Immigrated to the United States

I was born in Reims, France to Portuguese parents. We immigrated to the United States when I was a little girl with my brother and sister and landed in Rhode Island.

Being exposed to different cultures growing up has given me a passion for exploring food from around the world. No matter where I have traveled I have found food culture to be so diverse in so many places that I have lived and traveled. Wherever I go I always find wonderful meals that I have discovered. Which is why I ask the locals the same question, "Where's a good place to eat?"

I can remember the first time that I was in the kitchen with my mother and godmother making crepes for the family. I was 5 at the time and when one did not flip over they would hand it to me to eat! That was the beginning of my love of food. I learned how to cook from my mom and she made the most wonderful meals on Sunday. Now I try to do the same for me and my husband Jeffrey.

Diagnosed at 25 with Degenerative Disc Disease

I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease over 25 years ago, it is a constant battle to keep my weight down and eat as healthy as I can to stay slim. This helps control chronic pain and inflammation in my body. My biggest issue is food and how I cook is the biggest factor in how I feel daily. Many of the chemicals in food will affect my condition.

Food Makes A Differences

I would never have thought that pesticides on food made me ill or that a box of crackers will make me lay in bed for a day. It took me years to find out what aggravated my condition and had me lay in bed 4 weeks at a time. It was not until my breaking point of being so sick with the medicine that doctors were giving me that I ended up in the hospital. I finally gave in to a friend of mine who recommended a doctor that tried to treat me with a specific diet for my condition.

A doctor that knew nutrition, how odd I thought. Working in education at the time, I knew that most doctors only take one class in nutrients during their time in Medical School. Within a week I started to feel better, and after a month I had improved by 50%. I was now able to sleep the night without waking up in pain.

Even though I am not cured, I can live a better life than with the medication that was prescribed. I'm lucky compared to most people with my condition. When I was going to a chronic pain clinic for help, they prescribe painkillers for the most part and in time they can become very addictive, or like me, make you deathly ill.

Diet I Follow

Now I follow a Low-Carb, with Lots of Veggies and Fruits diet 90% of the time but I must have the 10% to cheat once in a while! When traveling I love to explore new foods but am aware of my limitations so I limit my intake so I can try new meals on my travel adventures.

Where I shop for Healthy Groceries

Trader Joe's
BJ Wholesale
Farmers Market
Publix
Whole Food - ONLY SALE items!

I shop for food once a week for all my fruits and vegetables the rest are purchased for the month. My recipes are always determined by what's on sale and what's in season. Produce is always cheaper if they are in season so it makes it a SALE item! Which is my favorite part.

It's a Lifestyle Not a Diet

People always ask me how I stay slim at 53 years old with menopause which is a big factor in weight gain. There are things that I don't eat and I always drink water. Water is key for me to feel good. I also do some type of exercise for 45 minutes 5 times a week. Even if it just walking in the neighborhood.

Drinking Water

I did not understand how much water I needed to drink and I always drank lots of water. Water is key for me to stay hydrated so I feel less pain. I can always tell when I have not drank enough water because I start feeling my stomach bloat and my urine is bright yellow. That is a sign of dehydration. Yes, this makes a very big difference for me more than anything else so I drink tons of water.

What I don't eat or drink

Because most foods are filled with chemicals that harm the body and make me gain weight I follow a few rules when it's time to shop for groceries. Here are my guidelines:

No soda
No beer
No box food
No Sugar or very little
No white flour unless it's Einkorn flour or organic
No Artificial Sweetener of any kind
No GMO
No food that has been shipped to the USA
No pre-frozen meals at the supermarket
No processed food - sometimes I cheat and pay for it every time!
No food that is orange like Cheetos!
No eating white food at night (rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, etc ) If it's white not at night. They take longer to break down and when the body is resting it affects my sleep.

Enjoy Life is My Motto

Over the years I've gotten better at cooking meals to accommodate my health issues. Even if I can't eat something because I know how I will feel the next day, there is always an alternative. Most of my recipes I have gotten from friends and family or on my travel adventures, which then I will turn into a healthy twist! Thank You for stopping by and hope you will join me in search of the perfect bite!

Some of My Experiments with Myself