by Christina | Jan 7, 2017 | Wellness
It’s already a week into 2017…how do you feel about it? It’s still weird to me. I don’t like writing that 7, to be honest. I’ll get used to it, though.
It seems like everyone was complaining about 2016, calling it the worst year ever. I think that’s a bit dramatic. Personally, 2016 was a great year for me. I accomplished a lot, grew a lot as a person, and found a lot of new obsessions.
I want to close out my 2016/2017 transition blog series with a roundup of my absolute faves from 2016. While many of these were released in 2016, some are things that I personally discovered this year but were available years before. This list includes it all – food, television, makeup, skincare, fashion, apps, restaurants, and everything in between.
2016 Favorites
PODCASTS: Specifically, Actually Adultish. I know I know, I’m biased. I listen to podcasts nonstop. All day, every day. They’ve basically replaced music in my life. You learn so much through podcasts, and you can listen to them while doing pretty much everything. Watching actual videos is too inconvenient for me. I mostly listen to health and lifestyle podcasts, and there are way too many amazing ones to list right now. Here’s a list of some of my favorite lifestyle podcasts, though! (Since then, I’d add That’s So Maven and Soul on Fire to the list!)
Artisana Coconut Butter: This was the year of coconut butter. If you haven’t noticed, I’m very addicted to this stuff. Any brand of raw coconut butter is fine, but I always tend to grab Artisana. You can put it in baked goods, in smoothies, in fat bombs, on your sweet potatoes, etc. I eat coconut butter by the spoonful every single night. It tastes like frosting.
Tahini: Another complete obsession. I have a major problem. I love to dollop this on pretty much everything, especially roasted vegetables and salmon. Aaaand it makes a killer salad dressing. Lemon tahini dressing is a game-changer.
Eating Evolved Coconut Butter Cups: I love all Eating Evolved products, but the coconut butter cups have stolen my heart. Every single flavor. I won’t pick just one. Plus, they’re totally clean and one of the few chocolates I will eat from the store! My friend introduced these to me a few months ago, and it changed my life forever. #dramatic
Daily Harvest Smoothies: I never thought I would eat a pre-packaged smoothie. Ever. But these are so healthy, so delicious, and so convenient! All you have to do is add liquid, blend, and you’re done. You can add other things in there too, if you want. My faves are the Cacao + Avocado smoothie, Mint + Cacao smoothie, and Carrot + Coconut soup! So good. You can use the code “ADDICTEDTOLOVELY” to get 3 free smoothies with your first purchase if you’re interested in trying!
Vital Proteins Collagen: All of their collagen products are must-haves in my kitchen. As of recently, though, my absolute favorite for smoothies is the Vanilla Collagen Peptides. I first started taking Vital Proteins when I got sick a little over a year ago, really only because my doctors told me to, but I quickly fell in love when I saw what it was doing for my skin, hair, nails, and muscles. Not only that, but it’s been pivotal in healing my gut lining. I will do a full post on this very soon!
Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend Herbal Tea: It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite tea because I love so many. If you follow me on social media, you know my collection is excessive. I’m going based on numbers to make it easier, and I drank this tea the most, by far, compared to any other tea this year. I went through at least 3 full containers, which is saying a lot considering how often I switch up my teas.
Spiced Gingerbread Bath & Body Works Candle: We all know I have an obsession with candles in general, but my favorite find of the year was definitely Spiced Gingerbread. It’s so Christmassy, I love it.
Beautycounter Charcoal Bar & Purifying Charcoal Mask: Beautycounter in general is a favorite, but the charcoal bar and the charcoal mask are probably the two things I depend on the most when it comes to skincare. I cannot live without these.
Beautycounter Bronzer, No. 1: I really just have an unreal obsession with this bronzer and refuse to wear anything else, which is insane considering how picky I am about bronzers. Not too warm, not too cool, and the perfect shade for my skin tone.
Bite Beauty Honeycomb: This was definitely my most worn lipstick of the year. What I love about Honeycomb is that it looks different on everybody, but it’s a universally flattering nude. I adore Bite Beauty lipsticks in general. The formula is creamy and long-lasting, and the ingredients are safer than most brands.
