Uncensored Insight

I've been meaning to write this blog for a little while. I totally didn't intend on getting to it today as I did a night shift last night which usually leaves me brain dead to say the least.

However as I was prepping our food for the week it got me thinking and it made me feel responsible to share what I do and how I manage to keep myself (and partner) some what on track.

Now before I go much further, please excuse the quality of the photos. I live in a 1914 ferry boat with no natural light in the kitchen and a wonky floor so nothing, and I mean nothing is level (see fridge pic haha). I'll write all about that another day. Also I've titled this Uncensored because all of the blogs I enjoy reading are more candid than what my writing style has been. I think part of this has been learning to switch from a formal type style to my own way of writing. So here goes. Me just being me.

I talk to most of my NIS clients about nutrition and good eating habits so why not share what I do and what I'm trying to achieve with my own health. Now, I am not a nutritionist. I haven't studied nutrition and to be honest it was only paid lip service in my midwifery degree. Out of my own interest and pursuit for health I have read a load of material though and I intend on starting some health and nutrition coaching papers this year. This is after I get my proficiency certificate in Neurological Integration. With all my spare time. Good one Summer. Maybe I'm bonkers? Probably. Who knows but that's the plan anyway.

First up - why am I so studious in making sure we have healthy food available? There are a few reasons for that.

Reason Number One: Gut Health

I'm trying to heal my gastro tract after years of abusing it basically. I didn't know what I didn't know so until about 2 years ago I insulted these vital organs with harmful foods. I was doing pretty well with getting everything on track and then.....summer time happened. I've been a shocker (for me). Champagne galore, dairy, gluten. Not all intentionally. Like I would never go and buy a loaf of bread and dunk it in a creamy soup (although that sounds bloody delicious). It was more little bits here and there through restaurant meals and shared food occasions like Christmas. But since embarking on this journey and resetting my body to what it should perform like and having reset my immune response, now when I consume the above, holy toledo do I know about it!

I get the WORST sugar hangovers. It's bloody ridiculous. I"m not worth knowing when I've been eating unhealthily. Kind of turn into a turbo bitch. My body reacts almost immediately to refined carbs and gluten. Red puffy face which stays swollen for a good couple of days. Puffy abdomen which makes me feel ultra attractive. Sore tummy. It's crazy how your body reacts once you've cut the greeblies out for a while. When I'm feeling brave I'll show you all a comparison of what my torso looks like normally and then what happens when I eat gluten. It's pretty hectic. Side note - I don't think everyone is intolerant to dairy but I'm def sensitive to it.

Here are the supplements I take to sort everything out. Plus here is the link to the sciencey information. I could paraphrase and churn out a few paragraphs on the subject. but, night shift. Also why rewrite what they've written perfectly? No need to reinvent the wheel round here.

I haven't pictured my probiotic but its one from Bio - Kult.

Estroclear - liver support

One - multivitamin

Three - fish oils Adrenal regulator - self explanatory, still combating this after being an on call midwife and being in a state of readiness 24/7. Uncool.

Zinc - again self explanatory

Vit D - you got it, its vitamin D

Ora Pure Renew - collagen to help repair the gut, plus it's amazing for skin and hair

L Glutamine - this little wonder product, check out what it does here! My naturopath put me on to it and so far I'm impressed with the results.

NIS - now I treat myself frequently when I'm not treating my body kindly. Sure as eggs each treatment my liver will pop up, small intestine and often brain cortices. No surprises there. Some peoples tolerances to an unhealthy (if you can even call it that. It's semi unhealthy) lifestyle is high and they won't be affected. However old sensitive Sally over here, my nervous system feels every, single thing.

Reason Number Two: Weight

Yep flippin weight. I've managed to gain a good 5-6kg in the last couple of months. Even maybe 3 months considering Christmas celebrations began in November. Whoops. Back when I was super unhealthy (a few years ago) I weighed far less than what I do now. 10kg to be precise. But I was under nourished, had no muscle, felt dreadful and was unkind to body. I think for me, with the muscle mass I"ve managed to gain (as well as the temporary unwanted wobbly bits) I should be about 5-6kg lighter. So healthy food and exercise it is.

Reason Number Three: Money

We spend roughly $150-$170 a week on groceries. I think that's pretty good considering partner eats loads. He's into his fitness and used to get paid for being healthy (wouldn't that be bloody nice?!). Haha no, he had to work for it. He played professional rugby so he's in the know about whats good and whats not. He knows what his body performs best on and what wrecks it. Teeny tiny bit annoying as it's different to how my body runs so groceries and dinners can be a double act. No surprises there though - he's a man and I'm a woman. He needs loads of carbs to feel good, diary keeps him full (although I suspect an intolerance there).

So...this is what we do for his lunch prep and our dinner prep. Check the wonky fridge ha!

This week chicken was on sale so we bought a kilo, I marinated it in garlic, herbs and spices and BBQ'd it. We have to BBQ because again, we live on a boat and have no oven haha. Kumara mash for him, hard boiled eggs for snacks, cheese for him, chopped cabbage for stir fries and slaw, cauliflower rice for tabbouleh and rice dishes.

For brekkie he will eat oats and protein. I usually have scrambled eggs with parsely. For lunch he will grab a chicken breast, kumara, a handful of greens, some cheese and an olive oil dressing. I eat leftovers usually. Then dinner is as follows.

We can't afford to buy everything organic but we try our best. Things I won't compromise on are eggs, they have to be free range. That was probably a good 15 minute stand off when he and I first ever went grocery shopping together. Not really a stand off haha but a discussion for sure. I wanted the "happy eggs" and he thinks an egg is an egg is an egg. No no no. We got the "happy free range eggs". I try my best to buy free range chicken and pork. Organic blueberries because you can't peel them and the amount of spray on conventionally grown is gross AF. We don't really buy any other fruit. Greens apart from cabbage I grow myself. I'd grow everything but yet again, you guessed it. We live on a boat so growing space is limited. I don't eat red mead often, he likes it so eats it once or twice a week. The only dairy we buy is cheese on occasion. We don't drink milk or eat yogurt. So that probably keeps prices down. We eat seafood once a week usually or more often if we get given fish or he goes fishing. Pretty lucky in that regard because of where we live.

Here are some of the meals I make with our weekly shop. I'll often make them a day or two ahead to fit in with my midwifery shifts. If I'm working a PM shift, I have to leave home at 2pm so always cook dinner before I go. I just leave his in the fridge.

Bangers and stir fried cabbage. Our local butcher does the best paelo sausages. Yum!

Chicken and slaw - home made dressing of olive oil, garlic, coconut aminos and lemon juice

Butter chicken on cauli rice (recipe to follow next week)

BBQ chicken and calui tabbouleh (cauli rice, parsley, chilli, lemon juice, olive oil and salt)

Roast pork with vegetables

So there we go guys, that's how we manage to make it work.

Love Sum x