For several months now, you have seen me change, reflect and question myself a lot about health and nutrition. If, for some, the two do not go hand in hand, I am deeply convinced of the opposite. Before telling you why, I want to explain where my interest in health related to nutrition comes from.
It all started when I was young and already had major digestive problems. I often had stomach aches, heartburn, difficulty digesting, stress about whether I would feel bad after a meal... After discussions with friends and adolescence being what it is, I became vegetarian in order to maximize my energy, health and well-being.
A few years later, after questionable recipes like "mashed potatoes + tofu + cheese + ketchup" and lots of veggie pizzas and hot dogs, I realized that I often lacked energy, that I was often sick and, in addition, that I had a repeated tendency to get tendonitis... With my parents, I consulted a nutritionist who suggested a meal plan with meat, eggs, cheese, etc. Let's remember that I was vegetarian with the goal of becoming vegan, so her recommendations didn't really match my goal and she didn't seem very pro-vegetarian, so it was a failure. 2-3 bouts of flu and low energy later, I still remember the moment in Western Canada when the chef at the cafeteria where I worked put a tray full of bacon in front of me with my tray and salad… God was sending me a pretty clear sign, so I grabbed a new plate, 1 lb of bacon, and went to sit down to finally feed my body what it needed. I was going to be the first “extra bacon” vegetarian on this planet!
I was an "extra bacon vegetarian" or "baconized vegetarian" for about a year before I got sick again (still the same symptoms like no energy, etc.) and when I came back to my parents with the smell of my father's undisputed specialty, "boiled", I understood that God was sending me another sign: BEEF!!! A good big piece of beef and salted bacon later, I was back on my feet and vegetarianism was over for me! However, I was going to focus on quality meat and continue to include vegetables and vegetarian options in my diet.
A few years later, after several spaghettis, shepherd's pies, lots of hamburgers and an extra 40 pounds (there's nothing there 40 lbs, but at 5 feet 6 and a HALF (the half is important 😉) it seems a bit), I discovered protein shakes and I had my first experience of "fasting" without even knowing it. 7 days after drinking not very good shakes and taking a ton of vitamins, I devoured a huge tartare and filled myself with very fresh oysters! Liquid proteins versus solids = SOLIDS all the way !!!
It was also around this time that my brother and I launched BBQ Québec. Our schedule was pretty extreme and the time spent on meals pretty minimal. It was usually nothing or a shake in the morning, a shake at noon and a big steak with celery or cucumber in the evening… Both of us had lost a lot of weight and had a lot of energy, but without really knowing why. When you look at it now, you understand why.
Since nutrition and energy are really important to me, I continued my research. Plus, over the years, the ecological footprint I leave has started to matter a lot to me. This makes my challenge even more difficult, but it's perfect because I LOVE CHALLENGES!
One day I thought, "Okay, I'm just going to eat what I like." So I started eating steak every day, and before I knew it, I lost 30 pounds. Losing weight wasn't my goal, but it was still a sign that my body liked what was happening.
After that, many of our clients and JP started talking about the keto diet. I realized that I wasn't the only one looking for solutions to my problems through food. It's still the fuel we put in our bodies after all!
My research intensified when I had my son, at the same time as I had major problems with inflammation in my shoulders (following a fall). I started reading everything I could read about diet and healing inflammation through diet.
This is where I completely cut gluten out of my life! Not that I'm allergic, but really, it's not something I want to put in my body or my family's body, because I know for many people it creates unnecessary inflammation and can even play havoc on certain parts of the brain. I felt so good both energy-wise and inflammation-wise that I really wanted to share it with you, my valued customers.
As I continued my research, I discovered that the most important thing was that I understood, tried, and mastered the diet before I told you about it. In fact, it's not just with food. When I see something new, a trend, a sport, anything, I definitely read up on it and try it. Don't you?
So when I tried the “CARNIVORish” diet…. OMG ! That was it! My energy, my skin, my body, my inflammation, I don’t think I’ve ever felt better in my entire life! In theory, I also find it coherent. Basically, it’s about having a hunter/gatherer lifestyle, that is to say, “giving yourself the right” to eat what grows naturally in nature.
I still had to find a solution for my ecological footprint. By reading about it, I quickly saw that by consuming mostly local and grass-fed meat (for beef), I encourage regenerative and responsible farming. Ruminants are, basically, excellent fertilizers for the soil. Unfortunately, modern agriculture is not always the best for our soils, but I believe that if we all make companies aware of this subject, the future will be wonderful my friends.
ALL THIS TO SAY that if you, dear clients, have symptoms or problems that are called "chronic" and you are unable to resolve them, it might be relevant to consult and, perhaps, change your eating habits. It is also important to understand that each person will have their own reactions to almost every food. So if you have difficulty digesting when you eat a 6oz steak with potatoes, why not try a meal with a 12oz steak and the next day, just potatoes and you will see which one you feel best with. For me, it is a meal of 1 lb steak with avocado, eggs and cheese that makes me feel the best and, although sometimes I like to eat fries or salad, I know exactly how I will feel afterwards and it reminds me that my body is a machine built to run on steaks!
The important thing to know is that, regardless of the type of diet, BBQ remains a cooking method mainly without fat and without vegetable oils to add. It is also almost mandatory to be outside to BBQ and we are generally much more relaxed in front of a BBQ with the birds singing and the sound of the wind than in a kitchen with the TV on and the hood rumbling in the background and this is what makes BBQ even healthier in my opinion.
I want to know, who has made dietary changes? Why? Did it work for you? Now you know, I love to read and know everything! 😊 I believe that we should learn at least one new thing, every day.
