Hey there!
A few months ago, I worked on a HUGE passion project of mine - a series all about grains, but more specifically, the art of sourdough! We called it, 'Getting Grounded with Grains.'
But first, a little back story: Over the past 6 months or so, I've had the incredible opportunity to learn from Holistic Nutritionist, Meg De Jong. As part of my schooling at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition, we were required to complete a practicum experience in the field. That's when I reached out to Meg - miraculously, she said YES to taking me on as her student. Meg specializes in gut health & eating for anxiety. The work she does with her individual clients is truly inspiring to me, I couldn't have had a more wonderful Nutritionist teaching me how to successfully work with clients, as well as the in's & out's of running a business in the wellness space.
It was during this time when & I created, 'Getting Grounded with Grain's.' As an avid, yet very amateur, sourdough baker, grains have always intrigued me. Especially the quality of those grains. You see, while I was struggling in my relationship with food, grains were something I cut out almost completely.
Why? Well, I let the classic societal fear of carbohydrates creep into my head. Such as:
Carbs make you fat
Carbs make your blood sugar spike
Carbs are empty calories
Funny thing is, I knew these were false. I had studied the human body, how we move, & how food interacts with us on a physiological level. I knew, this topic was much more complex than simply, "Carbs make you fat." That sentence alone, in my opinion, is not true. There are many facets to it - but that's an article for another day.
Point is, I was afraid of grains for YEARS, despite what I had learned - like their hefty fiber content, prebiotic nature, & the vitamins/minerals grains provided. Then suddenly, my digestive issues went from what was already not great, to pretty terrible. I frequently found myself hunched over in a kind of pain that prevented me from going out, getting work done, & in general, did not enjoy moving my body, which has always been a form of therapy to me. If you can imagine someone laying in bed, curled up into the fetal position, that was me on the regular - I was desperate to feel better. Over the last few years, I tried many things to help my digestion. But it first began with my diet, & one of the most glaring things I could start with - you guessed it, incorporating grains back into my life.
Low & behold, my digestion eased. The grains helped. It was far from perfect, but I began having regular bowel movements (sorry but also, not sorry), went from feeling painfully bloated to no longer having that pain, I no longer felt as if there was a stagnant brick in my stomach, & exercise FINALLY became enjoyable again.
That said, I recognize that grains won't always have these effects on everyone. And to complicate matters more, the type of grain, how they're grown, harvested, & processed all impact their quality - & as a result, will change how they interact with our bodies. These ideas took me down a deep dive into the research of grains, searching for the most nutritious ways people could incorporate them into their lives. This is when I first fell in love with sourdough - aka, fermented grain.
After sharing this with Meg, & hearing her own thoughts on grains, we thought it would be the perfect topic to unpack & share with you! But given how confusing grains can be, we decided to break it down over a 4-part series. Truth be told, we poured our hearts into it. Covering everything from:
What grains actually are
Some benefits of grains
Types of grain
What to look out for when purchasing
Grain controversy
Grain quality
Ways to consume grains
Their impact on gut health
Their impact on anxiety
RECIPES
An entire sourdough guide!
So much more...
So... enough of me babbling. That's the quick explanation of this series. Click the links below for all 4 articles. Check them out, then let us know your thoughts! Leave a comment, send an email, whatever you prefer - we would love to hear!
Article 1: Should I Eat Grains? And if so, What Should I Know?
Article 2: Are Grains Good for Gut Health? Or not?!
Article 3: Grains x Anxiety: Is Grain Consumption Beneficial or Triggering for Anxiety?
Article 4: What is the Best Type of Bread to Consume?
Talk soon & thanks for stopping by,
- kenn
Коментарі