The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

Good news! The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), an elimination and reintroduction protocol aimed at helping those with autoimmune disease identify food sensitivities and increase nutrient-density, continues to be the focus of medical research investigating its efficacy for specific autoimmune conditions. While AIP has been widely used in the autoimmune community since 2011 (see the History of the AIP Movement), medical research into its efficacy began around 2015, with results of the first pilot study published in 2017. Since then, studies have been conducted using AIP as an intervention for inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, and psoriasis. If you’d like to learn more about previous studies, including what interventions were used and the results, check out the AIP Medical Research Review.  Today I’ll be highlighting the newest AIP medical study, Effects of Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet on changes in thyroid parameters in Hashimoto’s disease by a research team from Poland, Paulina Ihnatowicz, Jerzy Gębski, and Małgorzata Ewa Drywień [1]. This is the second study that has been conducted so far using AIP as an intervention to manage Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and certainly adds to our knowledge base of how to use the protocol for managing it [2]. Hashimoto’s is not only the most common autoimmune disease, but conventional treatment is rarely successful as many patients find that they continue to have symptoms even though their hormone levels have been “treated to target” [3].  Intervention details For this study, 28 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis were enrolled, with 20 of them completing the study. The average age was 35, with patients between 23-55 years old. Patients underwent initial testing, surveys, and dietary analysis, and then were prescribed individualized, 12-week dietary plans compliant with Core AIP Elimination. It should be noted that in contrast to prior studies using AIP, there was no use of a transition phase–participants made immediate transitions to the elimination diet [2].  In terms of testing completed at baseline and completion of the study, patients had their height and weight measured in a clinic, had lab draws for thyroid hormones (TSH, total and free hormones) and thyroid antibodies, an ultrasound of the thyroid, and they also completed surveys to capture symptom burden. Prior dietary intake was captured using a survey for analysis and comparison of prescribed AIP meal plans.  After initial testing, each participant was prescribed an individualized, 12-week Core AIP meal plan based on their anthropometrics (height and weight). They were instructed to continue all prescribed medications and supplements as before, and no adjustments were made to doses. Support was offered via monthly group coaching calls.  Results  Energy and macronutrient intake A comparison of prior diet and prescribed AIP diet showed that energy intake (calories) was roughly the same before and after the study (2,067 to 1,997 calories). In terms of macronutrient intake, protein increased from 16.77% to 24.9% of total calories, which is an increase of roughly 85 to 125 grams per day (based on a 2,000 calorie intake). The increase in protein came primarily from decreased fat intake.  Micronutrient intake  Analysis of nutrient intake via prescribed AIP diet showed there was a broad increase in nutrient density during the intervention. Specific nutrient intake increases included Beta-carotene (550%), fiber (162%), folates (198%), long-chain fatty acids (262%), potassium (196%), vitamin A (341%), vitamin C (886%), with other nutrients like B vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium with considerable increases. The authors noted that analysis of some nutrients was complicated by supplementation, specifically magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium.  Biochemical thyroid changes  Blood test analysis showed Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) significantly decreased from a mean of 3.72 to 2.69. Free T3 and T4 significantly decreased, although both stayed within reference ranges (3.31 to 2.88; 1.36 to 1.20). Mean anti-TPO antibodies increased (210 to 293) and anti-Tg decreased (317 to 300), although these results did not meet statistical significance.  Physical thyroid changes A comparison of thyroid ultrasounds before and after intervention showed the right lobe volume decreased by 5% and the left lobe volume decreased by 6%.  Weight and body composition changes  Anthropometric measurements taken before and after intervention showed that mean weight decreased from 69 kg to 65.5 kg (152 lbs to 144 lbs). Mean body fat percentage decreased from 33% to 29.5%, indicating that twice as much weight was lost from fat than muscle.  Symptom burden Analysis of questionnaires showed a broad improvement of symptoms commonly reported by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients. The largest decreases were seen in the following areas: Digestive function Constipation – 36% to 11% (25% difference) Gas – 61% to 21% (35% difference) Flatulence – 61% to 29% (32% difference) Diarrhea – 29% to 7% (22% difference) Abdominal pain – 29% to 14% (15% difference) Energy  Tiredness – 82% to 29% (53% difference) Drowsiness – 64% to 21% (43% difference) Fatigue – 50% to 11% (39% difference) Mental Impaired concentration – 71% to 18% (53% difference) Headaches – 39% to 11% (28% difference) Depression – 29% to 4% (25% difference) Pain Muscle cramps – 43% to 7% (36% difference) Joint pain – 57% to 21% (36% difference) Skin  Hair loss – 64% to 32% (32% difference) Skin problems – 57% to 7% (50% difference) Dry skin – 71% to 32% (39% difference)   In addition to the above results, the authors provided an analysis of specific nutrient intake associations with all of the measures in the study.  Discussion and takeaways AIP is an incredibly nutrient-dense diet This is the first study to provide a detailed analysis of the nutrient-density of Core AIP compared to a standard diet. The analysis showed that Core AIP is especially rich in beta-carotene, retinol, fiber, long-chain fatty acids, B vitamins, and minerals (like iron, magnesium, and potassium). It is important to note that the authors prescribed nutrient-dense foods like fermented foods, cold-water fatty fish, broth, and colorful fruits and vegetables in their meal plans, according to AIP guidelines. We know that these nutrients are essential to a healthy body and immune system, and it is possible that many of the anti-inflammatory and restorative benefits of AIP likely come from this increase in nutrient density. Takeaway: Don’t forget to apply nutrient density in your approach to AIP!  Do we focus on thyroid hormones or symptoms to track progress with Hashimoto’s?  The results of this study were a bit paradoxical in terms of thyroid hormones. It is important to note that patients coming into this study were considered euthyroid, or being within normal thyroid hormone reference ranges. As a functional medicine-trained nutritionist, my view is that this group actually could have been considered subclinical hypothyroid with a mean TSH of 3.72, as functional medicine uses a narrower reference range for TSH (.5 to 3 mU/L, compared to the 0.27 to 4.2 used in the study). By that standard, AIP did an excellent job of bringing TSH down under 3, with a decrease of the mean to 2.62.  The part that is paradoxical are the thyroid hormone results. Free T4 and free T3 saw small but significant changes downward. Usually this would indicate that there is less thyroid hormone available to be used in the tissues and according to the conventional model of thyroid treatment, perhaps cause symptoms. But when we take a look at other indicators of thyroid health used in this study, this doesn’t seem to be a bad thing:  Thyroid ultrasound showed a decrease in thyroid volume. This is important because thyroid volume is linked to higher autoimmune activity, inflammation, and symptoms in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.  Body composition changes indicate positive metabolic changes despite a diet identical in energy density. The mean weight loss was 8 pounds in 12 weeks, with a 4% decrease in body fat percentage.  Surveys indicate a decrease in Hashimoto’s symptoms.  When we take all of these results together, they seem to suggest an improvement in some of the core areas of concern for patients with Hashimoto’s (thyroid swelling, weight gain, and high symptom burden). The reduction in TSH, which is a signal from the brain indicating it needs the thyroid to produce more hormones, points to the body finding balance and having enough thyroid hormone for metabolic needs. In their own discussion, the study authors theorized that the paradoxical result could be due to an improved nutritional status increasing sensitivity to thyroid hormone in the tissues. Before we get back to the question on what to focus on when gauging progress with Hashimoto’s, I want to share a couple of features of the disease. First, the only conventional treatment for Hashimoto’s is optimizing hormones with thyroid hormone replacement medication. Second, medical research shows that Hashimoto’s patients often continue to have symptoms even after their hormones are corrected to reference ranges [3].  As a Hashimoto’s patient myself, I find the results of this study incredibly validating that someone with this condition can see a drastic improvement in their symptoms without it being reflected in their hormone levels. While hormone levels are important for tracking and treatment, I’ve always been a proponent of equally valuing symptom burden as a major indicator for progress in managing this disease. Takeaway: Results in decreased thyroid volume, weight loss, and symptom management indicate improved thyroid status, despite paradoxical results in thyroid hormone parameters. How do these results compare to the results of the first AIP Hashimoto’s pilot study? There are two major differences between the interventions used in these studies. First, the original AIP Hashimoto’s study used a 6-week transition phase and a 4-week elimination phase [2]. This study did not use a transition phase and had a much longer elimination phase of 12-weeks. Second, the original AIP Hashimoto’s study implemented small changes in lifestyle areas like sleep, stress-management, movement, and connection. This study focused only on the dietary side of AIP.  Both studies saw similar results in terms of symptom burden and improvement of quality of life for patients with Hashimoto’s. In the original AIP Hashimoto’s study, medications were titrated based on thyroid hormone levels and they did not see any changes in hormone or antibody levels, although they did see a trend for reduced medication need by the end of the study [2].  Measures tested between the two studies differed a little. The original AIP Hashimoto’s study did not test anthropometric changes, thyroid volume, or the nutrient comparison of the diets, but they did measure a marker of inflammation, hs-CRP (which decreased by 29%) [2]. This was not included in the Polish study. Takeaway: This new AIP Hashimoto’s study adds to our knowledge about AIP’s efficacy in terms of nutrient density, possibility to decrease thyroid volume, and weight loss.  What about the changes in thyroid antibodies?  Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease for which two antibodies are known. This study found an increase in anti-TPO and a decrease in anti-Tg, although these results did not meet statistical significance (meaning the result could not be differentiated from chance 1 out of 20 times).  I want to share my personal view on antibodies based on review of research on this topic and my clinical experience working with Hashimoto’s patients. First, there is research associating antibodies with a higher symptom burden and lower quality of life for Hashimoto’s patients; there is also research showing that antibody levels are not correlated with symptoms. My observation as a clinician is that antibodies are helpful for diagnosis and in the early stages of healing, but do not always line up with symptom burden reported by the patient. I’m an advocate for having them tested and tracked, but not using them to gauge progress outside of other indicators of thyroid optimization (like symptoms or hormone levels). Takeaway: Antibodies should not be a primary marker of disease burden for patients with Hashimoto’s.  Conclusion This is the second quality study showing AIP is effective as a dietary intervention for managing symptoms that come with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I’m really impressed with the work of the Polish team that put this together, especially their attention to nutrient-density and customized meal plans. The addition of thyroid ultrasounds as well as the longer duration of the study are very helpful in understanding more about the physical changes possible as well as the timeline over which patients can expect to see results. If you or a loved one has Hashimoto’s, I hope you learned some great takeaways from this review!  References  Ihnatowicz P, Gębski J, Drywień ME. Effects of Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet on changes in thyroid parameters in Hashimoto’s disease. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2023;30(3):513-521. doi:10.26444/aaem/166263 Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG. Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as Part of a Multi-disciplinary, Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Cureus. 2019;11(4):e4556. Published 2019 Apr 27. doi:10.7759/cureus.4556 Groenewegen KL, Mooij CF, van Trotsenburg ASP. Persisting symptoms in patients with Hashimoto’s disease despite normal thyroid hormone levels: Does thyroid autoimmunity play a role? A systematic review. J Transl Autoimmun. 2021;4:100101. Published 2021 Apr 15. doi:10.1016/j.jtauto.2021.100101 The post AIP Research Update: A Hashimoto’s AIP Study from Poland appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

In January, a new option for the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)  was announced: Modified AIP Elimination. If you are looking for the exact details of which foods are included and avoided in both Core and Modified AIP, don’t miss What is AIP: The Definitive Guide which has been completely updated. A quick summary of the reasons why Modified AIP was added as an elimination option: Many patients in the AIP medical studies saw results before reaching a full elimination  AIP Certified Coaches reported seeing good results without a full elimination using a modified protocol in their practices Recent elimination diet research indicates that stricter does not always produce better results  Increasing accessibility, affordability, and sustainability can widen the reach and application of AIP If you’d like to read more about why AIP was updated, the research process behind making the update, be sure to read Announcing Modified AIP: A 2024 Update to the Autoimmune Protocol. Introducing: An updated Autoimmune Wellness Resource Library The founding mission here at Autoimmune Wellness has been to provide free resources for anyone who wants to embark on AIP. Since 2012, we’ve been delivering a resource library with food lists, meal plans, and other materials as a part of our AIP Quick Start Guide email series. Since inception, over 200,000 of you have downloaded these materials! With the 2024 update to the Autoimmune Protocol, it was a prime opportunity to take a look at this resource library and give it a comprehensive update. Not only have all of the prior resources been edited and redesigned, but new materials have been added for the new Modified AIP elimination (including dedicated food lists, a meal plan, and reintroduction materials).  Here is a list of what is included in the updated Autoimmune Wellness Resource Library: AIP Quick-Start Guide  Core AIP Foods to Include  Core AIP Foods to Avoid Modified AIP Foods to Include (NEW!) Modified AIP Foods to Avoid (NEW!) Core AIP Meal Plan & Shopping List Modified AIP Meal Plan & Shopping List (NEW!) AIP Reintroduction Guide Core AIP Reintroduction Stages Modified AIP Reintroduction Stages (NEW!) Food Reaction Checklist AIP Medical Research Review (NEW!) All of these materials are presented as beautifully-designed .pdf files that you can read on your computer, e-reader, or other digital device. They can also be printed at home.  How can you download these materials? 1. If you are a subscriber to the Autoimmune Wellness newsletter, you should have an email in your inbox with download links to each resource in the library.  2. If you are not yet a subscriber, you can sign up here and receive the AIP Quick Start email series, in which you will be sent the resources in a series of emails over the course of 6 days.  3. If you only want specific resources, you can sign up to receive them individually by opting in using the following links:  AIP Quick-Start Guide, Core and Modified AIP Food Lists  Core AIP Meal Plan and Shopping List Modified AIP Meal Plan and Shopping List AIP Reintroduction Guide, Core and Modified AIP Reintroduction Stages, and Food Reaction Checklist Are you a practitioner that uses AIP in your practice and would like an extended library of AIP resources to use with your patients or clients? Be sure to consider taking the AIP Certified Coach Practitioner Training Program, where you can learn best practices for implementing and personalizing AIP for the population you serve. Graduates are granted a license to use a collection of 50+ handouts directly with their clients, including assessments, journals, troubleshooting materials, and more.  If you’d like to hear me talk through these materials, listen to the podcast below: Thank you for being a member of the Autoimmune Wellness community, and I sincerely hope these resources help you, your friends, or your loved ones embark on AIP easily and successfully!  The post Core & Modified AIP: An Updated AIP Resource Library! appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

I wanted to introduce you to the newest AIP cookbook on the scene, Meals You Deserve by Kris King! Many of you likely recognize Kris as one of the recipe contributors for Autoimmune Wellness (you can view her impressive AIP library of recipes on the site here!). Since the blog has become an archive, Kris has put her talent to good use in creating an ebook of recipes for the AIP community to continue to enjoy. What are my favorite things about Meals You Deserve?  Recipes that are full of flavor and fun to make! The recipes are all compliant with AIP Core Elimination (yes, including that chicken and dumplings on the cover!) It contains extras such as meal planner sheets and budget planner sheets, for keeping you organized and within your financial limits. Quick tips to make cooking for AIP seamless in your own kitchen! I sat down with Kris to record a podcast to talk about her story of healing using AIP, the process of writing an ebook, her favorite AIP cooking hacks, and more! You can tune in by using the podcast player at the bottom of this post. Meals You Deserve is a perfect for anyone looking to embark on Core AIP and looking for simple recipes with fun flavors that also won’t break the bank. I can’t recommend it enough! The post Introducing Meals You Deserve by Kris King appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Since inception in 2011, the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) has not undergone any major updates or changes and has existed as originally conceived by experts and used by the autoimmune community. Today, that is changing with the announcement of a new option: Modified AIP Elimination. This post serves to provide the rationale behind this change as well as provide links for learning more about the new protocol. Reasons to update AIP First, let’s discuss some AIP history and what led to these changes. Originally, Sarah Ballantyne, PhD. wrote extensively about and refined the protocol on her blog and in her books, which formed the foundations of the AIP protocol and movement. These foundations led to collaboration between leaders in the AIP community in the creation of the AIP Certified Coach Practitioner Training, serving to educate healthcare providers in best practices for using AIP with their clients and patients.  Additionally, Sarah’s research and writing sparked interest from the medical community to formally study the efficacy of AIP for various autoimmune conditions, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. While medical research into the efficacy of AIP is still in its infancy, early results have shown promise at helping those with autoimmune disease achieve a higher quality of life, less symptom burden, and need less medication (you can read a review of all the results here).  Now that there is an emerging body of research into the efficacy of AIP, as well as a large group of practitioners with many collective years of expertise in AIP implementation and customization, it is time for analysis to see what is working and what could be made better for the next wave of individuals looking to embark on the protocol. Here are the major reasons why the Autoimmune Protocol is being updated now: #1 Many patients in the AIP medical studies saw results before reaching a full elimination In each of the AIP medical studies, a 6-week, gradual transition was used to ease patients into the elimination phase, which was then maintained for 4 more weeks. In the AIP IBD Study, 73% of patients achieved clinical remission at week 5, which was 1 week before the full elimination was complete. In this study, all of these patients then maintained clinical remission throughout the duration of the study and no additional patients reached clinical remission after this point. What this tells us is that it is likely the earliest eliminations, specifically, that were most responsible for the favorable results and that the full elimination phase may not have been necessary for all of them.  #2 AIP Certified Coaches are reporting good results without a full elimination  The Autoimmune Protocol has now been in widespread use in the practitioner community for many years through AIP Certified Coach. Nearly 1,000 healthcare providers from all types of backgrounds and specialties have been trained and certified to implement AIP in their work. In surveying the graduate community, AIP Certified Coaches have told us that they often find the original protocol is more restrictive than necessary and they are often modifying the list of eliminations to suit their clients’ and patients’ needs. They also report that they continue to see good results using a modified or less restricted elimination protocol. #3 Other elimination diet research indicates that stricter is not always better When AIP was conceived there was very little research into the efficacy of elimination diets to help manage autoimmune disease, especially conducted directly with humans. In the last decade, this has changed and many studies have been published using different elimination protocols for specific autoimmune conditions, especially gluten-free and dairy-free diets. The promising results from studies using fewer eliminations shows that for some patients and conditions, progress can be made with a simpler approach.  #4 Increasing accessibility, affordability, and sustainability can widen the reach of AIP Food access and budget have always been major barriers to individuals implementing the Autoimmune Protocol, both on their own or in working with a coach. Some patients are simply not able to source or afford the ingredients needed to implement a full elimination, and others don’t have the time to prepare the entirety of their meals from scratch. In this case, we’ve long recommended modifying the protocol to accommodate those facing these barriers, but providing an official version of the protocol that is more budget-friendly and accessible will allow even more people to find healing through AIP.  The process of updating AIP Updating AIP in 2024 has come out of consultation with many key players in the AIP community over the course of a few months. We interviewed researchers who performed the AIP medical studies and research in other similar areas, as well as experts and writers in the area of autoimmune health. We also surveyed and interviewed key members of the AIP Certified Coach community who predominantly work with autoimmune patients or clients. Lastly, we considered recent scientific evidence for elimination diets, food allergies/sensitivities, and reintroduction protocols in the new approach.  What we learned from this exploration was two-fold: first, that the original protocol still had high value and efficacy in both research and practice. And second, that many researchers and AIP Certified Coaches were confident that some patients would be best served by a less-restrictive option. This led to the creation of two separate options for the elimination phase which are detailed below. Introducing: Core AIP and Modified AIP Going forward, there are now two versions of the Elimination Phase, to be known as AIP Core Elimination and AIP Modified Elimination. The original protocol, as used in the AIP medical studies and original AIP literature is not changing and will now be known as AIP Core Elimination. The intention is to preserve the original protocol for research comparison and to use with patients or clients who either need a stricter approach or can implement it easily (due to support, finances, or time).  The new protocol, a less-strict and more accessible version will be known as AIP Modified Elimination. This new protocol incorporates what we’ve learned about foods that are well-tolerated in the autoimmune community, and is simplified for ease of implementation, budget, and accessibility. You can read more about which foods are included and avoided in both Core AIP and Modified AIP Elimination protocols at the updated Definitive Guide to AIP.  Which protocol to start with? This then leads to the question of which protocol a person should choose when they embark on the Autoimmune Protocol. That depends!  The goal of AIP has always been to discover the least-restrictive dietary approach that produces the best health for each person. With this in mind, Modified AIP is an ideal starting point for most people as it is more affordable, accessible, takes less time to implement, and still removes the most potentially-problematic foods. Ideally, modified AIP produces the desired result and then a person can move on to the reintroduction phase, sparing them a drawn-out elimination and reintroduction process.  There are a few reasons why a person would choose Core AIP to begin with. They may have a condition, like IBD, where research indicates that the elimination phase has a good chance of producing results quickly. Or they may have another condition that is potentially serious and are highly motivated to transition and implement to find relief. Lastly, they may not experience some of the barriers that make Core AIP difficult to implement – like a lack of cooking skill, financial flexibility, or support at home.  FAQ:  Is anything changing about the original AIP protocol? No, the original protocol is now simply known as “Core AIP” for differentiation. All of the foods eliminated, included, timeline, and reintroduction procedure remain the same. See the updated Definitive Guide to AIP for food lists and more information. Who has the right to update AIP?  There is no one expert that owns the rights to determine what the AIP protocol entails, and Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, whose work formed the foundation of the AIP movement, has moved on from researching and working with the autoimmune community. This is why this update is coming by consensus from the leaders of the AIP Certified Coach community as well as researchers who have studied the protocol in medical studies. What happens to all of the recipes and resources labeled AIP? All of the recipes, meal plans, and other resources created for Core AIP also apply to Modified AIP, since Core AIP simply has more eliminations than Modified AIP. As more resources for Modified AIP are created, a distinction will emerge and each person navigating either protocol should be careful to check recipes for compliant ingredients. Be sure to bookmark the updated Definitive Guide to AIP for reference as it will always contain the most current protocol information and food lists. How does this change the reintroduction protocol? The reintroduction protocol following Core AIP is the same as it was originally, and the reintroduction protocol following Modified AIP simply starts further along in the process since many foods in various reintroduction stages are already included during the elimination phase. You can learn more at the updated Reintroduction Guide. This is a big update, and one that is bound to increase the amount of people who are positively affected by embarking on the Autoimmune Protocol. If you have any questions that aren’t addressed here, feel free to post them in the comments!  The post Announcing Modified AIP: A 2024 Update to the Autoimmune Protocol appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Hi Everyone!  Mickey here… I hope this post finds you enjoying a peaceful and healthy New Year holiday! I wanted to take a moment to give you a heads up about an event coming up that is relevant to the AIP community as well as make an announcement about AIP Certified Coach. First… The 2023 AIP Summit is scheduled for January 9-15!  If you are looking to learn more about healing with the Autoimmune Protocol, directly from AIP Certified Coaches, the AIP Summit is for you!  Each day starts at 10AM EST with a live welcome and then attendees can watch the day’s prepared presentations in any order and at whatever time works in their schedule for the following 24 hours. Each of the presentations features at least one AIP Certified Coach and the topic aligns with that coach’s expertise.  So what types of presentations will you find at the AIP Summit? There are cooking demonstrations, deep dives into science or specific conditions, discussions about the impact of lifestyle factors, best practices for integrating AIP into life in the real world, and more. Additionally, attendees can submit questions after watching the presentations to be answered live during a Q&A panel the following day. Since 2020, the AIP Summit has served over 15,000 people looking to learn more about AIP. Whether you are new to the protocol, or a seasoned traveler on the autoimmune journey, you are sure to learn some tips to help support your best health, straight from the experts!  >> Sign up here to attend the AIP Summit!  Second… a big announcement regarding AIP Certified Coach!  I am honored to announce that Jaime Hartman, FNTP will be taking over as co-teacher and collaborator for AIP Certified Coach, the practitioner training program we founded in 2017 to help all types of healthcare providers integrate AIP into the work they do.  This partnership should come as no surprise, since Jaime has been a pillar of the AIP community since the very beginning, was a part of the first cohort of AIP Certified Coach, and brings her rich clinical experience and educational background to the program.  Together, Jaime and I are engaged in a ground-up remodel of the AIP Certified Coach, to be launched in time for the usual Spring enrollment in 2023. While the Autoimmune Protocol itself has not changed meaningfully since the program was created, we are re-writing and delivering all lectures to incorporate new information (like medical study results!) and additional perspectives we’ve gained.  If you are a healthcare practitioner of any kind (we train health coaches, nutritional therapists, nutritionists, dietitians, physical therapists, fitness professionals, bodyworkers, nurses, physician’s assistants, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, and more!), we would love to have you join us in the 2023 class, enrolling February 15 for a March 6 start date.  >> Sign up to be notified of the details and enrollment opening for AIP Certified Coach here!  In health,  Mickey The post AIP in 2023: An Announcement & an Invitation! appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Today I’m sharing that after 10 years helping build and lead this movement and seven years at Autoimmune Welln­­­ess and AIP Certified Coach with Mickey, I have decided to step away from my work in the AIP space. In a general sense, I am making this decision because I believe that slowing down and practicing community care are the next right things for me. I am so proud of everything Mickey and I have built and all the ways we’ve been able to serve the AIP community, but I don’t believe that my leadership in this space is the most valuable way I can contribute at this point. To clarify, I still believe AIP is an incredibly powerful tool in the autoimmune management toolbox. I think that the future of AIP is bright and has already changed the standard of healthcare for autoimmune patients. After a decade of this work, I’d love to contribute to different conversations about health and wellness and support new voices ready to lead with fresh approaches to the AIP movement and new takes on the autoimmune healing journey. My personal vision for the work I did in the AIP community was always to empower others so they could courageously contribute their voices to a revolutionary shift in the standard of autoimmune healthcare. And it’s right in our tagline here at Autoimmune Wellness that together, Mickey and I had a vision to build community. There are many, many voices now and the community is thriving. I think those visions are realized and now I’m making space for new visions. I’m not entirely certain about all the details of my next steps, but if you’d like to follow my writing or learn a little more about the personal aspects of the decision to step away, you can find me here on Substack. So, what does this mean for Autoimmune Wellness? After I shared my decision with Mickey this past summer, we started to consider the best way forward for Autoimmune Wellness. We decided that turning it into an archive was the right path. As an archive, all the current Autoimmune Wellness content, from groundbreaking research to definitive guides on the AIP basics, from practical how-to articles to hopeful stories of recovery, from the podcast to the hundreds of recipes, will continue to exist as a kind of dependable digital library to serve the autoimmune community. The resources on the site itself and the email auto-responder which offers free downloadable tools will be available to anyone looking for support in their healing journey. New content will be limited and focused on opportunities to leverage the site and subscriber list to amplify the work of others in the Autoimmune Protocol space or share new and relevant events or research for those utilizing nutrition and lifestyle approaches in their autoimmune disease management. Autoimmune Wellness social media accounts will also continue but will be used to amplify information and events important to the AIP community, share the work of other AIP recipe creators, spotlight AIP Certified Coach alumni, or to occasionally broadcast live interviews with autoimmune experts. In particular, Mickey is looking forward to ramping up on the AIP research front and will serve as curator and steward of the Autoimmune Wellness archive and social media presence going forward. What does this mean for AIP Certified Coach? Mickey will continue to teach AIP Certified Coach and train new AIP coaches from across the health and wellness spectrum. Angie will be stepping away, but a dynamic new partnership is in the works and will be announced soon. If you are an AIP Certified Coach alum, look for emails with more details from Mickey soon. If you are a provider interested in training, join the interest list here. If you are looking for AIP coaching support, find a coach at the directory here. Thank you! We had no idea what would happen when we started, but our intuition said to go for it. Thank you for also believing there was something here worth growing. We are deeply, sincerely grateful to all of you for being our readers and cheerleaders. For literally supporting us by clicking on this blog, buying our books, enrolling in our programs, and helping spread AIP. We also want to acknowledge, with the deepest sense of gratitude, the team who helped grow and sustain Autoimmune Wellness over the years: Grace Heerman, Alicia Green, and Jordan Taylor. We have also had an amazing core recipe and article team over the years who took the site to new levels with their contributions: Dr. Rob Abbott, Sarah Kolman, Sophie Van Tiggelen, Christina Feindel, Kate Jay, Alaena Haber, Kelsey McReynolds, Wendi Washington-Hunt, Beth Chen, Indira Pullidath, Kris King, and Erin Shearer. It’s a privilege to have come this far and have a platform that now has long-term value for our fellow autoimmune patients. We know the legacy of our work represented in this archive, only possible because of your support and the work of our team, will continue to benefit and sustain the AIP movement well into the future. If you’d like to listen to us discuss this decision, we uploaded a short episode of The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast that you can listen to below:    If this work has been meaningful in your healing journeys, please share your stories in the comments. We’d love to hear from you! The post A Special Message From Angie appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to a special emergency-edition of The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast. We’re not in the middle of a regularly-scheduled podcast season, but we wanted to bring you some important information about the novel coronavirus and the disease Covid-19 that is spreading across the world. Please understand that Mickey & Angie are not medical providers and all the information shared in this podcast is for informational use only. How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Topics covered in this episode: Basic info about the novel coronavirus and Covid-19 How it spreads Who is at risk Protecting ourselves from getting the virus Social vs. physical distancing How to go out as safely as possible (for food and medicine) How Mickey & Angie are practicing in their own homes Perfectionism Is this the time for strict AIP? What to do if you are new to AIP What to do if you are an AIP veteran How Mickey & Angie are eating in these times Preparedness Food sourcing (tips for shopping in the store, online, etc.) Our favorite pantry staples How to be flexible and adaptable Is takeout safe? What if I can’t find ingredients (meat, etc.)? Batch cooking & banking meals How Mickey & Angie have prepared Physical preparedness Busting the myth that autoimmune disease in general is a risk factor for developing complications Diet & lifestyle recommendations Should we stock up on supplements or fancy tools? The role of nutrient density Comparing suffering & building resilience You guys… this is a truly unprecedented crisis we are all handling collectively. We hope this podcast episode gives you some much-needed information and support during this difficult time. Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. If you are looking for more conversations about autoimmune wellness, check out our full podcast archive! Click here. The post Covid-19 and Autoimmune Wellness – Emergency Pod appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to see what that means!In order to support our blogging activities, we may receive monetary compensation or other types or remuneration for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this blog.  I have HUGE news today–I’m coming out with a brand-new AIP cookbook! It’s called The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen and it releases March 2019 (details below on how you can order a signed, pre-release copy!). Angie and I both know from personal experience that being successful on AIP is much more than simply eliminating foods. Healing is both quickened and deepened when you ensure that in addition to avoiding your food triggers, your make an effort to maximize nutrient density in the diet. But what exactly is nutrient density? Simply put, it is the amount of micronutrients a food contains relative to the energy it provides. Not only does my new book teach you about getting good nutrition in an approachable way, but I have developed all of the recipes so you’ll be maximizing nutrient density with every bite. Inside The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen, you’ll find: 125 Autoimmune Protocol compliant recipes (free from gluten, grains, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades) Recipes that satisfy low-FODMAP, low-carb, or coconut-free diets Recipes that take 45 minutes (or less) to prepare, can be made in one pot, or can be made in an Instant Pot 5 meal plan and shopping list combinations, including budget and two-person options   In order to create a book I believe in and maintain complete control over the content, I am self-publishing The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen. By pre-ordering your copy directly from me, you get some awesome perks! Your pre-order bonuses include: A signed copy of the first hardcover printing Early delivery of the book (up to a month before traditional release) Membership to a private insider FB group (Dec-Feb) Access to pre-release recipes from the book Be one of the first to get your hands on The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen! Only a limited number of books are available for pre-order so reserve your copy now! Click here to learn more and pre-order! >> The post Announcing The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen by Mickey Trescott! appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 8 is our final episode of the season! In this episode, we’re giving the floor to five members of the autoimmune community to hear their number one piece of advice when it comes to saving money on the AIP. Since these recommendations can be so individual, we wanted to see what was getting the AIP community actual mileage when they put it into practice. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Mitch Hankins, Instinctual Wellbeing [3:46] 2. Sophie Van Tiggelen of A Squirrel in the Kitchen [8:43] 3. Anne Marie Garland from Grass-fed Salsa [15:51] 4. Samantha Jo Teague of the Unskilled Cavewoman [20:56] 5. Kerry Jeffery of Emotional Autoimmunity [24:27] Angie Alt: Hi everyone! Angie here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How are you doing, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: I’m feeling a little bit sad because we’re almost done with this podcast series, and it’s been really fun. Angie Alt: I know. This was a really new topic for us to explore so in-depth. And it’s been pretty rewarding to talk to all these folks. Mickey Trescott: I agree. Angie Alt: So today we have a really fun episode for you guys. As you know, with this season of the podcast we’ve been on a mission to dig into the nitty gritty of how to make eating a nourishing, real foods diet both affordable and sustainable. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. If you guys haven’t been following along, we covered the following topics in our previous episodes. We talked about sourcing affordable, highest quality meats, vegetables, and fats. Tips and tricks for effective meal planning, batch cooking, and minimizing food waste. Creative food sourcing options, like buying clubs and online shopping. How to minimize waste and reimagine leftovers. Creating a food budget and prioritizing your food spending. And also how to do AIP on an extremely low budget, like fixed income or food stamps. I think we’ve done a really good job covering these bases. If you guys haven’t heard any of the episodes in this series, make sure to go back and listen to them. There’s a ton of really great info there. Info that I think is new territory for our movement our community. It’s been really fun. Angie Alt: Right. We hope there’s something there for everybody. So, if there has been one recurring message this season, it has been that not every one of these recommendations is going to work for everyone, obviously. We’re all at different places with our health, our finances, our support systems and even our access based on the areas where we live. We thought it would be a good idea to round out this season of the podcast by devoting a whole episode to chatting with some of the members of the AIP blogging community about their number one money saving tip. Since these recommendations can be so individual, we wanted to see what was getting the AIP community actual mileage when they put it into practice. 1. Mitch Hankins, Instinctual Wellbeing [3:46] Mickey Trescott: Alright. So let’s move on and talk to our first guest. So you guys; the first community member that we’re going to chat with today is Mitch Hankins from the blog Instinctual Wellbeing. Mitch, what is your number one tip for saving money on AIP? Mitch Hankins: There are so many good ones. When my wife and I were kind of going through financial stuff a few years ago, we definitely had to get creative with sticking to an AIP and whole foods diet on a very limited budget. And very quickly, I think the thing we realized that was most helpful was not being afraid to grocery shop hop; or grocery store hop. Basically, what we ended up doing is just taking note of maybe two or even three grocery stores in our area, and what products did we regularly use from each of those, and finding which store had the best prices for that particular item. Maybe we’d get a certain percentage of things from Whole Foods. And then for us, we’d drive down the road and hit up Trader Joe’s for 30 minutes and grab some things there. Sometimes we’d go to the Asian mart to pick up a few items there, like coconut milk and even some sweet potato noodles and things of that nature. So, really just learning where we could get the best deals. And then taking advantage of that. One thing I would say; we did live in a pretty large metropolitan area, and I know some people don’t. So one thing you could do if you live in a more rural or smaller town, could be to do that same thing, but online. I know there’s lots of great shops nowadays online where you can buy AIP products, and even meats. You could meet your local farmers in your area. But again, it all comes back to this putting pieces together of a puzzle, instead of just trying to get everything at one store, and fit that into your budget when it might not work as well. Angie Alt: I love this tip, Mitch. Because actually my husband and I do it, too. And again, you know, we’re lucky to live in a kind of urban/suburban area. So we have Whole Foods and we have Trader Joe’s and we have all the places. So we can kind of hop around. But it really allows us to take advantage of the lowest price on an item in whatever store. So I totally agree that this is a smart one. Mickey Trescott: And a lot of stores have rotating sales, too. So by going to multiple stores, you can actually see; you have a greater chance of being able to pick up some of the things they have on sale that are maybe time sensitive. And another thing, is that actually grocery stores make their money by putting certain things on sale, and then keeping other staples at a high price to basically round it out. It’s almost like; it’s not really cheating, but you’re paying for that convenience of getting every single thing at the same store. You’ll notice that certain things are marked down to kind of lure you to shop there, and then other staples are right at the highest price. That’s how they make their money. Great tip, Mitch. Mitch Hankins: Absolutely. And just one other note on that; I’m glad you brought up the sales thing. Because some grocery stores will have regular, like weekly sales. For instance, during that period of our lives, we would go to our Whole Foods and have rotisserie chicken Wednesday. Because every Wednesday at our particular Whole Foods, rotisserie chickens were $2 off normal. And then they had a lot of other things. I think for a while they were doing fresh salmon on Tuesdays was like $2 or $3 off per filet. So looking for those recurring deals as well. And maybe scheduling your meal plan, or scheduling your dinners around that can be helpful. Angie Alt: Yeah. So smart. I did this even before AIP. I really would use; and Mickey and I talked about this in an earlier episode. But I would really use those flyers with the sales to plan my meals. Proactively around what stores were offering what discounts. Mitch Hankins: Absolutely. That’s a great point. Angie Alt: Mitch, will you let our listeners know where people can find you? Mitch Hankins: Absolutely. My blog is InstinctualWellbeing.com. and similarly, uncreatively, my Instagram is also @InstinctualWellbeing. And Facebook is Instinctual Wellbeing. So you can find me and connect with me there. You can also shoot me an email if you really wanted to chat more about budget friendly tips, or anything, at mitch@instinctualwellbeing.com. That’s where you can connect with me. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. Thank you so much for chatting with us today, Mitch. Mitch Hankins: Absolutely. Thank you! 2. Sophie Van Tiggelen of A Squirrel in the Kitchen [8:43] Mickey Trescott: Next up, we’re going to chat with Sophie Van Tiggelen of A Squirrel in the Kitchen. Sophie, what is your number one tip for saving money on AIP? Sophie Van Tiggelen: My very first tip I think that eating vegetables and fruit is very important. You need to eat as much vegetables and fruit as you can. Like, try to fill up your plate with at least three-quarters of vegetables. They are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. And the fiber content of vegetables is really important for healthy gut microflora. So I’m always trying to eat a maximum of vegetables and fruit to have the full spectrum of nutrients. But then the problem is; how can you eat good quality vegetables and fruit on a budget without breaking the bank? So my first tip would be to eat seasonal. For example, there is no point wanting to eat delicious raspberries in the middle of winter. They are super expensive. I would advise you to try to eat fall and winter produce. Like apples, oranges, and pears. So that really helps to reduce your grocery bill. Then I would say try to take advantage of promotions that you see in stores. And this is great, because it’s going to push you to expand your veggie repertoire, and try new things that you might now have thought about before. I would also try to avoid fancy or exotic produce. I know that when I’m grocery shopping, I’m always attracted by those exotic and tropical fruits, because they’re all colorful and they look so good. But usually they are very expensive. Also, I try to avoid special vegetables or unusual vegetables that come from far away. So I would advise here to eat local. It’s less expensive. They come from your neighborhood; the farmers around you. And it’s cheaper to produce them. You can usually find local produce at your health food store. Here in Colorado, I like either Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage. Or you can also try to find a farmer’s market in your area. That’s a very good way to eat local produce. To keep your budget low, I would also advise to think about the food return you’re going to get when you buy something. Try to stretch your dollars, and stretch your meals. For example, I love to buy spaghetti squash because I know they will go a long way. And I will be able to use them for several meals. It’s the same for cabbage, collard greens, carrots, broccoli, or sweet potatoes. They are easy to prepare. They reheat well. And you can stretch them for several meals. Another big one for me is to be smart and to avoid waste. I try to never, ever throw food away. And before I buy something new or start on a new vegetable, I will make sure that I eat everything I have prepared. All these little pieces that are left over in your fridge; every two to three days I will put everything together and reheat the plate and just eat it. Because we can lose a lot of money, also, in the long run by just throwing food away. Angie Alt: Yeah, these are great tips, Sophie! Sophie Van Tiggelen: And I have one last point about the quality of the food that you buy. Do you have to buy organic? Let’s face it; it’s not always possible to buy organic. We know it’s better for you because you want to avoid pesticides because they have a negative impact on your health and immune system. But it’s not always possible. So I would advise people to refer to the famous Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 lists, and try to do the best you can. And if you have to buy conventional, that’s just fine. It’s alright. It’s better to eat conventional vegetables than just go to fast food. So yeah, these are my tips. Angie Alt: This is a lady after our own heart, Mickey. Mickey Trescott: I know. I love it. Angie Alt: They’re all so good, and I love the focus on budgeting around the veggies. You know, we tend to think of the meats in this diet as being the big hefty expenditure on the budget, and that’s true. But, you can really get out of control with the veggies, too. Like you were talking about, Sophie. Buying berries out of season. You could practically need a credit card for it! Sophie Van Tiggelen: Yes, definitely. Angie Alt: Sophie, will you let our listeners know where people can find you? Sophie Van Tiggelen: Oh, yes, certainly. Everyone can find me first on my blog, which is A Squirrel in the Kitchen. I’m also very active on Instagram and Facebook. You can find me there. And I would like to mention that I’m very excited about my upcoming second cookbook, which is coming out June 12th. It’s called The Autoimmune Protocol Made Simple. And it’s a whole new set of fresh and appealing recipes for the autoimmune protocol. Mickey Trescott: We’re so excited about it, Sophie. Thanks so much for talking with us today. Sophie Van Tiggelen: Thank you. Mickey Trescott: A final word from our title sponsor this season, the Nutritional Therapy Association. We wanted to take a moment to publicly thank NTA for graciously sponsoring this podcast season; real food on a budget. Producing, editing, and transcribing this podcast is a big job for both us and our team, and their support means we can offer all of this to you guys at no cost. Angie Alt: We also want to thank them for the quality of both the NTP and the NTC programs that Mickey and I have benefited from, and the incredible community of coaches they have trained that are truly changing the world. The NTP and NTC programs changed our lives, and we’re talking about more than career here, you guys. Of course, the training and education took us to a whole other level in our work; but the life-changing stuff is in feeling you’re part of a tribe who cares deeply about health and wellness. It’s in joining and association filled with intelligent people who are changing the way we do health care. And it’s in the pride that comes from knowing you and your classmates, soon to be colleagues, are part of a cutting-edge profession. So yeah; life-changing. Mickey Trescott: And if any of you guys are looking into transforming your career, or simply learning more so that you can better help yourself and your community, check out everything the Nutritional Therapy Association has to offer at the website www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 3. Anne Marie Garland from Grass-fed Salsa [15:51] Angie Alt: Next up, we are going to chat with Anne Marie Garland from Grass-fed Salsa. Anne Marie; what is your number one tip for saving money on AIP? Anne Marie Garland: This is something that my husband and I have been doing for probably four years now. We try to do one meal a day that is vegetarian. And we do this for a couple of reasons, but primarily it started for budgetary reasons. And we found that it works best when we do it for dinner. So if we have protein with breakfast; like animal protein with breakfast and lunch. And then dinner ends up being entirely vegetarian. And for us, it makes us feel more energized throughout the day to have protein with breakfast and lunch. I also feel like it helps support my adrenals better when I have protein with breakfast and lunch. But then at dinner, because we’re eating it later in the day and then we’re going to sleep shortly after. As long as we have enough protein and enough fat, we seem to be really satiated. And the bonus there is that we’re actually eating a ton of veggies during that meal. We’ll make; I don’t even know. One or two pounds of beet fries. That’s one of our favorite ways to do this. And beet fries are something that I feel like most people kind of have a negative opinion about beets. But if you scrub them really well, they don’t taste as earthy as they do if you just kind of cook them right off; without washing and without scrubbing them. So we scrub them really well, and then we coat them in bacon grease. And I think the bacon grease is the trick with this. It helps them get really crispy, and not feel really soggy. And we just kind of cut them into fries type shapes. And then we just bake them like that. So we coat them in bacon grease, put salt and maybe some chives on them. Chives is a really good addition. And then we can make that with an avocado mayo. I have an avocado mayo that’s egg-free on my recipes. So we’ll just use that. It’s kind of like an aioli dipping sauce for them. It’s really good. That’s pretty much our trick. