Life is too short to completely eliminate what you love so I developed “food hacks.” These hacks allow me to continue enjoying my favorites while taking control of what goes in my mouth. And guess what? I actually enjoy these reincarnated versions of my old favorites even more than the processed quasi-food of my old life.
The backstory? I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1995. Through the years, my pain level became so intense it often brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t sleep which led me to a 14-year, nightly Ambien addiction. I was also a sugar/carb addict in my old days. Like I share in Stumble to Rise: “I mindlessly snacked on candy throughout the day and every evening I enjoyed a big bowl of ice cream that was usually accompanied by chocolate sauce or brownies.”
Fast forward to today; for 4 1/2 years now I’ve had a renewed relationship with food. I pass on inflammation-causing gluten, most dairy and refined sugar and I’ve eliminated pain pills, sleeping pills and constant crippling pain. I’m worth more than that junk. My skin, my attitude, my weight, and my energy levels have all miraculously benefited.
In order to make that kind of dramatic shift, I had to develop hacks. To me, a hack is something that resembles its original form but has been created in a completely different way.
So here it goes, six of my favorite food hacks in no particular order.
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Instead of Candy: I cut one medjool date in half and spread each side with crunchy almond butter. (If you prefer creamy, go for it.) Sprinkle with a pinch of unsweetened coconut. (See above pic)
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Instead of Bunny Tracks Ice Cream, (my old favorite): I take one scoop of coconut milk vanilla no sugar added ice cream and smear it with one teaspoon creamy or crunchy all natural peanut butter. Then I sprinkle a teaspoon of cocoa nibs on top.
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Instead of Cheesy, Sour Creamy Tacos: I grill fish, chicken or grass fed beef, wrap in a corn tortilla with avocado, cilantro, salsa and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
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Instead of Cereal: I put 1/4 cup uncooked oats in a bowl, add a handful of walnuts, a heavy sprinkle of flax seed, a spoonful of almond butter and coconut milk.
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Instead of Cheesy, Ranch Dressing Salad: I start with a bed of greens — spinach, kale romaine, spring mix. I top with any chopped vegetables on hand, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a squeeze of lemon or raw honey plus a dash of salt and pepper.
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Instead of Orange Juice: I eat an orange.
I said goodbye to processed junk and enjoy real food for the clean, valuable purpose it serves. I had to Stumble for many years, but now I keep Rising every day as I make smart choices. I share the quote, below, in Stumble to Rise. So go ahead. Hack away! And share your favorite hacks in the comments below.
