A month ago at pick-up, I had a chance to chat with a regular customer about her health. After a BIG health scare, her doctor had her on a diet that didn’t feel right to her–physically and common sense-wise.
No eggs.
No meat.
No olive oil.
She was told no eggs because of the cholesterol. UGH! My biggest pet peeve is the idea that eating cholesterol is clogging your arteries. But, she could eat the egg whites in a carton. YUCK! Egg whites in a carton are pasteurized and can have gums added to help with consistency. And you are missing out on valuable vitamins and minerals by skipping the yolk.
She told me, “I’m standing in the store looking at this carton of eggs thinking ‘What am I doing, this can’t be good'”. And she’s right.
Another restriction was no meat. She was trying to make up for this with beans and protein powders. But again, it wasn’t feeling right to her.
And she was told no olive oil–use canola oil instead. UGH! Of all the oils, that would be my biggest NO!
But eggs, meat, and fat are not the problem. It’s all the other junk we eat with it!
It’s not the hamburger, it’s the highly processed and sugar-laden bun and condiments. Will one burger kill you? Absolutely not. It’s the accumulation of highly processed foods, sugars, and flour that causes inflammation and long-term health problems.
Don’t get me started on the whole low-fat nonsense. You need fat to synthesize and utilize fat-soluble vitamins. And our brains need Omega 3 fatty acids for optimal functioning. You can get some of those O3FA from pasture-raised meats. NOT feedlot commercial meat. There have been depression studies where those on low-fat diets were more likely to be depressed.
Fat does not cause high cholesterol, inflammation does. My post on lard gives you all the details.
As I was explaining this to her, another customer joined the conversation. He had Parkinson’s and completely revamped his diet with whole foods, meat, good fats, and no sugar or processed food. Now he’s back at work symptom-free.
Looking at this woman and seeing her struggle and just not look like her usual bubbly self was so hard. What she was eating wasn’t giving her the energy she needed or satisfying her hunger. And her pain was not going away. I recommended cutting out sugar and bread. If she had to eat bread, buy one made with sprouted grains.
Two weeks later she came to pick up eggs. She was her old self! It took so much for me to not burst into tears of happiness. She was completely transformed. She was bubbly, had a skip in her step, her face had color, and her voice was uplifted.
She cut out bread and added eggs and meat back into her diet. She was listening to what HER body told her it needed and she was now pain-free.
Now, I am not a doctor and I am NOT telling you to go against your doctor’s advice*.
What I am saying is YOU know YOUR body.
If what you’re eating is making you feel worse–no matter how “healthy” it is–don’t eat it. I had a friend who went gluten-free because she thought it was healthier. She was miserable for a month until she stopped the gluten-free stuff. Her body is fine with carbs, but yours may not be. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to what you eat and your health.
Our bodies are ever-changing. That means it’s up to us to notice when what we eat just isn’t benefitting us any longer. I wrote about my sugar-free journey and how I finally had to accept I couldn’t eat sugar if I wanted to maintain good mental health. It’s hard and I do miss sooo many things, but it’s easier than feeling physically and mentally unwell.
If you are struggling with health issues, I can tell you this: if you cut out processed foods, you will see and feel a difference.
This will eliminate most sugars, flours, and additives from your diet. These are what cause and feed physical and mental health issues, not meat, eggs, or fats.
And it doesn’t have to be cutting out everything all at once. Start small and work your way up.
If you want to take charge of your health, listen to your body.
Want help changing how you eat? Please send me an email at [email protected].
Ready to purchase some amazing pasture-raised meat and eggs? Click here to shop!
* if your doctor will not discuss dietary effects on your health, you may want to find a new doctor.
I’m so happy farmers are starting to spread the word about cholesterol etc. I’m doing intermittent Fasting and Ketovoire and my health has improved immensely. Dr and Dietician’s only no what they are told about the Standard American diet (SAD) which the guidelines which research and studies are bought and paid for by the Sugar and Cereal Companies. The American Diebeties Assoc biggest contributor is Coca Cola. If that isn’t a conflict of interest i don’t know what is. So my saying is Follow the money and you will see how crept the food industry is.
No longer diabetic using keto/carnivore diet. Low carb no sugar. And most important is no bread pasta etc. Meat is good for you along with eggs, butter and fats. On the right track. Never felt better
So much truth here, Serena!! Dietary cholesterol is not the problem. Sugar and oxidized oils are a huge part of health problems. Eat real, whole foods and move your body outside. Hydrate with minerals and the salt not the blue cylinder. 😁 I appreciate these farmers!!
I agree with you whole- heartedly with your dietary advice. My own P.C., even tho I love him, never brings up diet to solve anything. I have to do my own research to solve any health issues I develop. I’m really curious who your seemingly enlightened doctor is. Would you mind sharing his/her name? Thanks, Maryann Kuhlenberg