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. I mean, Anne Marie, I think this is a super savvy hack. Because we all know, from talking about budgeting for AIP and food sourcing, that high quality meat is often the most expensive part about doing this diet. And we actually get a lot of confusion from people that think they need to be eating large amounts of protein every single meal. I think for some people; like I was vegan for 10 years before I transitioned to AIP. So there was a phase where I felt like I was eating a lot of meat, because nutritionally I needed it. But after about a year of that, I really backed off a lot. And I did something similar to you. Having one meal a day meat free. For me, often it’s lunch. Different strokes for different folks. Whatever works for people. But just not having to have that meat prepared; either the energy to actually make it, and also not having to pay for the protein for that meal. And then getting all those veggies. I think it’s a win for all angles. Angie Alt: My favorite part of this is the amount of veggies you’re going to get in. Right? You’re talking about one to two pounds of beets, along with other vegetables, in the form of avocado mayo or whatever you’re having at that particular meal. You’re winning the veggie contest. Anne Marie Garland: Totally. And we usually do make it along side a nonstarchy veggie, as well. So maybe we’ll have it with a salad. Or we’ll sauté some greens. Green beans is also another one we like to bake along with the beet fries. Mickey Trescott: Really cool. I like your suggestion, too, of kind of front loading the protein. Just because that’s actually a nice way to go with your digestive flow throughout the day, and also blood sugar. So a lot us find that more of the starchy carbs at the end of the day with dinner can actually help us sleep. And some people actually don’t really digest protein that well towards the end of the day, just because they’ve got so much food in their system and their body’s already kind of working on all that other stuff. So I can see why a lighter dinner without the protein might actually help there. I think I’m going to try it. Anne Marie Garland: Yeah, that makes sense too, for me, since my diagnosis is celiac. Maybe just with my digestion, it works really well. Mickey Trescott: Well thank you so much, Anne Marie, for sharing that tip with us. Will you let our listeners know where they can find you? Anne Marie Garland: Yes. You can find me anywhere on social media and on the internet at Grass-fed Salsa. And on the website it’s just GrassfedSalsa.com. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. Thanks so much. Anne Marie Garland: Thank you. 4. Samantha Jo Teague of the Unskilled Cavewoman [20:56] Angie Alt: Next up, we’re going to chat with Samantha Jo Teague of the Unskilled Cavewoman. Samantha Jo, what is your number one tip for saving money on AIP? Samantha Jo Teague: I love using dried herbs. Instead of spending about $7 or so on a tiny little jar of organic dried parsley or basil, I can get a one-pound bulk bag from your various online venders from anywhere from $15-20. Mickey Trescott: Where online are you shopping for your bulk herbs? Samantha Jo Teague: I tend to bounce between either iHerb, VitaCost, and Amazon. I’m constantly price checking and comparing. Because if you’re going to buy a handful of spices, and as long as you meet their shipping requirement. Because I like to get the free shipping, too, otherwise it’s not really worth it. You bounce between those three vendors, and you can find really good prices. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. We talked a little bit earlier in this season about shopping for food online, but we didn’t mention iHerb or VitaCost, which I think both of those I’ve used a little bit in the past. And it’s awesome to see that you’re finding that they have really good prices on bulk spices. Samantha Jo Teague: Definitely. It saves a ton of money. Especially when you season everything, and you’re cooking almost every day. Or doing bulk cooking every few days. You end up using a lot more of those dried spices than you would think you do. And having that extra, you just store it in an airtight bag while you fill up the tiny jar again. I like to reuse the jars, too. When that’s empty you just fill it on up. And I also like to pull from the larger bag, and I’ll make blends. Like an Italian blend. Or an herbs de Provence. Or Greek seasoning. And you keep those on hand for when you need to make something even more quickly, and you don’t want to drag out #allthejars. Angie Alt: I love it. I love the tip on reusing the jars, too. I was just about to ask you how you kind of store everything and if you had any tips there. So I love the reusing of the jars. And you’re totally right. On AIP, you really rely on these herbs for the real taste and pleasure of the food, right. So we go through a ton of it. Samantha Jo Teague: Oh yes. Tons and tons. And I like using fresh herbs, and fresh ginger, and things like that. But if you’re going through a flare. Or even if you’re just forgetful or busy, quite often those tend to go bad quickly in the fridge and then you end up throwing it away. And with the dried herbs, those aren’t going to go bad for a long time. Mickey Trescott: Thank you so much for that tip, Samantha Jo. Will you let our listeners know where people can find you? Samantha Jo Teague: Yes ma’am. I blog over at theUnskilledCavewoman.com. I’m also on Instagram and Facebook as the Unskilled Cavewoman. And occasionally I do a little tweeting on over at Cavewoman Skills. It was too long to write the Unskilled Cavewoman on Twitter. Mickey Trescott: Well thank you so much for having this chat with us. Samantha Jo Teague: Thanks! It was fun talking to you ladies. 5. Kerry Jeffery of Emotional Autoimmunity [24:27] Mickey Trescott: Alright you guys, last up we’re going to be chatting with Kerry Jeffery of Emotional Autoimmunity. So Kerry, what is your number one tip for saving money on AIP? Kerry Jeffery: My number one tip for everybody is that I use what is called minced meat, here in Australia. I think you guys call it ground meat. It’s really cheap. It’s really versatile for stir fries, one pan meals, burgers. All different sorts of things. And what I really love about using the minced meat, or the ground meat, is that if you’re marinating, like for doing a stir fry, and using things like ginger and garlic. If you massage that through the meat and leave that for a couple of hours, then the flavor really goes in so you get a big flavor bang for very little expense. And the other thing I wanted to mention, too, is most supermarkets mark down their meat when it’s getting close to the use by date. So I have a couple of supermarkets that I stalk pretty regularly. Particularly if they’ve got things like organic chicken thighs or drumsticks or other cuts of meat. Then I buy a whole lot, put them in the freezer, and that keeps us going for a while. One of the biggest tricks I found was, I was losing track of what was in my freezer. Especially if I got a big tray of steaks or meat or something, and I was wrapping it up individually to freeze. I would forget what it was. So now I’m really good at putting a little label on. You can even just write what the meat is on a piece of paper, sort of wrap that up in a layer of the Glad wrap or whatever you’re freezing it in, with the date. And that means you save a lot of waste. Because there’s nothing worse than going to the freezer and finding this mystery meat, and you don’t know how long it’s been there for. Or even what it is or how to use it. So there are the tips that I really recommend for everybody, if you want to save a bit of money on AIP. Mickey Trescott: Awesome! Kerry, I can definitely resonate with that recommendation to just make sure that you’re labeling. I know a lot of us; we’ve talked a lot about the leftovers, and just making sure that we’re using up all of that before we buy more. But the same applies with the freezer. And I think sometimes people think that if you throw something in your freezer, it will last forever, so it doesn’t really matter if you’re not organized or aren’t tracking it. But things do go bad in the freezer, especially if they’ve been there for a while. If you pull it out, and you’re like; what is this? I don’t know how long it’s been here. You’re much more likely to be like; I think I might need to toss this. Right? Kerry Jeffery: Exactly. And every now and then, just plan to go through your freezer, and just use everything before you buy everything else. Because the trap I fell into was, I kept buying this meat, and then putting it in the freezer on the top. And I lost track of what was down on the bottom. And then when I did decide to do a big clean out in the freezer; I had meat that had been there over a year! So it was a massive waste. So it’s just a really good idea to keep track of what you’ve got in the freezer. And use it all up, and then start again. Angie Alt: Right. I imagine this helps you rotate the meat pretty quickly. Kerry Jeffery: It does. Angie Alt: Using the oldest stuff first. I also love the tip about the minced meat; AKA ground meat. Definitely way back, even before I started AIP, the ground meat was the lifesaver. Kerry Jeffery: For sure. Another thing, a trap that I fell into earlier in the day was buying what I thought were the veggies and stuff that I had to eat, like kale, because it’s so nutritious. And I even do that now. I bought a big bunch of kale that I was going to make some juice with and do some other things. And when I went to use it, it had just gone off. Because it’s unfamiliar to me. So for people first trying AIP, don’t automatically buy stuff just because we say it’s really nutritious or you should eat that. If it’s not something that you’re actually going to eat, or if it’s something you’ve got to learn a new way to cook with, or new recipes, you’re more likely to put it off and then it’s just going to go to that big graveyard in the sky of expired veggies in your vegetable crisper. Angie Alt: The big graveyard in the sky. Love it. Kerry, will you let our listeners know where people can find you? Kerry Jeffery: Yes! They can find me at www.EmotionalAutoimmunity.com for my website. I’m also on Facebook. I also run a free support group for anybody who is struggling with the emotional side of life with chronic illness. And that’s called Emotional Autoimmunity Recovery Support. You can just put that into the search on Facebook and find me. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. Thank you so much for chatting with us today, Kerry. Kerry Jeffery: You’re so welcome. Mickey Trescott: Alright you guys, that’s it for this episode, and season, of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We hope you guys have learned a lot from our fellow AIP bloggers, and from this season as a whole. As always, we appreciate your support. You guys are such an engaged and passionate community, and we love being able to collaborate with and support you guys on your journeys. Although this season of the podcast has come to a close, we have some really great ideas brewing about how we can bring value to your lives in future seasons. So make sure to keep in touch with us by signing up for our newsletter, on the blog, and following us on social media. We’ll see you guys next time. Angie Alt: Bye! Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E8 – Money-Saving Tips From The AIP Community appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 7 is focused on how to both prioritize your food choices, and make a budget for eating this way that is sustainable longterm. Angie and Mickey share their personal stories of budgeting and managing medical expenses and debt. They also chat with guest Jenny Harris about how to modify AIP for lower budgets, and how to find local assistance for food budgeting concerns. This is a bit of a tricky topic but we hope sharing our experiences and ideas will help you feel supported wherever you find yourself in your journey. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Different levels of budget concerns [2:19] 2. Budgeting benefits on AIP [7:13] 3. Personal budgeting stories [9:41] 4. Benefit of minimalism [15:58] 5. An investment in your future health [18:53] 6. Introducing our guest, Jenny Harris [23:41] 7. Roadblocks and challenges [29:05] 8. Finding local assistance [31:05] 9. AIP modifications on low-budget [35:44] Mickey Trescott: Hey guys! Mickey here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How are you doing today, Angie? Angie Alt: I’m good. Hopefully there won’t be any puppy noise in the background. My puppy is being very naughty today, you guys. Mickey Trescott: Sometimes it happens. You know, those animals. Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Mickey Trescott: So today we are continuing our discussion related to the topic this season. Real food on a budget. This episode is going to be about how to both prioritize your food choices, and make a budget for eating this way. Today we’re tackling a little bit of a tricky topic, but we hope that sharing some of our experiences and ideas will help you guys feel supported wherever you find yourself in your journey. 1. Different levels of budget concerns [2:19] Mickey Trescott: So first, let’s talk about the three main categories that people find themselves in when we talk about budgeting concerns. The first, of course, are people who are wealthy. They can afford anything. There really aren’t any barriers to getting what they want, because they can go to Whole Foods and get whatever they want. Or they can afford the functional medicine practitioner. Most of us, sadly, don’t find ourselves in this situation. The middle is actually where most of us are probably at. That’s where people have resources to allocate towards maybe eating better or better medical care, but it means almost always you’re going to have to make some strategic planning. There is flexibility. So there’s a lot of choices sometimes. And maybe going without something so that you can get something else. There are those options to kind of move things around a little bit, and prioritize. And then lastly there are people who are low income. So those are people who face significant challenges and stress around budgeting for food. And it involves fixed resources without flexibility. So that’s an important distinguishing characteristic between those who truly are low-income. I would say that a lot of people in the middle maybe think they’re a little more low-income than they really are. But the truth is, a lot of us have some flexibility. And that is where a lot of the difficulties come up. Angie Alt: So in the second segment of the podcast, we’ll be talking a lot more about those in the lowest income group, and some strategies that they can use. We really believe everyone should have access to healing foods. And we want to talk about the ways to make that reality for those in that challenging circumstance. But in this first segment, we want to focus on the middle category of folks. Because probably most of you guys listening to this podcast find yourselves here. It’s where Mickey and I ourselves land. So we just want to kind of take a stab at the topic that is probably most of us are facing. We also want to acknowledge that having a chronic illness alone can be limiting to the budget. It’s expensive to be sick. And we totally get that. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. The different ways even just having an autoimmune disease before you get into some of the diet and lifestyle stuff that you might want to do. I mean, medical bills and medications are expensive. So a lot of that, if you’re someone who has just gone through a diagnosis, you know how front loaded those costs can be. So all at once, you might be going to see different doctors and specialists. Burning through maybe a high deductible, or something. Which is sadly very common these days. Getting through all of that testing, and some of those initial treatments. Angie Alt: Right. And then there’s also the higher cost of insurance. Even though we have laws that guard against things like preexisting conditions with coinsurance and high deductibles, it means that usually folks with chronic illness do end up paying more. Mickey Trescott: Yep. There’s also an income loss due to lack of ability to work. A lot of people don’t really realize this lack of opportunity cost. But really, sometimes it can involve the work of your partner or your spouse. Sometimes it can affect your ability to do childcare or household duties. Most autoimmune diseases come with some level of disability, and that can come through in either a lack of ability to actually hold a job at a certain amount of hours per week. It can also mean that you have to pay others or get help from other people in your family to do work around the house, which can be expensive. Both emotionally and financially. Angie Alt: Right. And then there’s the cost of natural or alternative treatments. Which, unfortunately, means usually paying out of pocket. We don’t have good systems in place that allow proper reimbursement through our insurance system for most of those kinds of treatments. And the fact is that combining the best of those natural and alternative treatments with conventional and do-it-yourself methods means that this can be really; a no-brainer. Something you definitely want to take on so you can heal. But it can be really expensive. This includes things like paying for supplements, and paying for different kinds of therapies. Maybe massage, acupuncture, things of that nature. 2. Budgeting benefits on AIP [7:13] Mickey Trescott: All these things considered, why those of us with autoimmune disease have a little more of a tricky time making a budget. Why should we do it in the first place? We have some reasons for you guys. Budgeting really stops overspending and prevents debt. So when you know exactly how much money you have coming in, and you’ve planned to use that money in a variety of categories and predictably. Of course, you can’t control the future, and you never really know exactly what’s going to happen. But that act of actually planning helps you not to spend too much of your money, and prevents you from needing to go into debt. How many of us have not made a plan and then unexpectedly, but then actually kind of expectedly being like; oh, this expense came up. And I kind of knew it was coming but I didn’t really plan for it. You might end up in a situation where you have to go into debt for that. Angie Alt: Right. Also budgeting can help us reach our goals. For instance, proactively saving. Having that budgetary line item in place helps us kind of get there and reach those goals in reasonable timelines instead of haphazardly putting $10 in the savings account every couple of months. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. It also helps you stop worrying. So, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a lot of anxiety since my diagnosis and initial path with autoimmune disease. Just because, financially it was really difficult for me back then. And even though I’m healthy now, sometimes I worry that if I got sick again, I wouldn’t have the money to kind of figure it out. And I’m anticipating that stress. So, being able to move towards and reach some of those savings goals might help you stop worrying and relieve some of that anxiety related to it. Angie Alt: Right. And kind of along those same lines, it helps you have more flexibility. I think when you kind of have planned your expenses, and you have allocated pots of money that are there for certain kind of expenses, it just allows you to be a lot more flexible. And should something really large and unexpected come up, you have more leeway between those different budget line items to kind of move things around, if necessary. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And lastly, it gives you more control over your money. You know exactly where it’s going, instead of feeling kind of like a passenger every month, paying all your bills and kind of not understanding where everything goes. You understand, actually, now that I have a budget, I know exactly where everything is going. And you can make changes and be informed in that way. 3. Personal budgeting stories [9:41] Angie Alt: Right. So, Mickey, maybe we can share a little bit about our personal approaches to budgeting and especially how things looked when we first started on this path. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So I talked a little bit about my diagnosis, and how that financially impacted us. It was very stressful, understandably. Just the diagnosis in and of itself is really stressful. But at the time, my husband and I were both working minimum wage plus tips jobs in a major city. Living paycheck to paycheck. By all means, we were not poor. We were able to pay the bills that we had. We were able to have a great lifestyle that we were happy with. But when I started to get sick and I wasn’t able to bring in that income, I lost my job. And then we added in all the medical stuff. Which, when I got diagnosed, I didn’t have insurance. So I was paying everything out of pocket. I ended up going into a lot of debt because I didn’t really have any savings, and I didn’t really have a budget, and I didn’t really plan. That kind of threw me for a loop, that six months of my life. But coming out of it, I learned that I needed to make some big decisions. Like that flexibility piece we were talking about. My husband and I made some decisions that were able to help us pay back that debt just by choosing to go without certain things. For instance, we didn’t have a car. At one point we relied on just using the bus or riding our bike. Another thing we did was we had roommates in a house that we rented instead of having the house to ourselves. Another thing we did was not go out to eat ever. And we didn’t go on any vacations. So I consider even making so little money in that phase of my life, I realized the position of privilege that I was in being able to be flexible in that way. And yes it was stressful. My husband was then the sole provider. We were taking on debt. We didn’t know how long I would be sick. And then the food budget was just increasing, increasing, increasing. Which is really what we’re going to be talking about today. But in the end, it all worked out. We were able to pay off that debt. I was able to go back to work. And me feeling better was a really important part of that process; to realize that I was one day going to be able to recover enough to then go back to work and kind of get the cycle working out. So I kind of didn’t have a plan. And got caught in a little bit of a hard place. But that flexibility was really how we got unstuck. What about you, Angie? Angie Alt: So, for me, the flexibility piece didn’t exist as much. When I started to get sick, we had already come into our marriage with pretty significant education debt. And we had good jobs. Especially my husband, had a great job. And we had really great insurance. We were very, very lucky to have such good insurance coverage. But it meant that I was really limited to pursue anything kind of outside of what was covered within our insurance situation, because we had a lot of debt already to deal with. So it meant that I had to be really creative within the insurance; what was covered within the insurance. And I had to get really high mileage, basically, out of all of my appointments with my doctors, and be really, really well prepared, and be a really strong advocate for myself. I had to spend a lot of time working with the insurance company, trying to navigate that process. Which can be really frustrating and really difficult, especially when you’re sick. But I was limited in terms of the flexibility. And later, when we decided that we would choose to take on some more debt for some of those treatments and some of that help that was outside of the insurance system, we really had to buckle down in other areas in order to be able to meet all of our responsibilities with that debt. Over time, that has eased a lot. We’re not in quite the same situation as we were before. Especially because I was able to go back to work and make a better living than I did previously, when I wasn’t so sick anymore. That made a really big difference for us. But it was not a simple process. Mickey Trescott: And a lot of these transitions, and during the diagnosis and kind of what followed. We’ve gone without a lot of things and made a lot of choices so that we could afford good food. Would you say that applies to you, Angie? Angie Alt: Yeah, for sure. For instance, until only about three years ago, we only had one car. We drove an early 2000 Honda Civic, and that’s all we had. My husband commuted back and forth to his work in the city using the commuter buses, or the train. We were really just relying on that. We didn’t really take any significant vacations. Anything that was more than a weekend drive or something away. We also really kind of cut certain line items from our budget. Things like new clothes and those kinds of extras. We just made do the best we could with what was in front of us. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, something that really shifted for us, as far as that flexibility pieces. Before I got sick, I wouldn’t say we ate out an incredible amount. But we definitely were doing a lot of the quick, fast-ish food, but not quite fast food. Like Chipotle type eating out. Fairly often. And when I got sick and I had to change everything about what I ate, one of those unintended benefits was that we kind of wiped out the whole restaurants and eating out. And like I said, we didn’t really have a lot of money to spend on eating out. But just transitioning that to the food budget actually ended up making it so that we were spending the same amount of money that we’ve always been spending on food. We’re just spending it on better, higher quality groceries, and cooking the food instead of going out to eat. Angie Alt: Yeah, that’s absolutely true for us, as well. I mean, we probably went out four to five times a month on average, and that changed to four to five times, maybe, a year on average. 4. Benefit of minimalism [15:58] Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And something else that happened for us, personally. We started to kind of take on and embrace minimalism. So we didn’t give away or sell everything that we owned and live in a tiny house, by any means. But we definitely made a conscious effort to buy durable and affordable products that last, and usually on sale. So actually some of them ended up not being that affordable. But things like cast iron Dutch oven. I would know that would make cooking for AIP be so much easier. And yes, it’s a few hundred dollars for a really high quality one. But what I would do is save up, and wait until I got it, and then look at Sur La Table when they’re having their 40% off sale. Go in and grab that, knowing that I’m going to have it for maybe 10, 20 years. And when you break down that few hundred-dollar cost by that amount of time; as long as you buy the right one, and it’s well made, and durable, and has a great warranty, and you’re actually going to use it. Those types of things; I still have a lot of those great cooking tools that I bought piece by piece in the beginning. Because of that minimalism thing. And then also with the clothes. Not shopping, not having too much stuff. Only having the stuff that we need. I think that relieves a lot of stress in a different way. Not having clutter and stuff. But that’s another topic. Angie Alt: Yeah. I mean, we’ve done that probably to an extent that worked for our family at the time. And at different points, it was more a match to our lifestyle than others. It’s hard to go too minimalist with a child in the house. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: {laughs} Angie Alt: There’s all kinds of things that go along with that. But I mean, for instance. While we were living in Africa, that was definitely a part of our life. And for that very, very early part of me getting sick, it definitely made a difference. We also minimized a lot of repeat expenses that add up. For instance, we didn’t go out for cocktails all the time. We didn’t go to the movies. We didn’t go to the salon. I didn’t get my nails done regularly. Honestly, probably I should have gotten my hair cut a little more often than I did. We minimized all that as much as possible. I didn’t spend a lot on any beauty products. And you know, I really still don’t. That kind of became something that, even when my budget could maybe afford a bit more of that, I still didn’t really bring that on board. We weren’t running to the store and grabbing 8 bottles of kombucha a week. Things like that. Those little expenses seem very small in the moment, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in a year. 5. An investment in your future health [18:53] Angie Alt: You can kind of comment here, too, Mickey and let them know if you feel this way. But I feel like investing up front in my healing meant that I could work more in the future. And I had more energy to give to my work. I had more ability to be pretty darned productive and very creative in ways that I wasn’t able to be before. So even though it was probably costing money that was really stretching us thin in the beginning. In the end, it has paid off because I was able to really start a whole new career and pour a lot of my life blood, basically, into it. That I couldn’t have done before, had I not put this much into my healing. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, I totally agree. And I definitely remember a time in my life and my recovery where I made the decision to continue the level of eating well and medical care, like natural treatments that were out of pocket. Even though that month to month period, we couldn’t afford it. We were going into debt every month. Just having faith that in three or six months, I would hopefully be on the same trajectory that I had experienced early with AIP, and that I would be able to go to work. So, that was definitely a conscious effort. And you know, definitely an act of faith. We’re not saying you can just say, I’m going to pay for this and you’re guaranteed results. Definitely investing up front, I knew if the quality of the food went up and I did the right things, then hopefully that would give me more energy. And it did. I was able to go back to work part time, and then full time. And then also back to school, and all that stuff. And then I met this lady. We haven’t stopped since. {laughs} Angie Alt: {laughs} But I guess, the thing for me too. In hindsight, I realize that I probably have more energy and ability and clear thought and creativity and all those things than I even did before I got sick. I’m not saying; just like you said. I’m not saying that this happens for everyone. And that it will supercharge you into some amazing career. Or you’ll go back to your former job and be like a rocket ship to the top, and get all these raises and promotions or anything like that. I’m not saying that that necessarily happens to everybody. But it really transformed my ability. My baseline is totally different. I didn’t even consider before I got sick that I would ever work at the level that I do now. And I think that’s all down to that investment that I put into my health. Mickey Trescott: Mm-hmm. And continued investment. I feel the same way, Angie. I feel like my brain works completely differently, like it did. Sometimes the body is a little far behind and that’s kind of a Hashi thing. But my brain works again. And I’m able to do a level of critical thinking and planning that I just wasn’t capable of for years. Angie Alt: Right. Mickey Trescott: And that’s very useful. That’s an asset. Alright. So we know that there are situations where some of these simple, low-lying adjustments are not enough. We can’t speak for everyone. Our personal experience is what it is. But digging in to make AIP, or any healing dietary protocol work, for those with extremely limited incomes and other financial barriers to wellness is up next. So if you guys are kind of listening to us; and you’re like; man, that sounds nice. We’ve got some info for you in our next segment. See you soon. Mickey Trescott: A quick work from our title sponsor this season, the Nutritional Therapy Association. The NTA is a holistic nutrition school that reconnects people to healing foods and vibrant health. They provide practical, affordable, and transformative nutrition education through their courses, empowering you to launch a new career and heal yourself, your community, and the world. The NTA trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners; like me, I’m an NTP; and consultants, like Angie, she’s an NTC. Emphasizing a bioindividual nutrition. The NTC program is fully online, and the NTP program has workshops in the US, Canada, and Australia. There are scholarships, payment plans, and financial aid available to make both programs accessible to all who desire a comprehensive, holistic nutrition education. To learn more, visit their website at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. Be sure to check out their free 7-day nutritional therapy 101 course. 6. Introducing our guest, Jenny Harris [23:41] Angie Alt: Hey everybody! We’re back. Today we are speaking to Jenny Harris, who is a registered dietician nutritionist and trained chef, living in Seattle, Washington. She received her masters of science in nutrition from Bastyr University. Her Bachelors degree of nutrition in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And completed her dietetic internship at Virginia Polytech Institute and State University. She also holds an associates degree in culinary arts from the New England Culinary Institute. She’s a member of the dietitians in integrative and functional medicine and the food and culinary professional dietetic practice groups of the academy of nutrition and dietetics. And if that isn’t enough, for the last 10 years, Jenny has mainly worked in community health. Serving low income women and families through the WIC program in Seattle, Washington. Last year, she became one of our very first graduates of the AIP Certified Coach program, and that is how we found out about the awesome work she does. Today, we’re going to go deep with Jenny about how to make healing protocols work, even on very low and fixed incomes. She’ll be sharing with us the specifics of government assistance programs in the US. The realities that people are facing when they need the assistance, and how eating a healing diet should not be exclusive. Welcome, Jenny. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Yeah, welcome Jenny. Thanks so much for being here. Jenny Harris: Thanks for having me. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. So the first question, a lot of our audience like we talked about in the first half of this podcast. A lot of us find ourselves in the middle, and maybe not knowing a lot about these government assistant programs. Can you maybe give us a little bit more of a definition of some of these programs and kind of what they entail? Jenny Harris: Sure, sure. My experience has mainly been working with the WIC program, as it’s mostly known. The full name is the supplemental nutrition program for women, children, and infants. And it is mainly geared towards anyone that’s pregnant, or postpartum, and then infants, and children under age 5. Specifically, you look at your gross income to meet guidelines for that program. And you’d be at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. In addition, you would have to meet a nutrition risk. Also have a proof of address, in a particular state where you are applying. In addition to that, there is the SNAP program, which is the supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as food stamps. It was previously known as. You would go in and your income would be assessed as well. And for that program, you would be at or below 130%. There are some other qualifications for that program. And then in addition, there’s social security. And that program, the lowest age you would need to be is 62. It’s based on the number of years that you’re working, and you receive credits that you would need to get retirement benefits. Mickey Trescott: Great. And the difference maybe between WIC and SNAP and social security, as far as what people can get for food. My understanding is that WIC has the strictest list of maybe what people can buy with the money, and then food stamps is a little bit more lax. And then social security, people can use that money for whatever they want. Is that right? Jenny Harris: Sure. Yes, that is correct. The WIC program has specific foods that have been chosen to meet certain nutrition requirements for those particular times in life. Whether you’re pregnant or postpartum, as a child or an infant. The SNAP benefits, it’s a little bit more broad range of items to choose from. And as far as social security goes, I’m not quite as familiar with that. But that sounds right. Mickey Trescott: And as far as WIC, that might provide the most difficulty, I think, with working within a healing diet. Because they do have certain foods that you can buy. And then with food stamps, I think most programs; at least the ones that I know of here in Oregon where I live. As long as they’re buying food, it doesn’t matter what they’re buying. Jenny Harris: Yeah, you would have to look at; WIC is evolving more and more. But they have, now, substitutions for different things. For example, if you’re a vegetarian you can choose to get soy milk now, instead of just regular milk, as an option. So there are different options you can look at within the program. Mickey Trescott: OK. And I’m just kind of looking up some of these requirements. The gross income below 185% of poverty level for WIC, and 130%. The 2017 numbers are looking at $20,000 to $15,000 for food stamps. So those are pretty low-income levels. But just for anyone listening, if they’re thinking maybe they might qualify for that and they don’t know. That might be something to look into. Jenny Harris: Definitely. And you can do that all online. You can go in and look at your eligibility. 7. Roadblocks and challenges [29:05] Angie Alt: So, Jenny, we were talking in the last segment about some of the realities that come up for folks like us, who have autoimmune disease or chronic illness of some kind. And the challenges that that presents just all on its own, in terms of budget considerations when we’re getting ready to adopt a healing protocol. And I think there’s probably some special stressors and issues that come up for folks with a really limited income, or even no income. And maybe you can talk with us about that a little bit. I think it’s good for everybody to have a little bit of a reality check about the extra barriers we’re talking about here. Jenny Harris: You know, looking at housing situation. With a special diet, and you’re living or you’re not knowing where you’re living. Moving from place to place, or possibly staying with friends. Or you have a large group of people living together. Even the possibility of being in a shelter. You have some limitations on what’s available to you, as far as a kitchen. Or how you can store your food, particularly. Depending on where you’re living. I think some other things to think about would be just families that are working and possibly going to school at the same time. Which I know, a lot of people do. That just brings up some limited time for meal prep and shopping. And also thinking about the idea, now, of food deserts. Where just access to a grocery store, you may be looking at shopping at a convenience store, or possibly using a food bank for your grocery needs. When you’re looking for a provider, just looking at your accessibility. And then I think, just something to think about, looking at cultural needs. Food needs related to religion. Think all of those can factor in with someone who is potentially wanting to do AIP or a healing diet. Angie Alt: Thanks so much. I think that’s good for everybody to kind of think about that long list of extra barriers that might exist there. 8. Finding local assistance [31:05] Mickey Trescott: Can you tell us a little bit more about how people can become more aware of some local, low or no-cost healthcare resources? Because, like we talked about before. The healthcare part and the food budget part are usually competing. And sometimes if people can take advantage of some of these programs where they get assistance in the food side, if they can also make that happen in the healthcare side, that might help them have more access to all of this. Jenny Harris: I do think that’s really important to consider. Making that first step, whether it’s connecting to a WIC clinic or a public health clinic. Your local community center. Those are great places to start. Anyone that’s in need of medical care, or needs a provider. A great place to start is to go into a public health clinic. All kinds of services there. Seeing a nurse. Many times these clinics also have medical clinics available. And they also have services where they can help you get signed up for health care. Beyond that, there are programs out there. Even connected to your local hospital. I did some research, and actually didn’t even realize this. But I looked into a Swedish medical center, which is where I used to work in Seattle. They actually cover healthcare costs for anyone that would meet that profile. Mickey Trescott: Yeah; Jenny, actually I have a personal story to talk about Swedish. Actually, when I was very sick, one of my ER visits was actually at Swedish when I lived in Seattle. And at that time, I didn’t make a lot of money. Angie and I talked about in the first section of this podcast. My husband and I both made minimum wage. And when I got that bill from the emergency room, I didn’t have insurance. And I talked to their billing department, and they said; oh, you should submit a request for financial assistance. And I did that. And they actually covered 90% of the bill. At that time, I wasn’t below the federal poverty line. But I found their assistance was much more generous. And that actually ended up working out really well for me. And actually, my next two hospital visits, I had insurance, and financially it was much worse for me because of coinsurance and that kind of stuff. So yeah, definitely people should reach out to the different institutions that they’re getting health care from. Because you never really know what kind of programs they have in place. Jenny Harris: It was exciting to see that, yes. They have such a generous beyond to help people. I think when I was looking; I looked up a few programs. Even just Googling in your local area. Low income, health care assistance. Along those lines. I was able to find, within the Seattle area, there are some organizations like Bastyr that have clinics. They actually go into different community clinic sites around the city and provide, in many cases, free health care services. So, I think that depending on where you’re living. It would just be a matter of researching that. But I think reaching out to different clinics and just asking is a great place to start. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, and even some of these natural health care centers. I know Bastyr up in Washington state, and a lot of schools will offer acupuncture or massage therapy or whatever for a reduced rate for working with a student. I’ve known people that have seen doctors at the Bastyr clinic that are still in their training. Obviously supervised by licensed doctors. But those kinds of options too, are totally out there and available for people that need it. Jenny Harris: Also looking into if you’re a senior or that age group, you can look at senior nutrition services that are out there. Mickey Trescott: Sometimes for people, it’s a matter of pride and looking out for these resources and asking. But I’ve seen signs. My local dental clinic had a sign a couple of weeks ago that said; “Free community tooth check in.” So anyone could go in and see kind of what they’re dealing with in their mouth. A lot of practitioners offer charity work. Be on the look out for that. Because even my grandfather, who is a rheumatologist. He sees patients one day a week that are low income at no cost. So that can be really helpful. 9. AIP modifications on low-budget [35:44] Angie Alt: Ok. So, that’s a really interesting discussion about the healthcare side of it. And all the different possibilities for folks to explore out there. But let’s get into the meat of this discussion. How do we make AIP work for folks on very low budget? Jenny, we’d love to kind of dig into this with you and talk about some ideas. I think for Mickey and mine point of view, there are some smart modifications to make here. But we’d love to hear your ideas. Jenny Harris: I think in thinking about this, I feel like I went back to thinking about how my grandmother used to cook. Mickey Trescott: Right. Jenny Harris: Thinking about ways that she would be efficient and save. Really, the things that you all highlight in your book, as far as the nutrient powerhouse foods, really are, for the most part, very affordable. When you’re looking at organ meats. If you’re using bones for broths. That was one thing that my grandmother always did. Depending on where you’re located or what’s available to you. Fish, whether you’re in the interior of the country, or the exterior. You can potentially find those, depending on the season, at a decent cost. And then also looking at, if you have homemade fermented foods. And also just vegetables in season. But I think all of those things; if you’re working with AIP, I think it would be just a matter of cooking technique. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I think that’s really valid, Jenny. I know we kind of have a part to play in setting the framework of kind of what AIP is and what it isn’t. But I think this is kind of a great situation to modify the AIP template. And some of you guys listening might find it a little controversial. But I think if someone is faced with the decision of doing a healing diet that is heavily modified to fit their income and not doing it all. They should try to do that modification. I definitely think things like white rice; which people can cook that in broth and fat. That might not even; just allowing it in the elimination diet for people that don’t have access to enough meet and vegetables to fill their diet. That could totally be possible. Even some properly prepared beans. So soaked, sprouted, that kind of thing. Which I know beans are included on WIC, so it’s one of those foods that might be hard for some people to figure out which foods qualify. Eggs, too. A lot of people are very sensitive to them. What do you guys think? Angie Alt: Right. I think if I was working with a client who was very low income, and they had the opportunity to get eggs. Either with their WIC benefits or food stamp benefits, I would be encouraging them to find the best quality that they can afford within that food budget. And give them a shot. Because they are so nutrient dense, and they are a good source of inexpensive protein. Of course, if it turns out that they have some really obvious sensitivities, we might want to work around that. But I think they’re one of the potential modifications that are probably worth making. Jenny Harris: I can agree with all of that. There’s definitely another source of protein that I think a lot of people have access to. I know through WIC you receive peanut butter. So that would be something also to think about. Angie Alt: I remember, too. There was definitely a part of my life where I needed both WIC and SNAP benefits. And it was when my daughter was quite young. And I remember that there was a lot of canned seafood products that were available with the WIC checks. Tuna and things like that. If you just look carefully for brands without additives like soy and everything, I think that’s a great way to get in some inexpensive protein and stretch those benefits. Jenny Harris: Yes, definitely. And I think that’s a great source of fish and those omega-3s that aren’t as easily accessible. Angie Alt: I mean, if you’re trying to go to the fish counter and get wild-caught salmon filets, that almost blows my budget. So I can totally understand that. I think there’s also an important piece to raise here, you guys. Which is; conventionally raised meats, fruits, and vegetables are acceptable. I think we get a little too caught up in perfectionism when it comes to AIP. And there definitely are levels of good, better, and best. And if you choose conventionally raised, because that’s the most affordable, and not organic, then go for it. It’s better that you’re eating some kind of protein, and you’re getting some kind of fruits and vegetables, then you’re totally avoiding them because they’re not perfectly grass-fed or organic or whatever. If you’re going to go for conventionally raised meats, you’re going to want to trim the fat, and kind of try to avoid that fat. If you’re going to go for conventionally raised, non-organic fruits and vegetables, then whenever possible choose produce that can be peeled. A lot of the pesticides and other chemicals that we’re trying to avoid in non-organic fruits and vegetables are there with that peel. So if you can peel, that will help reduce your exposure to it. But I think, if you can buy a bunch of non-organic carrots that are on sale and stretch your meals for a whole week, and contribute to your overall healing that way, it’s much better to do that than to hold out to save up enough money for the organic. Jenny Harris: Sure. And I do think just learning, too, what fruits and vegetables are in season. And also, if you are using the SNAP benefits. Those are actually, in various programs across the country, you can use those at farmer’s markets. You can actually get double the amount. If you’re spending $10, you can actually get $20 worth of fruits and vegetables using those SNAP benefits. Angie Alt: Yeah, that’s such a big change to the program from when I needed to access it. And I think it’s awesome, and so wonderful that we’re putting that opportunity out there. You know, I saw another idea that I think is such a good one. I think you kind of pointed us out to a little bit earlier, Jenny. Looking for discount stores, or grocery outlets or shopping Asian or Hispanic markets. When I first started AIP, I was living in the Bay area in California, and I found some Hispanic and Asian markets that were incredible in terms of what I could get with the produce. I mean, I could go in there with like $50 and come out with so much produce. It was way more than I really thought I could get at a regular store. And it stretched our family’s food budget really far. And made a huge difference. So I don’t think folks should write off those stores. Jenny Harris: In my experience with WIC, and working with a lot of families from different cultures, often I would be asking what they eat. A lot of cultures will eat just basically meat and vegetables, for the most part, with spices. I love going in and being kind of pushed to try new and different vegetables. