9th of February 2017

Bioindividuality

I was asked to speak at a local Women With Autism Meet-Up Group this week. I had a few topics to cover, but I love to lead discussions more than I like to talk at people. The foundation of my nutritional philosophy is bioindividuality, meaning that each client has unique nutritional needs, and I work with them to uncover those needs and develop a plan to address them. Obviously, there are things we can all be doing to improve our well being (drinking more water, listening to our body, sitting down to eat and chewing our food thoroughly).

While we were talking, I mentioned that I made my own sourdough bread. It was an offhand comment for me, but it was a conversation stopper. “Wow! That sounds intense.” Three weeks earlier, I would have whole-heartedly agreed. I had tried to make it once before and after a full day of measuring, kneading, proofing, slapping and baking I was rewarded with a flat brick of sorry bread that we had to use for croutons. Fast forward to January when I took a class from Biodynamic Wellness in Solano Beach. The secrets of soft, crusty, delicious sourdough bread was unlocked for me. As soon as I had enough starter, and a 6 hour window, I was baking my first loaf. The “hands-on” time is less than 20 minutes, but it is spaced out over 6 hours. I hit a few hiccups (like my big bottom oven deciding not to heat up), but my loaves came out perfect and oh so good!

Baking bread is no longer a mystery or an intense sounding task to me. Much like whipping up some lacto-fermented ketchup or raw milk yogurt. Many of my clients did not spend time in the kitchen when they were children learning to cook. In all honesty, their parents didn’t know how to cook fresh ingredients. The convenience of the drive-thru, boxed dinner starters and frozen meals has sucked us in like a Siren’s call.

Once you start cooking simple meals you’ll realize it doesn’t take hours in the kitchen to feed your family. Most fermented foods are a quick prep and then a wait as the probiotics do their part. I feed my sourdough culture (we named it Kukui) every day, but it’s ready to use to make biscuits, crackers, pancakes or bread any time. The souring process eats up the sugar and the gluten in the flour, making it easier to digest and unlocking the nutrients in the whole grains.

Being a stay-at-home parent might make it easier for some to make everything homemade, but I know they have lots of tasks demanding their attention, just like the working parents juggling their job and home life. I have been that working mom getting home at 6:30, starting dinner and keeping bed times. Real food can be a part of this equation.

My Favorite Real Food Living Tips:

#1 Take a class. It doesn’t have to be at a school… if grandma makes a killer pot roast, or the bomb-diggity Fried Chicken, hang out and help her do it. She’ll probably make cookies while you’re waiting for the roast. (I wouldn’t worry too much about the refined sugars/flours in this case. You need to learn how to crawl before you can walk.)

#2 Invest in a crock pot. It will be your new BFF and you won’t have to remember it’s birthday or listen to it whine about the last jerk that stood it up.

#3 Replace vegetable cooking oils (corn, canola, soybean, etc.) with Coconut Oil, Lard, Duck Fat, Butter and Ghee. You can save your Olive Oil for drizzling on food after it’s been cooked, hummus and salads. Throw everything else away.

#4 Find a Farmer’s Market near you on a day that you can attend. Check it out. Buy some berries. Maybe get a little crazy and come home with a squash. (These things happen). Once you’ve found a good one, use it to buy your weekly vegetables and eggs. Meal plan around your purchases and use your grocery store for supplementation.

#5 Make double batches when you make dinner. You can reuse leftovers in a soup, throw meat on salad for lunch or mix up veggies into an omelet or frittata.

#6 Start eating fats. Good fats like whole eggs, wild fish, uncured bacon, avocado, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, olive oil, and that crispy goodness wrapped around your roasted chicken… you know the skin! Our bodies have not evolved as fast as the processed foods have.  With the large amounts of grains we now consume, our bodies think we are out of meat and protein, so it sends the message to store that energy for later, leading to fat retention, which is great if you are in a famine… not so great in 2017. You need to send the message that you have plenty of food and nutrients and get your body to start burning protein for energy, and to stop storing the carbs. Basically, you need healthy fats to lose fat, get pregnant and have more energy. All good reasons for me!

Once you find a routine that works best for you, buying and preparing healthy meals is easier than you think and your body will thank you.

Note: The information found in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only. The opinions of Brynn D’Avello/Thyme to Turnip do not necessarily reflect the views of Trinity Youth Services. This blog post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness, nor act as a substitute for medical treatment or advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before implementing any dietary and/or lifestyle modifications.

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Bynn D’Avello, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
Brynn is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and owns Thyme To Turnip Nutrition in Claremont, CA. Brynn’s passion is working with families to build healthy foundations. She helps couples prepare their bodies for conception, works with parents to support healthy pregnancies, and nourishing their babies and children. Brynn & her husband Mike have a blended family they commonly describe as “Yours, Mine and Ours,” with 3 boys between them when they married; they had a baby girl together 2 years ago. Their nutrition journey with one son’s placement on the Autism spectrum in 2011, and they have learned how important food is to maintaining optimal health not just for their son with Autism, but also for the entire family. Brynn understands how daunting it can seem to switch to a nutrient-dense diet in today’s busy world of the working family.
Tel: (909) 747-7769 | Email: brynn@thyme2turnip.com | Website: www.thymetoturnip.com

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