Yesterday my client mentioned to me that, after only one week of eating what I prepared for them for dinners and lunches, and not eating out or eating the processed food, they were already feeling better. Could it be true that after only one week they were feeling better? YES!

I went for a physical check-up a couple weeks ago and my doctor, who I’d been putting off seeing for almost two years, walked into the room and exclaimed, “WOW! You look GREAT! What have you changed?”

I have an autoimmune disease.  A few years ago, it kicked into high gear and just getting out of bed to cross the room caused me severe pain. After many unsuccessful treatment plans, I began injecting myself twice a week with an immunosuppressant. One year into the treatment, my kidneys stopped functioning properly. I was terrified. The nephrologist took me off the medication and, thank God, my kidneys began functioning normally again in a very short amount of time.  Almost simultaneously, I lost the job that had me sleep-deprived. I started getting a full night of sleep again. Sleep….so important for our bodies. I began feeling even better and, except for minor reminders, the disease was mostly forgotten.

The stress of losing my job and replacing my income began having negative effects, and there were signs that the disease was being triggered by the stress. I was left without many options to put this autoimmune disease back in remission.

Controlling what I ate, and drank, was at the top of the list of my options. After receiving permission to stop checking in with my doctor weekly, about 18 months went by before I saw him again. I have since eliminated alcohol completely. I have always been a healthy eater and have never been a fan of fast food. I’m more aware of how I feel, and how my body reacts, after I consume certain foods. I strive to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. I avoid fatty red meats, dairy products, processed foods, refined sugars, and the nightshade vegetables.

The answer to the “What have you changed?!” I’m eating a pretty clean diet and I’ve eliminated alcohol. I eat REAL food. I shop the perimeter of the grocery store. I almost never eat processed foods. I stay away from the “fake stuff.” I eat foods that are nutritious. In exchange, my body has shown me inwardly and outwardly, that it is happy with the changes I’ve made. 

Cooking for my clients and helping them, in a non-fanatical way, to eat better and feel better is gratifying. Hearing them say that, after a week, they feel better, excites me and makes me want to plan delicious, healthy menus for them.

I’m thankful for my life and the “kitchen talents” I’ve been given. Being a Personal Chef, and being able to help positively change other people’s lives, is a blessing.