: I get sufficient carbohydrates [sometimes too many] from the nuts, veggies, and some dairy  that I eat. And here's a good quote: "Of the three macronutrients, protein, fat and carbohydrate, it is only carbohydrate that is nonessential to the human diet." -Dr. Joseph Brasco 
This just just about the types of foods to eat/not eat, it's also about the quality of the foods eaten. This is truly about long-term health. Not a "get thin quick" fad thing. But real health. 


I will write more later about my story and why I eat this way. Until then read up and learn and cook up some delish meals. :) I want to hear about your journey and will do my best to answer questions you've got. 


I hope this was helpful for you!


-Lindsay