Locavore - Why I am going Local

I mentioned long ago, that when I first set out on my weight loss journey and my genetic battle I decided to go vegetarian. I made this dietary change for a few reasons... 

1. I had never met a fat vegetarian (Score! for chubby Krysten)
2. Going veggie would mean a major shake up to my diet - which was something I desperately needed
3. Vegetarianism has long been linked to healthy hearts - and area where I can use all the extra help I could get

So I took the veggie plunge on a whim and the recommendation of my cardiologist at the time, lost 50+ lbs, and was one happy little vegetarian for over 6 years.

Pretty recently, after a pound of chicken wings ruined my resolve, I came back to the dark side and embraced my inner carnivore.

But my genetic shortcomings have continued to pile up. And here I sit having taken some seriously drastic steps over the past few months to ensure I stay healthy, all while declaring some lofty fitness goals for the future. (*ahem* Marathon *cough, cough, mumble*) Thus, I have found myself even more fascinated with the healing power of food and questioning what is the right fuel for me.

Food has never been my strong suit. And I will be the first to tell you that if you put me in front of a bowl of Salt and Vinegar chips my willpower will be instantly DESTROYED. So I find myself still searching for for that elusive balance between the enjoyment of all things tasty and the importance of a proper diet for my health.

My Recent Reading Material

I have professed my love for Michael Pollan's approach and shared my thoughts on Suzanne Somers' Knockout on my little blog before. And the truth is I have spent a lot of time over the last few months reading and scowering the internet pondering the way we eat - and how I eat. Throw in a few amazing documentaries like Food INC, Farmageddon, and Forks over Knives into the mix, and Hippocrates quote  

" Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine thy food" 

really hit home for me.

All of the sources I looked at say the same thing...

1. Eat Real Food - aka cut out all the processing, chemicals, and yucky additives.
2. Plants are Magic - your body needs the unique combination of vitamins and minerals found in a variety of our fruits and vegetables. And these foods work in perfect harmony with your body in a way that other foods or supplements cannot.
3. Eat Local - by choosing foods that are in season (aka not eating strawberries in January that have traveled 1000s of miles) you are getting those foods at their best with their highest nutritional value. You are also supporting local farmers, who follow sustainable farming practices.                 (Yay Eco- Love!)

I think it is possible that Hippocrates had it right all along - and he got it right over 2000 years ago. So many diseases in our modern epidemic - heart disease, diabetes, cancer - can be link back to our unhealthy lifestyles and to our unnatural, processed diets. Obviously I know all too well the role our genetics and family history plays into our susceptibility to these conditions. And I also happen to know that if Darwin is gunning for you - well then those are the genes you are going to be dealt.

But food - well that is something we can choose. 

So I am choosing to eat differently from now on. I am choosing to eat organic food produced on local sustainable farms, and have signed up to receive a weekly Produce Box from Culinarium, along with a monthly Meat Box.

Starting Tuesday I will get a bushel (aka a LOT) of fresh, local, organic fruits and veggies from some of the AMAZING local farms nearby every week. There is no guarantee what you will find in your basket each week, except that it is All Ontario, All the Time! And that sounds good to me!

I am officially declaring myself a Locavore!


Stay tuned, because each Tuesday I will share my produce bounty and show you exactly all the exciting and wonderful things I get each week.

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten