This guest post is very timely as I start my new anti-inflammatory diet (elimination diet) for the next six weeks. I have tried so many different medications for my Fibromyalgia, IBS, endometriosis and arthritis pain. It is now time to turn to my diet and see what can be changed. This is where Leah and LivingOnRoots comes in. With this guest post she will tell us how food changed her life.
You will find affiliate links in this post. If you click on them and make a purchase I will make a small commission. Otherwise, there is no charge to you. Find out more about this in my disclosure policy.
Hi there! I am so excited that Suzanne asked me to guest post on Fibromomblog! Thank you so much for letting me share my story.
My name is Leah Castle and I am the founder of Living on Roots, a plant-based blog focused on making healthy tasty and routine. I met Suzanne when she shared with me a very common fact, eating healthy is important but can be so confusing and hard to know where to start, which so many of us out there can relate to. I know I did.
Health Issues
In 2016 my body was plagued with lower back issues, high inflammation, recurring headaches, digestive tract issues, and zero energy. I was 35 years old at the time and knew I should not be feeling that miserable.
I came to the conclusion that I needed to help myself as much as I could, so I decided to start at the most basic possible level…..food. I watched documentaries and learned how food can both heal and hurt our bodies. While a bit overwhelming I was incredibly inspired by what I was finding and decided to change the way I was living to see if it would help. I said goodbye to processed foods, paid close attention to ingredients, ate cleaner meat, used high quality dairy in my recipes, and added more vegetables to my daily menu. I felt good about the choices I was making, my body was feeling a little better, but I still did not feel great or fulfilled with this as my permanent lifestyle.
Making the commitment
It wasn’t until I made the commitment to live a plant-based lifestyle that I realized the power of food and impact it has on our body and life. For 30 days I got rid of all meat, dairy, cheese, bread, Betty Crocker brownies (my favorite!!), and dedicated my life to eating plants and drinking more water. It was a life changing feeling and by far the most valuable 30 days of my life. I learned so much on that journey and wanted to share everything I can with as many people I can. Enter the Living on Roots blog and the start of my holistic nutrition certification.
Sharing my knowledge
Living on Roots focuses on one simple fact. Food exists to nourish our body. It heals us and energizes us. It is medicine and eating well is the most basic form of self-respect. We all value different things when it comes to the food we choose and there is not a one size fits all. While I believe with all my heart that the food we eat should be sourced from roots, Living on Roots is not meant to prescribe an eating lifestyle to you. It is simply my way of providing new, interesting, tasty ways to get more roots in your life and add more greens, reds, oranges, yellows, and purples on your plate.
After starting Living on Roots I realized the common struggle of knowing what to do or how to start just like Suzanne shared with me – it can be overwhelming and confusing, especially if you are also dealing with a challenging chronic illness. While Living on Roots shares tasty recipes, helpful tips, and planning tools, I also decided to start a free Facebook community dedicated to being an accountability partner in all aspects of health by helping you learn how to navigate the grocery store, prep veggies, cook healthier meals, and remind you of the basics that we all seem to often forget.
Finding support
Changing a lifestyle is not easy, especially when it comes to food. It takes dedication, knowledge, the right mindset and support. While overwhelming and confusing at the start, know that there are resources out there dedicated to helping you find the journey you want to be on.
Thank you for reading and hope this post has given you a bit of info and inspo.
Feel free to visit Living on Roots for a few freebies to help you get started and you are always welcome to join our Facebook Community – How to Shop, Prep, and Cook Your Way Into a Healthy Life.
Always Rooting For You. Leah
Do you have ideas on how to help people whether it be about healthy eating, parenting or chronic illness? Click here to start your own blog today with a FREE step by step guide.
Sunshine with Savannah
Great post! I would someday like to dive into a similar diet, and cut out everything except the plant-based essentials. I would like to be at a better time in my life financially, so that I can have more resources at my disposal. Thank you for sharing this story and the power of transformation!
Suzanne
Hi, thank you for stopping by. I so appreciate it! If you ever have any questions Leah is super helpful!
atroxler
How perfect! I just mentioned how I’ve started to juice and feel like I can tell the difference in my energy! Maybe I’ll take a closer look at some other not so good food choices too! Thank you!
Suzanne
Yay! So happy Leah’s post inspired you! Thank you for stopping by.
Sustainable Responsible Living
Great post, we so often forget how important food can be – we need to get away from convenience food (which is usually processed and wrapped in plenty of single use plastic) and back to basics and cooking from scratch – simply a win all round 🙂
Suzanne
I so agree! I just started a new elimination diet and boy have I noticed how often I use to just grab something convenient NOT healthy. I’m glad you enjoyed Leah’s guest post and thank you for stopping by.