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, it’s really exciting, too, now that we have some different resources in the AIP community with different recipe developers that are kind of coming up with some of these more ethnically inspired meals that I think make people from those communities feel a little bit more like they can cook in the flavors that feel traditional and good to them without so much having to come up with it themselves, you know what I mean. Jenny Harris: I feel similarly, Angie, when I go shopping at the Asian market here that’s close by my house. I do feel similarly, as far as feeling like I’m really getting a lot more for my money. Angie Alt: Yeah, a lot of bang for your buck. Well, Jenny will you let our listeners know what your up to in your work currently, and where they can find you online? Jenny Harris: Sure. Currently I’m transitioning. I have been a stay at home mom for a little over a year. And have now started up a website and a blog; FoodyNutrition.com. And I’m just starting there. I’m hoping to work with the public in the future. I’m excited and learning more about functional medicine. Mickey Trescott: That’s awesome. We definitely need more functional medicine real food RDs. So we’re super excited about what you’re doing, Jenny. Angie Alt: Yeah. Jenny Harris: Thanks. Angie Alt: Thanks again for agreeing to have this conversation with us today, Jenny. You guys, we’ll be back next week. Take care everyone. Mickey Trescott: Bye! Jenny Harris: Bye. Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E7 – Food Budgeting + Prioritizing w/ Jenny Harris appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 6 is not just about a clever way to maximize your food budget, but one of the biggest struggles our culture faces when it comes to sustainable food production: reducing food waste. We are discussing how to make the most of all the ingredients we’ve talked about sourcing in the previous episodes so you can best minimize waste and reuse leftovers. Our guest is Rachael Bryant from the blog Meatified, who shares some excellent advice and personal experience around creating a low-waste kitchen. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Ways to reduce waste [4:23] 2. Food storage methods [12:52] 3. Our guest, Rachael Bryant from Meatified [22:44] 4. Reimagining leftovers [29:30] 5. Using food “scraps” [39:23] Angie Alt: Hi everyone! Angie here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How are you doing today, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: I’m doing great. Cozied up here on kind of a cool day. Ready for some warmer weather in the Pacific Northwest. Angie Alt: Oh, gosh. Me too. I feel like it’s the longest winter. Which is ridiculous, because it really hasn’t been that bad. But I’m really ready for the sun. Mickey Trescott: Me too. Angie Alt: Ok. Today we’re continuing our discussion related to the topic this season; real food on a budget. This episode is going to be about how to make the most out of all of the ingredients we’ve talked about sourcing in the previous episodes. It’s all about minimizing waste, and reusing leftovers. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So after we figured out how to get our hands on all of these really well-sourced, healthy, nutrient dense, and sometimes a little bit expensive ingredients, depending on kind of how we’ve sourced. We have to figure out how we’re going to maximize them, and use every last bit. So, you guys. We as a culture have a really massive problem with food waste. I looked up a couple of stats, and globally we waste 1.3 trillion tons of food per year. Which, that is just insane. And it’s estimated that up to 50% of food that’s produced; that’s either meat that’s raised or produce that’s grown, or processed food that’s made, is not even eaten. So, I don’t know how that makes you guys feel, but I feel kind of disgusted by that. Angie Alt: Yeah, it makes mew ant to cry, to be honest. Especially; my experience living in developing countries and everything and seeing this problem. In the United States we have a particularly bad problem with food waste. So much so that our government even has an initiative to try to reduce it by the year 2020, I believe. I have to check in on that and read that again. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, I think it’s 30% by 2030. Angie Alt: 30% by 2030. Ok. Yeah, when I reflect on all of that, it’s literally heart breaking for me. And I kind of have a little bit of a problem about it. Mickey Trescott: Part of it is within the food system. Part of that food isn’t even being purchased. So a lot of it is wasted in the field. Maybe because of the timing of harvesting, or the market, or in the factory where they process food, or whatever. But we have a lot of angles to tackle this. And the on that we are most poised to handle is actually in our own homes, and our kitchens, and how we waste food through the course of planning and cooking our meals every day. Angie Alt: Right. We could make a big impact. If we each did that, it would be huge! 1. Ways to reduce waste [4:23] Mickey Trescott: Today we’re going to talk in this first segment of this episode about some ways that we can reduce waste. And so the first one; we’re going to sound like a broken record, guys. But planning. Planning is really key. Right Angie? Angie Alt: Yep. Meal planning all the way. I know we’ve talked about it like 800 times this season, you guys. But it’s absolutely key. Mickey Trescott: You know, meal planning; Angie’s a little more of a meal planner than I am. But I do know that when I make a meal plan, what I tend to do is take inventory of what I have and when it expires. How I can use it up before it goes bad. And then also making a list of what to buy. I’m not just wandering around the grocery store being like; oh, these Brussel sprouts look good. I have a list, and I know exactly the quantities that I need. And that first act of meal planning; it organizes all of that into a plan that I can follow. And I’m much less likely to have waste at the end of it. Angie Alt: Yep. Really the smart way to go. And you can pay attention to what’s in your deep freeze, and what’s in your pantry before you go so that you don’t end up with doubles of things and then some of it going bad because you forgot what you had available. It’s just really the smart way to go in terms of planning. The next step that kind of goes along with meal planning is batch cooking. Which we’ve talked about before. Mickey does a little more batch cooking than I do. We’re kind of opposite in that way. I do a little more meal planning and a little less batch cooking; she does more batch cooking and less meal planning. But this is kind of the next important step in trying to reduce waste at home. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. When you batch cook, you’re using a larger quantity of ingredients. So I find if I make a batch of chili I might use one or two whole yellow onions, for example. Where if I’m making like a one-off meal, that’s not a big batch, I might use a quarter or half of an onion. And then that onion is sitting in my fridge. Or, if I have a bag of carrots, I might use the whole bag of carrots in a batch cook versus a couple of carrots and then having the rest of them potentially go bad. So, through batch cooking you can make a bunch of food. And then whatever you’re not going to eat in the next few days, you can just freeze immediately. So you can really visually see; ok, all of those ingredients that I bought have been turned into meals. Which are perfectly portioned. I can visualize them in the fridge. And then whatever I’m not going to use, I can freeze either immediately or if I get a couple of days in, maybe I unexpectedly eat out and I don’t need one of those meals. Guess what? Pop it in the freezer. You know? It’s a really easy way to kind of get a handle on that whole meal situation. Angie Alt: Right. The next topic in terms of reducing waste is how you shop, right? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And if you meal plan, or batch cook, or both, I think that can really inform your shopping in a way that, like I said before, avoids impulse buys. When I’m doing more meal planning, I’m definitely going right for the things I’m looking for. And I’m buying exactly what I need. So like I was talking about with the carrots; if I only need a couple of carrots for a recipe and I have all my meals planned for the week, I know that that bag of carrots, unless I’m maybe going to want to be eating carrots as a snack with some pate or something, I’m not really going to need that whole bag. So I might just go for the bulk carrots and get a couple. Same thing with beets. I might get one beet for a chili instead of getting a whole bunch of beets. So I don’t know if you have any experiences like that, but getting exactly what you need is definitely the way to prevent waste from happening. Angie Alt: Yeah, for sure. In fact; my husband and I always have a little bit of a disagreement here. Because if I send him out to shop, he’s the guy going out to get the bounty for the family, right, and he buys whatever. If I say, buy apples. I’ll say 4, and he’ll buy 8. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Just in case. Angie Alt: Yeah, just getting the most in case. So I really pay close attention to the numbers we need, and what we can go through realistically in a week so that there’s no waste. Mickey Trescott: Or even if there’s a trip coming up. Something that happens a lot in our household. We’ll go out of town for a few days. Which is, you know, not really long enough to have to completely clear your fridge. But it is long enough to where a lot of things don’t last for a few days. And if we do a shop a couple of days before we go out of town, I have to tell my husband; hey. We need to not buy a huge thing of bananas. {laughs} Those are not going to last. So just thinking ahead a little bit with that shopping is really important. Angie Alt: Right. I think you had some tips, too, Mickey about fridge organization when you’re bringing home all of those groceries. How do you arrange? Mickey Trescott: Yeah, so it can be really tempting to put all of that new, fresh stuff kind of throw it right in the front and throw it on top of what’s there. But that’s kind of how things get buried. So, even the way that you organize your fridge and the way that you put your ingredients away can affect how you use them. Something that I do; I have a very small fridge, so I have to really maximize the way that I use the space. But I only have one drawer, and that’s where I keep all my produce. So what I’ll do is I’ll pull out the drawer, and I’ll put out anything that’s aged in there. And then I’ll put all of the brand new stuff right in the bottom, and I’ll put the stuff that’s older on top so that when I go into the fridge, I see it. And I remember; ok, I need to use those greens up. Or those mushrooms are ready to go. So everything at the top is kind of the priority. And those oldest items are kind of the most visible. Angie Alt: Right. Super smart. Mickey Trescott: If you guys have done some reintros, and you’re eating a little bit more of some of the packaged perishables. These might be things like eggs, or yogurt, or things that you’re going to be going through more frequently. There aren’t a lot of those things on the elimination phase. But when you reintroduce foods, that might become an option for you. A good thing is just to make sure that you rotate those. So like when I buy eggs, I don’t want to put the new eggs on the top. Because then the eggs that are below it might not get eaten in time. So that’s another way to think about it. Angie Alt: Yeah, I totally do that too. How about using up all the fresh ingredients before you go shopping again? How do you make sure you do this? I know how we approach it in our house. How do you do it in your house, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: You know, we do kind of a fridge dump soup. And something actually going back to batch cooking; I always have batch cooked meals in the freezer available. So when we end up on that last meal, sometimes it’s not literally the last meal. Sometimes I can do a fridge dump soup, which is basically every vegetable or meat that’s in the fridge. I just figure out how to make a soup with that with some broth and some spices. That’s a way to use up all the perishables. And if we’re not literally going to the store that day, I can get us by one more meal with what I have in the freezer. That’s kind of how we do it, making sure all those perishables are totally eaten through. And sometimes, it’s like a game. Sometimes it’s really fun to kind of figure out; “What can I make with a sweet potato, some broth, and some leftover chicken.” You know? Angie Alt: Yeah. I actually kind of like that feeling. And it makes my daughter kind of crazy, but we definitely use everything, right down to the very last. My fridge is literally empty. My pantry, other than bulk stuff like maybe some cassava flour is literally empty. We use everything before we go and shop again. And if I have those weird odds and ends, yeah I love the challenge of kind of coming up with that last meal before you shop that’s all the weird stuff. That’s a good feeling to use it up. I usually will try to make a little bit of a baked something. A little bit of a casserole type thing. Or some kind of a hash with those last bits. 2. Food storage methods [12:52]. Angie Alt: Another important part of reducing waste is storing food correctly, and I think a lot of people might not know about some of these options. And I think, especially in the US. We probably tend to throw stuff out too soon thinking that it’s gone bad. And really, if we would have taken just a little care with storing the food, it would have lasted for a long time. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, there are lots of resources online for you guys, if you’re really curious about storing food. I think Angie and I tend to be on the less conservative side. As far as meat and leftovers and stuff, I would totally agree with Angie. I definitely let my leftovers go sometimes up to a week and it’s fine. Sometimes it needs a little refresh with maybe some new spices and add some different flavors, a sauce or something. But I have no problem eating leftovers. Which I know we’ll talk about in a little bit. But some things that you guys can do to kind of make the food that you buy last longer; a trick that I learned with herbs. Like fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, fresh basil. The best way to keep those is actually to put them in a little glass or jar of water, kind of like you would a flower arrangement. And then cover them with a plastic bag and kind of tie it tight so they both have that water and a little humidity. It will kind of keep them alive. Because you know how quickly those herbs can go wilty and slimy. They’re so flavorful, and so important in AIP cooking, that I just like to snip a little bit to use in a recipe, and then kind of keep the rest of them alive. Some things that you might not be aware of actually last a lot longer in the refrigerator. So, while avocados you’re going to want to keep on the counter if you’re ripening them, once they’re close to or they are ripe, they’re going to last a little bit longer in the fridge. Same thing with citrus. I always; and I don’t know if this is just because I live in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s kind of damp here. But my citrus does not last out on the counter more than a few days without going moldy. So I’ll put it in the fridge along with some other fruits, like apples. They tend to stay much more crisp and last longer in there. And then, if you store your greens with a damp paper towel, that can keep them fresh. I don’t know; do you have any other storage tips, Angie? Angie Alt: Yeah, you know you can store cooked ground meat, fish, and poultry for about two days. And then you need to use it. Red meat is ok up to five days. And like Mickey said, I think she and I tend to be a little less conservative here. I’ll sometimes go up to 7 days there. Regular leftovers just already prepared meals are usually good for five days in the fridge. Covered in good containers. You can make crackers, or those kinds of foods. Which we don’t tend to eat as much on strict elimination phase AIP. But there are some recipes out there. They’ll stay better longer in airtight containers so they don’t go stale. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And just preventing your food from going bad in the first place, before you get a chance to eat it, that’s a part of reducing waste. Because especially; I don’t buy those clamshell packs of greens just because unless I’m hosting a dinner party and I know that I’m going to have 8 people eating a ton of salad, they just don’t keep for me more than 2 days, and they go slimy, and I end up having to throw some of it away. So I prefer instead getting a big head of lettuce and chopping it. It’s a little more work, but I don’t have that food waste that way. So you guys just kind of have to figure out what works for you there to store things. Angie Alt: Right. I think we kind of already touched on freezing meals and ingredients before they go bad. That’s always smart. What about eating the odd bits of vegetables. Do you have some thoughts here, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: Well, you know, I think sometimes we have such a sterile approach to food. Especially; we’re talking organically produced food. So this recommendation definitely changes if you can’t afford organic vegetables and you’re buying some conventional, we definitely advocate for peeling in that case. But if you’re buying organic fruits and veggies, I am definitely known to eat some of the odd bits of the vegetables. So things like kiwi skins. Now they actually have those kiwis that are actually smooth on the outside. Bit I’ve always, even the fuzzy ones. I don’t mind the way it tastes. And there’s nutrients there, and fiber. Just peeling a kiwi, you lose a lot of it there. So, that also applies to other vegetables. I don’t peel carrots. I only peel the very top of beets. So I just slice the very top off. And any of that part that’s maybe kind of muddy where it was on the surface of the soil. Sometimes it’s a little mossy or muddy there. I’ll kind of slice that part off. But anything under there, you know, I just scrub it really well. Make sure there’s no dirt there. But I don’t peel it, because that creates waste. Same thing if you’re going to be buying some fresh bunches of farm carrots or farm beets. You can actually eat carrot tops. I actually think Sarah Ballantyne has some recipes for sautéed carrot greens. Same thing with the beet greens. They’re just like chard. They don’t save very long, so when you buy them attached to the beet. I’ll usually cook the beet, and then use the greens in the same recipe. But just making sure to kind of use all of those odd bits, and waste as little as we can. You can even go as far as using orange peels and lemon peels to preserve them and use them in other recipes and things like that. Angie Alt: Right. I think lastly is kind of buying the “ugly” veggies or discounted meat. This is a biggie for me. I do this a lot. This produce isn’t really sold. It’s usually wasted, because it doesn’t look perfect enough. And that to me is crime number one. I literally feel like it’s criminal. So I’ll grab that stuff, and buy it on purpose. And I have, more than once, had a checker say; “Oh, these apples are bruised.” Or whatever. “Do you want to get rid of these and replace them with something nicer.” And I always say no. I want it. Because I know it’s just going to get thrown away. And if you really are opposed to that, you can cut those little ugly bits off and use the rest of the fruit. Mickey Trescott: Totally. And the best-case scenario, the stores will have; and I think this is becoming more common. Where they’ll separate out the ugly veggies or fruits, and have them at a discounted price. Because a lot of people aren’t going to be activists, like you are Angie, and buy ugly produce just because they want to. If they’re incentivized with a lower cost. Or if you frequent your grocer and you’re like; “Hey, if you guys end up with a bunch of ugly apples at the end of the season, I’ll buy them at a discount.” Maybe you can use a dehydrator, or make some applesauce and freeze it. Whatever. Be creative that way. That’s definitely a great way to even save money, and reduce the waste there. Angie Alt: That’s it for the first half of this episode. You guys, we’ll be back after the break with a guest who will help us talk about even more creative and specific ways to reduce our waste. She is a maven in this area. Be right back. Mickey Trescott: A quick word from our title sponsor this season,The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie and I both graduated from two different NTA programs. And even though that was a while ago, we can still remember what it was like to be students. Angie, what made you go down this path in the first place?   Angie Alt: Well it was you, Mick. I could see that their programs had greatly expanded your knowledge base and expertise. And I was already familiar with, and aligned with, their philosophy. I was kind of sold. But then I realized that their NTC course was perfect for my virtual coaching work, I was totally in. How did you decide between the various programs? Mickey Trescott: What really sealed the deal for me was the NTA’s focus on real food and nutrient density. So, I also found the program really affordable and convenient with the online component. Which they’ve even made a lot easier now with their fully online NTC course that doesn’t have any in-person requirements. So, Angie do you have any favorite memories from your time as a student? Angie Alt: Oh gosh, this is really hard to narrow down. I had a fantastic, really seasoned instructor, Caroline Berringer, who was so full of information. The way she taught was very enthusiastic, and it made everything stick. And I felt like she embodied the passion I had for helping others with their health. And it was also my classmates. I went through the program with some really smart and motivated people, and it made me want to give it my all. Mickey, how about you? Mickey Trescott: I started my NTA training while I was still in the very early days of my recovery. And at the beginning of my 9-month program, I was definitely still having a hard time physically making it through those workshop weekends. But by the end of the program, my health had improved so much that the workshop weekends were feeling really energizing and fun for me, and not draining. Which was really cool to see that transition. And a lot of my classmates, also, noticed a big difference. So that was really fun. If you guys thing that you might be a good fit for one of NTA’s programs, you can check out their free 7-day nutritional therapy 101 course, and more program information, at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 3. Our guest, Rachael Bryant from Meatified [22:44] Angie Alt: Alright, you guys. On to our interview today. We are speaking with the incredible Rachael Bryant. She is the food blogger and recipe developer behind Meatified.com, which is probably the most fun food blog name ever. She’s also the author of the AIP cookbook, Nourish. And she’s also a fantastic food photographer. If you guys aren’t following her on Instagram at Meatified, you need to do yourself a favor and go check it out. Rachael’s childhood involved a totally different style of eating and “convenience store cooking”, but in adulthood, she took those challenges and transformed her diet and kitchen skills, all while beating back an autoimmune disease. Thanks so much, Rachael, for joining us today. Rachael Bryant: Hi Mickey and Angie. Thank you so much for having me. Mickey Trescott: We know that minimizing waste and creative use of leftovers is an area of expertise for you. So we are super excited to pick your brain today. Angie Alt: Yay! Ok, so let’s jump right in, here. Rachael, let’s start from the top. How did you first get inspired to be so creative in this area of minimizing waste and reusing leftovers? Rachael Bryant: Honestly, there are two strands to this. Growing up, my mom did not cook at all. So my only real experience of home cooking came from my grandma. She’s the sort of person who, honestly, could make a meal out of nothing. And out of a kitchen that was probably; would probably fit into my guest bathroom two or three times over. I’m not sure how she managed it. So she was this very, very creative person. But also, growing up in England, she lived through the war and she lived through rationing. You didn’t waste anything. I grew up around that environment where food was precious. Which maybe sounds a bit strange to us now. But it was something that you didn’t take for granted, and you always had to do something with. The way that she did that, in all very practical utilitarian way. But she also did it in such a creative way, and could bring meals to the table based on the contents of a tiny little under the counter fridge and some magic in the background. That’s really what I wanted to bring into my own kitchen. That mix of practicality, but also creativity, and also fun. She might have been making meals that were very practical, but they were never boring. They were made with love, and that came through. But the other aspect of cooking for me, in terms of keeping my kitchen stocked, is that I actually live about an hour; at least an hour away, from the nearest grocery store. So when I go grocery shopping, I go, and I try to be prepared for about a week at a time. If I’ve forgotten something, or if I need something, I can’t just zip out and go grab it. So I’ve learned over the years to be adaptable and to be able to work with what I have. It used to stress me out, I’ll be honest. It’s not all roses. I didn’t pop out of the cooking womb, and be like, “I can do it all, and I’m good at it straight away!” Because I wasn’t. The way I sort of make it fun is I treat it a little bit like a puzzle or a game. It’s like problem solving. I will start with what’s seasonal, or what is on sale, or what I can afford that week, and then sort of build my cart from there. I don’t necessarily go into a grocery store or into the kitchen and have this prearranged idea of what I’m going to do. Does that make sense? Mickey Trescott: Yeah, totally. And actually, that’s something that’s a big reason why we wanted to talk to you, Rachael. Because we know that, Angie and I are more of the meal planning kind of followers. We have more plan based on what we do, and we know that you’re a little more creative, and you like to wing it on the spot. And we realize that there are people out there that like cooking that way, and don’t like adhering to kind of a rigid plan and everything. So I think that speaks to a lot. Part of eating this way, even if you plan and you have a bunch of food leftover, or if you don’t plan. You’re going to be eating a lot of leftovers. And one of the things we’ve noticed; I don’t know if you’ve noticed this in the community. But some people who say that they don’t like leftovers, or they get sick of eating leftovers. Do you have any comments about that? Rachael Bryant: Ok, see. I love leftovers. The reason I love leftovers, is the way I look at it, it’s a free meal. You’ve practically got a meal, right there, ready to go that you don’t have to cook. And to be honest, when you have to, like we do, make so much of what we eat from scratch. If I’ve got half a meal, or part of a meal, or a whole meal in the fridge ready to go, I am happy. I am really, really happy, you know? But I think part of the reason some people feel; “Leftovers; ugh!” Is because they have this idea that it has to mean eating the exact same thing 14 times in a row until it’s gone. You know? They expect to be sick of it because it is repetitive. But I like to think of leftovers more as a starting point. It’s like a base that you have that you can build on. You don’t necessarily have to eat the same thing over and over. It’s like a choose your own adventure kind of deal, except with food. Which is like two of my favorite things. You’ve got a puzzle and a creative thing over here. And you’ve got the, “I need to eat, where’s my food?” Part of it over here. So like, you know, say you’ve got a whole bunch of roast chicken leftover. And you could sit there and you could eat that roast chicken exactly as it is several times over until you probably never want to see roast chicken again. At least for a couple of weeks, right? You don’t have to eat it that exact same way. You could shred it and add it to a soup. You could have some cauliflower rice left over, and then the chicken comes into play with that. Maybe you bring in some pesto that you’ve got in the fridge, too. Maybe you’ve got some olives lingering around in your pantry. Maybe you’ve got some lemon. By the time you’ve added a couple of different elements, you can have a completely different dish. So it doesn’t have to be the same thing over and over. 4. Reimagining leftovers [29:30] Angie Alt: I love that! I love this idea of using leftovers as the starting point. That’s a much more creative way to think about it. I really love that. Maybe, Rachael, you could get into telling us a little bit about that. Reimagining the leftovers. I see you sharing all the time on that amazing Instagram account of yours about different sauces, and marinades, and soups, and spice mixtures that you’ve put together. Maybe you can give us some ideas about how you reimagine leftovers. Rachael Bryant: So what I like to do; I’m a weirdo, I think, in some respects. Because I don’t like to be super planned out and super organized. It sounds kind of odd when I say it out loud. I don’t like to get into a lot of details. I don’t want to have to make out a weeks’ worth of shopping list, right down to the tiny, tiny details. What I like to do is always have an assortment of different sauces, or spice blends, or condiments. Basically anything you can add to a meal that would sort of jazz it up without too much effort. So maybe; I have a cheese sauce recipe on my blog. Which is a terrible misnomer, because there’s not really any cheese in it. But it’s like a cheesy, creamy sauce that you can make ahead of time. You can put it in the freezer. You can keep it in the fridge. Or maybe I will have a jar of pesto. Or maybe I might make a double batch of my barbecue sauce. And I’ve found if you’ve got a couple of different things like that in your fridge, and your freezer, then you can take a very plan base. A protein and a veggie. And then you can start to jazz it up with very little effort. So you’ve got this tool to hand; these condiments. I just call them flavor boosters. Which sounds a little pretentious, but it’s a lot easier than saying sauces, condiments, seasoning blends, oh my! If you’ve got a couple of these things, you can make them ahead of time. But you’re not stuck in the kitchen for hours batch cooking. It takes maybe 20 minutes to make a batch of cheese sauce and some pesto. Right? So that way I’ve got some things to hand, and I’ve kind of got a plan. But I’m not completely tied down to one set meal, or one way of doing things. Does that make sense? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. It totally makes sense. And actually, I like to kind of play in the balance in between the two. I like to have a little bit of planned stuff, and then I like to see what happens with having some sauces. A lot of times, Rachael, I’ll actually make some little pesto ice cubes or something and even put them in the freezer, so it’s even that one step easier. So I can just pull that out, throw it, and sauté it up with some leftover chicken or whatever. Rachael Bryant: Exactly. I think there’s this thing that people assume. I think especially because we’re food bloggers. There’s maybe this assumption that I’m cooking a meal every night that has three different elements, and I’m making all of them from scratch. But really, I have a kind of unspoken, unwritten rule where probably for each meal I’m probably only cooking one thing. And then maybe the other elements of my meal are coming from leftovers or coming from things I can make simply. So, say tonight I’m roasting chicken thighs. Right? I’m only cooking for two people, so I probably only need two or three. But I’ll probably cook myself a whole tray, or 8 or 9. So that I have leftovers. So to start off, maybe I’m cooking that chicken and that’s the one element that I’m making for this meal that I’m actually cooking right this second this evening. Then to round it out, maybe I’ve got some sweet potato in the fridge. Or some rice. Or something that you’ve reintroduced that’s going to add that carb element to the plate. Then maybe I’ll add myself a side salad. Then I’ve got a meal right there, but I’ve only really cooked one thing. The next day, I can roll this forward. I’ve got this leftover cold chicken. So maybe what I’ll do is I will reheat that in some of my cheese sauce. I can add in maybe some sliced mushrooms and some spinach. And then I’ve got this creamy chicken casserole. But I haven’t really cooked, so much as I’ve brought other elements together. So that’s sort of my base method. Angie Alt: I love this! It’s like; you’re kind of having the sauces and things like that ready to go to kind of jazz up things as you move forward. It’s like, your batch cooking actually includes a little bit of those things that are helping make the leftovers that much better. Rachael Bryant: For me, it helps me avoid being bored, but it also helps me from feeling really overwhelmed. Like, oh my goodness. I have to make a meal. Meal capital M. You know? If I think of it less as something that I have to sort of conceive of all at once and it has to be this cohesive fancy thing. And if instead I think of building it as a plate, then that sort of helps me become less overwhelmed. Again, sometimes I think people assume that I love being in the kitchen. And I’m a food blogger, sure. And I love food, definitely. But even I don’t always want to be in the kitchen. When I started cooking, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. So if you can get to a point where you are comfortable with just pulling things together and not feel like everything you make has to be perfect or have a recipe title. Or be this massively cohesive thing. I think it frees you up of a lot of emotional energy, too. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Rachael Bryant: Which maybe sounds a little silly when I say “emotional energy.” But I think when you are, maybe really tired and exhausted. Maybe you’re really overwhelmed. Maybe emotionally you know your autoimmune issues are taking a toll in that respect. If you can sort of leg go a little of the weight of expectations, and be like; it is just a meal. You’re building a plate. A little bit at a time. I think that helps to not be so overwhelmed and intimidated. Angie Alt: Yep. I totally think this is a thing. There are a lot of emotions that go into food, and preparing foods. You have some really good points there, Rachael. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, and I think it’s important for people to realize, too, that food bloggers are not eating these perfectly curated plates of food three meals a day. That’s a big misconception. I’ve met a lot of food bloggers. And while there are people who I think have a little bit more of a visual approach, and enjoy cooking more, and are a little bit more of that kind of foodie type, most people are very utilitarian when it comes to their cooking and getting food on their plates. I’ve been really refreshed, actually, meeting a lot of people in real life and just realize that they, most of the time, eat chicken thighs and broccoli, and a carb on the side of something like I do. You know? Angie Alt: Right. Rachael Bryant: Definitely. I think that’s part of something; I have a little bit of internal conflict on, too. Because I do like to make pretty food photos. And for me, it’s a creative outlet for someone who, honestly I never considered myself creative at all before I started food blogging. So for me it’s like this fun thing, and I like to make these pretty food photos. But then on the other hand, sometimes I almost feel like; I don’t want to say I feel guilty. But I am aware that those very same food photos can be very intimidating. Like if I think of where I started; I would have gone, “Psh! I can’t make food like that.” Or if I had made a recipe and it hadn’t turned out like the photo, I probably would have assumed that it was me. You know? I do find that hard to sort of balance. I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for that, really. Mickey Trescott: You know, Rachael, I’m kind of in a similar boat. I love photography, and I think of it as kind of an art for me. But at the same time, a lot of people are unable to mentally say, “I can do this.” Unless they see something that looks good to them. And I think part of the images are inspiring to people to understanding that even though this diet has this long list of foods they can’t have. If they see some beautiful imagery, like our books or our Instagram feeds, or anything. And they’re like; “Wow, this food looks incredibly delicious.” They might make that mental shift. Like, “Maybe I can actually do that.” And I think that’s the important role it plays, and where the line, that boundary is in then having them think I need to be eating this Instagram worthy food every single meal. That’s not realistic. And that’s where I think sharing some more of the real life behind the scenes type stuff is important, too. But, you know, I think both are really valuable, and I wouldn’t feel bad at all about doing the great work that you do and showing people how beautiful eating this way can be. Because for some people, that is really important. That inspiration. Rachael Bryant: It’s true, isn’t it? Because the visual is kind of significant. I think it helps for people to see that it’s not all about the list of what you can’t have. Mindset is so important. The longer I do this, the longer I’m invested in my own health. The longer I’m cooking for myself, that becomes more significant to me. It’s not about what you can’t have, it’s about what you’re choosing to do for yourself. It’s about the choices that you can make. The ways that you can work with what you do have and can have. And I think that applies to cooking, but it applies to everything, really. 5. Using food “scraps” [39:23] Angie Alt: Right. Ok, Rachael. How about, you talk to us about using food scraps. I think that you’re very talented in this. Again, we see this reflected in your recipe creations and your food photography and the things that you’re sharing with the community. Can you tell us about how your kind of minimizing waste, and making that food budget go really far in terms of reusing food scraps? Rachael Bryant: The main two things I probably do here when it comes to cleaning out the fridge at the end of the week. And I am a weirdo. I take a kind of strange pride in getting to the end of the week and getting that fridge right down to it’s sort of bare, empty… Angie Alt: Mickey and I totally do too. We totally talked about this earlier. {laughs} Rachael Bryant: It’s like it’s looking at you, and you’re feeling really good. Because it’s like; almost gone. And then you have that last challenge at the end and you’re like; ok, can I actually make another meal now, or have I pushed this too far? {laughs} What I do to really make use of everything, two main things that I do. One, this isn’t rocket science, but making broth. My husband is now well used to the fact the freezer at any point is probably 40% bits of bones or random things that I can’t throw away or an ice cube tray of something that I could throw into vegetables or whatever later on. So broth is my key thing. I think a lot of people have this idea. I don’t know; I think maybe it’s because a lot of recipes or methods you see online, where people teach you about how to make broth. You very often see whole chicken carcasses, or specific bones that people have gone out. Go out and buy soup bones. But obviously we’re not all doing that. I try to use up what I have. I think my favorite way to make broth right now is with pork bones. Specifically rib bones. Whenever there’s a sale on pork ribs, I’m there. Not just because I like ribs. Because they make really, really good broth. But you don’t see people talking about pork broth. People tend to think chicken or beef. But with broth, I’m using little bits of vegetable scraps that I will save. So say carrot tops, or the end of leeks, or the odd onion, or what have you. But I’m also making use of all of the bones from meat that we’re using to make meals throughout the week. Mickey Trescott: I love this reusing bone conversation. I think it’s something that can’t be said enough. Because I do the exact same thing as you, Rachael. I have a bag or four at all times in the freezer. Rachael Bryant: It’s terrible! {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Once you realize how many bones you can save and you start saving them, it becomes like a hoarding problem. Rachael Bryant: It is! Then I have this separate baggie. And it’s like, the separate baggie. Once I’ve made broth with you once and you’re real clean and defuzzed. Then I’m like; you’re going in the special bag to be reused. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And I don’t know about you, but I mix, like half and half. I mix types of bones. I don’t ever buy bones for broth. And I know part of that is because I buy whole animals, so I end up getting a bunch of bones when I get my order. But just from cooking chickens, or chicken thighs. I usually eat bone-in meat. So when people are like; you know, bones are expensive. Beef knuckle bones at Whole Foods. I’m always like; I haven’t bought bones in forever, just because I’m always reusing them. You know? Rachael Bryant: I do the same thing. I always prioritize those bone-in meats. And often, they’re cheaper, too. Because you’re not paying for them to debone and de-skin. And you’re not paying the premium on the lean meats. Which, a lot of the time I don’t want. Mickey Trescott: And you get all those little scraps of meat, and that connective tissue, that’s still attached to the bone that’s then going to go into your broth. So that meat is going to add flavor, and all of that connective tissue is going to add some more gelatin and collagen and everything. I can’t really see an argument for doing it any other way. It’s not only the cheapest, but I think you end up with a better tasting and nutritious broth in the end, too. Rachael Bryant: The other thing that I do. Probably other people do it, too, but I don’t see anybody talking about it. {laughs} So maybe I have a little bit of a weird hoarding problem in this respect, too. But if I roast a chicken. Or if I’ve cooked any kind of meat, and it’s done on a pan. It’s got all those; it’s got all that fat and roasting pan juices or whatever. I will pour that off into a freezer container. I will freeze that too. And then once I; I usually make broth in my Instant Pot. So once I’ve gone through that process, and I’ve strained it, and I’ve gotten rid of the bits and the bones and things and I’m just left with the broth that I’m going to put into jars, then what I’ll do is I’ll take some of these frozen reserved pan juices, and I’ll put those back into the mix and heat that up again. And it does two things. One, I’m not wasting anything. Two, it adds a lot more flavor. Because you’re not just getting the bones. You’re getting that kind of more meaty depth of flavor. But also, and this is especially true, something like chicken or pork or more fatty cuts in general. Is that way you’re getting all the fat that’s sort of left behind after you’ve roasted and cooked. And that makes a really, really nice seal. Once you’ve poured off your broth, and put it in the fridge, or whatever. I end up with a really nice fat cap there, more than I would necessarily just making the straight broth. And that helps to preserve it, to keep it longer. So it’s helping to avoid waste from that perspective, too. You’re also grossing out your husband, again. But by now, he’s used to it. Angie Alt: {laughs} Yeah. I love the fat cap thing, too. I feel like your broth keeps longer that way. Rachael Bryant: Yep. Definitely. It really does help. People have asked me; “how long should I keep it?” And I know technically I should probably tell you like a week, but honestly in my own house, I couldn’t tell you how long some of that broth lasts. And I use it. I wouldn’t necessarily tell someone else to do it. But I do it with no shame. It lasts a long time. Mickey Trescott: That’s so {laughs} funny, Rachael, because we were just talking earlier about this in the first section of this podcast. And we were like; you know, the government recommends a few days with leftovers, but I definitely leave things for a week, sometimes even more. Especially broth. Rachael Bryant: Oh broth has been in my fridge for more weeks than I probably even am aware of. Don’t do what I do, but maybe think about doing what I do? {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Exactly. Everyone’s doing their own thing. But I think a lot of people, too, are unnecessarily skeeved out by food safety, when there’s some other things that are a little more sketch than leaving something in your fridge for a couple of days too long. Rachael Bryant: I think, too, part of that is distance from food. For a lot of people coming into AIP or just real food, just cooking in general. Maybe you’ve come from an environment like me. When I was a kid, when I was a teenager. I didn’t really start to cook for myself until I was in college. And I was ruled by the dates on packages, because I didn’t know how to differentiate any of the stuff for myself. So I probably threw away lots of perfectly fine food, because I didn’t really understand how to tell if something was still good. The other thing that I do, in fact probably the main thing that I do that’s the mainstay of the food that I eat each day. I always make a soup. Usually it’s the weekend. Usually cleaning out the fridge with whatever I’ve got left. Very often it’s got a kind of root vegetable base. Usually because those are the things that last longest, you know. Because I have to shop for a week or so once. The way I sort of rotate through my food is I’ll eat the fresher, more delicate things first. Like lighter leaves and salads and stuff like that. Certain fruits, and then sort of as the week progresses, I’ll work my way through the more hardy stuff. The stuff that keeps longer. So usually at the end of the week I’ve got some parsnips, or carrots. Something like that. And then I will clean out the fridge with whatever else I have left, and I will make myself a very simple pureed vegetable soup. I usually keep it very neutral in seasoning, and the reason is that soup sort of becomes the base for my next weeks’ breakfast. I know some people are probably making a face right now. “Soup for breakfast, really?” But for me, it helps on a couple of levels. First of all, I’m not wasting anything, it helps me clean out that fridge at the end of the week. But also it gives me a really nice base in the morning for a very simple meal that I don’t have to cook; that I can just reheat. But what I like to do is start off with this base soup and then kind of jazz it up different ways throughout the week, dependent on things I have to hand. So, I don’t necessarily have to have the exact same soup each time. And so, this kind of sums up my approach in a nutshell. It’s like; I’ve got a base level of planning, in this case the soup. And then I sort of wing it each day so that I don’t get bored. Mickey Trescott: I love that, Rachael. Angie Alt: I love it. Mickey Trescott: Thanks so much for sharing in detail the way that you would work through what we call a fridge dump soup, and then use that as a base for recipes going forward in your week. That’s awesome. Angie Alt: Yay! Mickey Trescott: So, Rachael, will you let our listeners know just kind of what you’re up to in your work currently, and where they can find you online? Rachael Bryant: You can find all of my recipes on my blog. It’s Meatified.com. and it’s a bit of a nonsense word. It’s sort of like a little mini in-joke. Because I used to be vegetarian. Many years ago. And when I started to eat meat again, I was joking to my husband about how I’ve meatified my diet. So it’s a little bit of a nonsense made up word. So that’s where you can find me, anyway. On social media, you can find me on Instagram. It’s where I post more of my day-to-day things. I’m really terrible at stories, but I’m trying to get better, so that I can show more of the real meals I make, the less styled food that I eat. And you can find me on Instagram at Meatified, as well. I’m also on Facebook, but I’m really bad at keeping up with that, truth be told. But if you want to follow me there, that’s where you’ll find me. To be honest, I’m not really working on anything special right now. Mickey Trescott: What about your cookbook? I mean, your cookbook just came out. Again, it’s a really incredible resource. I just made the chili a couple of weeks ago. Super tasty. Rachael Bryant: I love that recipe! Although I hated making it at the time. My husband; he’s not even Texan. Right? He’s from California. But he lived in Texas for 30 years, so he has really, very specific thoughts about chili. And that chili, and the barbecue sauce in my cookbook. He sent me back into the kitchen, I’m not even joking, about 30 times. It was ridiculous. I was beginning to curse his name, and chili, and everything barbecue. Mickey Trescott: {laughs} Rachael Bryant: By the time I was done. But yes. My cookbook; the original version of my cookbook is called Nourish. And it’s got a subtitle of The Paleo Healing Cookbook. And it’s a hardcover edition. This year, we actually did come up, because a lot of saying were saying, “We love your cookbook, but we don’t really love hardcover.” Or, “We want a paperback we can lay open in the kitchen a bit better or get a bit messy.” So we’ve actually just launched a paperback edition. And it’s just called The Paleo Healing Cookbook. It has the updated cover, and it’s the paperback edition. But the recipes are the same. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. If you guys are interested in checking out Rachael’s stuff, we definitely encourage you to do that. She’s a really important part of our AIP community. We’re really grateful for her work. Thank you again for agreeing to chat with us today, Rachael. And for everybody else, we’ll be back next week with a new episode. Take care! Angie Alt: Bye everybody! Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E6 – Minimizing Waste w/ Rachael Bryant appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 5 is all about buying clubs and online markets that will help you strategically stretch your budget and adopt the AIP sustainably for the long term. We discuss the pros and cons of local buying clubs, co-ops, membership programs, and bulk meat sources, as well as our favorite online shopping portals. Our hope is that this episode will help you best leverage all of these resources so you can stretch your budget as far as it will go. