Newbie and overwhelmed

[Climbergirl]

So I am just starting down this path. I think what has really sold me to some of this is the fact that although I am pretty lactose intolerant, I seem to be able to handle raw milk. To say I was shocked was an understatement.

So I have NT, but the recipes are a bit too much work for me. I work full time. I have been trying to use the Rachel Ray recipes and make them TF. She pretty much uses fresh ingredients so I have been trying to just make them more "TF like". But I am new, new, new to all this.

My goals are to lose weight and improve my thyroid (my thyroid is hypo). I am planning on making small, good changes for my health.

If you could make 3 seriously big changes with a ton of impact, what would they be? That is probably all I can handle at a time.

If you had to own 2-3 books, what would those be? There is just so much out there, I need to start with the basics and then go from there. This will make it more likely for my husband to go along with this as well.

TIA!!

[mbravebird]

Mmm, good, specific questions. Hard to choose just three, but my body has responded best, adrenal-wise (which is related to thyroid) to coconut oil, raw liver "pills", and grass-fed beef. But, see, then I want to add chicken broth and nettle infusion and kefir. But if I *had* to choose just three things to help with metabolic issues, I'd choose the first three. I think. It's hard to choose just three.

Books? Full Moon Feast and Real Food: What to Eat and Why.

How much sleep are you able to get? Sleep is another "traditional" thing that supports metabolic and weight issues, given that we sleep very non-traditionally these days: artificial light exposure during sleep, late bedtimes, etc. Changing the artificial light levels and going to bed earlier had had a *huge* impact on how I feel on a day-to-day basis, and it has made pounds drop off. Read the hibernation diet thread for more detailed info about sleep stuff.

[MyLilPwny]

I'm going to list 4 things that are pretty simple things to do, once you have the items. I have the book "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" by Sally Fallon and Mar Enig, and I think that they stress the following things as basics:

1. Since you want to lose weight, start eating lots of healthy fats, most importantly virgin coconut oil (unrefined, unbleached, undeodorized)---Garden of Life, Omega Nutrition and Spectrum unrefined coconut oil are some brands sold in stores.

2. For fat soluble vitamins, start taking cod liver oil daily. See the following WAPF article for recommended brands: http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnut...fications.html

3. Calcium is a key factor in stimulating weight loss: eat raw dairy (pasture-fed), including raw cheese, raw butter and raw whole milk, and make your own bone broths. Bone broths are really simple to do. Basically just throw some bones in a pot of water and leave it on the stove for several hours, but here is a good article that explains bone broths some more: http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html

4. Use Celtic sea salt on your food. The iodine in it will help with your thyroid, also I'm quoting from WAPF here: "This high quality salt contains over 80 balanced minerals from the sea. Celtic sea salt is essential for maintaining proper fluid balance and utilization in the body. It also normalizes blood pressure, enhances digestion, and nourishes the adrenal glands."

I have "Nourishing Traditions", "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" and "Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine"---I'd recommend them. I ordered the books from http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/ and that site is also good for ordering supplements like cod liver oil and coconut oil.

[PeggyinNC]

"If you could make 3 seriously big changes with a ton of impact, what would they be?"

Raw milk, that is my most basic change
Real butter (Kerry Gold is easy to find)
Bone broths...sounds harder than it is, so basic and good for your whole family

"If you had to own 2-3 books, what would those be?"
Nina Planck's "Real Food"
Sally Fallon & Mary Enig's "Nourishing Traditions" and "Eat Fat, Lose Fat"

There are lots of good suggestions here...some are very easy changes...like using realsalt or celtic sea salt..also cod liver oil isn't too difficult to add, and concentrace drops. Just don't feel overwhelmed. One good thing we do is head to farmer's market, rather than the grocery stores, at least once a month. Just seeing all those people who are growing and eating real food is a wonderful thing, and most of the stuff will be much healthier than supermarket foods. I've been doing this for two years, and I still feel like a newbie, so don't feel like you are alone at all. The mommies here are the best!

[WuWei]

1. raw milk kefir. simple to make and major probiotic benefits

2. bone broths

3. cod liver oil

4. soak grains for pancakes (see Sue Gregg blender batter method) sits overnight and improves nutrition significantly. http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/brea...rwafflesAA.htm


Pat

[Brown Lioness]

Im a newbie also, and this suggestion seems the most doable to start with for me. Like, im lost on the whole kefir and bone broth thing because i dont normally eat that way. But trading out the fake butter for raw butter, table salt for sea salt and supplementing with cod liver oil are very simple to me. I only have NT so far, so I think I'll get the aforementioned book recommendations as well.

Originally Posted by ThereseReich

I'm going to list 4 things that are pretty simple things to do, once you have the items. I have the book "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" by Sally Fallon and Mar Enig, and I think that they stress the following things as basics:

1. Since you want to lose weight, start eating lots of healthy fats, most importantly virgin coconut oil (unrefined, unbleached, undeodorized)---Garden of Life, Omega Nutrition and Spectrum unrefined coconut oil are some brands sold in stores.

2. For fat soluble vitamins, start taking cod liver oil daily. See the following WAPF article for recommended brands: http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnut...fications.html

3. Calcium is a key factor in stimulating weight loss: eat raw dairy (pasture-fed), including raw cheese, raw butter and raw whole milk, and make your own bone broths. Bone broths are really simple to do. Basically just throw some bones in a pot of water and leave it on the stove for several hours, but here is a good article that explains bone broths some more: http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html

4. Use Celtic sea salt on your food. The iodine in it will help with your thyroid, also I'm quoting from WAPF here: "This high quality salt contains over 80 balanced minerals from the sea. Celtic sea salt is essential for maintaining proper fluid balance and utilization in the body. It also normalizes blood pressure, enhances digestion, and nourishes the adrenal glands."

I have "Nourishing Traditions", "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" and "Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine"---I'd recommend them. I ordered the books from http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/ and that site is also good for ordering supplements like cod liver oil and coconut oil.

[Climbergirl]

Thanks everyone! I am working on getting raw milk. I am lucky in that Whole Foods sells it here. I will start trying to replace all my dairy with raw dairy so that would be great.

Looks like some great new books to buy. I love to read.

You guys mentioned adrenal issues? Where can I learn more about that?

I try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. A lot of that depends on how often my son wakes up at night. Last night, it was every 2 hours. So I am tired to say the least. But I have been feeling more and more tired lately so I am wondering if something else is up.

Thanks!