Sephora Pro Blending Brush #27: If I could only have one eyeshadow brush for the rest of my life, this would be it. I wish it was cruelty-free and made with synthetic bristles, but whatever. I didn’t get into clean beauty until the end of the year, and I gotta be honest about what was my main squeeze throughout the majority of 2016. You can use this in the crease, on the lid, to highlight, or really for anything else. It’s amazing.
LUSH Prince Shaving Cream: I have a really hard time finding a shaving cream I like, but ever since I found this I’ve been extremely satisfied. Most shaving creams either slide right off my skin or are too thick, but this is the perfect consistency, not irritating, and is made with fresh ingredients.
Kate Spade Cobble Hill Toddy: I have this bag in beige, and I don’t go anywhere without it. It’s the perfect size to fit all of my belongings, it can be worn as a satchel or as a regular purse, and it can be dressed up or down. And it goes with every single outfit. Kate Spade always has random sales, so wait for one and buy it!
Alex and Ani Rose Gold Bracelet: Alex and Ani released rose gold bracelets this year, and I immediately had to have one. Rose gold was very on trend in 2016, and I adore all Alex and Ani bracelets. Therefore, a rose gold Alex and Ani is a must.
Lululemon Wonder-Under Pants High Rise: Literally lived in these all year long. I always live in Lululemon leggings, but this year I upgraded to high rise. Into it.
BDG Parker Cardigan: We all know I’m obsessed with sweaters, but I wore this one in particular almost every day after buying it. It’s my go-to. I make it work with every outfit because it’s so comfy and cute.
The Wet Brush: I legitimately cannot brush my hair without this brush. I have one in my purse, one in my car, one in my bathroom, one in my bedroom, and one in my bedroom in the Bay Area. Yup, I’m that paranoid about being without one of these things. If you have tangled or unruly hair, this will change your life. If you haven’t already seen it, I wrote a post about my hair must-haves!
Ice Roller: I’m gonna be honest – I don’t know if this actually does anything. I don’t really care, though. You keep it in the freezer and then roll it over your face when it’s clean, and it feels so good. Super relaxing. Lauryn Evarts and Kayleigh Clark are both huge fans, so I’m hoppin’ on the bandwagon too.
Young Living Essential Oils: I was never really into essential oils, but my friend Marissa suggested I try these and I quickly became obsessed. There’s something so calming about diffusing an essential oil, especially when you’re sick. My favorites are peppermint and lavender – they’re both really relaxing and perfect before going to sleep.
The OC: I got the DVDs for Christmas last year, and I’ve slowly been watching them throughout 2016. Nothing will ever compare to my love for One Tree Hill, but The OC quickly became one of my all-time favorite television shows. I love high school drama. It’s addicting. Sorry ’bout it.
Game of Thrones: I can’t tell you how many times I tried to watch this show… I hated it. I couldn’t get through the first season. Then, this year I finally tried the second season, and I became obsessed. If you don’t like season 1, don’t give up. It gets waaaay better.
Yoga-Urt: If you follow me on any form of social media, you already know how much I love this place. I have a full review on the blog if you want super detailed information. Basically, Yoga-urt has amazing soft serve that’s completely gluten-free and vegan. They even have gluten-free waffle cones! The flavors rotate in and out, but my all-time favorites are Salted Caramel Zen, Calming Coconut Chai, and Strawberry Serenity. Their banana split is INCREDIBLE.
Frozen Fruit Co: This is my other favorite dessert shop. It’s also gluten-free and vegan, and it’s made completely from frozen fruit. You can’t get cleaner ingredients than that. Everyone’s obsessed with Pressed Freeze, but I think this is much better. I can never decide on a flavor, but their seasonal Banana Pumpkin was completely unreal. Besides that, they always have Coconut & Cacao, which is probably the best chocolate soft serve/ice cream I’ve ever tasted.
Cafe Gratitude: In terms of food, Cafe Gratitude is almost always my number one choice. Their entire menu is delicious. It’s all plant-based and most of it is gluten-free, as well. It has relaxing, trendy vibes. A lot of affirmations. Their berry cobbler, brownie sundae, and mint chip shake are MUST-HAVES.