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Local buying clubs and food co-ops [2:45] 2. A hybrid option [7:04] 3. Bulk membership stores [11:39] 4. Online buying options [16:34] 5. Buying meat online [31:32] Mickey Trescott: Hey, everybody! Mickey here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How’s it going over there in DC, Angie? Angie Alt: It’s going pretty well. I’m sad to report that it’s still winter. But we seem to be getting closer to spring, so that is making me a little bit happier. Mickey Trescott: Yay for sunshine coming! Angie Alt: Yay for sunshine! Vitamin D please. Mickey Trescott: I know. Today we are continuing our discussion related to the topic this season. If you guys haven’t been paying attention, we are talking about real food on a budget. Which is really an important concept to a lot of us, if we want to be able to be eating this way long-term, right? This episode is going to be about buying clubs and online markets. And how we can best leverage these resources to strategically help out with our sourcing needs and stretching our budgets. It can be super easy to overdo it with either of these options; I mean, hello. Amazon Prime, we’re looking at you! But we hope that this episode will give you guys some great ideas about how you can use online shopping to your advantage. 1. Local buying clubs and food co-ops [2:45] Angie Alt: So, maybe we can start with buying clubs. Mick, do you want to talk about that first? Mickey Trescott: So a buying club is just any time you band together with either community members, or a company, and you get bulk pricing on foods and home goods. So when you go to a grocery store and you buy one unit of something. Like one apple, or one little six-ounce applesauce or something. You’re getting actually the highest price for that, because you’re buying it in the smallest quantity. So the grocery store, obviously they have a wholesale account. They’re able to buy food from distributors or farmers at a really good price. And their service is that they’re bringing it in, sorting it, putting it out for you, and you’re able to buy it in a really small quantity. If you kind of reverse that, and you figure out how to band with other people in order to buy the biggest quantity of something, you can get a really good deal. So this might take the form of, say, a local Facebook group. So I’m the member of a local real food buying club on Facebook in my local area. It has over a couple of thousand members. And there are certain people in the community that will coordinate with local farmers to engage in bulk buys. So this might look like, you know, maybe they’re buying a cow and they want to split it with a few families. That would be kind of like a small share. Sometimes they’ll even go to a honey vender, and they’ll get 100 jars of honey and everyone will split it. They do charge $20 a year to be a member. I know there are some groups out there that are nonprofits or free. Sometimes it’s just collections of neighbors. But this is definitely something to look into, especially if you live somewhere like I do. Where there’s a lot of food production locally. It’s hard for me to actually get that high-quality food in the store. I think some of you guys in rural area will understand that disconnect. You think that living in an area where all the food is produced, you have great access to it. But it’s actually the other way around. My local grocery store is the equivalent of a Walmart. So these local food buying clubs can really help get that high-quality food at a better cost. Angie Alt: I don’t belong to a formal group like Mickey does, through Facebook. But I have informally joined groups in the past where, for instance, I got maple syrup that was bought in bulk from the producer. And sometimes I do this with fish. I’ve done it to get salmon from Alaska. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Banding together, guys, can definitely save you some money. And honestly it doesn’t have to be a formal Facebook group. It can even be your family. So, something that I do because I live on property with my mom, her sister and her partner. We all actually band together to buy meat. And my brother actually lives a few hours away in Seattle. So between the four different families, we’ll buy a whole cow every year, and then split it into quarters. If we were just buying a quarter of a cow, the price is higher than if you buy the whole thing. So even your family can work like a buying club. Angie Alt: Right. What about co-ops? Let’s explain and talk about co-ops. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, co-ops are an awesome business model for like a grocery store. There can also be more informal co-ops that don’t have a storefront. But basically, they function differently from a corporation because they are member or employee owned. So this means if you have a local food co-op, they might ask you to pay a member fee. It might be a one-time fee up front. I think when I lived in California, I paid $75 once to be a member, and that gets you a share. So you can actually vote on leadership, and then you get discounts on all the food they buy. Sometimes they have you pay per year. Sometimes you don’t even have to pay, but it just means that the store is actually owned by the employees and the people that run it. So there’s a few different models. But really, the point of a co-op is to get the highest quality food at a price that is lower than normal. So by paying into the co-op system, you know that that money, that profit that the store is making, isn’t actually going to some shareholder’s pockets. It’s actually going to reinvest in the business and keep the price down for the people that shop there. So co-ops can be a really fun option, also. 2. A hybrid option [7:04] Angie Alt: Yeah. It’s a great way to really get engaged with your community and good quality food providers. Here’s an interesting set up. And I actually don’t do this as an adult. But when I was a kid, my mom and aunt and grandmother belonged to Azure Standard. Can you tell us about Azure Standard? Mickey Trescott: Yeah; actually, I didn’t know that about your family, Angie, but I actually used them a lot about 5 or 6 years ago when I first started getting into real food. Especially with the online buying. So they’re a little bit of a hybrid. They are a major real food distributor in the United States. They have an online store. But instead of shipping directly to you; which I think they do now. But they didn’t in the past, 5 or 6 years ago. What you had to do, was it was a buying club. They had no fee to join. You sign up, you join what’s called a drop. Which is, basically someone in your community who has arranged an area where a semi can come drop off some orders. So everyone that is a member of that drop; they order all their food online. I think each drop has like a $500 minimum from the company. And then a truck shows up at, usually a church parking lot or some area that’s easily accessible to a lot of people. Our drop in Seattle had about 20 or 30 families that would then show up, meet the truck. It would be the same time every couple of weeks or every month. And they would just get their order that literally came straight off a palate. And you can get some amazing bulk goods for crazy, crazy low prices. So I would get things like gallons of coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, some of the flours. And actually, Azure standard has an organic farm here in Oregon, and they grow a lot of herbs, and spices. And they even have pastured meat and lamb. So I was ordering a lot of frozen meat from them. Angie Alt: You know, Azure Standard has been around for a really long time. I mean, way back when my family was doing when I was a kid, they didn’t even offer non-GMO products, because there wasn’t GMO yet. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Angie Alt: They were always kind of the number one place to go if you wanted really high quality, organic food that was really inexpensive. And you know, my aunt and my mom and my grandma would band together and get these big orders. My family and my aunt and uncle’s family both had four kids, so they were trying to feed 8 kids on really good quality food. We would use the food we got there to supplement the hunting and fishing that my dad and uncle were doing. And the garden that we grew. My grandma was really into herbal and medicinal teas, and she could get big bulk orders of that from Azure Standard. It was really great. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, it’s like Christmas. Meeting the truck, and having all your bulk groceries. Angie Alt: Yeah! Mickey Trescott: And they actually have a lot of stuff that, if anyone lives rurally, maybe you’re on a farm or you have some animals. They have a lot of goods that are really good for animals. So back when I lived in Seattle and had chickens, they had the only non-GMO soy-free chicken feed at a price that I could afford. So I ordered our chicken feed from them, and all that kind of stuff. They even sold like root vegetables, and pantry storage foods. So I would get a lot of onions. Things that we’ve talked about this before; not really worrying too much if there’s a blemish on your veggies. It’s totally normal, and especially with those root veggies. It does not matter. So you can get an amazing price on that stuff from them. Angie Alt: Right. And it’s a really good chance to meet your kind of local real food advocate community. I remember when we would go to the semi to pick up the foods. There would be all these other people that were kind of into that same health conscious lifestyle. Mickey Trescott: You’re kind of like; “What did you get?” {laughs} Angie Alt: Right. Mickey Trescott: Like swapping stories of what they’re getting and what they’re doing with it. It’s really fun. Angie Alt: Right. I remember I used to love; even when I was a kid, I used to love to browse their catalog. Which I don’t even know if they put out a catalog, anymore. Maybe you just order everything on their online site. But yeah; great resource, you guys. Mickey Trescott: And it’s pretty cool that it’s been around so long. So www.AzureStandard.com is their website if you guys want to check it out. And they have some videos online. Trust us; it’s not scary to join a drop. I remember the first time I did it, I was like; who are these people, and how does this work? They explain everything on the website. And the prices are probably in line with the cheapest you can get for some of these high-quality foods. So they do a really great service for our community. 3. Bulk membership stores [11:39] Angie Alt: Ok, so another possibility, which is kind of the opposite of Azure Standards in terms of everybody knowing about it, is Costco. Costco is a members-only, big box, discount retailer. You have to pay a membership fee every year. But there is quite a bit of benefit to having that Costco membership. The standard membership is just $60 per year. It let’s you purchase products for your home and family at Costco locations and on their website. And the prices are greatly reduced, because again they’re buying these such huge bulk quantities. And then you can get an executive membership for $120 per year. And that membership gives you a 2% reward, up to $1000. So you can kind of earn money a little bit, as your spending money. The Paleo Mom has a guide on her website to AIP Costco shopping that is a very helpful resource. Mickey Trescott: Yeah; are you a Costco shopper, Angie? What’s been your experience with them? Angie Alt: Well, so this is interesting. We used to be Costco members, but my husband is kind of a Costco fanatic. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: {laughs} Angie Alt: So, it didn’t really work that well for us. Because he’d be like; “Oh, look at this, a 2-gallon jar of pickled eggs!” Mickey Trescott: Oh my gosh. Angie Alt: And I would be like; “We do not need this.” So we have a small family, and we don’t live close to our extended family. So sharing all of that with other people didn’t really make sense for us in the long-term. But I know that for families that are a little bit bigger, or have an extended family around them, Costco can be an enormous win. How about you? Mickey Trescott: Yeah, we don’t have a Costco membership. But both my mom and my dad have Costco memberships, and I will kind of tag along with them when they go. Maybe once or twice a year just to pick up a few things. I’ve actually been really impressed, as the years have gone on, at their selection of more real food options. So things that I see really frequently are some high-quality cooking oil. So things like gallons of coconut oil, avocado oil. Sometimes they have good olive oil, but you know, you’ve got to kind of do your research on the supplier there. As far as meat, I’ve heard that they have a lot more grass-fed meat. It’s pretty reliable to find there. Pasture raised chicken, and some frozen, wild-caught salmon. So those are all things that you would be eating on AIP, and by buying in bulk and having a deep freezer you could definitely save there. During the summer, they have amazing prices on organic berries. So they’ll have organic strawberries, raspberries. Sometimes even blueberries, which is really fun if you’re going to do any kind of making gummies, or freezing for the winter. That can be a really great source there. And then they have some great home goods. They have a nice stainless pot and pan set that I bought. They have a Vitamix that they occasionally will sell for a really great price. Magic Bullet, some of those sorts of things. So if you’re kind of outfitting your kitchen, too, Costco can be a great place to think about. Maybe picking up some of those home goods, too. Angie Alt: Right. Right. The avocado oil is the one that stands out. When we did have a membership, I don’t think there’s a better price on avocado oil than what Costco offers. Mickey Trescott: Yep. Angie Alt: Yep. I think people should definitely check it out if they can really benefit from those big bulk orders of stuff. Mickey Trescott: Next we’re going to chat about some of the different online options. This can be really huge for any of you that have limited access to shopping due to where you live. And when used carefully, some of them can actually equal a really big savings. So we’ll be talking about that next. Angie Alt: A quick word from our title sponsor this season; The Nutritional Therapy Association. How you plan and purchase food can significantly affect your health; both in body and budget. Well-informed, proactive planning makes a big difference. Our sponsor, the Nutritional Therapy Association, launched a new, fully online, nutritional therapy consultant course that emphasizes a wide-range of integrated nutrition and lifestyle strategies to transform health. The new curriculum includes culinary healing modules that empower NTCs with practical knowledge and skills necessary to source, prep, and plan meals for themselves and their nutrition clients. Covering everything from shopping practices to knife skills, from meal prep to fermentation. It also trains NTCs to address the wider context of health and healing with lifestyle strategies. I completed my NTC training in 2016, and it has been enormously positive for my practice and my ability to help others achieve their wellness goals. If you guys want to learn more about how to become an NTC, and check out their free, Nutritional Therapy 101 course, go to www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 4. Online buying options [16:34] Angie Alt: OK, you guys. So now that we’ve covered some of the in-person buying club options, we wanted to continue the discussion and talk about some of the options out there for buying food online. Mickey, when did buying food and supplements online not seem weird to you anymore? Mickey Trescott: It’s weird. Because since getting into the whole real food movement, we also, around that 2012 time, there was a really big shift in the concept that you could actually be buying food and supplements online. And I definitely remember that. It was kind of like; go back to eating real foods that are not packaged and not processed. But also, there’s this other whole source that is on the internet that seemed a little bit strange. So, I actually started ordering supplements on Amazon when I was going through my illness. I think that’s around 2013. And back then, when we started AIP, there really weren’t any snacky, shelf-stable options out there. Angie Alt: No. Nothing. Mickey Trescott: There was no cassava flour. There were no Power Balls. There was nothing like that. So those kind of fun snacky options were not an option. And supplements are actually really expensive in the store, so I figured that out pretty quick and I started saving money there pretty early on. I’d say around 2015 was the year that I really started buying food online. I had gone to PaleoFx, and I was introduced to Thrive Market through them. And I kind of went online. I definitely didn’t jump on the bandwagon right away. I think it took me another whole year to really come around to the concept that I could actually be saving money by ordering a bunch of stuff online. But then I was getting epic bars and things on Amazon, so it was kind of a slow roll. But I’m at the point now where I do a lot of my shopping, especially for things that are not shelf stable and household goods, online. What about you, Angie? Angie Alt: I think I started in about 2012 with Tropical Traditions. And then not very long after that, I started buying some fat from FatWorks, too, online. At the time, sourcing the high-quality fat, especially, still wasn’t that easy in my local grocery stores and through my farmers. Like getting palm shortening, or coconut oil. Especially in bulk, because I was using so much of that kind of stuff at that time. Being able to find really high-quality olive oil that I trusted. And then animal fats like lard, or tallow. That just really wasn’t available quite yet. I also started used Tropical Traditions later when I was trying to figure out egg reintroductions. I realized that I might have a soy issue, and not really an egg issue. A lot of you will know that chickens are often fed a diet that has some soy in it, and that can come through in the egg itself and cause issues when you’re trying to reintroduce. And Tropical Traditions was the only source out there that I could find with 100% soy-free eggs. It was a little too expensive to maintain over the long-term, but I did it a few times. Ordered eggs from them, so I could test out my theory and figure out if it was soy or eggs. It turned out to be soy, guys. And then in 2015, I started using other online retailers. There were just more options. And in the past year, we started expanding a lot, my husband and I, in an effort to not only save money, but also we both have very committed passionate full-time careers in our home. So we were trying to save time. Being able to order things online really made a big difference. I think I’ve mentioned it before; shopping in my neck of the woods is very time intensive because of the population density. So ordering online has been a lifesaver. Mickey Trescott: I actually forgot about Tropical Traditions, but I definitely ordered a lot of coconut oil from them. Actually, I still order coconut oil from them, because I think it has the best flavor and it’s the cleanest. And that era of the soy-free eggs; that’s when I was ordering the feed from Azure Standard. Because I was in the same boat, trying to re-intro eggs and figure out; is this because my chickens are eating soy feed, or because I’m allergic to the eggs? Angie Alt: Right. Mickey Trescott: And, same deal. It was the soy. Angie Alt: Yep. Mickey Trescott: Really funny. Angie Alt: Ok, so what are some options for people to use to buy food online? Mickey Trescott: Thrive Market is something that I love. It’s an online store. It’s kind of like a Costco. So there’s a $60 membership, but they do have a 30-day free trial. So you can go on and you can make as many orders as you want. And I think if you hit $50, it’s free shipping. So it’s very affordable to try. When you buy a membership, your membership actually sponsors one for a low-income family. So we love that charity component that they have. Their prices are about 25-50% off the list price for natural products. So I would say if you live in an urban area and you have a variety of stores that have competitive pricing, their prices might not be mind-blowing for you. But for me, I live in a rural area. So any of the stores around here, I don’t have a specialty grocer that puts things on sale at all. So all of those natural products in my local stores are like the exact highest price they could possibly be. So I save a lot of money by shopping with Thrive Market. And I actually get every pantry item I possibly can from them. Spices, nuts, alternative flours like cassava flour. I get a lot of oils from them. They have a great olive oil that I love. I get vinegars there. Chocolate, of course. And then, actually, I think the area where I save the most money using their service is by getting all of my personal care products and my natural cleaning products. So this is things like the 7th generation dish soap that I use, and the laundry soap, and Dr. Bronner’s, and that kind of thing. A bottle of Dr. Bronner’s at my local store is $16 for one of those big bottles. And on thrive, they’re usually like $11 or $12. So that’s a big savings. And then the convenience, for me. Just the regular grocery store is a half-hour away. Specialty grocer is an hour away. So in addition to that cost savings, I get a big savings just in having that stuff delivered to my house. The biggest downside in the beginning with Thrive was actually their shipping was very slow. So it used to take a week to 10 days to get an order from them. Which, when you’re used to working with Amazon, which we’re going to talk about in a minute, is a little frustrating. But I’ve actually noticed, I think their warehouses have expanded. Because I’ve been getting my orders in three to four days, recently. Angie Alt: That’s nice. So I think your point about whether or not you live in an urban area with a lot of different grocery store options and competitive pricing was a really good one. I don’t use Thrive as much as you. I don’t have it dialed in like Mickey does; in part because some of the prices are actually better in my stores. Dr. Bronner’s is a really good example. I can usually find it for $11 or $12 on sale somewhere, for one of those big bottles. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, like Trader Joe’s is where I used to buy it. And I don’t have a Trader Joe’s by me. So, I actually added up all of my savings. I’ve been ordering roughly once a month for all of 2017, and I saved $900 by shopping with them. Angie Alt: That’s awesome. Mickey Trescott: So definitely worth that $60 membership. But I think it matters if you use it, and what you get from them. Because I’ve definitely heard from other people like you, Angie, if you’re in an urban area and you have some areas with good prices, it might not work out to be that cheap. And also, it depends what you buy from them, too. Angie Alt: Yeah. I do still order some of my personal care products through them, from time to time. Because it is a great option. Ok, let’s talk about the infamous Amazon. Of course. Mickey Trescott: I have to be honest; I’ve always been a little weirded out by ordering food on Amazon. I haven’t totally gotten into it. But if there’s ever something I can’t get anywhere else, I get it on Amazon. Angie Alt: Right. It’s like; if you’ve scoured every other option and you just can’t find it, it’s probably on Amazon. Mickey Trescott: It’s free to shop. If you pay $100 a year for Amazon Prime, which most of us do, you get free 2-day shipping. Which is really convenient. I’ll run my supplements until literally I have two days left, and then reorder. {laughs} Angie Alt: I do the same thing. Mickey Trescott: I don’t know. You’re maximizing your warehouse space in your kitchen. Angie Alt: Right. Mickey Trescott: And then if you live in an area where they have Amazon Fresh, a Prime membership gets you some mileage there. I definitely don’t live anywhere near somewhere where anyone would deliver groceries to me. Angie Alt: So, we do have the option for Amazon Fresh in our area, and we recently tried it out. And I have to say, there were some bumps, for sure. Because it’s a new service. They’re just doing this as they kind of team up with Whole Foods. So it wasn’t completely accident free, getting our order. But we did give it a shot. I think they’ll probably improve as they roll out the service. And it was handy. The things that I usually rely on more, for Amazon, are the shelf-stable stuff that I want to have. Things like Yucan Crunch. Things like KC Natural’s barbecue sauces; AIP barbecue sauces. I order them every couple of months, and have a little pack in my cupboard. Things like that. Also, I tend to order a lot of my cooking tools off of Amazon. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, they have some really great prices. Especially during their sales season. So like Prime Day and Black Friday, you guys can be on the lookout for things like crazy deals on Instant Pots, stuff like that, if whatever you’re looking for happens to be on sale. You can get super lucky with an Amazon super sale. Angie Alt: And they have hundreds of really cute gummy molds. I got all of my gummy molds from Amazon. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. You’ll never find a selection of really specific cookware anywhere like Amazon. It just blows stores out of the water. Angie Alt: Yeah. OK, how about Tropical Traditions? Let’s tell everybody about them. We kind of alluded to them earlier. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So Tropical Traditions is a company that; what I love about them is they kind of narrowed their focus. They’re not trying to be a purveyor of every food. But they just have really high-quality source of tropical oils. So they have great coconut oils and coconut products. This is how I first got introduced to them. I use their gold label coconut oil, which is the least heat processed, the least refined. It’s really creamy, and it has a really good flavor. They also have varying grades, so depending on what you’re going to use it for. And they also have other coconut products. Like coconut butter, coconut flakes. I absolutely love their stuff. They also have some high-quality meat and fish and soy free eggs. I haven’t purchased their meat. Actually, I’ve purchased turkeys from them. One thanksgiving I tried out their turkeys. They had pasture raised, completely free-range turkey. Super delicious. I find the prices of their meat and fish to be a lot higher than what I can find locally. So that doesn’t work as a source for me. But if you’re in an area that it’s kind of hard to find, and you’re willing to pay what they’re asking, I think they’re a good source there. And they do have those soy free eggs. Which if you’re doing reintroductions, that can really be a great source for people that are worried about maybe the soy and the eggs. To test that out. Angie Alt: And they do have; they offer discounted products and coupons really often. So what I do is I usually, once a year, order a big bulk order of palm shortening and coconut oil. I kind of wait and watch for when they run great discounts or have coupons. One of the discounts they run is free shipping on those big gallon-sized containers of palm shortening and coconut oil. Which is really great, because they’re huge. So the shipping can be kind of pricey on them. But I’ll do that. At the beginning of the year, I ordered palm shortening. You could buy three gallons for free shipping. It was really inexpensive to do that, and then I shared with a friend. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, another thing to know about them is they run tons of sales all the time. So I will never go to their website and just buy everything list price without free shipping. I wait and if you follow them on Facebook or you get their newsletter. I find their newsletter a little bit overwhelming, because they send it a lot. But they always have a deal going on. Like their coconut oil, I actually wait until they have the two for one. So they’ll do the gallon of gold coconut oil, and then they’ll throw in a second one for free. Angie Alt: Yep. I do the same thing. Mickey Trescott: And then if you find a coupon for free shipping, you’re kind of in super luck. I only order from them once or twice a year. But again, it’s that bulk. And the quality; I’ve never had a coconut oil that tastes as great as theirs. So I love it. Angie Alt: Yeah, and I’ve kind of got it timed now. Like, a gallon of each of those. A gallon of the palm shortening definitely lasts me a full year. A gallon of the coconut oil probably lasts me around 6 to 7 months, I guess. I usually go through about two a year. So a really good option there. Angie Alt: Ok. So there’s also a few online specialty stores. They don’t really have a membership. Usually have free shipping over a certain amount. Let’s talk about a few of those. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, we just wanted to mention some of these. They’re not all the same, but they have the same idea where they’re trying to create a nice, online store that’s curated with really high-quality products. The first one we’re going to mention is ShopAIP. They are the first ever, 100% AIP compliant online shop. They donate 5% of their products annually to autoimmune related causes. So obviously they’re kind of in this community with us. They’re offering a lot of products that are of interest to people that are on AIP, and if you guys want to have a shopping experience that is 100% AIP, it’s definitely the place to go. Similarly, there are a couple of other companies. One is Barefoot Provisions. And another is called Wild Mountain Paleo Market. So these places both have online stores. You guys can Google them and look them up. They both offer more wider paleo type options. They all have different offerings from each other. So if you’re kind of like an Epic person, you might find one of these stores has more of the goods that you’re looking for. But they all have really well curated stuff. And some of those hardest to find specialty items that you might not find on Thrive or Amazon. I know Wild Mountain Paleo Market has their own AIP compliant pemmican bar, that’s kind of similar to an Epic bar that is super tasty. I actually prefer the flavor of it over the Epic bars. So they have some things like that that are a little bit unusual that you’ll only find there. 5. Buying meat online [31:32] Angie Alt: OK, last but not least. Let’s talk about buying meat online. Which can be a little crazy. In the beginning, it seems a little crazy. But there are some really great options out there. Mickey Trescott: You know, I love all of these new companies that are trying to think about how we buy meat. Because that’s one of the hardest things about transitioning to this lifestyle, is just finding a really good source of meat. And not everyone has a farmer in their backyard. So Butcher Box is the first company we’re going to talk about. They have a monthly subscription box with a variety of meats that are great for people that don’t have a freezer. So how it works is you pick out the size of box. It’s almost like a CSA. Like an online meat CSA. They source a variety of proteins from really great farms in the US. So they might send you a couple of pork chops. Maybe a chicken. Maybe some ground beef. Depending on the size of the box that you’re getting. And they’ll mail it to you in a cooler box once a month. So that’s really great for people that don’t have a lot of space to store things. I know Angie and I have both tried their service. I’m like a bulk meat hoarder, so I don’t need a service like that. But I thought that the quality of the meat was really top notch. Angie Alt: Yeah, I thought the quality of the meat was really great too. And I used it for a short time back in; hmm, I don’t remember if that 2017 or 2016. All the years are blurring together, Mick. Mickey Trescott: I know. We’ve been at this for a while. Angie Alt: We’ve been at this for a while. But anyway. I tried it out for a while while I was kind of waiting for my farmer, who was getting together a meat CSA for herself. And then once she got that together, I of course wanted to support somebody local. And you know, a farm that I could see and I could see those animals and how they were living and everything. It turned out to be an option that I didn’t need in the long term. But in that interim piece, it was great. It was really helpful. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. So also, there’s a company called Crowd Cow. This is a really interesting startup that allows people to purchase a portion of a cow online. So they’ll put on their website that a farm has a certain amount of shares. And then you can purchase as much of the cow that works for you. And they kind of crowd source the selling of all of the cow so that everyone gets a really great price. It’s almost like an online cow-buying club. Angie Alt: Yeah. And I love the name. Crowd Cow. It’s so cute and fun. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Yeah. It really is. Angie Alt: Ok, so the old standby that a lot of us know about in the community, because they’ve kind of been around with us all for quite a while is US Wellness Meats. They sell meat by the cut online. I think pretty much everybody in the AIP community knows that they’re a great source of sugar-free bacon, and they also have a lot of pastured organ meats. Mickey Trescott: Yep. They sell meat by the cut. So they have more of a traditional store. When you go to US Wellness; I think it’s actually grasslandbeef.com. You’ll see the meat being sold by the cut. Which, for me, when I’m doing recipe development, a lot of times I run out of organ meats because I buy the whole animals and I actually always buy from US Wellness when that happens. Because they have a really great, clean source. Their poultry is all pastured. And everything is a great high quality. And I think their prices on the organ meats are really good. They also have a great sugar-free uncured bacon ends, which are kind of like the random pieces left over from when they slice and package the regular bacon. And when I make pate, it doesn’t matter, I can just chop that up, fry it up, and use that fat to make that recipe. It doesn’t have to be in a perfectly cut strip. So that’s a little hack there. I like that they sell those ends. It provides an affordable way for people to get their hands on some great bacon. Angie Alt: Yeah. And a few times in the past, when I’ve kind of been in desperation for bones, and things like that for bone broth, I’ve ordered from them. When I was working on my first cookbook, I kind of ran into a tight spot, and needed some specialty cuts, and I got them from them, too. So very helpful. And then for seafood, a great option online is Vital Choice Seafood. This is really high-quality seafood sold online. Mickey Trescott: Yep. They have a great store, and some great products. Both frozen and then they also have some canned products, as well. Angie Alt: Yeah. And I think, if I remember right, Vital Choice was started by an actual fisherman. He was really wanting to make sure that people had this option. Mickey Trescott: That’s awesome. I know there’s a lot of you guys in the middle of the country that don’t have the access to high-quality seafood that we do living on the coast. So having frozen seafood is a really great option. Especially because if the company is doing it right, which I think this is Vital Choices’ practice. They’ll freeze the fish on the boat, so it’s super, super fresh. I have a little bit of an issue with histamine with seafoods, and I can definitely tell when I don’t get seafood that has been handled properly. So I actually almost exclusively eat frozen seafood, because it minimizes that risk of having a histamine reaction. Angie Alt: Right. Ok, so hopefully you guys aren’t going to find this list of options too overwhelming. We recommend you check out all of these options, and pick one or two to test out for a while and see if you like their system, if you like their products. And if it actually helps you save money. Mickey and I are definitely not using all of these options all the time ourselves. It was about finding out what was the most convenient and affordable for us. And we hope that you’ll be able to take these choices and do something similar to kind of tweak your budget and stay with the real food approach. So, we’ll be back next week with another episode, you guys. Take care everyone. Mickey Trescott: Bye guys! Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E5 – Buying Clubs + Online Markets appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 4 is all about the best ways to source produce — veggies and fruit — with budget in mind. This is a deep dive into all things produce sourcing! We cover our personal sourcing tips and how we personally save money, and we chat with our guest, Tyler Boggs of Heart2Heart Farms, about the benefits of CSAs and how to source your fruits and veggies if you can’t afford organic. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast!   Topics: 1. Budget friendly sourcing of produce [2:14] 2. Personal sourcing tips from Mickey and Angie [8:40] 3. Guest interview with Tyler Boggs of Heart2Heart Farms [14:22] 4. Personal approach to budgeting for produce [18:54] 5. Produce scoring stories [24:24] 6. Sourcing when you can’t afford organic [29:45] 7. Benefits of a CSA [34:01] Angie Alt: Hi everyone! Angie here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast season 3. How are you doing, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: I’m doing great, how about you Angie? Angie Alt: I’m good. I’ve been flying around to the West Coast a bunch, but I am home today and ready to chat about our next topic. Mickey Trescott: I know, Angie’s been like a little ping-pong ball, back and forth. Angie Alt: It’s been kind of crazy. I just traveled out to the West three times in three weeks, you guys. But I’m ready to do it. Anything for the cause. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: {laughs} 1. Budget friendly sourcing of produce [2:14] Angie Alt: Ok, so today we’re continuing our discussion related to the topic this season, real food on a budget. This episode is going to be about how to source produce. From veggies to fruit with a budget in mind. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, so we really wanted to take a deep dive into all things produce sourcing. Because there’s kind of a lot of nuance here. So if you guys have the Autoimmune Wellness Handbook, you will be familiar with the concept of good, better, and best that we talk about when it comes to food sourcing in general. But we kind of wanted to go over it in terms of produce. So what this means is that you have a few different layers of quality that you can choose to buy your produce. So instead of saying everybody needs to buy the highest level, and this is the only way to heal. We’re kind of presenting a variety of ways that you guys can plan your sourcing. So that you can make the most use of the resources that you have. So first category is good. This is for those of you who can’t get all organic fruits and vegetables. What we recommend doing is to start with the Environmental Working Groups list of dirtiest and cleanest produce. If you guys do a quick Google, type in EWG dirty dozen, and clean 15, you’ll come up with a cute little chart where the Environmental Working Group has tested all the fruits and vegetables in production in the US, and they’ve identified the ones that have the highest chemical residue of pesticides and stuff. So, this is a really great way to kind of prioritize your fruit and veggie choices, right Angie? Angie Alt: Yeah. Well, this is a way for you to kind of get the max out of the foods that you can afford to buy organic, and kind of be really strategic about those purchases, so you’re not having to spend so much money on totally organic and utilizing the research to do that. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So the 2017 dirty dozen list; I have it pulled up here. They don’t have the 2018 list out yet. I think it’s coming out soon. But the dirty dozen. These are the fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticides. Strawberries, apples, nectarines, peaches, celery, grapes, cherries, spinach, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. We know you guys are probably not eating tomatoes and sweet bell peppers, if you’re on AIP. But those are going to be foods that have the highest pesticides. And you know, some of those are pretty surprising to me. Like cucumbers, I maybe wouldn’t have thought. But you know, those are the ones that were tested. The clean 15 list has avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, cabbage, sweet peas, onions, mangos, asparagus, papaya, kiwi, eggplant, honeydew, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and cauliflower. So these were the vegetables that were shown to have the least amount of pesticides. So they might be ok for you to get conventional. So some things like cauliflower, or cabbage, or onions. These are vegetables that are AIP friendly. Avocado. I buy conventional avocados a lot just because they’re on the top of the clean 15 list, they don’t have a lot of pesticides, and also they have a nice thick skin. And organic avocados; super expensive. Angie Alt: Super expensive. Yeah, I do totally the same thing. One thing I didn’t realize, though. I hadn’t realized that cauliflower was on the clean 15 list, and I’ve been buying organic. So I’ll probably switch up. Because I like to use a lot of different cauliflower in my cooking. Mickey Trescott: Yep. Yeah, so in addition to the dirty dozen and the clean 15 and kind of being able to prioritize there; something else you can do is watch for some sales on organic local in-season produce. So it’s usually way more economical to buy this way and checking out frozen vegetables. A lot of times freezing preserves nutrients, and is also lower cost. So if you guys are just getting started with upping the quality of your food, some of those recommendations might work for you. Angie Alt: Right. So moving onto the better category. So this is the next step up in terms of budgeting and sourcing. If you can avoid some organic produce, you can focus on organic versions of those on the dirty dozen list. And round out a variety with the non-organic fruits and vegetables from that clean 15 list that we talked about. And you can shop at your local farmer’s market, and look for great deals on organic local produce. If you focus on the local produce, the idea here is that you might find that your budget actually accommodates more of the organic. Because you won’t have the shipping cost as part of the premium you’re paying at the store. Mickey Trescott: And then the best. So if you’re going to go all out and get the best produce you possibly can, which we recommend over the long term the more you can shift that budget to kind of up the food quality all across the board, you would be getting all, or as much of your produce as possible, organic, local, and in season. A great way to do this is by joining a CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture. This is when you pay the share of a farmer’s produce at the beginning of the season, and then the farmer has that money to invest and creating that harvest. And then you pick it up weekly. Sometimes they’ll deliver it to you. And then filling in whatever you’re not getting there with a variety at the farmer’s market co-op, natural food store. I would also add her that the very, very best is actually growing your own. Right? So if you have complete control over all aspects of producing your food, that’s the most sustainable and it’s going to be the freshest. It’s going to be, obviously, the most in-season because you don’t have all the tricks that all the industrial even organic food growers have up their sleeves. And it’s going to be really convenient; it’s going to be right at home. 2. Personal sourcing tips from Mickey and Angie [8:30] Angie Alt: Right. So great option if you can do that. So maybe we should talk about how we source our produce, Mickey. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So I live in Willamette Valley in Oregon. I live in an area where I can grow a lot. And actually something that I am striving to do better every single year is to become more self-reliant and grow my own food. So, we have a big herb garden that we use year-round. I grow lots of greens like kale, chard, lettuces, and zucchini. Something that I learned, even when I lived in Seattle in the city when I really didn’t have a lot of food budget for good produce, was I actually found a chart online that said the most expensive produce per ounce from high to low. And actually, the highest cost that we pay in the store is actually herbs and greens. So things like cilantro, rosemary, thyme. And then the greens like the baby lettuces, spinach, kale, chard. And those are actually the easiest things to grow and they take the smallest amount of room. They don’t need a super deep bed. A lot of them can be grown in pots. So those are things that I prioritize growing just because of cost. Another thing that I do is I pick my own in the summer. In the summer, there’s a crazy bounty of things like berries. My husband and I will go to the farm and we’ll pick pounds and pounds of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and then we’ll freeze them. And like right now, it’s the middle of winter, and we still have a bunch of frozen berries from the summer. Something else we do is we harvest persimmons from a persimmon tree in the winter, and so kind of the flip side. And then I have different produce sourcing depending on if it’s summer or if it’s winter. Because even though we live somewhere that food grows, it’s not totally year-round. So in the summer, that’s when it’s amazing bounty all the time. I like to go to the farmer’s market. I haven’t been doing a CSA the last couple of years because I’ve been traveling so much that it’s a little complicated trying to figure out what to do with that food. I’m considering it this year because I’m not traveling as much. In the winter, I fill in the gaps with like a Fred Myers, which for those of you who don’t live in the Northwest, it’s kind of like a Walmart. I don’t actually have a great specialty grocer where I live. I don’t have a Whole Foods, or even a Sprouts or Trader Joe’s. So actually surprisingly, they have a pretty good selection of organic produce in the winter. It’s the same industrial organic stuff that you find at Whole Foods. Honestly, it’s a lot cheaper because it’s not in a fancy store. But that’s where I kind of round out my produce when I have to. Angie Alt: Awesome. So, I also have a mix, depending on the season. In the summertime, I get 100% organic CSA from my local farmer. The same farmer that I get most of my meat from. And she grows a bunch of different herbs, greens, onions, some fruits. Honestly, there’s a lot of nightshades in that CSA, but my husband and daughter can enjoy some of that. or we share it with neighbors or friends. Even when I travel, I like having the weekly CSA. I usually arrange with a friend of mine who also enjoys this quality of food and have her pick up my CSA, and basically share it with her family. Like a little gift to her when I’m traveling. And then in the winter, I mostly use Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, and I get a combination of organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables. Usually based on that Environmental Working Groups guide. I don’t grow a lot of my own, because I live in a pretty urban/suburban area and I don’t really have a space for that. I have done a little bit of pot gardening in the past. Growing some greens in pots and stuff on our balcony. Mostly I stick to purchasing from my local farms, or the Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods combo. So that’s it. That’s my produce sourcing. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. I think it’s good to just share with people the different ways that we get our hands on this stuff. I am blessed to live kind of in farm country, but I also don’t have a good grocery store right by me. So by necessity, I’m forced to be a little more self-reliant. And Angie, I know you have a lot of options as far as stores around you, and you can actually leverage that and shop around. It’s more convenient for you to kind of see where you can get for the best price. Angie Alt: Right. Right. Ok, so that’s it for the first half of this episode, you guys. We’ll be back after the break with a guest who is going to help us expand these ideas. He’s kind of amazing. We can’t wait to share. Mickey Trescott: A quick word from our title sponsor this season, the Nutritional Therapy Association. The NTA empowers it’s graduates to source, prepare, and integrate a variety of well-sourced plant foods as part of a nutrient dense diet. For example, did you know that the betaine in beets aids digestion? Chromium in romaine lettuce can help regulate blood sugar? And that brussels sprouts have been found to boost beneficial gut bacteria? Through their nutritional therapy practitioner training program, which I took in 2012, and the nutritional therapy consultant program, which Angie took in 2015, the NTA teaches students to use foods therapeutically and focuses on building foundational health by integrating customized diets based on everybody’s unique needs. For more information on the NTA’s nutritional therapy programs, and to access their free 7-day 101 course, check out their website at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 3. Guest interview with Tyler Boggs of Heart2Heart Farms [14:22] Mickey Trescott: Alright guys, onto our interview for today. It’s just Mickey for this segment. Today we are speaking with Tyler Boggs, one half of the duo behind the incredible Heart2Heart Farms here in Oregon, with his wife, Elizabeth. Tyler and Elizabeth started raising animals and growing food after they converted to a real food lifestyle, but found that it was difficult to afford it. Not only did they start their farm to produce food for themselves, but they passionately developed a barter and work-trade systems to allow those in need to feed those they love. A few short years later, Tyler has never been happier, sharing what he has and providing a sanctuary where people can nourish their bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. Other than being a good husband and father, there is no higher caller in the world to him than that. Thank you so much, Tyler, for joining us from Sherwood, Oregon. Your neighbor! As you know, we’re just kicking off a very focused podcast season dedicated to helping people making a healing diet and lifestyle fit into their budget. We know this is an area that you have a ton of expertise in, and I’m really excited to get started talking to you today. Tyler Boggs: Thank you, Mickey. We’re super excited as well. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. So, first we know that your farm was born out of a personal struggle to afford this high-quality food. We know a lot of other people struggle with this, too, and they might resonate with your story. So can you tell us a little bit about how those circumstances lead to the creation of Heart2Heart farms? Tyler Boggs: Yeah. Tight budget leads to necessity. So when we decided to eat organic; it started with just becoming jaded with the food industry in general and deciding enough is enough. And we needed to get the chemicals out of our food. And when we did that, our food bill went up to over $1400 a month. Almost immediately. And that just wasn’t sustainable. So we immediately just started to get creative. And the first thing that we thought of; I mean, a seed packet was $2. And we didn’t really know anything. I mean, I grew up on a farm. but I deployed very early and spent a bunch of years overseas. So I didn’t have much experience personally farming. So we just got on Google. We bought some seed packets and got on Google, and started planting and failing miserably. But at $2 a seed packet, you can have a lot of failure and still produce a bunch of food. And the result was, we actually ended up producing more than we needed in many areas, and giving that away. and then people would request. Once we started doing that, people would say; I’d like something of this, and I’d like some of this. And it grew, no pun intended, organically. And then we started the farm just through that. So believe it or not, it was seed packets and Google. Mickey Trescott: Wow. Tyler Boggs: Desperation. We made the commitment that we were done with the food industry. And we would do whatever it takes. You would be surprised at what $20 in seed will buy. A weekly grocery budget for us would produce a whole season full of food. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, that’s really interesting. I think a lot of people aren’t really even familiar with those seed packets. But what would you even ballpark estimate one of those $2 packets of seeds; for something even as expensive at the store as like kale or lettuce or something. What’s the dollar value ballpark for something like that? Tyler Boggs: You’re looking at probably 1000%. