Here's my Beef....

So, we know that things are rough right now. We know people are struggling to make ends meet. We know that others are infected by this disease and are having a hard time recovering. There is so much uncertainty, worry, stress, and doubt. Those negative thoughts continue with each news update, Facebook post, or radio announcement. Can we control it? Absolutely not. We have to just take it in and go on about our "new normal". It sucks. There's no way around it. Our routines that used to give us some sort of sanity and purpose are gone with the blink of an eye. So what do we do? We take this time to get healthy. We use all our "spare moments" to yes spend with family and get stuff done around the house, but we really need to internalize this pandemic and make a change.Think about it, let's say you get it. How's your immune system? Are you well? Are you in a healthy state that you can fight this thing? If you're thinking to yourself, ummmmm no.....then maybe this is the rock bottom you needed. No time like the present to make our health a priority. Especially right now, we want a fighting chance.

My beef is that if and when I do tune in to the latest, immediately after I will see a commercial for fast food. I'm sure it was there before, but the overwhelming amount of advertisements for fast food due to so many closures is too much. How is that going to help? Don't get CoronaVirus, but come get really cheap crap and processed food to get you through this tough time. Like how does that make any sense? Are you scratching your head too? How counterintuitive is that? Stay healthy folks....eat garbage. Oh and where are the reports on how good nutritional choices can really improve immune function? I'm sure they'll encourage that right after they come out with the vaccine for this thing. I'm rolling my eyes big time right now. See here's the thing, they will never say that. A news channel the other day literally had a segment about donuts right after their "breaking news" about this universal crisis. Am I saying that donuts are to blame....partially....I'm saying we should absolutely not be encouraging people to eat processed foods right now, donut or any other packaged garbage. It's all the same. And why is that? Well.....I'm glad you asked. It's because it's overly processed, highly refined, and has no nutritional value whatsoever. Not to mention "fake foods" a.k.a. anything that is processed, your body doesn't recognize. So instead of getting stronger, protecting your immune system, and healing, it's trying to identify and process these foods, taking away the energy it needs to protect your immunity.

Our immune system is controlled by the thymus glad which is in our chest. This organ/gland serves a very important function in regulating white blood cells and helping the body defend itself against dangerous pathogens. You also might be wondering, how can we help support and protect this gland. Well for one, stop going for the zombie apocalypse fake crap in the cabinet and make some real food. Secondarily you need to make sure you're getting adequate protein. Protein inadequacy can compromise thymus function. Unfortunately vegan proteins are not as bioavailable, (how your body absorbs and uses the protein) so animal products are your best bet. For example, pasture raised eggs, beef, low mercury fish, chicken, cow's milk (if tolerable), and even whey protein give you the most bang for your buck.

So you might be thinking, but I just stocked up on boxes and bags of food because I'm terrified of starving to death. Before you entertain that very unrealistic hypothetical, look to see what "real foods" you have and give your body those tomorrow morning. I look at it as my body knows what eggs, coffee, cream, and avocado are. It doesn't know what overly refined carbohydrates are because historically and anthropologically we just aren't accustomed to those foods. So even though humanity has evolved our biological necessities haven't. We need real food period. I don't care if Oprah says her cauliflower pizza is "healthy" and "balanced". Right now you owe it to yourself to eat the most wholesome, real, fresh, nutrient dense foods. You want to help your body rebuild, stay strong, heal if necessary, and be tough enough to fight off any foreign invader from the common cold, to the flu, to even the most recent epidemic.

I'm not a doctor, I'm not a journalist. I don't work for the CDC, but I am someone who's body was attacking itself. I had to bring my previously deceased immune system back to life. It took time, research, experimentation, and listening to my body. I had to go against the grain, literally because I've removed those, and do the opposite of what the "experts" were saying. I feel fantastic and my immune system is stronger than ever. I can fight anything that comes my way....so not putting that out in the universe as a challenge, just saying I feel strong. That's what I hope for you.

So what do we know. We know that in order to strengthen our immunological function we need a sufficient amount of Vitamins K, E, C, D, B5, B6, B12, and Zinc to name a few. Where can you get them? From....REAL....FOOD.

Vitamin K: beef liver, chicken, ground beef, green veggies, avocado, blueberries, blackberries

Vitamin E: salmon, snails, octopus, egg yolk, avocado, almonds, sunflower seeds, blackberries

Vitamin C: yellow peppers, lemons, papayas, brussel sprouts, kale, strawberries, raw beef liver

Vitamin D: egg yolks, beef, some dairy products, mushrooms, fattier fish like tuna and mackerel (watch mercury content)

Vitamin B5, B6, and B12: meat is the major source (thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin) seafood, eggs, dairy products, legumes, leafy greens:

Zinc: oysters, meat, seeds, nuts, diary, eggs, some grains

Are we seeing a pattern here? I am....meat, veggies, some low sugar fruits, nuts and seeds. So what you're saying Natalie, is eat real foods to help support my immune system during this very stressful time? Yes my loves. I am. You can do this. Remember how you're feeling right now with all this panic that doesn't seem to be subsiding any time soon. Take that energy and put it into your health. What we have is time right now. Time to look up some fun creative ways to cook. Time to spend with your family and make an enjoyable healthy meal together. Time to food prep and experiment with new ideas. So yes, mental health is very important right now. To move, keep the mind and body active, but let's try and prioritize good nutrition a little more than we have been. We owe it to ourselves and each other to be well.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you feel inspired to wake up tomorrow morning or whenever you read this and make something super fresh and delicious. I'm excited for you :-)

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