The Butcher’s Daughter Venice: I cannot tell you how happy I am that The Butcher’s Daughter opened up in Venice. First of all, it’s so trendy and Instagrammable. Second, the food is extremely fresh and delicious. I went here for my 21st birthday and basically ordered the entire menu. I could eat here for every meal, every day.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: I reread this book over and over again to get reinspired whenever I’m in a slump. I have it on Audible and also on my iPad, so I can reference it whenever I need to. If you’re feeling creatively blocked or uninspired about your life, I would highly recommend reading this book. It completely changed my perspective on how I approach things, and it motivated me to pursue so many of my passions that I never thought I would have the courage to pursue.
EWG’s Healthy Living App: I’m so happy I found this this year, because it’s a must if you’re interested in using safe personal care products. There are so many toxins and chemicals in most products – it’s scary. All you do is scan the product or search for it in the app, and EWG rates the product in different health categories so you can decide if you want to purchase it or use it. It doesn’t have information for every single product, but it has a lot.
Obviously I didn’t include people on this list, because the list would be too long. If you’re reading this, you’re definitely a favorite, though. Tell me… what were your favorite things from 2016?!
by Christina | Jan 5, 2017 | Wellness
This week I’m over-the-moon excited to be featuring a gluten-free goddess who has saved my butt countless times – Jackie Aanonsen McEwan! If you’re not familiar with Jackie, she’s the creator of Gluten Free Follow Me, a gluten-free gal’s bible when it comes to eating out and finding the best restaurants in New York, California, and a ton of other places throughout the world.
Eating out at restaurants can be one of the most complicated and frustrating parts about being gluten-free. When I first discovered my gluten intolerance, it was the first thing I worried about. I didn’t want to feel like I was missing out when I was spending time with friends and family. I also was not going to let gluten hinder me from eating delicious food. The first thing I did was scour the Internet for resources, and Jackie’s website was one of the best resources I could find. To say it was a lifesaver would be an understatement.
I went to New York for the first time shortly after finding out about my food intolerances, and I really did use Jackie’s site as my bible. It was hard enough navigating an entirely new city in general, let alone figuring out the food scene. I used her site to plan out almost every restaurant we were going to eat at, and I had it set as the homepage on my cell phone during the trip so it would be easy to reference. Having such a simple guide to follow made my trip so much easier. With Jackie’s help, I wasn’t paranoid about getting glutened – and that paranoia can definitely ruin a trip. I also really impressed my mom with all of the delicious restaurants I picked out. 😉
Jackie’s website is a goldmine of information. Not only does she tell you where to eat, but she provides pictures of different gluten-free dishes that are guaranteed to make your stomach growl. I’m (selfishly) so happy that she moved to California because that means the California section of her website has really ramped up. Not only does she cover the best gluten-free eateries in California, New York, and other places she’s visited, but she also shares her favorite gluten-free products, posts her own delicious recipes, and blogs about other gluten-free and healthy living tips. Everything is extremely organized – my favorite. Jackie is one hell of a businesswoman, if I do say so myself, and if this interview doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.
First, tell me a bit about yourself so my readers can get to know you!
Hi Addicted to Lovely readers! I’m Jackie, and I’m the founder of Gluten Free Follow Me, the Guide to Dining Gluten Free. I detail and rank over 2,000 gluten free friendly eateries, products, and recipes in NYC, California, and beyond on my website www.glutenfreefollowme.com. I grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and went to Georgetown University in Washington DC where I majored in Finance & International Business and minored in Sociology. I studied abroad in Hong Kong and Sydney Australia which I highly recommend if you guys have the chance to do so! After graduation, I moved to New York City and lived there for five and a half years. My husband and I got married in August, and we moved to Santa Monica, California a couple months ago. I’ve worked in the finance industry at a bank since July 2011, and as of a couple weeks ago, Gluten Free Follow Me is now my full-time job! I still come back to the East Coast every month or so, and I feel so fortunate that I can split my time between the best coasts 🙂
When and how did you first find out your body reacts negatively to gluten?
Five years ago, my sports doctor had all of his patients take a food intolerance test, and gluten came up in my test results. I was like, what’s gluten?! Looking back, my diagnosis made a lot of sense because I would get sick at least once a week in college. My reaction to gluten is that I throw up anywhere from three to ten hours after eating it. In college, I would eat stir fry on Sundays (using gluten-filled soy sauce) and always felt nauseous. I would get sick after eating my favorite sandwich at Cosi and thought it was food poisoning. I went to the Emergency Room at a nearby hospital a few times because I couldn’t keep any food or water down. I had these reactions throughout college but no one ever brought up gluten as a reason for my sickness. Gluten intolerance and celiac disease were not as widespread as they are now.