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Tyler Boggs: It’s 100 times. It’s super, super; at retail prices, that $2 seed packet will produce hundreds and hundreds of dollars’ worth of produce at a retail rate. Especially if you’re talking about organic produce. And for us, it was really just the scary piece was that we’d never done it and we didn’t want to mess it up. And not having the basic foundation really prevented us, for a long time, from just starting to put seeds in the ground. But really, that’s it. It’s just starting to put seeds in the ground. My wife is a part of all of these wonderful Facebook groups where she can just take a picture of the plant, and post it to this group, and they can tell her what it needs. At the very beginning, that was critical. They’d say; it needs more water. The soil doesn’t have enough nitrogen. And these plant experts were just willing to give all their incredible advice. I mean, it really didn’t take much. It was just the getting started and overcoming that fear of messing it up. 4. Personal approach to budgeting for produce [18:54] Mickey Trescott: I love that. that’s so cool. So, can you tell me a little bit about your family’s personal approach to stretching your food budget, especially in terms of produce. How do you make the most of what you’ve got? Tyler Boggs: That’s a super great question. And that was probably the biggest challenge up front. Number one was self-reliance. Really deciding that we were going to be the beginning and end. We were going to take whatever action we needed to to make sure that our family was eating chemical free. So self-reliance, and then that action step. We were going to act, even if we didn’t have all the information. We were just going to get started. But the other piece that was really important, was seasonal abundance and eating seasonally. One of the things that we’ve found is, whether it’s a farmer or somebody who just has a garden in their back yard. There are crops that over produce. Whether it’s tomatoes in the late summer, or whether it’s zucchini in the early fall. It doesn’t take; one bush will provide more than a family needs. So there are lots and lots and lots of people. As long as you’re willing to eat what’s available seasonally and search that stuff out. In the summer you’ve got pears and apple trees all down the highway and the roads. It’s just a matter of finding them. And they’ll drop far more fruit than anybody generally uses. So if we’re willing to shift our diet and eat what’s in season, and what’s abundant; that really helped immensely, as well. Just looking for those opportunities. Finding out what gets ripe and when. I remember, every time we’d go for a walk or go for a drive, we’d write down where apple trees, and pear trees, and fruit trees were on the sides of the road. Because inevitably, all you’ve got to know is when they get ripe, and they just drop the fruit. 90% of it rots on the ground. So self-reliance, seasonal eating. Preserving; preservation. Liz is a fermentationist. So preservation is a huge piece of what she does in fermentation. But also drying and dehydrating. And then pressure canning, and even water bath canning. So, preserve, preserve, preserve. When those things are in abundance, and you get 100 pounds of apples, obviously we can’t eat those before they go bad. So finding a way to make sure that they last. Even if you can get them to last a couple of months. But ideally, last until the next harvest. So increasing our knowledge in preservation. And then building community I think is the next step. Because it’s challenging to go this road alone. So we started with one other family. As soon as we got really excited about it, we found a really close friend that was in the same boat. Hurting financially but really wanted to improve their health and change their lifestyle. It’s amazing how much more energy you have working with one other couple. And instead of doing it just for yourself, which can become monotonous and tiresome; now all of a sudden, you’re kind of the champion and cheerleader for somebody else who you know is hurting as well. And it makes it much harder to quit. And then ultimately building a network. Three, four, five families where we can all keep our eyes out for trees that are going into harvest and abundances becoming available. And then, eventually reaching out and developing a gleaning network with farmers. Where, when you’ve got a team of three or four or five families; now all of a sudden you can be super useful to a farmer when they have abundance, either gather that or get it to families in need. So I would say, if I were to really boil it down as far as our personal approach, it would be just those five areas. Self-reliance, eating seasonally and taking advantage of seasonal abundance that’s wasted, preservation, building community, and then ultimately developing a larger network that can keep their eyes open for stuff that’s going to waste. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I love that, Tyler. And something that I’m noticing. There’s a really strong theme in personal responsibility. It really sounds like you guys didn’t allow yourselves to be victim to not having enough money to afford what you want. You really were willing to go out and figure out a system in some very unconventional ways to make this work for you. And I think that’s really interesting. A lot of people go to the store, and we have everything in all seasons. So we’re kind of lulled into thinking we can get whatever we want whenever we want. And we don’t really realize how against nature that is, right? Zucchini in January is just like; when you see things grow in the ground, you just realize how unusual that is. So I think that’s really awesome advice. And I would really encourage people to just kind of start thinking about seasonally. And how much extra there is at certain times of the year, and how they could take advantage of that. that is really smart thinking. Tyler Boggs: And being easy on yourself. This desperation was born out of a victim mindset that had been in place for years. And so just because; so we took action once. It doesn’t mean we always took action. I think we were just kind of fed up. We were sick and tired of being sick and tired, we knew we needed to make a change, and nobody else was going to make it for us. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Tyler Boggs: It just takes that one decision to go from that mindset of; we can’t afford it. To. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. What am I going to do to fix it? Tyler Boggs: How can we figure this out. 5. Produce scoring stories [24:24] Mickey Trescott: I love that. that’s so empowering. That’s what we’re all about. So we know that you specialize in some really creative food sourcing, and you have some opportunities for people in our community. Can you share an interesting story of scoring some delicious food for very little or no money? Tyler Boggs: {laughs} I could bore you with probably hours of stories. When it comes to; I think as you build a network and community, and really develop the mindset. Or as we developed the mindset that we were going to do this no matter what, doors started opening. And we started talking about sharing abundance with the community. And that was inspirational to many people. So I had a gentleman call me and say; hey, I’ve got a guy and he works in sales for this company and they sell produce. There’s a bunch of waste, and here’s his name. And when we gave him a call, that developed into a relationship with our first wholesaler, which was Nasdaq produce. We just gave him a call and said; hey, this is what we’re doing. We’ve got a farm. we’re feeding the community. We’re upcycling and gleaning, so if there’s anything that you guys ever have that goes to waste. And this was our first wholesale account. So we would pick up 55-gallon drums. We provided them with 55-gallon drums, and they would fill them with scraps and produce that they were throwing away. and we would bring it back to the farm, and the community would sort through them and pick out anything that was good. And that ultimately; it started in a pickup truck, and then it went to a pickup truck and horse trailer, and it eventually went to a box truck. But that was thousands and thousands of pounds, just because we made the commitment that anything we had in abundance we were going to share with the community first. And that was a 3-year relationship, which actually opened the door to most of our other relationships. And we had a similar story where a friend had a plum tree. Or a friend of a friend of a friend was actually I think how it went. But once people heard that we were sharing; gleaning and sharing with the community. Plum trees are one of those things that are super obnoxious to people in their backyard. Because when they fall, the yellow jackets get all over, and then their kids get stung with bees. So I’ve found everybody with pear and plum trees; everybody wants you to help with because they drop massive amounts in a very short period of time, because the bees go crazy and their kids get stung. We actually were able to go and harvest hundreds and hundreds of pounds of these plums. We did it a separate time with pear trees, as well. And we just bring it back. We dry a bunch. We gave a bunch out fresh. The ones that weren’t super pretty we dried and dehydrated. And the ones that were even less pretty, we ended up pressing. We made the apples into apple cider vinegar, and the pears into… it’s amazing what you can do with a backyard and a couple of fruit trees. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I love that. the Pacific Northwest, especially. It kind of depends where people live. But I feel like we live in this climate that produces a bounty whether or not someone is tending or not. So between the blackberries and all the fruit trees. Even some of the greens, like dandelion greens and miner’s lettuce. Just the stuff that kind of grows as weeds everywhere. We have a bounty, whether or not we even put it there, you know? Tyler Boggs: Absolutely. And the same is true, believe it or not, for livestock. We were talking about seasonal eating earlier. I think one of the things that happened early on for us is that I got a call from somebody that had pigs. And in the winter, pigs become super challenging. Especially if people aren’t prepared. And this person had had a couple of litters of pigs, and they weren’t prepared. And then in the middle of winter they needed to get rid of them. So they had four pigs. And they asked if we could take them. And I said; well we don’t really have room for them but I could probably find somebody that does. So we created a relationship where if we found homes for three we would get one for free. And for us, that was a huge deal. So it just took some leg work to find homes for three pigs. Find three people that wanted; essentially they were selling them for half of what the market was selling at. So all we had to do was do a little bit of leg work, and to get a free pig out of the deal was just super incredible. And that’s hundreds and hundreds of dollars’ worth of meat. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, totally. Actually, Tyler, I don’t know if you know this, but we got a pig from you last year. My mom did. And she bred it, and now we have 9 pigs. Tyler Boggs: {laughs} It happens quickly! Mickey Trescott: She paid for the pig, but all of a sudden we’ve got all this meat running around. And she’s going to sell most of them. But what ended up as a couple-hundred dollar investment has turned into thousands of dollars. And they’re eating all of our waste. All of the scraps. Running around the farm, kind of taking over. So it’s kind of fun. Tyler Boggs: That’s so good to hear. And I love that. the whole goal is to help people get self-sufficient. And it’s amazing how little it takes. People were so intimidated by it. But if we just decide that we’re going to do it, and then seek out the information. It really is simple. So great job; that’s super exciting to hear. Mickey Trescott: Yeah! Well, I’ll tell you how it is on the other side when we’re all done with the pig experiment. But right now, it’s at peak cute. They’re really fun to have around. Tyler Boggs: That’s awesome. 6. Sourcing when you can’t afford organic [29:45] Mickey Trescott: So if people can’t afford only organic fruits and vegetables; this is a big topic in our community. What are your tips for sourcing? Tyler Boggs: Oh wow. Well, sourcing. Specifically. I would say; I mean, we made a list of the top 20. You get the top 20 most toxic, and you just make sure that no matter what, those are 100% organic. And the good news is almost all of them grow incredibly well here. In your backyard. Like strawberries, and spinach, and apples, and peaches, and pears, grapes, and celery and tomatoes are on there. And potatoes. But all those things are really simple to grow and they grow really, really well here. So just making sure, whatever you do, the sourcing of those is super, super careful. And then from there, I just really go back to question number two. Focusing on seasonal abundance. Preserving. Building community. Buying seed for those things first. Those are the most toxic. So if those are things that you’re committed to being part of your diet, go get an apple tree. Better yet, here’s an idea. You can go get a willow branch, and soak it in water, and make willow tea. And then you can take a cutting off of an apple tree, cut a branch off, soak it in the tea for 24 hours and root it in the ground and make your own apple tree. You can make hundreds. We actually just did our starts for grapes and for figs this year. And for trimming, we found one gentleman that was pruning a fig tree. This was a couple of years back. And he just hated throwing it all on the burn pile. So we developed a relationship with him. So he would prune his fig trees. And we would come on pruning days, and we’d help him a little bit. And we’d pick up all the starts. And we just made over 800 fig trees from his pruning of his one tree this year. Mickey Trescott: I love that. that’s super creative. Tyler Boggs: The total cost; if you don’t’ want to make willow bark tea, you can actually buy rooting compound at a store. A bottle of it is like $6. So for $6 you create 600 trees. And it will feed hundreds of families. Anyway. That would be my recommendation, is start with the top 20. Make sure you get seeds for those. Start talking to somebody that’s doing it so that you can get a coach, you can get a mentor. Or join a couple of Facebook groups. And really just put some seeds in the ground. Get some stuff started. The most important part is taking a step. Mickey Trescott: I love that. Super awesome. It really shows you what you can do with a little creativity and a little work, starting to plant stuff. I know a lot of people are probably really intimidated. And I would say to any of you guys listening that has some space to grow stuff and you’re still feeling intimidated. Think of maybe how you felt before changing your diet. It was scary and unknown, and you did it, and now it’s not that hard. And I feel it’s really similar with growing things, you know. You might even start with just some herbs in a window sill before you kind of dip your toes into something like growing some of your greens or lettuces or planting a tree. Tyler Boggs: And calling a friend, I think, is really important, as well. Every one of us knows somebody that gardens. And I felt kind of stupid calling. But just saying; hey look. Just putting it out there, and making a phone call. And saying; I’m committed to growing food for my family, but I’m really nervous about this. And I want to be transparent about my feelings. If I have questions, can I call you? And chances are great they’re going to be super excited for you and super willing to help. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, this is a lot of people’s hobby, you know. My grandma, that’s her hobby. Tyler Boggs: Yeah. And that support system is important. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I love that. Tyler Boggs: Whether it’s in nutrition and diet, and health, or whether it’s in gardening and growing food. Having somebody that’s a mentor that you can call when you get frustrated I think is really, really wonderful. 7. Benefits of a CSA [34:01] Mickey Trescott: I love that. So Tyler, can you talk to us about the unique opportunities that CSAs present for both farmer’s and customers? We’d like to help people understand the risk and reward trust that goes into this arrangement. So with a CSA, people are paying a lot of money up front, and that actually helps the farmers be able to produce that harvest for the rest of the year. Tyler Boggs: Yeah, the CSA, the community supported agriculture concept is super phenomenal. My experience is that risk is pretty minimal as long as you’re dealing with somebody that has been farming for a while. Risk is that I will get less broccoli and I will get more cabbage. So if that’s the risk to you, then maybe that’s something to take into consideration. But the opportunity is really for people to save money. Generally speaking, CSAs are a fraction of what it would be to buy at the farmer’s market, or even buy local organic. Huge increase in quality, because you’re getting stuff that’s fresh from the land. Usually it’s picked that morning, and there’s no preservation methods. No shipping. So your quality is through the roof. And then you really get to eat seasonally. You get to eat what the land is producing. Especially if you pick a farm that’s really doing soil building and regenerative farming. If they’re focused on vermiculture and increasing mycelium mycorrhizal cultures. The organic matter in the soil is really important. Then you’re getting a higher nutritional value. Because plant can’t create nutrients out of nothing. So if you’re really careful about the soil that’s being built underneath it and the farmer’s practices, then you’re getting, in your head of lettuce, up to 5-10 times more nutrients than you would be getting even in organic commercial products. Because it’s grown consciously, and the farmer is focused on soil building. So there’s a big difference. With the CSA specifically, the farmer gets to plan their crops. Plan in advance. People don’t realize how expensive and how time-consuming farmer’s markets are. When we did; I don’t know, our first year we did farmer’s markets I think we did 6 or 8 of them. And it was amazing in talking to the other farmers; almost all of them, their goal was to break even. And it was really scary. Because it was so expensive and so time consuming, that their goal was just to get the word out for their farm. and they literally didn’t make any money. So people are spending tons. They’re really paying top dollar at these farmer’s markets, not realizing that the farmer is not getting any of it. Because the cost to the farmer is so expensive. So the CSA allows the farmer to do what a farmer does. Which is farm. He gets to focus on growing his food. He doesn’t have to go to the farmer’s market. He doesn’t have to stress about low-producing crops. He can focus on what’s really doing well that season. And really do what he does best, which is nourish the soil and grow crops and healthy livestock. As opposed to marketing. Mickey Trescott: I love that. that’s really great, Tyler. Thank you so much for that, and thank you so much for this conversation. I think that this has been really eye opening for me. I feel really excited to get some more plants in the ground this year. And renewed in my excitement to just kind of support the local food system and kind of what you’re doing. Will you let our listeners know what you and Elizabeth are working on right now, and kind of where they can find you guys, and how they can support you? Tyler Boggs: OH, yeah, that would be wonderful. So we’ve got the food pantry, which is for everybody in need. There is no restriction. And that’s Good Neighbor Family Pantry. And that’s at www. GoodNeighborFamilyPantry.org. Or obviously on Facebook. Just Good Neighbor Family Pantry. And then the farm is Heart2Heart Farms. And that’s again on Facebook and on the web. The farm has the work for livestock and work for meats program, where we allow people to show up. We set aside about 50% of everything that we produce for people to work-trade for and low-income families. We also do bartering for people that have old things they’re not using. Whether it’s tools or firearms and ammunition. Anything we can use out here on the farm. Just bartering. We currently just launched a meat buyers club, which was previously a meat CSA. I’m not even sure if the website is up to date on it yet. But it allows people to have a 6-month subscription. And it saves them as much as 70% off of retail rates when it comes to meat. Which is really, really wonderful for a lot of folks that are hurting financially. And we’re finally delivering. We’re delivering all along the I-5 corridor. So all the way up to Olympia and all the way down to Roseburg, which is really kind of neat. But the goal, everything that we do is really to help create self-sufficiency. We had a client that just reached out. He was buying rabbits every week. So I just asked him; I pulled him aside and said; look, you’re spending a bunch of money on rabbit every week. And he said, well it’s the only meat that doesn’t make me sick. We had a wonderful conversation about his health and about his goals. And I said; look. If you just spent what you would spend in two weeks on rabbits, I could get you a breeding trio, and I’ll teach you how to breed them. Because a lot of what we do is consultation. My goal is really to help people get self-sufficient. So he bought a trio of rabbits, and I taught him how to breed. He just had his first litter of babies. So now he’s able to supply his family and his community with chemical-free meats from his backyard. And he’s no longer purchasing meat on a regular basis. So that’s the other piece. If people are really serious about this, don’t be afraid to reach out to us. Send me a message on Facebook, or send us a message on the website. We do a lot of consultation. We do basic farm tours for people that are really serious about creating this lifestyle and want to come out and kind of see what we’re doing. And then, of course, we try to provide resources that equip people. Everything from super foods and tuberose starch like Yukon and sunchoke, to even trailer rental and livestock hauling and helping people get established with breeding stock. And then our foster pig program and birthday parties are super popular if you just want to support us. But go to the website, check us out. More than anything else, I would say just get started. This is simpler than you think it is, and feeing yourself chemical free; there’s been nothing that’s been more life changing for me. Mickey Trescott: I love it so much, Tyler. Your passion really comes through. And I can’t believe I’m sitting here. And you’re like; “And then we do this food gleaning program. And then the meat.” It’s like, you guys are incredible. You can tell that your fires are lit, and you and Elizabeth really care about your community and spreading this information far and wide. So thank you so much for what you do and agreeing to have this conversation. Everybody else, we’ll be back next week. I hope you guys are super inspired. Take care. Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E4 – Sourcing Vegetables w/ Tyler Boggs appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 3 is all about options for sourcing high-quality meat. We start by discussing the concept of “good, better, and best” when it comes to meat quality, and share how we source our meat. Then, we interview Diana Rodgers, the creator of the new documentary Kale vs. Cow, about how to best source protein other than beef, and what we can all do to become more sustainable. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Quality of meat on a scale [3:29] 2. How Mickey and Angie source their meat [8:22] 3. Interview with Diana Rodgers [20:45] 4. Sourcing protein other than beef [26:23] 5. Joining the sustainability movement [29:07] 6. Kale Versus Cow documentary [36:57] Mickey Trescott: Hey everybody! Mickey here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How’s it going today, Angie? Angie Alt: It’s going well. I’m excited to talk about this topic. I know it’s kind of weird, but I’m sort of into it. Mickey Trescott: So, today, we’re continuing our discussion related to the topic of the season; real food on a budget. Today’s episode is going to be about options for sourcing high-quality meat. So this is one of the important parts of the autoimmune protocol diet, whether or not you’re on the elimination diet or you’ve done some reintroductions. Making sure that you have some high-quality meat on your plate is definitely important. So first, let’s have a chat about this concept of good, better, and best. Angie, do you want to kind of give a little overview of what we mean by that? Angie Alt: Yeah. It’s basically a scale that we like to use when we’re comparing food quality. I think we first developed it when we wrote our book. Is that right, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Angie Alt: When we wrote The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook, we kind of developed this scale. Because we really wanted folks to understand that just going for it in terms of making a dietary change for healing is worthwhile. Even if it can’t be perfect. We wanted to kind of dispel this perfectionism myth, and help folks understand that there’s a scale here. And how to best use that scale for whatever your budget and your sourcing abilities are. Mickey Trescott: Yep. And I think that’s really important that you highlighted two reasons why it might be different. So, budget and accessibility. Sometimes people have barriers in both those areas. Sometimes one and not the other. So just because you can afford something doesn’t mean you can always find it, and vice versa. 1. Quality of meat on a scale [3:29] Angie Alt: Yeah. So let’s start at the far end of the scale. Let’s start with good. When we say good, in terms of meat quality, we’re talking about if you can’t afford or source grass-fed, or pastured meats, or wild-caught seafood. You can focus on buying leaner cuts of conventionally raised meats. You can still try to make sure they’re at least hormone free. They should be. There are regulations around this stuff. But you can work on adding more organ meats and fish to your diet. Conventionally raised organ meat is inexpensive, and it’s still very nutrient dense. And farmed fish is better for you than no fish at all. I know there’s a lot of folks that there that are going to balk at that, but you can even check in with the Paleo Mom. She’s done the research here. It’s better to get some fish in, no matter what. You can also consider wild-caught canned salmon, tuna, or sardines. Which are relatively cheap, but they’re still packed with nutritional value. Be sure to look for canned fish that’s free of soy and spices, though, if you’re following the autoimmune protocol. And then, you can limit how much conventionally raised poultry you eat, since it does have the lowest value in terms of nutrition. What we mean by buying leaner cuts of other kinds of meat is; looking for less fat. The toxins that kind of accumulate in an animal that’s been fed a less than healthy diet tends to be in the fat. So if you bought conventionally raised pork, you’d trim off the fat on those pork chops. If you had to buy conventionally raised beef, you’d trim off the fat there. That’s what we mean by leaner. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And that kind of goes a little bit against what we normally recommend with AIP. Which is to eat the fat. And that’s because we are advocating for eating higher quality meat. But it’s totally ok, and there is no shame, if you can only afford conventionally raised meat. Just be cautious with that fat content. And a lot of people actually ask about the organ meats. They think that maybe because it’s conventionally raised, that those are a no-go. But actually organ meats are very lean, and conventionally raised organ meats are still ok. And they’re very, very affordable. The next level up is what we call better. So kind of one step above good is if you can afford or source some organic grass-fed or pastured meats. Or even that wild-caught seafood. Focus on buying those fatty cuts. So this is where you can kind of play with the boundary between the different food qualities that you have available to you. Like we said, that fat is really good for you. It’s also where a lot of the toxins are stored. So if you can afford a little bit of that higher quality stuff, think those fatty roasts. Maybe some salmon filets. You might even be able to find some high-quality ground meat on sale from time to time. So you can stock up and freeze that. So that’s kind of how you can use both of those categories to your advantage if you have a little bit in your budget for a little bit higher quality meat. Angie Alt: Right. And then the next step up. This is other far end of the scale. This is what we call best; we refer to as best. That’s getting all your meat and seafood organic grass-fed or pastured, and wild caught. That’s the ideal that we hope we’re all aiming for. Our budget and our sourcing is able to meet both of these. This is like finding farmers or fishmongers from whom you can buy directly in bulk in order to save the most money while still getting the highest quality. You can ask the farmers about buying beef, pork, or lamb in wholes, halves, or quarters. This is buying the whole animal, half the animal, quarter of the animal, to save money. You might be able to share meat with a group of friends if you don’t have enough freezer space or you don’t need to have such large quantities of meat. Buying in bulk keeps the cost down, but you may not have a need for all of that. So sharing is one way to deal with it. It gives you the advantage of the lower bulk price and the higher quality meat. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. And I really think at this best level, we’re not really saying that this is food sourced from a grocery store. But actually at the highest level, ideally you’re working directly with a farmer that is local to you. So for some people, they don’t have local farms around them. You might be ordering meat online from different sources that maybe ship you frozen meat or something. But ideally, everyone should have; in a perfect world, we all have local farms that are raising sustainable and healthy meat that we can actually work directly. And then you can actually go kind of see what the animals are eating. How they’re being treated. And all of that is kind of another add-on to that. 2. How Mickey and Angie source their meat [8:22] Angie Alt: So maybe, Mickey, we could talk about how each of us sources our own protein. Because we have different approaches. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, for sure. We live on opposite sides of the country. Our local food systems are a little bit different. And kind of our life stages and living situations are a little different, too. So, I live on a farm. Although we don’t raise a lot of animals for meat here, but I live in a farming community. So access to quality meat is actually pretty easy for me. One of my neighbors raises a few cattle every year just for the neighborhood on grass. So I buy a cow from my neighbor, and we have it frozen. We buy half and my mom and my sister buy the other half. So we split it. And I keep it in the deep freezer. And that lasts us about a year. For salmon, we have a CSA. Because I live in the Pacific Northwest, so there are a lot of salmon CSAs where a company will go up to Alaska in the summer and they will fish for salmon and then freeze everything on the boat and then bring it back and you buy it in 10/20-pound boxes. So we get a couple of boxes in the summer, and that lasts us for the whole year. And then chicken is actually hardest for me to source, just because it’s very seasonal in my area. So I do have some great farms that raise chicken. But not only is it very expensive, but they’ll raise a group of chickens, and they will harvest all of them. And then when you buy them, I’ll usually buy maybe 12 to 15 chickens. It takes up a lot of room. And that’s the one I have a harder time planning with. So ideally I get them in whole chickens, bulk from a local farm. But I do supplement that with some of the maybe better quality Whole Foods chicken. And then pork, I have got sourced pork locally from different farms by the half. But this year we’re actually raising our own pigs for the first time. So that’s kind of exciting. In the past, though. Now I’ve kind of maybe got it pretty figured out, because I lived on a farm and it’s a lot easier for me than a lot of other people to source meat. But I will say I have lived in the city before I lived out here in the country, and I have had to have some pretty creative sourcing ideas to get really good meat on the table. So some things that I did when I lived in Seattle, first off I had a deep freezer when I had a living situation that wasn’t really ideal for a deep freezer. So I really prioritized that. I bought a little one. It wasn’t giant by any means. But I realized early on that being able to store meat long-term in a freezer was going to help me get more affordable meat. So that was great. I did a CSA for a while in Seattle, where they would deliver me monthly. So I think it was something like 10 or 15 pounds of meat they would deliver in a cooler to the neighborhood. Then you’d go to the house and kind of pick up your order. And that was really handy, because that was before I had the deep freezer. Another thing that I did, just as far as affordability. There was a local farm that I liked to buy organ meat at the farmer’s market. Because their prices, I couldn’t afford for the muscle meat. But I was buying organ meat from them because it was like $3-4 a pound for a heart, liver, or kidney. And I asked them one day; “Do you guys ever end up with a bunch of leftover, freezer burned meat at the end of the season?” And they were like, “Yeah, we have a freezer full of that.” I was like, “What if I bought a quarter of a cow, but just in freezer burned meat. Would you give me a deal?” And they were like; “Actually, we’ll charge you for a quarter of a cow, but we’ll give you half a cow. But we’ll just give you all of the old stuff.” And I was like, heck yeah. That’s amazing. So, all I had to do was slice off that little freezer burned piece, and it really wasn’t that big of a deal. And I got really high-quality meat. And it was really cheap. I actually shared it with my brother, who was trying to eat healthier. So that was one thing I did. Another thing that we did when we lived in Seattle was we had a friend who had some lambs that they offered to sell us one. And my husband wanted to learn how to harvest them. So they were like; if you come out to the farm for a day and help us harvest some of the lambs, then we’ll give you one. So we did that. My husband has kind of been into hunting and fishing throughout the year, so that’s been another kind of alternative way of getting some, obviously, wild meat. Angie Alt: Awesome options there. I love hunting and fishing! Mickey Trescott: I know. It’s not always a guarantee. Angie Alt: Yeah, not always a guarantee. Mickey Trescott: It’s a little more fun than useful. But it’s nice when it works out. Angie Alt: Yeah, right. So I grew up with a lot of hunting and fishing, but that’s not really a good option for me anymore. I live halfway between DC and Baltimore, basically, in a very, very urban/suburban area. And that’s not really a reality of my life right now. What I do in terms of beef, pork, and lamb is get through a local farmer and my friend through a quarterly CSA. So we pay every 3 months for 20-22 pounds of meat for the following three months. And we just pick it up from the farm monthly. And it’s just kind of a selection of the three. It’s all 100% grass-fed, pasture raised, non-GMO. She kind of goes out of her way to adopt all the best practices for raising meat of this kind. So it’s really high quality. In terms of fish, salmon especially, occasionally I get that through bulk shares with friends who are connected to Alaskan fishermen. So they have connections with them. And we buy a whole bunch at once. And then it gets shipped her after it’s been frozen on the boat. And we split it up and all share it. But more often, I have to do it through the grocery store. Sometimes I can get really high quality, wild caught, on sale. And sometimes I use farmed salmon, you guys. Like we were talking about earlier. Eating seafood is better for me than eating none. So sometimes that’s what I do. I also, of course, use canned salmon, canned tuna, those kinds of things so I can get the best quality for a little cheaper. And then, like Mickey said, chicken is very hard to source, even here. So occasionally I can get it through local farms. Really high-quality chicken that’s been pastured and everything. But more often, I have to get it through the grocery store. And I try to pick really the best quality I can find in the grocery store. And when it’s on sale, I’ll tend to buy a lot of it and kind of stock up and have it available. That said, we only have chicken in the rotation in our diet about once a week. So we don’t have a super, super high need for it. But I keep the best quality I can kind of stocked up in our freezer that way. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, something I wanted to mention, too, is occasionally I will order online. So US Wellness Meats. Because I order a lot of stuff throughout the year. And then it’s august, our freezer is full. And through the rest of the year we’re kind of draining through it. I’ll run out of things. Like, really often, those organ meats. I just don’t have enough, and the farms will be out. Sometimes I order from US Wellness, and I’ll get their sugar free bacon, which is pastured. Its’ really good. And actually what I get is the ends, and I use that to make my pates. Because they don’t need to be slices. It’s a lot cheaper than buying the slices of bacon. It’s just kind of the ends from making the bacon. And then I’ll also get chicken liver, and beef liver, and sometimes even bison or lamb liver. Because they have the highest quality, and they have pretty good prices on the organ meats. And they ship everything frozen, so it’s really convenient. Angie Alt: Right. For instance, in my CSA, I usually take advantage of a lot of the ground meats. The other folks subscribing to that CSA with my farmer are looking for nice steaks and things like that. I’ll usually try and get as much of the ground meat as I can and kind of stretch that really far. And as much of the organs I can get, I’ll take them. But you know, there’s only one liver per animal. Only one heart per animal. So sometimes it’s hard to source those, even from my local farmer. I’m always like; keep it a secret. Don’t tell anybody you have it. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Once I was visiting my local farmer, and she was like; “Oh, that whole freezer is full of liver. You can have as much as you want.” Angie Alt: Oh my gosh. Mickey Trescott: And I was like; “You do know who you’re talking to, right?” So you guys, the secret is kind of out. I’ve even noticed, since I started writing about eating more organ meat. I think I wrote once on my blog. I mentioned my source and that I paid $3 a pound. And then someone emailed me and said; “They’ve raised their prices to $7 because everyone’s buying them out of liver.” And I was like, oh man. The secret is out you guys. They know that people want it now. And unfortunately, the price is going up just a little bit. Angie Alt: That all I said. I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that I’m really excited to talk about this topic. I think the reason I’m so excited is because I really do know my farmers. And I really have become close friends with those people. And I really respect what they do. So I’m happy for them, that they’re seeing this positive change in being able to earn a living providing this really high-quality food for all of us. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, I totally agree. This is where the majority of my food budget goes, is actually sourcing high quality meat. And I’m really happy to be spending a little more money than maybe I think it should cost. Although, when you visit the farm and you see how much work and we’re actually seeing now with the pigs, actually how much effort and food it goes into to kind of feed these animals, and the time, and just kind of rotating them around and cleaning up after them. It’s a lot of work. And it’s very valuable. And when done well, it’s definitely worth it. I’m less likely to want to pay those same prices in the grocery store. So when you work directly with your farmer, you kind of see where your money is going. And then when you kind of go to those specialty grocers. Sometimes it’s even more expensive than working directly with a farmer. I’m really turned off by that. So I really don’t buy a lot of meat or seafood at the grocery store, if I can avoid it. Angie Alt: Ok you guys. We’ll be back after the break to chat with a lady who is going to help us go even deeper into this topic. She basically knows everything about it. Stay tuned. Mickey Trescott: A quick word from our title sponsor this evening, The Nutritional Therapy Association. In the next segment, we’re about the jump on the line with another NTP like myself, Diana Rodgers. Both of us received our certifications from our podcast sponsor this season, The Nutritional Therapy Association. The NTA emphasizes local, whole, properly prepared, nutrient dense foods, like well sourced meat, as the key to restoring balance and enhancing the body’s ability to heal. They are committed to educating the community about humane, sustainable farming practices, as well as about sourcing, preparation, and healing properties of well raised and wild-caught animal products. Their nutritional therapy practitioner course has workshop venues all across the US, Canada, and Australia. So if this is something that you’re interested in, it’s like there will be a venue that works for you. Check out the free 7-day nutritional therapy 101 course and learn more about the NTP program at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 3. Interview with Diana Rodgers [20:45] Angie Alt: Hi everybody! We are back with Diana Rodgers. She is a real food, licensed registered dietician nutritionist, and a fellow nutritional therapist. She lives on a working organic farm in Massachusetts. She’s also an international speaker, author, podcast host, and mom. Plus, Diana is the force behind the upcoming documentary, Kale Versus Cow. It’s safe to say that if you want to know anything about nutrition and sustainability, social justice, animal welfare, or food policy issues, she is the lady. We have tremendous respect at Autoimmune Wellness for Diana’s work in our community. Welcome, Diana. Diana Rodgers: Hi, thanks for having me. Angie Alt: Yeah, thanks for being here. As you know, we’re going to dive into the specifics of sourcing high quality meat when undertaking a healing protocol like AIP. But in the most budget conscious ways. And we know this is an area of expertise for you, and we’re excited to pick your brain. Diana Rodgers: Yeah, great. Shoot away with your questions. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. So first, Diana, we’d like to start out with a big why. Our audience should be familiar by now on the argument for eating animals that have been feed a biologically appropriate diet. But can you give us a simple rundown of why it’s so important for us to care about our meat quality in this way? Diana Rodgers: Sure. There are three main reasons, I think, that are so important to buy better meat. One is just the nutrition aspects of it. Two would be the environmental benefits of it. So a little bit bigger picture. And then three would be the ethical reasons. So I’m on the board of Animal Welfare Approved. And animals that are raised in a way that works with nature. Much more close to how they would live in the wild is just; not only environmentally better and produces better meat. But it’s also kinder to the animals. So when folks are sort of making their decisions about what kinds of meat to buy, I think that it should be equally important to want to source meat that was raised in a way that the animals were treated well. That they were given a swift, humane slaughter. And that was in a way that was regenerative to our soils and to the land. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I think that regenerative quality to the soil is a really important piece that a lot of people really miss. Can you give some examples of maybe how animals can be raised in a way that actually heals the planet? Because I think a lot of people are familiar with the argument that animal husbandry is destroying the planet? Diana Rodgers: Sure. My focus lately has been mostly on red meat. Because first of all, it’s the most nutrient dense when you look at land farmed animals. So compared to chicken or pork, red meat from ruminants has B12 and iron, and the other two don’t really have that. And the fatty acid profile of grass-fed red meat far exceeds that of typical chicken or pork. So, it is possible to find pasture raised chicken and pasture raised pork. But it’s a lot easier to find grass-fed beef. So that’s why I like to sort of focus more on that. And it’s also the most vilified for health reasons and for environmental reasons, and wrongly so. So when we look at the environmental impact of well managed cattle, what we see is a system that actually works much more similar to a healthy ecosystem out in nature. So when we have cows, or cattle I should say, that are grazing in a well-managed system. So not just out on grass. It’s even deeper than that. When they’re managed in a way that; some people call it holistic management. Some people call it mob grazing. There’s a bunch of different terms. Basically, it’s intensively grazing the cattle on a small piece of land, and then moving them quite frequently in order to maximize the nutrition for the cattle. So they’re not just running around, picking at their favorite grasses and different species in there. They’re eating everything down, and then they’re quickly moved on so the land has a chance to rest. And in that rest period is when we can see carbon sequestration. The manure is having a chance to inoculate the soil with healthy bacteria. And it also supports just a healthy ecosystem with more pollinators, insects, more birds. So it’s a much healthier ecosystem when you look at cows that are managed that way. Which is similar to, if you picture herds of grazers in Africa moving across the savannah, they’re moving quickly because they’re moving away from predators. And we can mimic that with electric fencing, and just keep on moving them. And that way the land actually has a chance to heal and it’s not overgrazed. Angie Alt: OK. We’re getting the full education here, you guys. Diana Rodgers: Yeah, I don’t know how deep to go because I know we don’t have a ton of time. Angie Alt: No, we love it. Diana Rodgers: Also their impact improves water holding capacity. So when it rains, the land actually acts more like a sponge instead of flooding and landslides. Which can happen in more brittle environments. So particularly in areas where it’s more desert like, grazing animals on that land instead of cropping it is just a win-win. 4. Sourcing protein other than beef [26:23] Angie Alt: That’s awesome. So I’m just a little bit curious, now, Diana. And I know that it’s easier to source grass-fed beef and how this works with the cattle. But can you explain how does this work in terms of pork or chicken? Diana Rodgers: Birds eat seeds. So even people that raise pastured chicken general feed their chickens grains. Because chickens and pigs are monogastric. They actually process grains a lot better than cattle. Which are ruminants, and really do best on grass. So here on our farm, we do chickens for eggs. We used to do chickens for meat. But actually, to do it right, it’s quite expensive. And people just aren’t used to paying $25-30 for a chicken. They’re used to paying, I don’t know; what do I pay at Whole foods? $10 or something like that. Or even less, at a conventional store. What we do to make it a more regenerative system, is we run our grazing animals through the field, and then we follow with the chickens. And the chickens are actually aerating the soil. They scratching around. They’re eating any parasites that might be left from the grazing animals. And their manure is actually fertilizing the soil, as well. And their eggs are like 20 times higher in omega-3s. And I think Joel Salatan’s chickens were tested at like 4000 times higher beta carotene than a typical egg. With our pigs, we run them through the woods. And they’re doing a couple of things for us. They’re clearing the land for us. So pigs are really good at eating lots of brush, and rooting. So literally chomping on roots. So they’re doing that. They’re eating a lot of leftover crops that we can’t sell anyway, because they might not be as pretty. Maybe the outer leaves of the lettuce when we’re harvesting are not as nice. So we’ll save those. We give those to the pigs. They love that stuff. They actually prefer broccoli and lettuce to grain. But because we’re in New England, we also do feed them a soy-free organic grain, as well. And again, pigs do very well on grain. They can convert that grain to incredibly nutrient dense protein. So I think there’s a place for all animals, but grazing animals in particular are one of the best species we can have. So bison, lamb, goats, and cows are the best ones that we have for really regenerating grasslands and soil. 5. Joining the sustainability movement [29:07] Mickey Trescott: Really cool. Diana, how did you see some of the issues maybe facing the accessibility? Because this type of really well produced, ethically and sustainably produced meat is not available to a lot of people. Both because it’s an affordability thing, but also the nature of the local food system is that it’s not really going to work to be putting that meat in a store, right? People are going to be kind of buying direct from their farmer. How do you see that shift? How can people find out more about where they can find a farm like yours where they’re kind of raising meat in this way? Diana Rodgers: Sure. There are different websites people can go to to search for locally produced meat. So if people make the investment of having a freezer and want to buy directly from a farmer, that’s ideal. It’s not practical for everybody. Not everyone has the time or space or just desire, right, to go visit a farm. But if folks want to do that, eatwild.com or localharvest.org are two websites where they connect directly with farmers near them. Or maybe through their local Weston A. Price chapter. And then I highly recommend they visit the farm and look. Because you can learn a lot. Like, does it look like that cow has been on the same patch of land for a long time? Is the grass super, super short? Is it really patchy? Or do you see a lot of electric fencing and the farmers moving the animals around. So that would be a much better system. And it should feel clean. It should look clean. There shouldn’t be strong smells. Everything should be mobile, basically, which is the healthiest way to raise animals. And then the next level would be going to a farmer’s market, talking to the farmers, finding out about their practices there. So that might be a little bit easier for people that are in a more urban environment and maybe don’t have space or the money to have a chest freezer and really make a big investment at once. So I think sustainability can look like a lot of different things depending on who you’re talking to and what level they’re at. So it doesn’t have to be everybody buying directly from a farm. Even though that’s optimal, it might be unrealistic if we’re trying to really convert a lot of people. But I think the biggest thing we need to do is really educate people on why it’s so important to buy their meat this way, and to really breakdown those ideas that meat is unhealthy. Or that red meat is unhealthy. And people should be eating more CAFO chicken. So typically raised chicken or pork, compared to beef. Grass-fed beef is, again, the most nutritious and, when raised well, one of the most environmentally beneficial animals we can have for food. Mickey Trescott: Mm-hmm. I see a big hesitation from people, even when they are ok eating paleo and AIP and eating red meat, they still tend to kind of prioritize the chicken. Because they’re so indoctrinated that that lower fat meat is going to be better for them, when they kind of haven’t opened up to that understanding about the nutrient density and about the affordability. I mean, grass-fed beef for you guys. But for me to get the highest quality beef, that’s the cheapest protein that I can find around here sourced at the highest level. And that nutrient density piece is really important. Diana Rodgers: We need to also open up to other cuts of meat, too. Right? Like, ground meat is a lot cheaper. We don’t all have to eat tenderloin all the time. And one of the nice things about buying a whole animal, or even living on a farm where we raise animals, is I have a much bigger respect for the life of that animal and using all the pieces. And saving the bones and making stock from the bones and everything. So I’m much less likely to waste it if I know the animal, or have spent a lot of money on the animal. Really make that connection that a life is now being transformed into food for me. Angie Alt: Right. Diana, you said that you feel like one of the most important things we can do is help people understand the why in terms of sourcing this kind of quality of meat and shifting our budgets to focus on this kind of quality of meat. If somebody in our audience was having this conversation with a friend or family member for the first time, where do you think is the most important place to start with that why? Diana Rodgers: I think it’s hard. Because as a dietician, with my clinical practice, just eat meat, right? Just start eating meat. And just fix yourself. Some people stop there. But what I’ve also found is that people that have really transformed their health. So coming from a place where they were really unhealthy, really sick with an autoimmune disease. Those are the best ones to then take a step further and really focus on their sourcing. Much more so than people that maybe just wanted their four pack to become a six pack, or something like that. Right? And so I think that people that have really seen a huge health transformation, just in eating better quality food then will go towards looking a little bit deeper and trying to support the producers that are doing it right. Angie Alt: Yeah, I mean, obviously. Mickey and I are “amen”-ing over here. Diana Rodgers: Yeah. Angie Alt: We definitely relate to that. Diana Rodgers: And as a practitioner, too, they’re the most satisfying for me to work with. Because they’ll do anything to change their health. Right? So I guess going back to your initial question. If we’re trying to have a conversation with people. Allan Savory’s TED Talk is a really good one to watch. Maybe you could put it in your show notes. But that’s a really great; people need to understand the big picture of why we need more diversity in a healthy ecosystem. Why animals can help increase that. And why plant-based agriculture and grain-based agriculture is actually destroying our soils. So animals that eat grain, like chicken and pork, in general, are just not as sustainable as animals that eat only grass. And just a quick note, too, because this comes a lot for people that just aren’t familiar with the different types of agriculture. But there’s cropland, and then there’s pastureland. And most of our agricultural land is actually much better suited to pasture than to cropping. So you just can’t grow kale, and lettuce, and grains everywhere. But you can graze animals on most of the earth’s surface. So think of Mongolia. Think of Iceland. Think of most of Africa. There’s just not enough water for the irrigation. There’s hills. There’s rocks. There’s all kinds of things that would hold back from a cropping system. And even the areas that we are cropping, we’re using largely chemical ag in order to do that. Instead of small scale, sustainable agriculture that actually incorporates animals, too. On our farm we raise vegetables and meat, and we do everything in a rotational, regenerative way. Mickey Trescott: Super cool. 6. Kale Versus Cow documentary [36:57] Angie Alt: I love it. I totally could just go on and on. Maybe you can tell our listeners; how can they get involved in this movement? Both in terms of their own sourcing actions as consumers. What are the top actions they can take with their pocketbooks? But then also in terms of just straight up activism. How could they best get involved? Diana Rodgers: Well, they could follow my newsletter and all the work that I’m doing and learn more about all those things there. It’s a deep and complex subject to really dive into it. It requires just a lot of basic education on ecological systems. Learning about the Savory Institute and other people that are using regenerative agriculture to heal the land. I’ve got a film project that I’m working on. Mickey Trescott: Yes, please tell everybody about it. Angie Alt: Yeah. Diana Rodgers: So the film project is called Kale Versus Cow. And I’ll be looking at the nutrition, environmental, and ethical reasons why we need more better meat, basically, in our diet. So we need more of a demand for it. We need to understand the nutritional implications. We need to understand the environmental implications. And why, from a perspective of least harm, why actually consuming well managed grass eating large ruminants is actually causing less harm than a plant-based diet, from many different perspectives. So we’ll be interviewing a lot of nutrition experts. People that are measuring their carbon sequestration on their farms, so we can actually see the result. So it’s not just something that, if you visit a farm and you see the pastures look healthy. But we actually have quantifiable results now. And we’ll be diving into the ethics. Because honestly, that is the biggest driver, I think, behind why people decide to give up meat. It’s really this sort of emotional quandary that they’re facing when they’re looking at the idea that an animal died in order for them to eat. So we’ll sort of be taking a very sensitive dive into that. And I want to make it clear that if I lived in a city and didn’t understand food production, and my only nutrition education was films like Cowspiracy or What the Health, I’d probably be vegan too. Except for the fact that I’m celiac, and it would probably wreck my health because I just don’t do well on a plant-based diet. And I get why people feel uncomfortable about eating meat. But I also want to point out that a lot of death actually happens in order for plants to land on your plate. So I’ll be really sensitively diving into that, as well. And so we have a campaign. It’s at sustainabledish.com/film. So folks can see me on my farm. I have a video there explaining what the film is about. I’ve got a nice video endorsement from Joel Salatan. Some cool perks and all that. We’ll be updating people as we move forward with our project. So that’s it, too. And I also am learning about more opportunities for people to get involved. I’ve got a call with somebody tomorrow, actually, and I’ll be posting some information about how people can actually get involved in helping to document the success of this sort of nutrient dense, pasture-based farming. