Hi, I'm Amanda!
Having a food blog has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager, and at the time was living off a plant-based diet. If you've been around since the @Veggi_happy days, you would know my passion for building nutritious meals that are both pleasing to the palate and the eye.
A few years back, my vegan days came to an end after I began to develop food intolerances, and eventually allergic reactions to many of the foods I used to enjoy. After three years of trial and error, numerous doctors, and misdiagnoses, I came to find out that I have what is known as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. It is an autoimmune condition which the body does not understand necessarily what it is allergic to, so it will react to anything and everything. Most of the time this is brought on by a leaky gut, underlying condition autoimmune condition, or could even be genetic. Whether it was brain fog, excessive weight gain, water retention, joint pain, bloating, or acne- it felt like regardless of what I did, I found no relief in my symptoms.
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I eventually found a doctor who began to help me balance my thyroid hormones so I could begin to feel better. I began a true elimination diet in order to address all of the inflammation I could have been feeling due to my auto immune condition, and immediately noticed relief in many of my symptoms. It has been over a year since my diagnosis and healing process began, and I can honestly say, as horrifying as the three years were, they were the most humbling and educational experiences of my life. Throughout my healing process, I began to learn more and more about how certain foods can benefit the body and how even the "healthiest" can really put a toll on the body when it is trying to heal from inside out. Overall, I became more aware of the synergistic relationship that we hold with our body- in that, the more respect we give and better we treat our body, the better we feel.
Most importantly, I have learned that in order to feel great, it is not the meals we have to change, but it is the ingredients in our meals. I wholeheartedly believe every meal can be made with organic, nourishing, hormone healthy, and anti-inflammatory ingredients that will not only support our bodies but support our mind as well.
For anyone looking for similar relief in symptoms, to heal their body, or just looking for ways to make the same meals they love, a little bit healthier, let's take this journey together, and have a damn good time while doing so.
A DAMN GOOD TEAM
Hi, I'm Lori!
My journey with holistic healing, functional medicine and natural remedies started at a very young age. Through most of my teenage and young adult years, I suffered from severe hormonal acne. I would go to the dermatologist on a weekly basis to receive steroid shots in my face to calm the inflammation. That only provided a short-term solution, then I would go to the aesthetician for chemical peels monthly, while that worked for that month, my acne would return even more aggressive in the following month. After a few years of going through this, I took it upon myself to clear my acne on my own through research. I then found that a simple wholesome ingredient in my pantry would be the answer I was searching for and that was apple cider vinegar (and cutting out dairy); my skin has been clear since I have had endometriosis for 18 years as well as an autoimmune disease since I was twenty-three. Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This tissue can cause pain, inflammation, and the formation of adhesions. Dietary modifications, regular exercise, and stress reduction techniques have been shown to help in aiding these symptoms. In 2018 I had extreme pain and was rushed to the hospital; I was diagnosed with an endometrioma. I needed to have surgery to remove the endometrioma and my stage IV endometriosis. My endometriosis was so bad that my uterus, ovaries, bowel, and intestines were all tied together by my endometrial tissue. Following the surgery my gynecologist wanted me to go on birth control to help with the symptoms. The problem I have found with non-functional medicine doctors is that they treat the symptoms but not the underlying issues. I follow a paleo diet and I have removed all dairy and gluten from my diet. This lifestyle has helped my symptoms of both my endometriosis and autoimmune disease! Most women have to undergo the same surgery to remove the endometriosis multiple times but when I had my routine visit the doctor was shocked to see that mine hasn’t returned. Additionally, my brother also has an autoimmune disease in which there was a point where he was unable to move from his bed and did significant research to find Dr. Terry Wahls who is the creator of the Wahls Protocol. Dr. Terry Wahls has MS and reversed her symptoms from being confined to a tilt-recline wheelchair to running in marathons. She truly inspired me to dive into an anti-inflammatory diet and solidified my passion for holistic healing, functional medicine, and natural remedies. My personal experiences have fueled a commitment to exploring alternative, holistic approaches to health and well-being and helping others to get started on a similar lifestyle. Can’t wait to have a damn good thyme with you on this lifestyle journey!