It's In Our Genes

The  Healthy Norwegian

I spent most of my life trying to lose weight and eat healthy.  I thought my weight, along with my medical problems, high cholesterol  borderline diabetes, high blood pressure, intestinal problems and heart problems were all genetic. I thought I probably was destined to be overweight and to suffer the kind of unhealthy existence my mother had.  I tried to eat right and exercise, but no matter what I did, the weight kept creeping up. I tried numerous diet plans and nothing worked.

Then, through some friends, I learned about the Paleo lifestyle. I read all the books I could find, checked out websites and found a simple and basic way of eating that has changed my life.  And it's not about dieting--it's about eating real food.  The kind of food that God created us to eat and provided for us.

I'm happy to say that the excess weight is gone. I went from 155 pounds and am now maintaining at 125. My blood pressure is lower, though hypertension does seem to be a genetic problem. My "bad" cholestrol has dropped significantly and I am leaner and have more energy.  And I look good.  At least that's what people tell me. I still have heart problems (that too is genetic).  And sadly, intestinal problems led to colon cancer and several years later that resulted in removal of my colon and an illeostomy.  Some things can't be fixed, but some things can.

For me, getting truly healthy has taken a lot of years. I only wish I'd known the truth early on. Sadly I'm not alone.

We eat to live. 

We are designed to eat foods that keeps us alive and healthy and feeling good.

But something has gone terribly wrong. The way we eat and what we eat is affecting our health and well being. We are plagued with obesity, intestinal ailments, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, depression and cancer to name a few.  Most of the problems affecting us today can be traced back to our food choices.  I have or have had many of these ailments, but am finding solutions and learning to differentiate between foods that can heal and those that can hurt.

I decided to create a blog about food and health for a number of reasons.

• The first is that I have learned a great deal about maintaining a healthy diet amidst the chaos of bad food choices. 
• I was once the constant dieter, but the pounds kept coming and I could not seem to lose weight. I found the secret and it is not tucked away in a pill or a drink or a so-called weight-loss-diet. 
• I have found and created some fabulous dishes that are not only healthy, but delicious. And I would love to share the recipes.
• In the past few years I have gone from being a very unhealthy Norwegian to being about as healthy as I can be under the circumstances. I unknowingly ate foods that nearly killed me and I am striving to correct whatever I can in the years I have left. 
• I am a two time cancer survivor and finding the healthiest way to live in order to build my immune system to fight cancer and other health issues have become a vital part of my life. 
• Finally, I am one of those people who feels a strong desire to share what I have learned with others who want to achieve these same goals. 

Coming Up:

I'm excited to share my experiences, recipes, thoughts and tips with you over the next few months along with some great recipes and ways we can improve our health.