I have my beautiful mother, Mary, now 80, fit and active living in Australia, to thank for my strong constitution. Her cooking was AMAZING and I miss it dearly, especially during the holiday season. I crave, with the realization of how nutritious and delicious the meals she prepared for us were and how different the quality of food was back in the 60's and 70's.

Her dishes would be considered gourmet today.  I've tasted a few international menus in my travels, appreciating meals that digest as nutritional love! Mum used herbs and spices without measuring and fussing - a dash of this, a splash of that. Zen chef.

I LOVE wholesome good food,  it grounds, energizes and defines me. It gives me clarity and vitality. Real whole food healing power never ceases to amaze me, natural, curative and preventative medicinal whole foods, the secrets to longevity and self care. 

It's disappointing, to say the least, to discover what is sold as 'natural' or 'health' food these days. I've learned to buy smaller quantities of fresh food, avoiding labels altogether. Food can be the best medicinal friend or your most toxic enemy. Don't be fooled by the companies 'manufacturing' your food or even you most favorite natural food store. Be wise, buy fresh.

The human body has an amazing ability to intrinsically heal itself given the proper nutrition it requires, this isn't breaking news, but it’s something that many of us struggle with because we crave the quick fix and have been conditioned to look at external influences rather than inside ourselves for the answers.

If you believe in starting on a personal positive transformation, making small dietary adjustment is the best place to start. Firstly remove all processed packaged foods from your diet. Simple, anything that has or needs a label, avoid.  Avoid workouts that make you feel like you were run over by a truck! seriously! Training for 'life endurance' is my mantra, daily, meaningful workouts, movement that opens your body, not compresses and tortures you! Have your fitness workout enable you and nourish your joints. We are only as 'old' as our joints. Feeling constantly wasted and in pain is not fitness.

We've all been lab rats to the last few decades of industry. Food and fitness wise, we've run ourselves into the ground in order to catch the waves to be what society percieves as beautiful...or look better naked and fashionably fit. Much of what we have been 'fed' over the last two decades has created  epidemics of obesity, diabetes, cancers, depressive disorders and mental illness. 

As a woman athlete I am constanly adjusting and finding the best dietary guidelines for myself and researching and experimenting with fitness program to wade through what really works. It's been my life for 30 years. I've learned to evolve with and without the 'fitness industry'.

Removing sugar from my diet has been the best decision so far. I use a little honey high sugar intake is the worst acid producing bone and nerve degenerating thing you can eat, it's a tough one to give up, it's in just about every packaged food available.

This guideline maximizes mineral absorption while providing abundant fat-soluble vitamins. I now eat more mineral-rich foods such as grass fed organic free range raw dairy and bone broths and the key is to consume small amounts. All of the food I like to consume is selected to be free from pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, Organic in the true sense, free range and naturally, ethically and humanely raised. Nothing 'manufactured', altered - zero additives.

...everyone has a different agenda, but if you are interested in keeping your bones and nervous system healthy.. Provecho! With so much talk about 'Paleo diets, cave man, low acid, high alkaline, low carb.. its comforting to know that the meals I love the most and ate as a child are now being popularized by new foodie experts. We all know diets don't work,  eat smart, eat fresh and be your own master of health.

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My basics

Vigorous exercise 5 to 8 times a week. Daily mobility and yoga/ bodyweight style exercises. 5 times a week I also participate in clubbell strength training which I have found has helped release my body from tension and enhanced the health of my joints.

1. Food rich in animal protein, choosing full-fat organic pastured dairy products over any other oils. Also meat, fish, bone broths and eggs. I actually limit my dairy to the freshest yogurts and real parmesan cheese.  If/when I use butter it is purely grass fed organic.

2. Fermented grains only; no unfermented grains such as oatmeal, breakfast cereal, crackers, etc. On occasion I prepare black wild rice or an ancient grain. No breads except true sourdough (ingredients should not list lactic acid). Or even better, no grains at all.

3. Limited nuts; beans in moderation, only if they're soaked overnight or longer in warm water (due to the phytic acid).  

4. Limit starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes. steam only.  

5. A limited quantity of fruit (one piece per day or less), NO refined sweets.

6. Cooked and raw vegetables. spinach, kale, beet leaf, parsley .. most anything that is alive squeaks and snaps when you eat it. 

7. Sunlight, vitamin D3 food sources.   

8. More water and more water.     

9. No industrially processed food.

10. I consider the foods I am about to buy at the market as the most healthful food source avaiable. 

                EAT WELL, LOVE YOUR BODY and LIFE, CREATE HAPPY!

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