A Return to Whole Foods (the concept, not the store!)

While catching up at Cheap Healthy Good, one of my favorite food sites, I came across a link to this post about Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook that focuses on getting back to cooking in well, more traditional time honored ways. I was pulled in right away.

Since starting on my path to Intuitive Eating (IE), I’ve been happily making peace with food. As a result, I’ve indulged in much more food of the processed persuasion, just because I *can*. Most of that has been the Trader Joe’s type of processed but not all of it. I definitely don’t like focusing on so much convenience food. There has to be a balance. I realize that it was necessary stage of my healing to swing the other way first, though, so I’m not judging my food choices or anything. I just am finding myself looking forward to cooking more whole foods and putting more effort into my cooking and general food prep.

I’ll actually be participating in an upcoming study that will examine how an IE lifestyle focused on mostly whole foods coupled with moderate strength training affects overall health. It will be a two year commitment and I’m super excited to participate. But that hasn’t started yet – I’ll post more about that when it begins next month and throughout the study.

My head is already starting to get back to craving “real” food that I prepare myself, though, so there’s no reason to wait. I’m coming at this from a place of excitement, not one of trying to “eat healthy”. I will not completely abandon all play foods, not by a long shot. I plan to continue incorporating them into my daily intake, focusing on making my own versions as well as treating myself to the occasional processed items from time to time. It’s not all or nothing. I’m focusing on ADDING more whole foods, not in trying to deny myself anything. I think that psychological distinction is key for me.

In any case, I came across the Nourishing Traditions book just when I was ready to embrace it. I hopped right over to Amazon and downloaded it to my Kindle. I’ve only just begun reading it (yes, I’m actually reading a cookbook!) and have discovered that it’s much more than just a book of recipes. It catalogues all the different ways we have been mislead when it comes to “nutrition” in the media. So many studies have been twisted to say what the researchers wanted them to say. Others were just ignored because they didn’t prove what they wanted them to. I’ve come across some of this before but it never ceases to amaze me. The author advocates a return to not only eating more whole foods but to draw on more traditional ways of food preparation as a way to combat some of the damage we’ve done to ourselves with all this fake food.

I will be working my way through the fantastic info in the book as well as trying out some recipes. I will periodically post about how they turn out and what I’m learning in the process. And lest you think that I’ve completely abandoned my focus on personal finance, I will be noting any savings that come from buying and cooking my own food on a more consistent basis.

Please chime in with any advice or experience you may have to share about cooking and eating whole foods. I’m not completely new to the concept (I’ve always loved to cook) but am coming at it from a whole new perspective. I welcome all input!