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. Diana Rodgers: So I’ll be putting that out in my newsletter, as well. Mickey Trescott: We’re so looking forward to all the stuff you’re doing, Diana. It’s great. It’s really great. You guys, definitely plug into Diana’s resources. Check out that Savory Institute video. I know that TED Talk was really transformative for me when I watched it the first time. It just kind of clicked. So all of the stuff she’s talking about is kind of next level, and we all need to get involved in order to kind of change the food system. It’s really needed. To save both our health and the planet. Angie Alt: And if our listeners aren’t sure about the Savory Institute; back when we ran the Autoimmune Wellness Library bundle sale, a lot of you guys helped donate to the Savory Institute. So great work there. Mickey Trescott: Awesome. Thank you so much, Diana, for agreeing to have this conversation with us today. For those of you guys listening back home, we’ll be back next week. You guys have a great one. We’ll see you soon. Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E3 – Sourcing Meat w/ Diana Rodgers appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 2 is all about how to implement some kitchen hacks to help you save money on food. We discuss our personal best practices when it comes to getting food on the table affordably, the first of which is meal planning. Some of you have heard us chat about these topics before, but just stick with us, because you may not have looked at the benefits from this angle before. Then, we chat with Alaena Haber of Grazed and Enthused about her favorite AIP kitchen tools and how she sets herself up for success in an AIP kitchen. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. The benefits of meal planning [1:40] 2. All about batch cooking [14:59] 3. How Mickey and Angie implement meal planning and batch cooking [26:20] 4. Guest interview, Alaena Haber: AIP kitchen tools [33:14] 5. Setting up your AIP kitchen [40:15] 6. Alaena’s favorite batch cooked AIP recipes [43:10] 7. Myth busting about an AIP blogger’s pantry [45:37] 8. How cooking changed with a baby [50:15] 1. The benefits of meal planning [1:40] Angie Alt: Hi everyone! Angie here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 3. How are you doing today, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: I’m doing great. How about you, Angie? Angie Alt: I’m good. I’m excited to talk about this topic. Today we’re continuing our discussion related to the topic this season, which is real food on a budget. This episode is going to be about how to implement some kitchen hacks to help you save money on food. Before we even get into sourcing food, we wanted to take a little detour and discuss about some of the best practices that, when used effectively, will really help you in the kitchen. Some of you have heard us chat about these topics before, but just stick with us, because you may not have looked at the benefits from this angle before. Mickey, there’s a couple of topics here. Let’s start with a biggie; what is meal planning? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So meal planning is something that we talk about a lot, but it’s because it really solves a lot of problems. But meal planning is really the act of just sitting down with a pen and paper, or with some software, which we’ll maybe talk about later. Maybe an app on your phone, maybe calendar. And just writing down what you’re going to eat and when. It maybe for some people seems a little bit obsessive, and a little bit like too much. But honestly, meal planning is something that is going to help you a lot. And we’ll talk about all the benefits to it. But some different ways that you can meal plan are, like I said, you could just sit down with a sheet of paper and you could say; ok, for Monday dinner I’m going to make a roast chicken. For Tuesday dinner, I’m going to make a roast beef. For Wednesday, maybe I’ll try to work in some seafood. So it can be something really simple, like just planning the major protein and then kind of letting the vegetables fill in as you find certain deals at the farmer’s market, or the grocery store. Or you can actually literally plan every single breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack through your meal planning exercise. So you can use different apps to do this. We are really big fans of a service called Real Plans. Which is an online software-based solution that actually has all of our AIP recipes in our books and on our blog as part of their membership plan. And it’s really affordable. And what they do, you plug in kind of all the things that you’re avoiding, or that you’re eating. And then it will kind of randomly generate you a bunch of recipes that you can then plug into different slots. So that’s the most high-tech version of meal planning. And then the most low tech, which is actually more along the lines of what I do, is just using a pen and paper. Maybe on a calendar. I actually do it often on my calendar on my computer that I use for all my work and my personal things. And then I’ll just have, at the end of the day, roast that chicken. Just so I know; ok, later today, this is what I’m going to do. So logistically, that’s how someone would meal plan. Do you have anything to add about that, Angie? Angie Alt: Not too much. You kind of covered all the bases. I’m like you at this point. I’ve been meal planning for a really, really long time. Even before I got into the AIP lifestyle. And I just do it super low tech. Pen and paper, kind of boring. Sometimes I use Real Plans, because it’s a cool tool and I like playing around with it from time to time. But I usually keep it pretty simple. Mickey Trescott: When I was first getting started, I was doing more of that meal planning every single meal, every single snack. Just making sure I had all my bases covered. Because of course when something is new, it’s a lot harder to trouble shoot and make decisions in the moment. When you have everything planned out, you just know what you’re going to eat and you know when to cook and it just works out. I would have loved to have Real Plans in the beginning. Because I definitely was meal planning to that level back then. Angie, let’s talk a little bit about how meal planning helps people save money. Angie Alt: Mickey just touched on a biggie, and I do the same thing that she does. You plan meals around that main protein, and select that based on your budget and sourcing. You’ll know that you have the protein that you need for the day. And we all know that protein is the most expensive item on the menu, so kind of starting there is really smart. I do exactly what Mickey does. I start with whatever is going to be the main protein for my meal. And by doing the whole meal plan at once, I also help make sure that we rotate our proteins and get the different vitamins and minerals and nutrition that comes from those different sources. And not overeat one kind of protein over another. Especially poultry, with those omega-6 fats. So this way, I make sure that my family gets a little bit of grass-fed beef. A little bit of pastured pork. A little bit of chicken, but not too much. And a couple of servings of seafood a week. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, you can also pick whatever protein is most affordable to you, and put it on your menu more often. I mean, if you leave it up to whim, and kind of what you feel like you want to eat in terms of flavor, you might be finding; “I want to make those scallops! Or I want to make that tri-tip!” or something that’s a little bit more expensive. You might be able to just be like; no, actually we’re going to have a lot of meat balls and meat loaf, and chicken thighs. That kind of thing. Angie Alt: Mickey, there’s another biggie. Maybe you can dive into this one a little bit. Meal planning reduces waste. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So by planning out your meals, one of the best things is actually that you avoid having too much food. So when you make a meal plan, then you make a shopping list from your meal plan. And then you make what you intend to. You’re not going to end up with a bunch of extra food that you just bought on a whim, thinking, “How much do I need to buy for a weeks’ worth of groceries?” How many of us have gone to the grocery store without a plan, put whatever looked good into our cart, and then maybe 5 or 6 days later realized half of our vegetables are kind of wilty and looking sad in the back of the fridge because we didn’t have a plan to eat them? And that is, for me at least, the biggest way to reduce waste in my kitchen. Is actually to have a plan for using all the produce, especially if I buy. If I don’t have a plan, then I find that even when I am really excited about something, I’m notorious with salad greens for this. Especially if I ever buy boxed salad greens, which I only do rarely. Because I have this problem. What ends up happening is they go bad so fast that I just kind of forgot about them, and that’s not good. We want to save money by using everything we buy. Angie Alt: Right, exactly. I have to say that even back before my AIP days, when I was still a menu planner even then. This was the biggest reason I did it. Because I was really trying to reduce waste in our family. So making a plan helped me stick with it. I also find, and you kind of just touched on this Mickey, it reduces impulse buying. If you’re just kind of not sure what’s going to be on the table every night, and you just run out to the store and buy whatever is kind of convenient at that time, you’re going to end up having a very expensive grocery bill. Mickey Trescott: Yeah! For sure. When I’m meal planning, I’m finding that I spend most of my time in the produce aisle, getting all those fresh fruits and vegetables. Which we all know a lot, depending on the variety, fruits and vegetables, especially organic, can be pretty expensive. But let me tell you, when you’re walking down the gluten free snack aisle, {laughs} that’s even more per ounce. It’s tricky, because a lot of those products are in little bags. And it’s $3 or $4; and you kind of go; “Oh, 3-4 bucks isn’t really that much.” But when you think how many carrots can you get for $3 or $4, it really becomes obvious when you look at things that way. And when you fill your cart with things you actually have a plan for. And you know that you’re going to have enough food, you’re not going to be like; “I need those snacky things!” You’re going to be like; “Oh, I’m going to have leftover of this stew, or whatever I’m making.” So you’re going to be fine. Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Mickey Trescott: Another benefit to meal planning is simply that it reduces eating out. Most of us know that eating outside the home; at a restaurant or even a fast food, fast-ish food. There’s even more clean fast food type places. Those places are going to be more expensive every single time the way that we eat on AIP and even with reintros than when compared to cooking and eating your food at home. So having a plan for home cooked meals is definitely going to reduce how much you eat out. Which can get super expensive. Especially when you think of things like lunches at work, even. Brown-bagging it. I know a lot of people go out to lunch at their work, or near their work. And just simply bringing your own food, while that food, a lot of the cost that went into getting those ingredients, and sourcing them high quality might be higher than what you expect. That savings that you’re getting from actually not going to the restaurant around the corner or something is a big deal. Angie Alt: Yeah. This is a really big deal. We noticed it a lot recently. A new restaurant opened up near us that’s sort of like a Mediterranean version of Chipotle. And it has some pretty clean options. And with a few reintroductions, I can eat there safely. And we kind of over did it over the Christmas holiday, eating out a few too many times. Going as a family and getting some Mediterranean bowls at this restaurant. And it was delicious, but it was costing us between $50 and $60 for the whole family every time we went. And it’s like a Chipotle level restaurant. So it should be kind of inexpensive in comparison. But with $50 or $60, I can feed my family full meals for at least two dinners. And those dinners translate into leftovers that feed me and my husband during our work day. And it’s like; oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m spending this much on one meal. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. That planning is really, really important. And a lot of times, that perceived convenience doesn’t really outweigh some of the other benefits. Angie Alt: Right. The other thing about meal planning is that if you do it in this really super savvy way, you can use your weekly sales ads. Or pay attention to what’s on sale in the store, and be really strategic and save actually a lot of money. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, is this something that you’ve done in the past, Angie? Angie Alt: Yes, it is. This is why I brought up this point. Even before I went AIP, when I would meal plan, what I would do was sit down with my local grocery stores weekly sales ad. I would look at the different vegetables and fruits that were going to be on sale that week. And the different meats. And I would plan my meals to incorporate those sale items. And it made a big difference in our grocery budget. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, I bet. I, in all honesty, have not gone here. But I see the ads, and actually how I use them is I’ll stock up on bulk things. Because I’m way more of a bulk opportunist. So if I see, for instance, whole chickens on sale at Whole Foods, I will go home with 10 or 15 of them and throw them in the freezer. {laughs} Angie Alt: Right. That’s another way you can use those sales ads really smartly. If you’ve got the freezer space to do this. Or a larger family that might go through those bulk items. That’s really smart. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, and I’d say, too, for people that maybe don’t have a deep freezer that this strategy of going week by week, and seeing what the store has on sale is actually more useful to you. Maybe you live in an apartment in New York City, and you don’t have a deep freezer. That’s kind of part of why we’re giving you guys all these options, because we realize that everyone’s lives are a lot different. And what’s going to work for you is maybe not going to work for someone else. Angie Alt: Ok, so a final point about meal planning and how it can save you. It reduced the amount of trips you have to make to the store, which equals fuel savings, which is money. And also time savings, which time is money. I think this is especially important for folks also who are still really early in their journeys and might be pretty sick. Going to the store multiple times a week stinks if you don’t have the energy for it. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. When I’m not meal planning, I find that we run to the store two or three times a week. And it’s kind of nice going to the store and coming out with only two bags of groceries, I’m not going to lie. But also having to go back and make the list. That takes up a big space in my brain for planning. It’s just so much easier to have it all done. Have all the food planned out. And have actually even though through. Ok, we’re going to make all this in the front of the week; front load it. And then we’re going to have food to eat for the rest of the week with a couple of other ingredients for recipes to make later in the week that are going to save that long. And then we just get it done, and we don’t have to think about it. For me, the store is actually 35 minutes away. So going to the store for either my husband or I, it’s a pretty big time investment. Just saving those two trips is almost a couple of hours. Angie Alt: Yeah. For me the store is only like 5 minutes away, but I live in a really populated area. So, it still turns out to be 45 minutes minimum. Mickey Trescott: Yep, for sure. 2. All about batch cooking [14:59] Angie Alt: Alright, let’s see. Let’s talk, Mickey about batch cooking. What is batch cooking? Can you tell everybody about it? You’re the maven here, so. Mickey Trescott: Oh my gosh! Batch cooking is my favorite thing in the world. Sorry guys, I got really excited there. But I love batch cooking. So if you guys are living under a rock and you have not heard me talk about batch cooking yet, I’ll just give you a tiny little taste of what it is. Basically, you cook a lot of something at once. That might mean that you make one recipe’s worth, and you’re going to save some of it for leftovers. But more often, I make double recipes. And maybe you make two or three different recipes at a time. And you do a little AIP batch cook session. And what that’s going to do, is you’re going to spend two or three hours cooking a few different recipes. Things that are really great for saving in the fridge for leftovers. Saving in the freezer for even later than the next couple of days. And you’re kind of getting ahead so you don’t have to do that work every single day throughout the week. Batch cooking and mean simply making extra. Maybe making double at dinner, and then having leftovers the next day for breakfast and lunch. It could mean spending 4 or 5 hours on a Sunday, that’s more my interpretation. Just making as much food as I possibly can in one setting. And having that to eat along the rest of the week, or the next two weeks. And sometimes in the case of things like broth maybe the next few weeks. So batch cooking is just a way to kind of maximize your time in the kitchen and get ahead. It has a billion benefits, which I know we’re going to dive into. Which makes me really excited. Angie Alt: Right. Batch cooking is basically cook once, eat twice, at least. You know? Usually with most of my batch cooks, it’s more like; cook once, eat four times. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: Yeah! And if you get really into it, like I do. And you know, full warning; you don’t have to get fully into it to make this work. But I have a commercial soup pot. I have the biggest Instant Pot. Every pot I have actually can accommodate more than a typical recipe. So I will frequently double and triple recipes. Like when I make AIP chili, I’ll make 24 servings of that, and I’ll freeze them and label them, and that’s my husband and I’s emergency food. So if he’s going off to work, he’ll just grab one of those frozen meals, take it with him, and put it in the fridge at work. And by the time it’s time for lunch, he just heats that up and eats it. And we do a lot of that, just because, especially recently, our life has become a little bit more on the go with both of us working, in and out of the house, and traveling and stuff. So, we’re not as available to be working together on cooking our meals. So having that emergency food is really helpful. Angie Alt: So some of the biggies about batch cooking, and how it helps save money are number one; reducing waste. This is as long as you aren’t a leftover snob. Ok, so you guys I’m going to get really real with everybody here. I know I’m probably going to offend a few of you. But it is a nonsense, first world problem if you will not eat a leftover. Mickey, I’m just having to be real. {laughs} Mickey Trescott: I totally agree. I hear that. There are a lot of things that people say to us that are like; I can’t do AIP because of this. But when people are like; “I can’t do AIP because I don’t like eating leftovers.” I’m always like; I really, really want to send you the eyeroll emoji right now. But I know that would be rude. Angie Alt: Right! Right. Heavy eyeroll emoji over here, guys. The leftovers, first of all, we’re probably a little too quick to throw out food in the US, based on the idea that it may have gone bad. There are people existing without refrigerators who maintain leftover food around the world. So we’re probably a little too quick on that. And the thing is, the leftovers are saving you time. And they’re saving you money. And they’re delicious. Some foods are actually designed to get more flavorful as they set and kind of marinate. So you’ve got to get over this problem. Mickey Trescott: Also, I think of batch cooking, too. Something that I do in my batch cooks, is to use up all of the things that are going bad. So if I have a soup or a stew or a chili, or something that I’m making a big pot of something that’s kind of like homogenous. Everything’s mixed in and going to get soft and cooked down. I will definitely throw in something that’s a little bit like, maybe I wouldn’t eat it raw. And it’s a great way to just use up everything in your fridge. It’s kind of like; on its last day. You know? Angie Alt: For sure. I do that a lot with bone broth. I’ll throw in the last little leftovers of some veggies that are sort of starting to head south. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Keep all of those trimmings and everything. You can totally use in your batch cooks. You can use it to flavor stocks. If you’re going to be drinking broth straight, that kind of thing. So yeah. We’re not leftover snobs over here. And if you don’t like the flavor of leftovers. Or maybe you’re having a hard time making the same meal palatable over and over. What I would do is actually, in your batch cooking sessions, make some sauces. And then portion them out into really small containers. Maybe like an ice cube tray. So if you’re like; I’m going to have this leftover chicken today with a curry ice cube. And melt that down and use that to flavor your reheat, or whatever. Or maybe this day I’m going to have a pesto cube. Or whatever. You can hack that. You can hack every problem. It’s not a reason to not do AIP, because you don’t like leftovers. You can definitely, with a little more work, be creative. And also maybe get over it a little bit. Angie Alt: Right. {laughs} Another benefit of batch cooking is having pre-prepared breakfasts and lunches. Which helps minimize eating out on the way to or at work, or eating convenience snack options. Probably the biggest thing that I batch cook is breakfasts. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Breakfast is that meal where you’re like; I need it to be fast. I need it to be easy. I know that I’m going to have to get up. And I have my whole morning routine that I do that I really don’t want to be spending an hour in the kitchen first thing in the morning. I know I’m going to be doing that later in the day. So I’m with you, Angie. Batch cooking patties, or soups and stews and stuff like that in order to have everything prepped is definitely the way to go. Angie Alt: Yep. Mickey Trescott: Another benefit to batch cooking is just simply that if you batch cook inexpensive meals, it crowds out more expensive options. I was talking about this a little bit earlier. But if I’m trying to save money, what I’ll do is I will meal plan; key. To have some batch cooked options for things like ground beef chili, or meat balls, or a whole roasted chicken instead of a recipe that maybe calls for some expensive prime rib. You’re not going to batch cook that. You’re going to cook prime rib when your family comes over for Thanksgiving. Or you might do a two-rib prime rib on a special occasion to celebrate with your husband or something. But, you’re not going to be batch cooking that. And it’s a good thing. It’s like $20 a pound, sometimes even more. {laughs} You know. Angie Alt: Right. Exactly. This is part of what happened to my family and I over the holiday when I was talking about us eating out a little too often. I hadn’t really planned some inexpensive batch cooks, because I was focused on those special holiday meals. But then when they would run out, we would be like; uh-oh. What are we going to do? We ended up spending a little too much doing the convenience stuff. And if we would have had those inexpensive meals put together; the meat balls, some soups. Using ground meats. Things like that, it would have been fine. You can also finely tune your macros to the veggies. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about that, Mickey. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, so obviously protein is the most expensive macronutrient group. And it’s hard to find good organic pasture raised all the things we advocate for. It’s very expensive. So there’s a couple of reasons for not going crazy on protein. One of them being that AIP is not actually a super high protein diet. It’s a big misconception that we need to be eating these giant plates of predominantly whatever protein. First of all, that’s not the best thing for our health. And second of all, that is very expensive. So something that I’m finding that I’m always trying to do is increase more vegetables. So I’m not necessarily worrying too much about how much carbs I’m eating, or whatever. But I am thinking, when I look at my plate, I want three-quarters of it to be vegetables. This is a big Sarah Ballantyne thing. She’s always advocating for a lot of vegetables. A mix of raw and cooked. A mix of starchy and nonstarchy. And when you batch cook, you can really buy a big quantity of vegetables. You can batch cook all of them, and prepare them. And when those are ready and available to be eaten; already cooked, already prepped, you’re going to be eating more vegetables. And you’re not going to be eating too much meat. Which is, I think, a problem that a lot of people have. So you can really focus on those veggies just by having them available. Angie Alt: Right. You also have complete control over the ingredients and quality that you will be consuming over and over. So, an example of this is batch cooking a little bit of pate. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. So I know that if I make the point to batch cook pate every other week, I know that’s going to be in my fridge to have as a snack in the afternoons. And I’m setting that intention. I know that I want to be eating that pasture raised, local, cow liver that I know exactly where it came from. I know it has a ton of nutrients. And I’m just prioritizing it. And I know it’s going to be there. We’ll talk more. But that for me is one of the most nutrient dense, and most affordable foods in my routine. So I like to have control, and make it, and have it ready for me. Angie Alt: Right. Mickey Trescott: A last benefit of batch cooking is that it saves time. It’s not exactly money. But you can use that time for lots of other things. And sometimes that does translate to money. If you spend, like I do, a few hours on the weekend doing a batch cook during the week, maybe you get more time for self-care. Maybe you get more time to spend with your kids. Maybe you get more time to work. Maybe you get more time to sleep. I don’t know. There isn’t really a downside to having more time. Angie Alt: No. There really is not. {laughs} It definitely doesn’t end. 3. How Mickey and Angie implement meal planning and batch cooking [26:20] Mickey Trescott: So we talked a little bit before about our meal planning and batch cooking habits. But I’m actually curious, Angie, if you meal planned or batch cooked before you tried AIP. Angie Alt: Yeah. I kind of mentioned this earlier. It’s been something that I’ve been doing for a really long time. Part of the reason that I’m so interested and excited in this season talking about budgeting is that I had a part of my life where I was really, really low income. I even had a portion of my life where I was on welfare, single parenting. And meal planning and batch cooking played a really important role in me being able to get through that period. So it was something that was kind of already in my repertoire. The batch cooking, not as much. I did some batch cooking. But the meal planning, for sure. And after AIP, I was so grateful that I had those skills kind of already on board. About you, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I’d say I’m a little bit on the flip side. I’ve never really been much of a meal planner. But I did batch cook. Back when I was vegan, I figured out when I was working in coffee, and I had to kind of wake up really early in the morning. I knew that I didn’t have a lot of time for breakfast, I was going to have to take food with me. I also didn’t have a large income back then, so I wasn’t able to eat out. So I had to just by necessity have something prepared. So I did a little batch cooking back then. But I would say it’s definitely a skill, the meal planning, is something that I developed when I was sick and started AIP. And then the batch cooking has kind of grown from there. Angie, how do you integrate meal planning and batch cooking today? And what are you personally working on in this area? Because I know we don’t totally match up with what we practice, here. Angie Alt: Yeah, we kind of represent different angles here. I definitely do still meal plan. That’s a really ingrained habit for me. It’s a lot looser, probably, than it was in my past. And a lot looser than it was when I first started AIP. I’ve had a lot of reintroductions since then. I’ve had 6 years of cooking almost 365 days a year. So I’m pretty handy at it at this point. And it’s kind of loose. I usually focus on the protein, and then add in the veggies around that. And the batch cooking, I try to keep it in the routine. Some weeks, I admit I don’t do as well as other weeks. And sometimes it’s a little looser. Maybe I’ll do a little bit on Sundays. And then during the week while I’m cooking dinner, I might kind of do double duty. So while something is roasting, I might chop up all the veggies I need for some meals in the next few days. Or while I’m kind of waiting for something to come to a boil, maybe I’ll take out some meat to thaw for the next morning and put it in the fridge. I’ll kind of prepare ahead a little bit on things. That’s sort of where I’m at. As far as what I’m working on personally, I’m trying to kind of figure out how to fine tune my grocery budget, and take advantage of grocery delivery services, and see if I can’t use those services in a way that actually saves money over time. Because I think sometimes when you’re in the store, even when you’ve got a good plan in front of you, you might be a little tempted. And I’m wondering if we can take advantages of those services in a new way. And because we live in such a populated area, there are a lot of those services available. How about you, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I am not a huge meal planner down to the breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack type of thing. I did when I was super sick. But now all I meal plan is actually my proteins. So like I said. I have a deep freezer. I’m kind of the opposite of you. I live in a rural area. I don’t have close access to grocery stores. I actually don’t even have close access to grocery stores that sell meat that I want to eat at a price that I can afford. So I do invest in bulk meat. And what I’ll do is once a week, I’ll go to the freezer. I’ll take stock visually of what I have. And decide on a few main proteins. I’ll grab all of that out from the freezer. So it might be a couple of pounds of ground beef, a filet of salmon, a whole chicken, maybe some pork chops. And then I’ll grab all that out. And then I’ll meal plan around that. But I’ll just plan those proteins, and then I will just buy a lot of vegetables. Something I’m working on is to maybe plan a couple of big veggie side dishes during the week. Because I’m finding that my way of doing it, like I said before. I end up focusing a little bit too much on the protein. Not really having enough veggies. And so I’m trying to do better there, for sure. But my batch cook, I’ll usually do a batch cook once or twice a week. Sundays and Wednesdays are usually my day. And I know you guys, if you follow me on Instagram, you can kind of see what I’m up to. But I really go all out. And I try to cook as much food as I can in a four or five hour stretch of time. Yes, it takes up most of my Sunday, and I spend a lot of time doing dishes. And I’m very tired afterwards. But having that food during the week I find is just so helpful for my lifestyle. Especially the way it is right now. Angie Alt: Yeah. So that’s kind of it you guys. Meal planning and batch cooking; how you can save money with them. Hopefully we convinced you that these are very worthwhile things to do. That was kind of our first half of this episode. And we’re going to be back after the break with a guest who will help us expand these ideas. We’ll be right back. Angie Alt: A quick word from our title sponsor this season, the Nutritional Therapy Association. You guys, there are so many culinary lifestyle strategies that, when planned proactively, can have a positive impact on healing and overall health. Food sourcing, prepping, and meal planning aren’t easy for beginners, though. And can be especially difficult for those in the midst of their healing journeys. Our sponsor, the Nutritional Therapy Association, recently launched their fully online course to certify nutritional therapy consultants. And for those of you wondering, I’m an NTC too. Emphasizing a wide range of integrated nutrition and lifestyle strategies to transform health. The new curriculum includes culinary healing modules that empower you with the practical knowledge and skills necessary to source, prep, and plan healing meals. Covering everything from shopping practices, to knife skills, meal prep, and fermentation. It also trains NTCs to address the wider context of health and healing with lifestyle strategies. Like stress management, movement, the emotional factors, and sleep optimization. You can learn more about how to become an NTC< and check out the free 7-day nutritional therapy 101 course at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. 4. Guest interview, Alaena Haber: AIP kitchen tools [33:14] Mickey Trescott: Alright, guys, it’s time for our interview for today. We are chatting with Alaena Haber, occupational therapist and AIP kitchen maven with a dedication towards nourishing and fresh meals in a modern, budget-conscious kitchen. She’s the author of two cookbooks; the Healing Kitchen, which she co-wrote with Sarah Ballantyne, and Enthused, her newest AIP E-book offering. Alaena blogs about her journey with Hashimoto’s and infertility at www.GrazedandEnthused.com, and showcases her cooking techniques and flavor pairings and recipes inspired by the aromatic family style meals common to her Lebanese background. Thanks so much, Alaena, for joining us from Florida. As you know, we’re just kicking off a very focused podcast season dedicated to helping people make a healing diet and lifestyle fit into their budget. We know this is an area of expertise for you, and we’re excited to pick your brain and get some ideas here. Alaena Haber: Hi ladies! Thanks for having me. Angie Alt: We’re so glad you’re here! Mickey Trescott: So first, we wanted to begin our discussion by talking about setting up our AIP kitchens. So, will you tell us, Alaena, which tools people could pick up that might be an initial investment. But might help them save money long-term? Alaena Haber: Yeah. That’s a really, really good question. Because a lot of people come into AIP without prior cooking knowledge, or skills in the kitchen. But they’re like; I have a knife and a cutting board. What else do I need? Actually, first of all, I really recommend getting a really good quality sharp chef’s knife. So somewhere between 8 and 10 inches. And the reason for this is because with AIP, as you guys know, we’re prepping so many vegetables all the time. And if we want to be as eco conscious and budget conscious as we can. We’re not buying those prechopped, precut, or prepackaged. So, a really good sharp chef’s knife is going to make your prep time so much easier. It’s actually safer to use a sharper knife. So don’t be afraid of a big sharp knife. It’s actually safer for your knife skills and your hands to be using a sharper knife. And that way you’re not going to have to buy a bunch of preprepped stuff. Especially if you don’t have access to that. You maybe shop at a farmer’s market, and you need to learn how to chop something like kabocha squash, or learn how to peel beets. That kind of thing. So that would be my number one choice for a good prepped kitchen. And what you can do if you don’t have the knife skills that you’re super confident with, you can go on YouTube and there’s world renowned chefs on YouTube that will share their tips and tricks for knife skills. So Jacque Pepin and Curtis Stone, he also has a YouTube channel that he shares his knife skills. So that would be my first tip. My second one, which I know you guys are going to predict, is the Instant Pot. And I think we all own one, correct? Angie Alt: Yes. Mickey Trescott: Oh yeah. Alaena Haber: Yeah. I’ve said it so many times. People following AIP, with more than one person in their house, get an Instant Pot. The model I have is the ultra. But I would actually go back to the 6-in-1. To be honest, my sister broke hers, so I gave her my 6-in-1. I upgraded to the new ultra, but I don’t even use all those features on it. So yeah, I would recommend the 6-in-1 6 quart to start out with. It’s really affordable. It’s under $100. I use mine multiple, multiple times a week. It’s definitely paid for itself in the past three years. And the one I bought three years ago is still going strong. So they do have longevity to their product, and they have a good warranty. And you can also buy the parts again, if a part breaks. You can buy the individual parts. So what I do with the Instant Pot is I use it to batch cook a lot of the staples in my house. So bone broths. Shredded and pulled meats and proteins. Instead of having to cook a skillet or a protein every single day, I just batch cook maybe three or four pounds of pastured chicken, or a big nice grass-fed chuck roast that was on sale. So that’s a good way to make use of budget friendly cuts in a budget friendly way, too. Because a lot of times, budget friendly meat is tough. It’s maybe not the tastiest. It’s really lean. So something like a chuck roast or a big pork roast, you can stick in your Instant Pot for an hour and a half, and then you have delicious shredded meat that you can use in multiple ways. With the Instant Pot, you can also do like coconut yogurt, panna cotta. Big spaghetti squashes. Instead of roasting it you can just stick it in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes and then you have spaghetti squash noodles. Presto, changeo. It’s amazing. The other tools that I really recommend; and Mickey, I think you’re a Vitamix girl, too, right? Mickey Trescott: Yeah, I am. My last Vitamix lasted 9 years. And it was refurbished to start off with. Alaena Haber: Oh, that’s amazing. Mickey Trescott: It’s a pretty well-made product. Alaena Haber: Yeah, it lives longer than a cat. So I use that for really silky smooth soups. Soup bases. For smoothies, of course. Or even just making a big batch of pureed beet or pureed sweet potato. It just makes things so smooth and silky. It’s like a touch of a button. And it’s better than any other blender I’ve used. So that’s why I recommend that one. It’s not super budget friendly. So that’s one I saved up for, for my wedding registry. So if you’re getting married sometime soon, ask your mom for one. Or if you’re having a baby, or something like that. If not, Cuisinart is another good brand that sells blenders. But the Cuisinart product that I use and love the most is actually their 9-cup food processor with the shredder blade. Because that’s how I make riced vegetables. So I’d make a lot of skillets with riced butternut squash, or carrots, or sweet potatoes. That’s also how I make big batches of guacamole, and sauces, and dressings. So those four; a good chef’s knife, an Instant Pot, and a good strong blender, and a food processor with a shredder blade are my top four that I use most often in my kitchen. Mickey Trescott: I have that same Cuisinart, and I love it, Alaena. And another tip for people, if they have maybe RA or something that’s maybe making it harder for them to chop. Having the food processor, maybe prioritizing that. I’m with you. Just whizzing through those veggies, and making those really nice chopped salads and stuff out of that, can make it way easier for people that maybe have some limitations with their joint health in their hands, and stuff. Alaena Haber: Exactly. Angie Alt: Right. It’s just such good advice, Alaena. And the Instant Pot, in terms of the bone broth, guys. It’s so totally worth it. Especially in the beginning, if you’re really taking in a lot of bone broth per day, trying to really work on that gut healing. I mean, the days when I was making bone broth the other way; I’ll never go back. Alaena Haber: And it doesn’t smell. Some people don’t like the smell of bone broth slow cooking on their stove for 48 hours. Angie Alt: Right. Alaena Haber: The Instant Pot traps that smell in until you release the vent. And even then, it’s not that bad. Mickey Trescott: I’ve even heard of people plugging it in outside on a nice day and cooking outside if they’re really sensitive to the smell. There you go. Alaena Haber: Yep. Mickey Trescott: Put it in the garage. Angie Alt: Yep. Yep. Out in the garage. 5. Setting up your AIP kitchen [40:15] Mickey Trescott: Ok, so Alaena, moving on from the tools. Do you have any tips for setting up your kitchen space, or any hacks there that kind of make it more efficient to use? Alaena Haber: Right now I have a nice spacious kitchen. We just bought our first home last year, so that was number one criteria. I need a bigger kitchen. Because when we were in Chicago, the second time, my kitchen was like the size of a dresser, essentially. And that’s actually where I did most of the cooking for the Healing Kitchen, if you can imagine that. With a 1960s GE oven that I was surprised was still working. But hey, I guess they make good products. {laughs} The way I set up my kitchen, just to use space sufficiently, for spices and oils and that kind of thing. I use a lazy Susan. Because I like having easy access to all of my stuff. And it elevates it so it doesn’t take up shelf space, if I need extra shelf space in the pantry. And that way things don’t get lost in the shuffle. They don’t get shoved in the back of the pantry where I can never see them. And then I’m buying three things of coconut oil when I already have three things of coconut oil. So that’s a good way to make everything in your kitchen visible, and also kind of elevate it out of your way. Another thing I do, is I bought a really affordable bar cart from World Market. And that’s where I keep a lot of my bigger, more bulk items. Like big olive oils. That’s where I keep my Berkey filter. You could keep your Instant Pot on there. Thankfully, I have space for that now, but that’s where I used to keep my Instant Pot, because it’s such a bulky electronic. And just kind of basic stuff. Keep your drawers really divided for your utensils, so things aren’t all mushed together. Aesthetically, that’s what I need to feel organized in the kitchen. And then I also store things in big glass containers. So I keep all my flours in their bags, but I also put them in glass containers so they’re all even in the pantry, and I know what I have, and I can see through the containers. So those are my best tips. Right now, I don’t live in a super small space, thankfully. But just kind of coming up with; like the bar cart. Coming up with some more creative ways. Even if you have to put the bar cart in your living room; oh well. The Instant Pot is not that ugly. {laughs} So if that’s what’s on display, it’s not a big deal. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, for sure. Having everything really accessible and clean. And I love your tip of avoiding things getting stuffed at the back of a cabinet. I definitely feel that way. There are some little corners of my kitchen that, when I pull everything out and reorganize it, I find how many things that are actually back there that I don’t use, just because I never see them. That can be spices. It can be tools. It can be in the pantry, whatever. So just kind of brightening that out. I love the recommendation of putting the flours in a glass container. I hadn’t thought about that. But that’s a great idea, so you can actually get your eye on how much you have, but then you can also stack things and save space that way. Alaena Haber: Exactly. Yeah. 6. Alaena’s favorite batch cooked AIP recipes [43:10] Mickey Trescott: Alaena, what are your favorite batch cooking recipes that are also budget friendly? Alaena Haber: Definitely buying those large cuts of meat that I was talking about, and cooking them in the Instant Pot. But not relegating yourself to plain shredded chicken breast every week. I put a bunch of recipes on my website the last couple of years with Instant Pot meats, shredded meats. And a couple of them you can find on GrazedandEnthused.com are the maple bacon balsamic pulled pork. That one is really popular. Pineapple pulled chicken. My ropa vieja, which uses really affordable cut of grass-fed stew beef. For me that’s easy to find and really affordable. And Caribbean spiced shredded beef. So, I try to make my Instant Pot recipes really yummy, and pull in some ethnic flavor so you’re not eating the same thing week after week and getting bored and uninspired. But you can also make big soups. So I have a recipe for cilantro chicken chili, and Instant Pot pot roast. So that’s a really great way to use your Instant Pot for four to six meals at a time. Sometimes more, depending on the size of your cut of meat. And then for veggies, my favorite budget friendly batch cook stuff is to steam; like I buy organic broccoli frozen, because that’s the most affordable way for me to get organic broccoli. And then I steam several bags at a time and keep them in the fridge. And I either season them as the meal comes, or toss them into salad. And I do the same with steam or roasted carrots. And my daughter loves sweet potato fries. So I will cut up like 3 pounds of; I like the white sweet potatoes. Those are my favorite. And I’ll bake them or roast them at the convection setting of my oven. Which is like a really quick way to do it, and it gets them nice and crispy. And I’ll have sweet potato fries for the whole week. So that’s a nice way to have a source of carbs on hand, so you don’t have to cook something every single day. And then snack-wise, what we’ve been doing are the cinnamon raisin protein bars from my blog, which uses cinnamon, raisins, a little bit of AIP flour, and collagen peptides. So I can make a double batch of that. Cut it up into little squares for her, and send her off to school with that. Or I can cut them into larger bars for me. And that’s my easy grab and go snack. And you can actually have those out of the fridge, they don’t have to stay in the fridge like a lot of AIP protein bars. 7. Myth busting about an AIP blogger’s pantry [45:37] Angie Alt: Awesome! These are such good tips, Alaena. You are blowing people’s minds right now. Can we do a little myth busting about what the AIP bloggers are eating every day? There’s this misconception that just because we know about certain convenience products, and know that they’re great, that they’re the main foundations of our diets and totally consist of them. Do you have any thoughts on that? Angie Alt: Yeah. So it’s funny, because if somebody was like; what’s in my fridge or pantry, like those Instagram posts. I’m like; oh my god what a beautiful fridge or pantry with all these cool products! You would be shocked at mine. It basically looks pretty empty all the time, because I’m always buying fresh food at the grocery store every couple of days. And it’s not stocked with Power Balls, and Coconut Wraps, and plantain chips like you may believe if you look at someone’s Instagram. In reality, a lot of AIP bloggers are eating what the AIP community is eating. And even then, I also get a lot of my meal inspiration by seeing what the AIP community non-bloggers are tagging me in on Instagram. Some of my recipes, and seeing what they paired those recipes with. So the AIP community inspires me all the time to vary my diet, and eat better, and eat more vegetables. All that kind of stuff. Because sometimes that can fall by the wayside with a stay at home mom situation like I’ve got. So I basically base all my meals on vegetables, and then the protein comes in. So at least two or three of meals a day have leafy greens as the base. Whether that’s a salad or steamed kale. And I always add a little bit of protein. I don’t do well with tons of protein, so I just do three or four ounces at each meal. And that keeps the quantity down, since I buy such high-quality protein. And it keeps the prices down for that reason. And then I just add extra veggies. And that’s the basis of my meals. And they’re delicious. Maybe on the outside they don’t look like crazy, amazing; wow, what a chef inspired meal she created. But they’re nourishing. They taste really good. And they’re easy to prepare. So I think those are the three tenants of a sustainable and nourishing AIP meal plan. