It is evident to those who have known me that my health and well-being has unquestionably improved since my seemingly radical diet intervention. My family is much happier and healthier too. My children are thriving and my oldest son, Gabriel, has made noticeable strides in his development of speech and social interactions. I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. However I must admit it is a daily struggle, even at four years into diet intervention, to maintain the necessary 100 percent adherence that is so clearly required for optimal results. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday’s – all of these “eating” events prove difficult, and at best, stressful. I find myself in a slight state of panic when these events approach, especially when we are expected to eat and commune freely with others. Eating is such an inextricably social activity and only in these most recent months have I seen openness and the attempt of others to understand the importance of diet intervention and ultimately adherence. My good state of health is a delicate dance – if I violate my diet, I suffer. And I see it in my children – what joy is there in this? The feelings of restriction and deprivation – how do we maintain a happiness, and lightheartedness about this apparently radical way of living? I tell you the time is coming, arriving rather quick I hope, that our way of life, our “radical diet interventions” will be recognized as the norm – an acceptable, nay necessary, method to controlling and maintaining optimal health and wellness.
With this, my second cookbook, I have laid out new ways to create recipes – with exceptions and considerations for egg white, egg yolk, dairy, casein, wheat, gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish/shellfish, corn, yeast, and the trickiest of all – sugar. This has been a long journey – even though I have included recipes that were published in my first book, Food For All, I feel it has been a difficult process to complete. It is my desire to present to you and yours healthful, loving, suitable recipes to aide in the daily endeavor that is an allergen free lifestyle.
Great beginning - I like that you say it is not always easy, but it is WORTH the effort. I am still working on the low sugar part. I know that is huge in MS, but it is the most difficult to give up. Looking forward to your book. :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I can't tell you what a relief it has been to find your cookbook and your website. We are taking our first steps in diet intervention just getting our family off of our allergenic foods but I know the next step will be to greatly reduce our sugar intake, so we will be as eager for your next cookbook as we were for your first! Thank you so much for sharing what you've learned with all of us.
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