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. I love that, Alaena. And I’m totally with you on being inspired by different members of the community tagging us. I love it when people pair one of my recipes with another blogger’s recipes, and I’m like; oh wow. I have to make that combo! It looks really good. But also what you said about the protein; I think that will resonate with a lot of people. Feel like they need to maintain a high protein version of AIP. Which, depending on where you’re at, it might be what’s working for you. I know I ate a lot of protein when I was coming off being vegan. But now, I am exactly like you. I’m eating 3 or 4 ounces of protein, two sometimes three meals a day. Some meals I’m not even eating protein these days. Like for lunch, I’ll have a huge salad with a lot of healthy fats, some avocado. Maybe some bacon crumbles or something. But for the most part, I’m with you. I’m trying to really increase the vegetables. Because I know that’s how I get the maximum health. What about you, Angie? Angie Alt: You know, I think what you guys are saying about people tagging us on Instagram is really funny. Because I will tend to kind of get into a little bit of a meal planning rut, and be planning really similar meals over and over. And then people will tag me on Instagram in my own recipes; and I’ll be like, oh yeah! I have that recipe. That’s a good recipe. {laughs} I’ll be like, oh yeah. That’s from my cookbook. Maybe I should try that. So I definitely get you with that inspiration there. And in terms of what I’m eating, and the snack foods and things I have on hand. I’m not actually using very many of those convenience products. They’re the things I might have when I’m traveling, or something. And I need it to be a little easier, and I don’t really have the time to prepare a bunch of stuff to bring along with me. But in my day to day, my fridge looks like a bunch of vegetables and some meat. Mickey Trescott: It’s actually pretty boring. The same thing with the pantry. I was actually walking a friend through my kitchen the other day, and she was like; oh, you don’t have a pantry. Because we just have a drawer. Because we have a pretty small kitchen. And I was like; oh, everything’s in this drawer. And I open it up, and there’s space between everything. And she’s like; that’s it? That’s your pantry? She thought Mickey Trescott’s pantry would be like this mythical huge thing. And it’s literally some coconut flour, some cassava flour, a couple of tins of sardines. Alaena Haber: Oysters. Mickey Trescott: Yeah! It’s like, that’s it. {laughs} It’s like, ok cool. 8. How cooking changed with a baby [50:15] Angie Alt: Right. Ok, so Alaena, last question. You’ve been awesome. We know that you have a 1-year-old baby, and she’s like an adorable explosion. You guys, if you have not seen this baby, you need to go follow Alaena on Instagram, because she’s just the cutest thing ever. How did your kitchen set up and cooking routine change once she arrived? Alaena Haber: Oh yeah, it changed a lot. So before she arrived, I would have time to leisurely just dance to music while cooking dinner for two hours. And my husband and I would sit down with our glass of wine, or whatever. {laughs} I remember mourning that while I was pregnant. I’m like; this is the last time we’re going to be doing this. And it basically was. So now I’m doing what I’ve been talking about the last 15 minutes or so. I do a lot of batch cook. That is the key to my success right now. Because if I’m not batch cooking, that’s when I’m reaching for those AIP convenience foods. Or eating a spoonful of coconut oil for lunch and being like; that’s it. We’re good. Gotta run. So instead of doing that, because that’s not really the best thing for myself. I rely a little bit more on things like modern conveniences, like bagged cauliflower rice so I don’t have to deal with the cauliflower confetti explosion that will soon erupt in my kitchen. Like I said, the frozen organic broccoli. A lot of the times, frozen vegetables, especially organic, they have even more nutrients than fresh produce. Especially if that fresh produce has been sitting on a truck for a while. So that’s another great way. Because everything’s already prepped and chopped for you in that organic bag of broccoli. You can just steam it, like I said. And something else I’ve been leaning on as a crutch, but a very delicious crutch. The Primal Palate spice blends. So they have an AIP three-pack with garlic and herb, breakfast blend, and super Gyro. And these spice lines are so delicious. I don’t know if you guys have tried them. Angie Alt: Yes, they’re good. Alaena Haber: So good! You can put them on grilled meat, or roasted meat, or anything from the Instant Pot. All your vegetables. And you don’t have to think about it. You don’t have to run to the store and grab a bunch of spices, because that can be super expensive. And they have salt in them, so you don’t even have to reach for your sea salt. Because they use the highest quality, Himalayan pink salt. So that’s something that has been really key to getting a lot of flavor into my food without a lot of effort. And then the only other thing that’s changed a little bit is there have been a few times where I’ll grab some food from Paleo on the Go. When I have a big life change; for example when we moved to Florida from Texas the first week, I didn’t want to put my diet to the side completely. So I had Paleo on the Go deliver me my meals for that week so I could get settled into my house. And that was really amazing. They have a big AIP menu. I’ve toured their factory, they’re really great people there. So that’s something I do rely on a few times a year. Because sometimes we all just encounter really stressful situations where we can’t imagine cooking for ourselves and our family. So I like to have that on the back burner, for sure. And then, something else I do now. Because in Florida, I can’t get the same quality meat as I was getting in Austin, Texas. So I’ve been relying a little bit more on ordering my meat. So US Wellness Meats and Butcher Box. And that way; I have a really busy kid at home. I don’t have to run to the grocery store multiple times a week to find really great prices on really high-quality meat. Because that’s really hard for me to find. And I also get my seafood from Vital Choice. So not everyone is going to be able to afford those meat options. But that’s kind of where I’m at. Just so I can get the highest quality stuff I can get and it’s in my freezer. And I don’t have to think about it or run to the store last minute. Angie Alt: Awesome. Mickey Trescott: Love it. Angie Alt: Alaena, will you let our listeners know what you are up to in your work currently? And where they can find you online? Alaena Haber: Yes. So, you can fine me at GrazedandEnthused.com. That’s my website blog. A bunch of recipes on there for the AIP community. And then you can follow me on Instagram @GrazedandEnthused. I’m really active on Instagram; well, more so on Instagram stories. I prefer that a little bit more. It’s a good way for me to privately connect with people in the AIP community and answer your questions or provide you support in a nonpublic way. And I’m thankfully not working on an eBook right now, because I just put out Enthused. And it was a lot of work. I put a lot of heart into it. So you can find that on my website. It’s $12.95. It contains over 80 brand new AIP recipes with a lot of ethnic diversity, which is really important for me. So that’s what I’ve been up to. Angie Alt: That’s awesome. You guys definitely go check out her Instagram. The stories; she’s like a professional newscaster exclusively for the AIP community. It’s amazing. And the baby. I would go just to look at the baby. She’s so cute. Alaena Haber: I agree. Angie Alt: Thanks again, Alaena, for having a conversation with us today. You guys, we’ll be back next week. Take care everyone. Alaena Haber: Thank you! Mickey Trescott: Bye! Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E2 – Meal Planning + Batch Cooking w/ Alaena Haber appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 3: Real Food on a Budget. We’re dedicating this season to discussing an aspect of natural healing that often gets left out of the conversation: affordability. We’ll be chatting with experts and peers from the AIP community about how to best balance money with your health priorities. This season is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), a holistic nutrition school that trains and certifies nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Learn more about them by visiting NutritionalTherapy.com, or read about our experiences going through their NTP and NTC programs in our comparison article. Season 3 Episode 1 features an interview with our friend and role model, Dr. Terry Wahls, who is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. Dr. Wahls successfully recovered from multiple sclerosis using diet and lifestyle strategies, and currently studies the interplay between diet, lifestyle, functional medicine, and autoimmune disease. As a medical doctor, Terry has a lot to share in regards to the high cost of medical testing, lower cost approaches, and whether a “real food” approach is elitist. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a resource for those seeking to live well with chronic illness. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’m the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage both Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt. I’m a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I’m the author of The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, and I’m using diet and lifestyle to best manage my endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and Celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.AutoimmuneWellness.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. We also wrote a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook together that serves as a do-it-yourself guidebook to living well with chronic illness. Mickey Trescott: If you’re looking for more information about the autoimmune protocol, make sure to sign up for our newsletter at autoimmunewellness.com, so we can send you our free quick start guide. It contains printable AIP food lists, a 2-week food plan, a 90-minute batch cooking video, a mindset video, and food reintroduction guides. This season of the podcast, real food on a budget is brought to you by our title sponsor, The Nutritional Therapy Association. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Onto the podcast! Topics: 1. Welcome back to season 3 [1:40] 2. A little bit about the upcoming season [8:49] 3. Conversation with Dr. Wahls about food on a budget [15:06] 1. Welcome back to season 3 [1:40] Mickey Trescott: Hey everyone! Mickey here. Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We are in our third season. How are you doing today, Angie? Angie Alt: I’m good. I’m kind of in shock that we have been doing this for three seasons now. Mickey Trescott: I know. It’s been a lot of fun putting everything together. And I think we would go through these long breaks where we’re like; we’d forget about the podcast. We’re like; yeah, we don’t have a podcast. And then we’d start thinking about doing it again, and we’re like; oh yeah, that’s a lot of work. Angie Alt: Oh yeah, I do a podcast. Mickey Trescott: We’ve been getting fired up, and we’re really excited to introduce our topic for this season. It’s one that we have been thinking about for probably years now, huh Angie? Angie Alt: Yeah, we’ve been talking about this a long time. Mickey Trescott: We’ve been talking about it for a while. And it is Real Food on a Budget. {dun-dun-dun!} We really want to dig in how to make nutrient dense, healing foods accessible for everyone. So Angie, you want to talk a little bit about how we came up with this topic? Angie Alt: Yeah. I mean, we’ve long been hearing kind of the rumblings from the autoimmune community, the AIP community, that finding a way to make these dietary changes affordable is this big barrier to adopting the protocol over the long term. And those rumblings were pretty much confirmed at the beginning of this year when we ran our giant reader survey. Seriously; thank you to everyone who participated and gave us your feedback. That was very valuable to us. But no big surprise; you guys pinpointed affordability and accessibility to high quality, healing foods as one of your biggest challenges. So we kind of knew that that was something that was out there all along. Mickey Trescott: Yep. And some of the specific challenges that we’ve both personally been through at different points in our journey, and things we’ve heard from you guys in comments on the blog and in social media, and in the survey, are things like people that can’t get started just because they literally can’t afford it. They don’t have the current budget for it. Right? Angie Alt: Right. I mean, it’s hard. It’s a big budgetary move. We definitely felt that in the beginning of our journeys when we kind of shifted our families’ budgets to focus on that. My husband and I sit down and do kind of a big overview of our spending at the beginning of every year from the previous year, and we saw it again this year. Whoa; that food budget. It’s a biggie. It’s hard to adjust all those other areas of your life to focus on that priority. We also hear a lot about people not being able to find high quality food in their area. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, not being able to afford them, so people don’t have access to a quality grocery store that sells high quality food. Or, if they do, maybe those foods are exorbitantly expensive. Because as we’ve seen a rise in organic and grass-fed and even the convenience foods that weren’t around when we started AIP; a lot of these things now are infiltrating into maybe even more rural and more food desert-y areas. But the price tag goes way up because those retailers know that they have something nobody else does, and they want their customers to pay for it. So that’s really frustrating. Angie Alt: Yeah. Another area is people saying that affording the high-quality food and the medical care that they might need at the same time together is a challenge. Mickey Trescott: This is a huge one. Angie Alt: Yeah, it is. It really is. It’s a hard one to get around, right? You just have to kind of believe that focusing on diet and lifestyle is eventually going to help you bring those medical care costs down. I’ve definitely seen that over the long-term for myself. But in the beginning, it’s really tough to walk that line. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. If some people are going through some really important medical procedures or medical treatments or seeing certain doctors that they really need to see, they literally might not be able to start with the food to the extent. We have some ideas for you guys later, but they might not be able to do it at the current time. Another issue that people have is that, maybe they try AIP for a short period of time. Which is what we advocate. You guys know at this point, AIP is not forever. But maybe they experience some success in the very beginning, but then they find it too expensive to maintain. Right Angie? Angie Alt: Yep. I see this a lot. I get a special view of this because of my group programs. I see people at the very beginning giving this a big shot and really dedicating a lot of their financial resources to it. And then maybe the financial resources kind of burn out at some point, and they go; how do I maintain this? I’m not quite there where I need to be, in terms of my healing, but I don’t know if I can stretch my budget further. So we’re going to dive into that some, too, over the next few episodes. What about a really tough on, Mickey. Integrating a healing diet while needing to be on social welfare programs, like food stamps. That can be really challenging, because there are limitations on what you can buy with some of those programs. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. This is something that we haven’t had an onslaught of people writing to us. But through the years, I have had some especially thoughtful blog comments and emails from people that say; this is my issue. I’m on this government program. I have a fixed income, and I really want to try AIP. How can I make it work for me? We’ve got some ideas for you guys. We’re actually going to be interviewing a social worker later on in this podcast series. And hopefully give you guys some ideas about prioritizing. Because that’s actually something that I don’t think anyone in our community has started talking about yet. Angie Alt: No, and we’re excited to talk. I have a lot of personal feeling about this, and I’m really excited to help figure out ways to make this successful for everybody. Even those on the lowest incomes. Ok. And finally, another big one. Confusion about how to make smart compromises in food quality or budget priority. I think it feels like there’s only one way to do AIP, and I need to go buy everything at Whole Foods. And people aren’t quite sure about doing that. Mickey Trescott: Mm-hmm. If people don’t know that this is a struggle for them, it will become apparent. There may be a misconception for a lot of you guys that you need to be drinking a $5 bottle of kombucha every day. Or buying that organic grass-fed meat at Whole Foods, or whatever. And not really understanding how to make those compromises to kind of sustain this long-term. So hopefully we’re going to clear some of that up for you guys. There may be some other things that you guys are feeling. Hopefully in 8 episodes dedicated completely to this, we’ll cover it for you guys. So, Angie, you want to dive into why this topic is personally important to us? 2. A little bit about the upcoming season [8:49] Angie Alt: Yeah. You know, we wanted you guys to understand that this isn’t just motivated by what we’ve learned from all of you and what the community has been asking for. Mickey and I are not independently wealthy, either. And we recognize that the process of shifting your budget to focus on high quality foods that fuel healing is by no means an easy undertaking. When we first began AIP ourselves, it was difficult to figure out where the money to eat like this was going to come from, or how to source the best foods at the lowest prices. Not only that, but we have personal experience living very low income. Mickey lived paycheck to paycheck when she was first diagnosed. And when I first got ill, I was a single parent, and I was on welfare at that time. I was working a job, and going to school, and needing some additional support. And it was really tough. Those experiences left really powerful impressions on us, and they played a really big role in our efforts to address this issue with this podcast season. We don’t believe that healing food only belongs to the rich. And we want to figure out ways to make this successful for everybody. So what can they expect this podcast series, Mickey? Mickey Trescott: First, we’re going to do an episode on every facet of food sourcing and kind of break that down for you guys. All your options. Everything from purchasing meat and fat to vegetables and pantry items. There are so many options. There’s just this huge spectrum of everything from going to the farmer’s market, to buying things online, to buying clubs that we’re really going to dive in and give you guys some really creative ideas. I’m sure a lot of them you’ve never even heard or considered before. That might help you guys solve some problems. Some of these things are going to be great ah-ha moments for some of you. And some of them might not be applicable. But our hope is that there is going to be something here for everybody. We’ll also be talking about some tricks that help you stretch your food budget. So things like meal planning and batch cooking, and minimizing waste. So, you guys are probably sick of hearing us talk about meal planning and batch cooking. But there are more benefits to it than just saving you some time. And it’s not just about what you buy and where. So how you’re using these ingredients. How you’re stretching them. Especially that waste piece, we haven’t talked about a lot in our community. But just to maximize that, and get the most value and healing out of it. And then we’ll also be addressing how to create and prioritize your food budget. As well as have a conversation like Angie said about even those on the lowest incomes. So things like food stamps, WIC, using food pantries, and some creative ways that if that’s you, how you can still make healing changes in your diet. There are definitely options for you. Along the way, we’ll be interviewing some people who have a specific expertise on the topic of the episode, which will help us go much deeper than our own experiences, into the range of options. And we’re going to be learning along with you guys. There are some areas that I feel like Angie and I are very strong in, and then there are some areas where especially we’re bringing in a few experts that we have some great questions for them, and I think we personally stand to learn a lot from them. So we’re excited about that. And then lastly, we will be interviewing members of our AIP community to share their number one money saving tip, and how they’ve hacked eating this way over the long-term. So this way, we can get a broader perspective of what’s working for a variety of people living in different areas on different budgets. For instance, someone living in San Francisco. They might have a different tip on what saves them money than someone living in rural Oklahoma. Sourcing might vary really widely from New York City to St. Louis. So, the good news is that we know people hacking AIP literally all over the world. So wherever you find yourself, know that there are options for you. It might take a little thinking outside the box. And through sharing some of these experiences of our community, we can really hone in on kind of taking stock of that landscape and seeing what’s out there. Angie Alt: This is going to be a good season, guys. That’s it for our first half of this episode. We’ll be back after the break with a guest who will help us take stock of exactly what we are up against in tackling this problem. We’ll be right back. Angie Alt: We wanted to introduce you guys to our title sponsor this season of the podcast, The Nutritional Therapy Association. The NTA is a holistic nutrition school that reconnects people to healing foods and vibrant health. They provide practical and affordable nutrition education through their courses, empowering individuals to launch new careers, and heal themselves, their communities, and the world. The NTA trains and certified nutritional therapy practitioners and consultants with an emphasis on bioindividual nutrition. Mickey Trescott: I personally discovered the NTP program in 2012 when I was in the middle of my own healing journey with AIP. I was actually sitting on my kitchen counter, looking at the local community college class list that I got in the mail, and I saw the program. When I looked it up online, and found that it was based on real food and ancestral perspectives, I knew that it would be a perfect fit to my personal chef work, and a major piece to shifting my career. And while I was going through the program, I actually wrote the first iteration of the Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook as my community project. And the rest is history. Angie Alt: After becoming a certified health coach in 2014, I was excited but knew that I wanted to dive much, much deeper into nutrition. And Mickey, obviously, had glowing things to say about NTA. After I looked over the program offerings, I knew that the NTC course was perfect for me as a virtual coach. It ended up being one of the most intense learning experiences of my life. It was absolutely bursting with ah-ha moments as I made the connections. Not only for my existing clients, but for myself and the autoimmune path I had been walking. Mickey Trescott: You guys can learn more about The Nutritional Therapy Association as well as their programs, events, and resources at www.NutritionalTherapy.com. While you’re there, make sure to check out their free 7-day nutritional therapy 101 course. 3. Conversation with Dr. Wahls about food on a budget [15:06] Angie Alt: Onto our interview! Today we are speaking with Dr. Terry Wahls, who is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. She is also a clinical researcher, and has published over 60 peer reviewed abstracts, posters, and papers. And has most recently been delving into studying the interplay between diet, lifestyle, functional medicine, and autoimmune disease with patients with multiple sclerosis. A disease she has successfully recovered from using those tools herself. Seriously, you guys, if you have not seen her TED Talk, go do it already. You’re living under a rock if you haven’t seen it. We really can’t emphasize enough how much we respect and admire Dr. Wahls’ work. Thank you, Terry, for joining us today from Iowa. As you know, we are just kicking off our very focused podcast season dedicated to helping folks make a healing diet and lifestyle fit into their budget. We know this is an area of expertise for you, so we’re excited to pick your brain and get an assessment of exactly what our movement is up against here. Dr. Terry Wahls: Great. Very glad to be here. Mickey Trescott: So Terry; We are facing both exorbitant costs in our medical system, which you know really well as a doctor, as well as the artificially deflated cost for low-quality food. I think that’s something not a lot of people are talking about. As a doctor that works within this system, and is passionate about helping people from all walks of life get better with dietary and lifestyle changes, what’s your take on the struggle here and kind of where we’re at? Dr. Terry Wahls: You know, a lot of people get introduced to functional medicine really get taught how to use some very high cost testing, and supplements, that can be very helpful. And unfortunately, they’re not as familiar with just how much can be done without testing. Without these high cost supplements. That is the advantage that I had by working in the VA. I had to live within the constraints of the VA. So I learned a great deal. Mickey Trescott: Can you tell us some of those experiences? And for people that don’t know exactly what that entailed. Because I’ve seen you speak at conferences, and talk about some of these cases, working with the VA. What does that mean that maybe you weren’t able to run some testing and stuff? Dr. Terry Wahls: Well, when the VA agreed to let me begin doing functional medicine, I had been doing functional medicine with no testing, just as part of my traumatic brain injury clinic. I would talk about diet and lifestyle as part of a 20-minute appointment I got twice a year with these folks. And even with that very limited time constraint, I made handouts I could give to people. We were able to achieve great engagement. And for many folks who were willing to go with me on the diet and lifestyle journey, we had terrific success. And then based on that success, the VA chief of medicine came back and asked me to create a functional medicine clinic. And in those conversations back and forth, we agreed that I could have group visits. I would be able to take no additional functional medicine testing. I could just do basic primary care labs. And no fancy supplements. I could order B vitamins and fish oil, vitamin C. And that was it. Even with those constraints, we had phenomenal success. And my tools were really very simple; diet and lifestyle. Cooking classes. We talked about gardening, hunting, fishing. And teaching people how to cook at home. Angie Alt: That’s so awesome. I love that you just tapped into what they had available. Even hunting, fishing, growing their own food. That’s such a smart way to tap into what their skillset already was to address those needs. What kind of recommendations were you making? And what results did you see working with people in that way? Dr. Terry Wahls: The first thing we did, we had to create demand and interest. So we’d have large classes. People could get referred to my initial group class where we told my story in the principles of functional medicine. We talked about epigenetics, microbiome, ecosystem medicine. And then said; if you want to work with us, and come to the more intensive classes, you have to sign up to be willing to do gluten free, dairy free, lots of vegetables. And we’ll refine it further from there. If you can commit to doing that, then they could come work with me. Then they would come in after that initial class. I’d say about a third of the folks would say; no, that’s too hard. And two-thirds would sign-up to come to these group classes. In those group classes, we’d have a more intensive instruction about functional medicine. Why it works, why the microbiome is so important, why diet is so important. Then we’d have a big cooking class, where we’d help them understand a new relationship with food. We’d make cooked greens and a green smoothie, so they could understand that this food is easy. It’s fast. And it can be delicious. After that, have classes once a month that would focus on some aspect of diet, or movement, or stress reduction, or life purpose. And then we’d have monthly group classes where they could come with a group that talked about their strengths, their challenges, and get coaching from everyone else in the group. Mickey Trescott: Terry, that sounds like a really comprehensive and incredible program that these folks had access to. It’s really, really amazing what you’ve thought of. I want to ask; you mentioned cooking instruction, which I know is a really big barrier for a lot of people. What’s your assessment on; some of these probably had no idea what they were getting into when they had their 20-minute appointment with you. And you’re recommending all of these changes; biggest, probably, their diet. Many of them, I’m sure were just eating a Standard American Diet. How did you see that teaching people how to cook that maybe had never cooked before, and how people got over that obstacle? Dr. Terry Wahls: So the first couple of years I did this, I didn’t get to have my group classes or cooking classes yet. When I first started, it was just education that I could do in a 20-minute appointment and give them a handout. So, I was introducing the concepts. We had a lovely handout with some information. And some books that we recommended. I couldn’t get everyone fired up, but we had remarkable success. I’d say about a quarter of the folks really began making big changes that would grow over time. With traumatic brain injury, getting anyone to improve instead of steadily decline was noteworthy. And because of that success, then that led to creating the therapeutic lifestyle clinic, where we could create these ongoing programs. I’m still struck that that 20-minute conversation with folks that were having traumatic brain injury; PTSD, losing their jobs, losing their families. Saying; you’ve been struggling for years with this problem. Would you give it a month of gluten free, lots of vegetables, and see what happens? Mickey Trescott: Terry, do you remember any particular cases to you that stand out? Dr. Terry Wahls: Oh yeah. Mickey Trescott: That you could give us a little snapshot of maybe what this person’s life was like, and what they were staring down. Dr. Terry Wahls: So here’s a gentleman who had multiple traumatic brain injuries, blast exposures during the war. Exposed to burn pits. He had a terrible case of bloody diarrhea. He kept coming back. He was treated with antibiotics, and then treated for inflammatory bowel disease. And med boarded out. He put on 100 pounds, in spite of his inflammatory bowel disease. And was back stateside. His marriage was failing. He had tried going to school. Was flunking out of school. Saw me. I said; look. I think you’ve got undiagnosed gluten sensitivity. And I think that there’s probably a toxic body burden. So I pitched gluten free, cooked vegetables, soups and stews, grain free. In 20 minutes. He came back; flunked out of school. He was now divorced. I talked with him again. Gave him another pitch for gluten free, cooked vegetables, grain free. The next time I saw him, over a year later, he in fact had implemented that diet. And he’s begun to lose weight. And then I see him 6 months after that; he’s now finally 100% grain free. 100% on the diet. He’s lost 50 pounds. His energy is improving. I see him 6 months later; he’s in school and he is now absolutely 100% on the diet. Continuing to lose weight, and his grades are doing well. He has since completed his degree in graphic design. He has a small business. Remarried and thriving. Mickey Trescott: That’s incredible. Dr. Terry Wahls: So the first time I said all this to him, he sort of thought about it. He sort of tried it intermittently. He didn’t really buy into it. It was the second visit that he bought into it. It wasn’t until the third visit that he actually started doing it 100%. But even when he wasn’t doing it 100%, he could tell that things were beginning to improve. Angie Alt: That’s awesome. Terry, I heard you mentioning a lot about the different kinds of group work that you did with people. Do you think that group programs are a smart way for us to save money in health care? Dr. Terry Wahls: I think change; behavior change is difficult to sustain. It’s much easier with peer support, peer education. So I think groups can be very, very effective. In many ways, more effective than individual appointments. I think physicians, we do a good job of helping people understand why to do something. Why a mechanism or intervention works. To help get curious. Get excited. But then, to sustain, to grow the internal motivation, that’s best done with a health coach or a nutrition professional who has been really trained on motivational interviewing. Group support to sustain this relationship over a year. At least 6 months, but preferably a year. And then to give these people a way to create community, that can be sustained away from the health coach and the clinical practice. Mickey Trescott: Yeah, you’re speaking straight to our hearts, Terry. Dr. Terry Wahls: I certainly see that the public demanded interest in health coach and nutritional professional who understand behavior change, internal motivation, group dynamics, growing. I certainly see the demand for that in functional medicine practices growing. Even here at the university and conventional primary care practices. I see great awareness of motivational interviewing. Of group behavior. Of heath behavior changes. So even my conventional medicine primary care specialty care clinics here at the university are beginning to talk about health coaches, health behaviors, motivational interviewing. And I’m cheering them on, of course. Mickey Trescott: And ultimately, Terry, I mean this is going to help reduce the cost burden on our system. Because if people are asking a doctor to hold their hand for implementation; like you were saying, the challenge you were having at the VA. It was really up to your patients to kind of take it on themselves, especially in the early days, to kind of figure out how to make those changes. Now, if we have this army of health coaches educated at a much lower cost than an MD, ready and willing at a much lower rate per hour to work with people and help them figure out these seemingly simple problems, like what do I eat for breakfast. Or what do I bring to lunch. That’s going to save the whole system money in the long run. Dr. Terry Wahls: Oh, absolutely. And many more of my academic internal medicine colleagues are understanding that health behaviors are what we have to address if we’re going to control diabetes, or high blood pressure, or mental health issues. They don’t necessarily understand that yet for autoimmune issues in general. But many more specialists are getting that health behaviors are where health happens, as opposed to the drugs. Mickey Trescott: Totally agree. So Terry, here’s a big can of worms. Do you feel that what all of us collectively are advocating for in terms of dietary healing is elitist? And if so, how can we change this and make it more accessible for everyone? Dr. Terry Wahls: It’s not elitist at all. That’s just a bunch of hogwash. That is just a bunch of elitist hogwash. You don’t need to have fancy testing to tell people they need to eat more vegetables. Try 100 days of a grain free diet and see what happens. People are figuring this out. That’s why there’s so much information on the internet. That’s why all the YouTube channels are successful. That’s why these self-help books are successful. Now, there certainly are people who have resources who are happy to buy my time to come do a concierge practice with me. Which I love, because then I can provide information on social media through my staff to the public. So yes, there will always be people who have money that are willing to buy more intensive support. And there’s a lot of free support available through social media. And there are low level programs available through group classes. Through health coaches. And so, there’s a huge spectrum of support that people can access. They can access stuff that’s free. They can access stuff that you pay progressively more, according to the resources that you have available. But that’s what our society has done forever, from the beginning. There’s information that’s freely available, but if you have money you can buy more support if you want. Mickey Trescott: Yeah. Well, Terry, Angie and I are both here and able to do what we do, because of your TED Talk. Honestly, that was one of the things that was a tipping point for me being able to get motivated to make the dietary and lifestyle changes that I did. And what we do, a lot of it is just getting the word out to everyone without a pay wall or anything. To just help people. Like this podcast. Figure out what they can do better. So we’re definitely in agreement there. But we are aware that a lot of people say; I can’t afford this. Or this is just for rich people. And I think some of that barrier is a little bit of perception. Yes, some people are on very low incomes, and have to be very creative. And that’s part of what we’re trying to do here, is give them some options and some different ways of thinking things. But you know; you’ve worked with some of the poorest people through the VA, and you’ve seen the types of changes they’ve been able to make and the benefits they’ve gotten in their life from doing that work. And it can be really powerful. Dr. Terry Wahls: Absolutely. The people I took care of for years were food stamps. On disability. They had no money. They were doing this based on their gardening, their hunting, their fishing. They would go to the farmer’s market. And brilliant ideas. They would walk around the farmer’s market and ask people at the end, what’s the best price you can give me if I take everything that’s left. And they could figure out how to get a trunkful of food. Sometimes it was organic, sometimes it wasn’t. For pennies on the dollar. And many communities here in the Midwest have too much deer. So you could go to the local meat lockers and get venison for free. When people say it’s too expensive, it’s elitist; often I see that as an excuse. “I don’t want to have to take responsibility for making any effort. I want to continue to say it’s not my problem, because I don’t have all that money to get those expensive supplements and to get those tests.” They don’t need the supplements. They don’t need the tests. But they do need to eat vegetables. They do need to learn to cook at home. And you can have very inexpensive vegetables. And you can grow food. You can go to city lots; empty city lots. You can go to the farmer’s market and say; what is the best price I could get at the end of the farmer’s market for everything you’ve got left? Mickey Trescott: Yeah. There are lots of creative ideas. Hopefully we’ll be exploring a lot more of them in this podcast series for people listening. But I love getting your perspective on that, Terry. Because we totally agree. Angie Alt: Every time Terry talks, I feel like saying hallelujah. Dr. Terry Wahls: It is such a miracle to have my life back. And when people tell me they feel hopeless, I feel sad for them, but the first thing to understand that as long as we’re alive, life is a series of self-correcting biochemical reactions. The more we can help our bodies have what’s needed and remove the things that are harmful. And all that begins with food. Getting rid of the sugar, getting rid of the processed food. And cooking at home is the first step. Angie Alt: Yep. Solving our healthcare crisis starts in our kitchens, everybody. You heard it from Dr. Wahls. Terry, will you let our listeners know what you’re up to in your work currently, and where they can find you online? Dr. Terry Wahls: So find me at TerryWahls.com. I’m on Facebook, Terry Wahls, MD. Instagram, Dr. Terry Wahls. Twitter, Terry Wahls. I have a seminar in August where we go over all of these concepts. We have a health professional workshop, and certified health professionals. So you can learn more about that at TerryWahls.com. I’m working on a study comparing the Swank Diet and the Wahls Diet. We’ll do that for another two years. And this month we’re submitting a full grant proposal comparing the Wahls diet as a safety and feasibility in the setting of ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. SO that’s a very exciting step. Angie Alt: Yeah, wow. That’s really exciting. Thanks for giving us that update. Dr. Terry Wahls: Oh, and I’m going to Australia in April. We’ll be doing a bunch of events in Australia, as well. Mickey Trescott: Cool. Maybe if people listening in, any of our Australia folks, you guys check in with Terry and see if she’s coming to a location near you, because that would be fun to catch her. Dr. Terry Wahls: The link for that is DrTerryWahlslive.com. Mickey Trescott: Cool. Dr. Terry Wahls: I’ll send those links to you guys so you’ll have all of that. Mickey Trescott: Great. Yeah, we’ll put everything in the show notes. Thank you so much, again, Terry for agreeing to have this conversation with us. I know we’re talking about a little more the finer details of making this stuff work. But I think people are going to be really grateful to just hear our discussion about this. For all you guys listening in, we’ll be back next week. We hope you guys are enjoying the beginning to this podcast series. And we’ll see you guys all soon. Take care everyone. Angie Alt: Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness podcast. We’re honored to have you as a listener, and we hope that you’ve gained some useful information. Mickey Trescott: Did you know that we have dozens of informative articles about living well with autoimmune disease, and over 250 elimination phase compliant recipes on our website, updated multiple times per week? Make sure to click on over to AutoimmuneWellness.com. Follow us on social media. And sign up for our newsletter to find out about all of this new content. We’re either at Autoimmune Paleo, or at Autoimmune Wellness on any of these channels. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any page on our website. Don’t forget to connect with the AIP community by using the hashtag #AutoimmuneWellness. Angie Alt: If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us a review in iTunes, as this helps others find us. See you next time! Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. For the full podcast archive, click here. The post S3 E1 – Real Food on a Budget w/ Terry Wahls appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

The AIP community has changed… a lot! Since our humble beginnings in approximately 2011, our movement has grown exponentially. This growth has been overwhelmingly positive, but there have been some downsides to it as well. Considering all the growth and change, we’ve decided to start 2018 with a “State of AIP Address” here at Autoimmune Wellness. We’d like to have a discussion about the roots of AIP, where we are at now, and where we think things are heading. Most importantly, with that longview in mind, we want you, our community, to help us focus our energy. We believe in the concept of servant leadership and want to find out how we can continue to strengthen and refine the AIP movement from your perspectives. We are poised to see AIP move into the mainstream and we want to make sure it arrives there with your needs out front. Before we begin… This is a long post! If you’d rather listen to the content in podcast form, you can do so below. But don’t forget to fill out our survey when you’re done.     First, a brief history of the AIP movement (2011-2016): 2011 The earliest threads of AIP began to take form in 2011 when some early-adopters (us!) were introduced to the idea of eating an autoimmune-specific elimination diet through the work of Robb Wolf, Chris Kresser, Loren Cordain, and Datis Kharrazian. 2012 In 2012, Sarah Ballantyne started blogging about her experience with Paleo and began to research and refine the elimination diet, providing the first comprehensive guidance on elimination and reintroduction of foods. Later in 2012, a few early-adopters started blogging about their personal experiences on the elimination diet and connected to form the beginnings of the AIP community. The first year or so, there were six of us: Mickey (Autoimmune Paleo), Angie (Alt-Ternative Autoimmune), Eileen (Phoenix Helix), Sarah (The Paleo Mom), Whitney (Nutrisclerosis), and Christina (A Clean Plate). At the time we were all very much in the middle of our healing journeys with diverse autoimmune diseases, but we connected on the idea that diet was key. 2013 2013 was a time of grassroots growth for AIP. In April, Mickey released the first ebook about AIP, The Autoimmune Paleo E-Cookbook. This was the year Sarah Ballantyne was heavily researching the protocol and publishing more in-depth articles about the “why’s,” nutrient density, and reintroductions. It was also the year that we started to consider the lifestyle piece in managing our conditions. Our group was still small, but this year another dozen or so bloggers started sharing their stories and recipes with the burgeoning community. 2014 2014 was the breakout year for AIP. In January, Sarah Ballantyne’s complete guide to AIP was released, The Paleo Approach, and went on to become a New York Times Bestseller later that summer. In March, the print version of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook came out. And later on in the year we got The Paleo Approach Cookbook, a second offering from Sarah Ballantyne, and Angie Alt’s The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook, along with a few other fantastic AIP ebooks. SAD to AIP in SIX had its first enrollment guiding 25 members through a phased transition to AIP. In these early days, the community was looking for recipes and support, and the offerings this year definitely answered that call! At the end of 2014, the very first AIP restaurant, Mission: Heirloom opened its doors in Berkeley, California, and the first AIP podcast, The Phoenix Helix Podcast joined the airwaves! 2015 January 2015, Angie and Mickey announced that they would be joining forces and blogging together, along with community voices, at autoimmune-paleo.com. At this point, the community had grown to tens of thousands of people, as evidenced by the movement’s exponential growth, engagement, and connection on our site and across all social media platforms (especially Instagram!). The movement was now large enough to support big in-person gatherings, with many meetup groups springing up, authors holding book tours, classes being given, and speaking at conferences about the protocol. This was the year that we started overhearing folks in the grocery store talking about AIP, and we had a large enough base of people who had experience with the protocol to start featuring success stories other than our own on our site. By the end of 2015, there were over 15 books and programs for people following AIP! 2016 2016 AIP started infiltrating progressive doctors’ offices and went global. In the early days, people found out about AIP from reading online or picking up a copy of our books. This year, the functional and alternative medicine communities started hearing about AIP and we heard more and more from both our followers and clients that their doctors were recommending this approach. A GI doctor reached out to us about the positive results one of her IBD patients had with AIP, and that discussion turned into a full-blown medical study using AIP, later that year. Also in 2016, it became clear to us that our movement was no longer US-based, as both international readership and membership in the blogging community grew exponentially. The AIP movement began to grow in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South America, Europe, and even the Middle East. Our discussions also shifted to encompass the lifestyle changes, implementation, and patient advocacy. We released our co-authored book, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook and started The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast as guides to those who were not only looking for dietary information, but a well-rounded guide to all of the areas important to living well with autoimmune disease. So, what happened to the AIP movement in 2017? Let’s take a look at some numbers. We know the AIP movement is large and continues to grow, but this becomes more clear as we look at the stats. Here is some information we’ve gleaned from our website and social media channels that helps depict the size of our movement: Autoimmune Wellness has reached 4 million unique users with 13 million pageviews Over 130,000 people have signed up for our free AIP quick-start guide The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast has been downloaded over 400,000 times 86% of our readers on the site are female (compared to 93% on Facebook) 30% of our readers are 35-44, 25% are between 25-34, 20% are between 45-54, and 12% are between 55-64 We have readers from 234 countries, including places like Antarctica, Nepal, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan (yes, really!). Our highest represented international communities are Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, and South Africa We have 42 US-based AIP meetup groups spanning the entire country (almost one for every state!) We have 23 international AIP meetup groups (including Egypt, Croatia, and Finland!) On Instagram, #autoimmunepaleo and #autoimmuneprotocol have been used over 100,000 times each There are over 50 recipe bloggers writing about AIP, over 30 AIP-friendly cookbooks, and literally thousands of recipes available for the elimination phase We think it is safe to say the AIP movement is massive, engaged, continuing to grow, and thriving! This year, the AIP community got a huge piece of validating news in the results of the first-ever medical study of the diet for those with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). While tens of thousands of us already knew that the protocol works, having the data legitimize the efforts we’d been putting in for years and helped us open new conversations with healthcare teams. Even though the study was restricted to those with IBD, our anecdotal experience as a community says that we are likely to find similar results with other autoimmune disease types if we are lucky enough to see future studies. Here is a summary of the study results: There were 15 participants, nine with Crohn’s and six with ulcerative colitis. Angie’s group coaching program, SAD to AIP in SIX, was used to transition participants to AIP for the study. By Week 6 (that was full AIP elimination), 11 of the 15 participants were in clinical remission (six with Crohn’s, five with ulcerative). A 73% success rate! All eleven participants maintained clinical remission through the maintenance phase. Seven of the 15 participants were on active biologic therapies but not in clinical remission at baseline, and this suggests that diet can be an important component of successful treatment. The researchers concluded, “We did not hypothesize, a priori, that clinical remission would be achieved so early (week 6). Indeed, this proportion of participants with active IBD achieving clinical remission by week 6 rivals that of most drug therapies for IBD . . . (Konijeti, et al. 2017)” In other words, it works!! The AIP community showed their collective creative and fundraising capacity through a successful launch of The Complete AIP Resource Library in August and November. Over 40 recipe authors and contributors collaborated to bring a high-value, low-cost resource to the community. Together, we were able to raise over $30,000 for charities that support the autoimmune community through research, advocacy, education, and real-food access. This year Mickey, Angie and Sarah graduated the first 100 AIP Certified Coaches. In 2016, the three of us recognized the need to train others in this approach and started developing a certification program for those in both the natural and conventional health care systems. This year we enrolled, taught, and graduated our very first class! The first class of AIP Certified Coaches included MDs, NDs, Pharmacists, DCs, RDs, PTs, RNs, PAs, fitness coaches, mental health professionals, NTP/Cs, CHCs, Herbalists, LaCs, and other types of practitioners. We are happy to announce that AIP Certified Coaches are incorporating AIP into their practices around the globe, with many international coaches and others who work virtually over skype. (Looking for a coach? Check out the AIP Certified Coach Directory! These practitioners are now part of an “army” of AIP-trained professionals, able to make an enormous impact on the chronic illness epidemic around the globe. This year the SAD to AIP in SIX program graduates neared the 2,000-member mark. In addition to being successfully used in the first medical study to evaluate the effectiveness of AIP, it has become recognized as the most affordable, gentle, and sustainable way to transition to the protocol and achieve wellness. Phew! No wonder we are a little tired this season ;). How has the AIP community changed over the years? If you are just joining our movement now, it might not be readily apparent how much has changed. Here are some of the biggest things we notice: More resources. We’ve gone from a few blogs to countless print and digital resources to help folks cook, meal plan, and navigate their health journeys. Doctor recommendations. We never used to hear “my doctor told me to try AIP.” Now, we hear it all the time! A shift from virtual to real connections. The hub of our community has changed from primarily virtual connection on social media, to deeper connections via in-person meetup groups. The community is huge. We regularly overhear folks talking about AIP in the grocery store, while traveling, and in other public places. It is global. There are now AIP bloggers and groups in many different languages and countries. More convenient AIP foods. We now have a plethora of options for ready-made meals, snacks, and ingredients to make compliant dishes. More accessibility for real foods. We are finding “real food” staples like broth, turmeric root, and pastured meat in regular grocery stores, and easier access through online shopping. More focus on troubleshooting. We know a lot more now about the different areas and ways to troubleshoot that go beyond simply what is on our plates. Reintroduction support. As more folks move on from the elimination phase, there has been more discussion and resources about support through reintroductions and a conversation about long-term healing. A shift to incorporate patient advocacy and lifestyle changes. We as a community have embraced the concept that healing is not just about food! More open-mindedness about blending conventional treatment options. In the beginning, going without medication or surgery seemed like a badge of honor, but now the community has opened up to the idea of using the best of both worlds to live our healthiest despite autoimmune disease. Haters gonna hate. Our movement is big enough that there are folks out there actively trying to discredit it. This may seem like a downside, but it is actually a testament to the fact that we are now a part of a bigger shift in both the food system and healthcare (those outdated systems feel the threat!). So, what is next for the AIP community in 2018 and beyond? A real focused effort to get AIP mainstream. We are poised to take AIP even further and firmly establish its viability as a healing option for those with autoimmune disease. More doctors will jump on board to recommending AIP as they hear positive experiences from their patients and as they see the results of past and future research on the protocol. The obstacle here is showing the doctors that there is an emerging field of health coaches and nutritional therapists who are capable and willing to bridge the gap between their recommendations and how a patient implements it in their own lives. Expansion of real-life AIP resources like restaurants, retreats, and centers. There is a growing demand for this niche market and we are excited to see it take off. Bridging the accessibility gap and making AIP more affordable and practical for those on a low income or with limited access. Further research on the use of AIP for other autoimmune conditions. The first study has awakened interest from researchers in other areas and we are hopeful to see more money allocated to this research. An expansion of community events like meetups, workshops, and classes both in the US and around the world. More stories. We anticipate more members of the community both blogging and sharing their stories on social media (including those with “rare” conditions – we might find out that these conditions aren’t as uncommon as we think they are!). More AIP Certified Coaches who are trained to specifically implement this approach in a 1:1 setting. A more rapid global expansion. We look forward to translated resources and even practitioners in other countries incorporating AIP into their approaches. Tens of thousands more folks will find healing and tell their friends – leading to even greater exponential growth of our movement! It’s all pretty exciting, isn’t it? Now that you have the longview, you can see how far AIP has come and its potential to impact even more people in the future. In order to fulfill our mission here at Autoimmune Wellness, we need to be strategic.   Can you help us decide where to focus our energy? We would love your input on how we’ve been doing as leaders in the AIP movement and what we can do next. We are taking feedback in the form of a reader survey during the month of January. Take me to the survey!     Thank you! We always strive to keep our core concepts close to our work. We believe that the key ideas we outlined at the beginning of 2016 for reclaiming wellness are still the same. You can find these 20 simple statements by reading our Autoimmune Wellness Manifesto, or listening to episodes #17 or #18 of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast where we interview members of the AIP blogging community about each tenet. We hope these will continue to serve as touchstones for you too. Lastly, thank you for being a part of our community, whether you’ve been one of the original members of our healing crew or are a new follower. We sincerely appreciate your contributions to this movement, and hope to serve you even better in 2018. Happy New Year! The post The State of AIP 2018 appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to see what that means!In order to support our blogging activities, we may receive monetary compensation or other types or remuneration for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this blog. That being said, we only promote authors, products, and services that we wholeheartedly stand by! This is a special bonus series of The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast where we are sharing in long, conversational format our personal healing stories. In each of these episodes, we are joined by our Content Manager, Grace Heerman, who interviews us individually about our experiences with illness. If you are new to our podcast, we recommend starting at the very beginning of Season 1, where we take a deep look into the seven steps to living well with autoimmune disease, as outlined in our co-authored book, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook. In season 2 we expanded the format to include Q and A episodes as well as interviews with those who have used AIP to successfully heal from chronic illness. Mickey’s Interview Welcome back to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast! We are in the middle of producing a third season for you all to enjoy, and we believe it will be our most actionable and best season yet. In the meantime, we are sharing long-format interviews on our personal healing journeys, lead by our amazing content director Grace. Today you’ll hear Grace interview Mickey in-depth about her healing story, including what it was like to experience a healing crisis in her twenties having been newly married, without health insurance, and with a very limited understanding from her friends and family. We’ll be back around the New Year with an update about what we have in store for you guys both on the blog and for the podcast. Thank you Grace, for facilitating these interviews for us! Enjoy everyone! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! The post Bonus Episode #2: Deep Dive w/ Mickey appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to see what that means!In order to support our blogging activities, we may receive monetary compensation or other types or remuneration for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this blog. That being said, we only promote authors, products, and services that we wholeheartedly stand by! This is a special bonus series of The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast where we are sharing in long, conversational format our personal healing stories. In each of these episodes, we are joined by our Content Manager, Grace Heerman, who interviews us individually about our experiences with illness. If you are new to our podcast, we recommend starting at the very beginning of Season 1, where we take a deep look into the seven steps to living well with autoimmune disease, as outlined in our co-authored book, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook. In season 2 we expanded the format to include Q and A episodes as well as interviews with those who have used AIP to successfully heal from chronic illness. Angie’s Interview Welcome back to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast! We’re sorry that it has been so long since we’ve released any episodes; the truth is that we have spent a good part of this year working on training our AIP Certified Coaches, and now that our first class has graduated, we’re back to focusing on developing some new podcast content for you guys to enjoy. We can’t wait to share with you what we’ve been up to! In the meantime, we do have a couple of special bonus episodes to share with you guys. We’re going to give you a little backstory about how this came about, because it was definitely not something we’ve been planning. Our content director, Grace, interviewed Angie for some writing she was doing on the site. Now, at the time, neither Angie or Grace knew how deep and personal the interview would be, and they recorded it so that Grace could revisit some of the events Angie spoke about. None of us knew how moving and powerful this long, conversational interview would be, and when we all gave it a listen, we thought that we needed to share it in some way, and that some of you might find it helpful to hear our personal healing stories in this format. This conversation includes the full details of Angie’s 11-year struggle with obtaining her autoimmune diagnosis, much of which took place while living overseas in Africa. Thank you Grace, for facilitating these interviews for us! Enjoy everyone! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! The post Bonus Episode #1: Deep-Dive w/ Angie appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to see what that means!In order to support our blogging activities, we may receive monetary compensation or other types or remuneration for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this blog. That being said, we only promote authors, products, and services that we wholeheartedly stand by!   Welcome to The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast Season 2! We’ve created this podcast as a free resource to accompany our book, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook: A DIY Guide to Living Well with Chronic Illness. Season 2 Episode 8 is our final episode of the season! And what an episode to end on. We don’t often hear stories from men in the Hashimoto’s community but today, Angie is interviewing our friend Ryan Monahan who has managed his Hashi’s symptoms in one of the most challenging professional environments: a tour bus. As a traveling musician, Ryan had to become an expert at thinking ahead and being proactive about his healing. No matter your career, you will definitely find takeaways here. Scroll down for the full episode transcript! How to listen: If you’d like to have our podcasts sent directly to your device, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher! If you’d like to download the .mp3, you can do so by following this link. If you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below! Full Transcript: Mickey Trescott: Welcome to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, a complimentary resource for those on the road to recovery. I’m Mickey Trescott, a nutritional therapy practitioner living well with autoimmune disease in Oregon. I’ve got both Hashimoto’s and celiac disease. Angie Alt: And I’m Angie Alt, a certified health coach and nutritional therapy consultant, also living well with autoimmune disease in Maryland. I have endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, and celiac disease. After recovering our health by combining the best of conventional medicine with effective and natural dietary and lifestyle interventions, Mickey and I started blogging at www.Autimmune-Paleo.com, where our collective mission is seeking wellness and building community. Mickey Trescott: This podcast is sponsored by The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook; our co-authored guide to living well with chronic illness. We saw the need for a comprehensive resource that goes beyond nutrition to connect savvy patients just like you to the resources they need to achieve vibrant health. Through the use of self assessments, checklists, handy guides and templates, you get to experience the joy of discovery; finding out which areas to prioritize on your healing journey. Pick up a copy wherever books are sold. Angie Alt: A quick disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended as general information only, and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. On to the podcast! Topics: 1. Introducing our guest, Ryan, and his diagnosis story [2:30] 2. Learning about holistic treatment [13:17] 3. Treatment with the greatest impact [19:53] 4. AIP on the road and touring [24:54] 5. Biggest dietary impact on symptoms [33:06] 6. Stand-out supporters [36:17] 7. Highest point of the journey [40:11] 8. Final takeaways from Ryan [44:29] Angie Alt: Hi everyone! Welcome back to the Autoimmune Wellness podcast, season 2. This is Angie, and today I’m interviewing Ryan. He is a Hashi’s warrior, and also a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner. And additionally, with all of that going on, he’s also a passionate musician who has been in the music industry for 15 years, and member of a regular touring band, Easter Island. We are going to dig into that, you guys; touring and AIP. It can be done. We’ve gotten a lot of feedback that you guys find it helpful to hear from folks who have taken on the healing journey in real life. So today we will be sharing a little bit of Ryan’s story. Thank you, Ryan, for joining us from Georgia. Are you ready to get started? Ryan: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me on the show. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. 1. Introducing our guest, Ryan, and his diagnosis story [2:30] Angie Alt: Yeah. We’re really excited to share a lot of different stories this season. So let’s just dive in with some questions. You know, one of the areas we love to explore with people is diagnosis, and folks’ diagnosis story. Because as you probably know, in the autoimmune community, that can be kind of a harrowing journey. What was the first symptom you noticed of your autoimmune disease? Ryan: Yeah. So I had really struggled with allergies and asthma my entire life. And just generally symptoms of related to ear, nose, and throat. I was one of those just kind of sick all the time kids. Like, oh he’s on antibiotics; oh, he’s had bronchitis, the croup. You name it. Strep throat, just constantly. And that kind of persisted into my adult life. And then it started getting worse when I was in college. And it was really when I noticed that things were getting really bad was when I was sleeping for 10, 12 hours at a time, and was having trouble waking. So I would set three alarms, and that still wouldn’t wake me up. And I would set an alarm on my stereo system, and it would be shaking the entire room. Angie Alt: Oh boy! {laughs} Ryan: Yeah, and I would still just sleep through it and miss classes. It took me a few years to really piece it together. Because at that time, I had just assumed I’m burning the candle at both ends, I’m a busy guy, I’m just exhausted. I’m just kind of burnt out. And you know, that was kind of the narrative I told myself for a while. Angie Alt: Ok. So it was probably since childhood that you were kind of dealing with some of this stuff, and it sounds like it kind of came into full being in probably your early 20s, in college. I think that happens to a lot of us, actually, in this autoimmune world. And it can be hard to separate it, right? From, is this just regular, like you said, burning the candle at both ends, or not? Ryan: Absolutely. I think as a society, we’re just kind of accustomed to accepting a really low baseline for health. And when everybody is more or less sick around us, I don’t think. It’s kind of like that quote, “The last thing a fish would ever notice is water.” Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: And so I think, yeah, we just kind of assume that because symptoms are common that they’re normal. And we just try to cope with it, and maybe try things here and there. I’ll try some vitamin C, and kind of self-medicate a little bit. But as you know, that only lasts for so long until your symptoms are sort of screaming at you for help. Angie Alt: Right. So how long did it take you, then, to actually get an official diagnosis from that point when you were kind of like; “Oh, this is not normal. I can’t even get up to my stereo system screaming at me. What’s going on here?” Ryan: Well. You know, it’s really hard to say. Because I had been dealing with these things most of my life. It was just really in college that they kind of reached a peak. But I would say it’s at least 10 years. I wasn’t diagnosed with Hashimoto’s until I was 28. And this is kind of insane, but I actually had visited over 40 doctors before I received a diagnosis. Angie Alt: I actually don’t think that’s insane. I totally hear you brother! {laughs} I’ve been there too. Ryan: Yeah. Angie Alt: But yeah, it feels insane in comparison to a lot of other people. But you’re just searching and searching. Do you think that in part being a male was a barrier to getting a Hashi’s diagnosis, because it’s so commonly women? Ryan: Absolutely. I think doctors just didn’t think to check with the sort of constellation of symptoms that I was experiencing. Although, those are more commonly associated with women, I think I got overlooked by the traditional medical system. And no one had ever thought to look for those kinds of markers for the thyroid. Because it’s, what, 8 times, is that correct? About 8 times more likely in women than in men? Angie Alt: Boy, I don’t know the exact percentages. But yes, it’s much, much more common in women. But it does happen. I know of a lot of other men actually out there in our community, too, dealing with Hashi’s. It’s too bad that it’s not on more doctor’s radars. Ryan: it also makes me wonder how many men are just not seeking the kind of medical help or advice. I suspect that maybe they wouldn’t be as inclined to visit the doctor if they were experiencing the same symptoms that a woman would be. Angie Alt: Right. Yeah. Ryan: So there might be; in other words, there might be a little bit of male pride kind of issue going on there. Angie Alt: Yeah, maybe some male pride. And then the combination of the doctor’s kind of overlooking it. And it makes it tough for somebody like you to get a diagnosis. When you got the diagnosis, how did you handle it? Ryan: When I got the diagnosis, I was sort of a combination of scared and confused. And also really thrilled. Angie Alt: Yeah. Ryan: Like, this weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Like, I didn’t even really know what the thyroid was or what it’s function was. But I was also just really extremely excited to have a diagnosis, and to know that I wasn’t crazy and that this wasn’t all in my head. I now had something concrete to work on. Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I totally relate to that feeling. For me, I kind of relate it; it was sort of like naming my enemy. And now I could actually fight effectively. Before that, I had no idea. It was kind of like being in the dark and sort of hoping that I could figure it out. So I really relate to that. How did your friends and family handle your diagnosis? Ryan: Well, I think everyone was just relieved to see me get better. I remember a good friend of mine seeing me only a week after I had been on Synthroid. And he said, “What did you do with Ryan?” Angie Alt: {laughs} Ryan: Because I just had this pep in my step all of a sudden. And my face physically looked different. I lost this sort of puffiness in my face. And my voice changed. It was kind of freaky. So people kind of looked at me funny at first. But I think everyone was relieved. Everyone kind of knew something was up, but nobody really knew what it was. Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I can totally understand that. Do you think that; this is a pretty common experience, but not everyone shares it in the community. Do you think that some of your friends and family kind of doubted that there was something really there? Did you ever feel like you were kind of desperately trying to make people believe that something really was wrong? Ryan: Yeah, 100%. And I won’t name names. Angie Alt: Yeah, I get it. {laughs} Ryan: But I think a lot of my friends and family thought I was a little bit of a hypochondriac, that it was in my head. Or some of the things that I had expressed to them that I was going through, I think they maybe overlooked, or had just kind of passed off as, oh that’s normal. You’re getting older. And it’s like, but wait a minute! I’m in my early or mid-20s. I shouldn’t be sleeping 12 hours a day, I shouldn’t be this depressed. I shouldn’t be this fatigued all the time. So it was really hard for that reason. I feel like I had to sort of internalize it. And kind of internalize the suffering, to an extent. In the sort of darkest hour, I remember feeling like I thought I was dying, and had no idea what was going on. And then I would beat myself up. Like, “Oh, you’re being so dramatic. You’re not dying.” And you know, I maybe wasn’t that far from it. Because when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, my TSH was above 150. Angie Alt: Wow. Ryan: And for those of you who don’t know, optimal thyroid range is maybe between 0.5 and 1.5. So my TSH was actually above the detectible lab limit. So it was somewhere above 150; the lab couldn’t even detect it that high. Angie Alt: Wow. Ryan: But I remember my doctor saying, “I don’t even know how you were able to get up in the morning,” for years, potentially, that I was dealing with this without having any diagnosis. Angie Alt: Right. So you’re at the extreme end of experiencing, to that point, this undiagnosed autoimmune disease. And you’re unable to find answers. You’re seeing upwards of 40 doctors at this point trying to get those answers. And the people around you are beginning to doubt the validity of the problem. And yeah, you’re right. Of course you’re going to internalize all that. So then getting a diagnosis, in some ways, I think sometimes, maybe outside of our autoimmune community it can sound like we’re a little kooky, being a little thrilled or relieved to be given a diagnosis of having a chronic illness. {laughs} Ryan: Yeah. Angie Alt: But it’s actually really validating when you’re in that terrible spot for so many years. Ryan: Yeah. It’s incredibly validating. Because you realize that you didn’t have to beat yourself up so much over your diagnosis, you know. And I think sometimes even people get into the more psychospiritual aspect of their condition. And think, maybe it’s karma. Maybe I deserve this for some reason. I think you can get kind of deep into blaming yourself for your illness. And once you realize that it has a physiological root to it, I think that’s incredibly relieving. Because you can kind off cast aside that narrative that it’s your fault. 2. Learning about holistic treatment [13:17] Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Right. So, how long after receiving the Hashi’s diagnosis did you start to dive in and learn about autoimmune disease itself, and start to kind of understand that process? Were you somebody who really wanted to kind of gather as much knowledge as you could, or did you feel a little fearful or tentative about getting some of that information? Ryan: It was a pretty gradual process. I would say the first 9 months I really didn’t understand much about what was going on, and I just sort of trusted the advice of my endocrinologist at the time. Which was just to take the Synthroid, there’s nothing you can do about it. And I kind of left it at that. Then, like many people experienced, the Synthroid only had a positive effect for so long. And a lot of my symptoms started popping up again. And that’s really when I started taking things into my own hands. Because I started to question. Ok, so my thyroid is malfunctioning. I get that. I get that my immune system is attacking my thyroid. But I wanted to know why, you know? I’ve never been the type of person to just kind of lie over and accept something. And that’s when I started to really kind of try to reverse engineer what was going on, and to do my own research and become my own health advocate. And at that point, I had started to do some internet research, and I came across Izabella Wentz’ book, which for many people is the thyroid/Hashimoto’s bible. Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: And you know, that was the first thing I had read that had opened me up to what functional medicine is, and what it could offer. And this whole concept of looking for root causes, and looking for nutrient deficiencies, and hormone imbalances, and gut infections, and even things like metal toxicity. All these things were just not on my radar until I had discovered her book. So that was really a game-changer for me. Because it provided a road map to how to manage the condition. And in some cases, people are even able to successfully put it into remission through implementing some of these strategies. So shortly after discovering her book, I came across Mickey’s website. Which, at the time, had her Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, which was just an eBook at the time. So this was kind of really at the beginning stages of things. Angie Alt: That was back in the way back. {laughs} Ryan: Way back, yeah. And I can’t even say I remember how I found her website. But I did somehow. And I really resonated with her story, because I felt like we had a lot in common in the sense that we both had Hashimoto’s, we were both former vegans, we both had gluten intolerance, we both had an MTHFR mutation, all these different things. And just through that kind of connection, even though I hadn’t met her yet, it had really led me to want to find out more about, what’s the whole autoimmune paleo thing? That’s when I kind of dipped my toes into making dietary and lifestyle changes. Angie Alt: Ok. So it sounds like kind of your first initial reaction was to kind of go with the conventional approach, and you gave yourself a little bit of time to, at least let the hormone replacement help you get stabilized a little. And then digest this new information, and then you kind of were like; ok. This conventional approach isn’t enough, or all of the picture, for me. And you started really digging for information on your own. Ryan: Yeah. Absolutely. Angie Alt: Do you think that as you got more and new information and implemented it into your life, that your collaborative skills with your health care team grew? Or were there any bumps in the road there? Ryan: Yeah, I would say once I kind of found the right practitioner for me, that things started going a lot smoother. I had to do a little bit of digging, at first. I had to fire my endocrinologist because he wouldn’t run anything other than a TSH, which is really common. But I asked to run thyroid antibodies again, and reverse T3, and the free T3 and free T4. And he straight up told me that it would be a waste of my money. Angie Alt: {laughs} Ryan: So you know, I was diplomatic about it, but I essentially just didn’t book a follow-up appointment. And then through a friend of the family, I found a really great integrative doctor out of Atlanta. And he’s been a really instrumental part of my team, and helped me make the switch from Synthroid to Armour, which I had felt like I did a lot better on once I made that switch. And then, you know, in terms of building a health care team; at first my team was kind of virtual. In the sense that I found you guys, and Sarah Ballantyne, and Chris Kresser, and Izabella Wentz. I think that was kind of the beginning stages of feeling like I was part of a community. And I think we’re living in this really amazing time where these tools are at our disposal, and we’ve never had more power to sort of help ourselves and be our own health advocates than we do now. Angie Alt: Right. I couldn’t agree with you more. I feel like in some ways I feel kind of lucky that if I was going to have autoimmune disease in my life, that it happened at this point in history. Because the information is all out there, and the community is really strong. Especially on social media, for that kind of support. So in some ways, we’re kind of lucky. Ryan: Yeah, it couldn’t be a better time. If I had been diagnosed like even in 2010, I don’t think I would have been able to follow the same successful trajectory that I have. 3. Treatment with the greatest impact [19:53] Angie Alt: Mm-hmm. Totally agree with you there. So, at this point, you’ve gotten some hormone replacement on board; some conventional therapy. You’ve also started to dig into some of the natural dietary and lifestyle stuff that you can do for yourself. What do you think was most effective initially, back then, when you were relatively newly diagnosed? Relatively new to the natural DIY healthcare community. And then over time, what do you think has been the most effective treatments? Ryan: So, the most effective, beyond just the diet and lifestyle, which are just absolutely critical to maintaining your autoimmune disease. And not just maintaining it, but thriving. For me was really digging a little bit deeper and looking at potential root causes. For example, in my case, I had run a series of gut pathogens panels, and found out that I had Blastocystis hominis, which is a fairly common parasite that’s associated with Hashimoto’s, in addition to H. pylori. So I had this kind of infectious load going on in my gut, and it wasn’t until I did the proper antimicrobial protocols and eradicated those infections. That’s when I saw a really huge, not only drop off in my antibodies, but a really big improvement in my symptoms. So, for that reason, having this knowledge, I always try to encourage people to; diet is the cornerstone of your health in addition to getting the proper rest and stress reduction and all these kinds of pillars of health. But looking a little deeper can be really, really critical because it’s often the case that something’s triggering that autoimmune imbalance, for your immune system to be attacking your thyroid in the first place. Angie Alt: Right. It’s sometimes useful to go searching for those deeper things and treat them, if you can. So let’s shift gears a little bit and talk about that diet. You talked about finding Mickey’s site, in those early days, finding what was an eBook at that time. The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, and starting to bring diet on board. How long into the AIP transition was it before you realized it could impact your healing? Like, it wasn’t just that you were reading this could happen, but you were actually feeling it yourself? Ryan: It was pretty quick. At that point, I guess when I believe that something’s going to work, I just kind of dive into it, you know? And I had tried several other things that didn’t work for me. So I was pretty open minded to trying the diet out, and really just kind of diving all into it. Thankfully I’m a pretty good cook, so it wasn’t too hard to make the change and kind of start incorporating grass-fed meats and bone broth and things like that. I wish I had bought a pressure cooker sooner; that would have made my life a little easier. Angie Alt: Right! Ryan: But I noticed the changes pretty quickly. And it was a big adjustment, though. Because you have to cook a lot more. So I definitely had to adapt and change my lifestyle quite a bit. As you mentioned at the beginning, I’ve been a touring musician on and off for 10 or 15 years. And one of the hardest parts about incorporating this into my life was pursuing this passion I have for my music career, while also maintaining this new lifestyle. And that required a real commitment to my health, and to putting that first. And to really be conscious about that on a day-to-day, hour-by-hour basis, in a way that I never had before. 4. AIP on the road and touring [24:54] Angie Alt: Yeah, in the beginning you really have to think about it like that, on the hour-by-hour basis. It does get better. I think most of us would say over time it’s not quite as intense. But in the beginning, it takes a lot of commitment and just reaffirming all the time that you’re going to keep doing this and follow that path. What kind of changes were you able to implement while you were out on the road touring? And were your band-mates supportive of you and all these changes? Ryan: You know, they’re great people, and they’re absolutely supportive. In my head, I tend to think that everybody thinks that I’m extreme. Whether that’s the case or not. But I have to do what’s best for me. So sometimes that means packing a little cooler with me, like a lunchbox, and having some snacks in my backpack. Having some Epic bars always ready to go, in case the only thing around is a gas station. I don’t ever want to be in a situation where the only thing available to me is a bag of Doritos. Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: So if that means bringing some Epic bars, and some Seasnax and some carrots and bananas, or plantain chips, or what have you. I’m always prepared in that sense. And you get really good about doing research ahead of time. “Ok, we’re headed to St. Louis; what restaurants are there that might be accommodating to having a gluten-free menu, dairy-free menu, etc.” So you get a little bit better about planning in advance. And usually, everyone will be on board if you’ve made that determination ahead of time and be like, “Guys, this is where we’re eating.” {laughs} Angie Alt: Deal with it. {laughs} Ryan: Deal with it, yeah. And there are some other helpful little things. I’m still kind of figuring it out. It’s not entirely easy, but I’ve been making it work. I’ll bring a sleep mask with me, if I need to just block the light out and get some good sleep. Last tour I went on, I brought a yoga mat with me. So if we’re in an AirBNB or hotel, I can just roll out the yoga mat, pop open a little 20 or 30-minute yoga session on my phone, and then I’m getting some exercise in. And after being in the van for 8 hours, I can stretch it out. Even one time I led the band in a group yoga session. Angie Alt: Awesome! Ryan: So, yeah. You have to find ways to make it work, and adjust. You get a little bit better at it every time. Angie Alt: You know, I’m totally loving this right now, Ryan. A couple, maybe three or even four years ago now, I wrote this blog post about my top 3 tips about how to really make this transition work in real life. Including maybe being part of a touring band, or whatever. And one of the things I said was, “Don’t be weird.” Basically, if you really respect your process and value your health, and just put the right changes in place to put that at the top of your list, the people around you will actually come around and respect it and be supportive. Because you’ve put that signal out there that it’s not weird. That it’s a great thing to do. And it sounds like you’re really successfully doing that. Even though you’re part of a cool touring band, and they’re ok with it and supporting you. Ryan: Yeah, I would absolutely agree with that. You kind of just have to own it. You can also help others by just being yourself. Like leading by example. Because often times, other people will kind of dip their toes into some of the lifestyle changes that you’ve made. Even if it’s just little bread crumbs you’re leaving for them along the way. They’re still becoming more conscious of it. And next time they order a burger, they might order in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun or something. So in that sense, you can have a little bit of impact on people. And I’m not like an in your face type of person. I just do my thing. I just do what I have to do, what’s right for me. And I think people respect and appreciate that approach. Because I’m never trying to be like, “You need to eat this!” you know. That would never; you can’t be in a touring band and tell your band-mates they need to get to bed on time. Angie Alt: {laughing} Right! Ryan: But you can just go to bed earlier, and you might have a little more energy, and they might notice. Like, “Hey, Ryan’s killing it and we all have a cold.” Or something. Angie Alt: We’re all dragging, right. Ryan: We’re all dragging, yeah. Angie Alt: I think sometimes in working with people and kind of seeing fears that people have in the community initially, adopting AIP, I think they can sometimes be a little nervous about; you know. It is a really big dietary change, and it does have an impact on your life. Even your social life, and potentially your career. And for somebody like you, your career is, in part, a really heart-centered career. You’re obviously very passionate about music. You’ve been doing this a long time. But it sounds like for you it might have even made you a better musician over time. Do you think that’s true? Ryan: I can say I’ve never thought of it directly in that kind of way. But yeah, maybe that’s the case. I certainly think; yeah, maybe in the sense that AIP requires such discipline that I think that can translate into whatever you pursue. Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: Does that make sense? Angie Alt: Yeah, yeah. Do you think that your creative juices are stronger, kind of flowing better these days as compared to when you were sick and trying to make music? Ryan: Oh absolutely. One of the hardest parts, actually, about the period of my life when I was undiagnosed was that I started getting to a point where I was too tired to play music. And it just became this requirement. And I felt like I had to show up to rehearsals. It was awful, because I remember thinking I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Or I couldn’t wait for a performance to be done. I didn’t want to hang out after a show. I just wanted to go home and get into bed and sleep for 12 hours. That’s how I knew that something was really, really wrong. Because I just started to completely lack the passion and motivation to really do anything. So by turning my health around, yeah it absolutely helped me become a more prolific musician and writer and performer and to be able to have the energy and passion to put into it. And that’s why I think this stuff is more important to me than anything. Getting your health figured out. Because until you have that, you really don’t have anything. You’re not going to be able to be effective at whatever you’re doing in life. And so, yeah. By getting the diet squared away, by getting on the right medication. By investigating some of these root cause issues. Every year I feel like I’m getting a little bit better and better. And I really love this idea of sort of improving yourself 1% each day. That could be meditation, journaling, making a dietary change, taking a 20-minute walk. Just little things; just 1% every day. And it might not seem like a lot, but over the course of a year, you’re a completely different person by the end of it. 5. Biggest dietary impact on symptoms [33:06] Angie Alt: Right. Yeah, it adds up to something totally amazing by just those little changes. So, ok, one last question in terms of specifically the dietary changes. Was there any one aspect of the dietary change that stands out to you as having made the greatest impact for you, especially initially. Like, some people go; “As soon as I took gluten out of my diet, it was amazing. That was such a huge change.” For other people, it’s adding in the nutrient density. Maybe it’s blood sugar management. Was there any part of the dietary change that just really stood out as huge for you? Ryan: So I had actually gone gluten-free around 2006 or 2007. So I incorporated that change pretty early on. And I noticed a huge improvement with my brain fog, and depression. But at first, I had nightmares. I had withdrawal symptoms. I don’t know if you had experienced or have ever heard of that kind of thing. But I definitely; gluten is like crack or something. Angie Alt: {laughing} Ryan: I had crazy withdrawal symptoms where I was having night terrors, and I would wake up thinking someone was breaking into my house. But yeah. The huge improvement in my mood when I removed gluten permanently from my diet. And then once I started getting really serious about doing AIP; clearly bone broth is like liquid gold. Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: I mean, it just gives me this kind of energy that’s pretty unparalleled. You can just feel it. It feels good in your gut. Yeah, that made a huge improvement in my health. And I would say that incorporating the lifestyle factors, too. Beyond just the diet. Because the autoimmune protocol is this comprehensive, holistic approach. Angie Alt: Right. Ryan: And for me, I would say sleep was the biggest factor in improving my health. For me, sleep is kind of the lynchpin. If I don’t get enough sleep, my health crumbles and all my symptoms start coming back. And it took a long time to adjust to that. Because as a musician, I’m sort of used to going to bed at 1 in the morning. And it wasn’t until about 2 or 3 years ago that I started to shift my sleep schedule and try to get to bed closer to 10 at night. And that actually really helped me to kind of reset my circadian rhythm. I just feel like I wake up with a lot more energy now than I did when I was getting to bed really late. Angie Alt: You guys heard it here; even touring musicians can go to bed on time. {laughs} Ryan: {laughs} Not always. {laughs} Angie Alt: {laughs} Ryan: That’s the hard part. Because when I’m on tour, I have no choice sometimes but to go to bed at 2 in the morning. So when I get home, it’s just all sleep all the time. Angie Alt: Good. Yeah, really focused. Ryan: Yep. 6. Stand-out supporters [36:17] Angie Alt: Have you had any; kind of shifting to talking about support in this process. Have you had any standout supporters who you feel really contributed to your healing journey? Ryan: My girlfriend, Lindy, has been absolutely essential through the whole process. And has been really encouraging for the past few years as I’ve continued to work on my health, and make lifestyle changes. We’ve made most of the same dietary changes together. Which is really extremely helpful to have a partner, somebody to do the diet with. Otherwise you can feel like you’re on your own. Other than having her support, I would really say that I’ve had to become my own cheerleader and my own advocate in the sense that no one is going to care about your health more than you will. So I reached this really critical point where I realized that I really had to get to a point where I was making my health a priority, and just became kind of a research nut. And all the research led me to thinking; “Hey, maybe this is more than just a hobby.” And that’s when I enrolled in functional diagnostic nutrition and got really, really serious about wanting to use this knowledge to help other people. Angie Alt: So that’s one thing that I think is really important, as a health coach and a nutritional therapist. Really focusing on the empowerment piece, when I’m working with an autoimmune client who is really new to this way of healing. I think empowerment is a particularly important issue for autoimmune folks, because most of us have gone through that experience of kind of being dismissed, or invalidated by not only potentially family and friends, but even the medical system itself. You can kind of; I guess lose steam a little bit in doing what you need for yourself. Do you feel like having that experience personally has helped you with your clients, working on empowerment? Ryan: Yeah, absolutely. Because through just a decade or more of trial and error, I had realized that I was just kind of masking the symptoms with either medication or even supplements, to an extent. Just because it’s a supplement doesn’t always mean you need to be taking it. It took me a long time to not only realize that I had to be my own health advocate, but also this sort of concept of ending that cycle of trial and error by getting the right testing done. Finding out what’s really going on. And yeah, that takes a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline. And until you have that mindset, I think you might not be ready yet for that kind of journey. So us health coaches always keep that in mind, I think. When you’re taking someone on, you want to make sure that they’re somebody that’s really serious about helping themselves. And if they’re not, you might have to do a little more coaching and hand-holding through the process. Providing lots of encouragement. So yeah, I would definitely say that my own journey helps me to better understand what it’s like; to empathize to be in that position. 7. Highest point of the journey [40:11] Angie Alt: Right. Ok, so earlier you kind of said that one of your really particularly low points in your disease experience was feeling like you just didn’t even have enough energy to make music anymore. That you were kind of dreading practice; you just kind of wanted to leave a show and go home and go to bed. You just weren’t enjoying this thing that had been your passion. On the other side of that; have there been any high points, especially since you started healing where you just either felt really good, or felt really empowered in managing the disease. Has there been a high point where you were like, “Yeah! I feel great again!” Ryan: I can’t pinpoint an exact moment, per se. It’s just more like this process. This gradual process. Like every month, every year, I’m feeling better and better. I’m traveling more, and I’m doing things in my music career that I never thought I’d be able to do. And I feel like I just keep reaching these new plateaus. And that’s super exciting to me. I’m living the life I wanted to live before I had a diagnosis, you know? And also I just nerd out on all the information. The blogs and podcasts and just the community of practitioners that’s growing online in this functional space is just incredibly exciting for me. And for me, that’s actually this continual high. I get really excited when I learn some kind of new bit of information that I hadn’t known before. And I can incorporate that into my life. I can use that information to help other people. Angie Alt: Right. Right. What do you still find yourself working on? Are there any areas that are still a little difficult for you? Ryan: Yeah, sure. So, I definitely still struggle with a little bit of fatigue. It comes and goes. I definitely have more better weeks than I used to. And those sort of balance of symptom flare-ups get further spread apart. But I would say that my sort of allergy and congestion and my fatigue, those are things that tend to come back when I have a flare-up. But it’s all a lot more manageable than it ever has been. Angie Alt: Yeah, I really relate to that. There’s definitely still things that I’m managing, and probably will have to manage to some extent for the rest of my life. But in comparison to what it was before, it’s practically a gift. {laughs} Ryan: Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. And when you’ve been sick, and had a chronic illness like Hashimoto’s, it makes you appreciate health more than anything. Angie Alt: Right. I think Mickey and I were lucky. We recently got to work on a project, and we talked a lot about that. We were saying it can be this huge cliché than nothing is more valuable than your health; yadda, yadda, yadda. But for those of us in this community, having experienced really not having our health. For some of us, literally feeling like we might be close to death, actually. The other side; I am so much more deeply appreciative of what I have than what I was before. I’m kind of grateful for that. Ryan: Yeah. For me it really came down to this quality of mind sort of thing. When your symptoms are at their worst, everything just feels miserable. And I don’t know if you experienced this; but just everything irritated me. {laughs} Angie Alt: Right. {laughs} Ryan: Because you can’t really focus on much else than your own suffering. The symptoms are just; they get in your way of your moment to moment ability to just live your life and enjoy it. So when you come out on the other end of that, everything just feels amazing. 8. Final takeaways from Ryan [44:29] Angie Alt: Yeah. Agreed. Ryan, do you have any tips or takeaways for anyone that’s beginning their autoimmune healing journey? Ryan: Yeah. Your symptoms may be common, but they are not normal. Meaning that your symptoms are a sign from your body that something is wrong, and you need to go and do the work and find out what’s going on. Build that team. Try incorporating all the aspects of the autoimmune protocol. Keep digging at what’s causing your symptoms. Because your health is worth it, and your life will be infinitely better once you commit to your health. Angie Alt: Right. Right. I couldn’t have said it better. That was a great interview. I think our listeners are really going to enjoy hearing about your experience, Ryan. If folks wanted to keep up with you, can you let them know where and how they can find you? Maybe not only in your practice, but also with your music? Ryan: Yeah, absolutely. They can find my health coaching information at www.TheMindfulNutrivore.com. And Nutrivore is spelled N-U-T-R-I-V-O-R-E. You can also find some of the music projects that I’m currently working on. One of those projects is at www.EasterIsland.band. And also; let me make sure I have this website correct. Also, www.CindyWilsonB52s.com. I also perform in a project with Cindy Wilson of the B52s. It’s her solo project. And we’ve been recently touring on that new material. So, check it out, and I’d be happy to hear from you. Angie, I can’t tell you how much fun I had hanging out, and helping you guys shoot footage for the upcoming AIP Health Coaching program. And, for you having me on this podcast. Angie Alt: Yeah. It was a pleasure. Thanks so much for helping us out with launching that project, too. We’re wishing you a lot of success as you continue to navigate your autoimmune wellness journey, Ryan. That’s a wrap, everyone. The Autoimmune Wellness podcast season 2 is in the books; or I guess on the airwaves. Thank you so much for all the great feedback about how much you’ve enjoyed the podcast, and the ways it has inspired you. Even though it’s a surprising amount of work to pull this off, I have a feeling we’ll probably be back again with a season 3. So stay tuned; and take care everyone. Wait–before you go! If you enjoyed the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review in iTunes? This helps introduce our work to a new audience as we climb the ranks in their system. The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast is a complimentary resource to our book, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook: A DIY Guide to Living Well with Chronic Illness. Support us in our mission to revolutionize how autoimmune disease is viewed and treated by ordering your copy today! Check out the previous episode, S2 E7 Q + A #4 – Friends and family, Epstein-Barr virus, white rice, and additional sensitivities. For the full podcast archive, click here.   The post S2 E8 Angie interviews Ryan Monahan, who is recovering from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis appeared first on Autoimmune Wellness.