How did you handle it?
I was incredibly overwhelmed when I found out that gluten was making me sick. I had recently moved to New York City and was so excited to eat out at all the restaurants. I went to a few gastroenterologists and found out I didn’t just have a gluten intolerance – I also had celiac disease. This diagnosis forced me to rethink my meals and snacks because I had to immediately cut gluten out of my diet. I did a ton of research on what foods had gluten in them, what foods were gluten-free, and all of the grey areas in between. The gluten-free diet has become much more popular in the past few years, but it wasn’t as prevalent five years ago so it was challenging.
What made you decide to start your website / how did you get into it?!
A few years ago, I started to post about some of the gluten-free foods I was eating on Instagram. Surprisingly to me, my posts were met with great reception. My followers kept asking for more gluten-free friendly eateries, products, and recipes, and I was more than happy to continue to make these discoveries. I was getting so many questions that I knew I needed to put all this information in one place rather than just Instagram. I taught myself how to make a website and how to code, and I launched www.glutenfreefollowme.com in September 2014! I wish I had something like Gluten Free Follow Me to guide me through my new gluten-free diet five years ago, but I’m glad I can be a guide for others now!
What was the hardest part about starting your website?
One of the hardest parts about starting my website was learning how to make a website and how to code. Once I taught myself how to do it, it was pretty easy, but it took A LOT of time! Another challenging part was backtracking through thousands of photos from the last couple of years so I could add hundreds of gluten-free friendly eateries and products to my website. I also had to go through my notes on which items were gluten-free and sometimes call restaurants to see if anything had changed since I last dined there. A good chunk of my photos disappeared after my phone broke, and I hadn’t backed up my phone in awhile (now I always back it up!). After I figured out which eateries were missing, I literally walked around Manhattan to take pictures of the restaurants that I didn’t have food pics of!
What‘s your favorite and least favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about my job is getting to interact with my followers – I seriously have the best followers! I also love being able to wake up every day and do what I love. I feel like I appreciate it even more because I hard-core juggled GFFM with my finance job, and now I can truly dedicate time to my passion.
If I had to say what my least favorite part of my job is it would be that I sometimes put too much on my plate, literally and figuratively. I’ve learned how to eat a balanced diet when eating out (always eat greens first) but it can be tough when I eat out at multiple eateries in one day. It’s one thing to schedule it ahead of time and figure I can try out a few eateries at once, but it’s another thing when you’re at a restaurant and already pretty full. I’ve learned that I don’t need to finish my plate, and it’s totally fine to bring leftovers home and/or give leftovers to homeless people.
How do you pick which restaurants to review?
All of the restaurants that I review are places I have personally been to and ate at. I want to be able to review them properly, and it would be difficult to compare eateries if I had different people go to the restaurants. I receive a lot of restaurant invites so I typically accept them as long as I live in the same area as the restaurant or know I’ll be in that area at some point in my travels, and they have something I can eat. The restaurants that are 100% gluten-free or have a ton of delicious gluten-free options are always the most fun. However, even if a restaurant only has a few gluten-free options, I’m still fine with checking it out because it’s good to point that out. If you’re with a group of gluten eaters who choose a restaurant that isn’t very gluten-free friendly, you still want to know what you can eat, even if it’s just salads.
Your site is so helpful and has a TON of info, and you‘re constantly visiting and reviewing new restaurants and products. How do you manage everything?! Any time management/organization tips?
Thank YOU! I definitely have to stay organized. I’m very thankful that I was recently able to make GFFM my full-time job because it was getting difficult to juggle GFFM with my finance job. My finance job was pretty much a 9-5 job. I would duck out for lunches if I could and if the restaurant was close to my office. I always had Instagram events or dinners after work, sometimes several in one night. I wouldn’t get to the gym until 9:30pm (always have to get my workout in!) so I was definitely running low on time. I would open my packages from brands after the gym, and then do all of my recipes on the weekends.
You have to be very motivated and structured to work from home and run your own business. Now that GFFM is my full-time job, I’m able to be more flexible with timing but I still like to have some sort of schedule to keep me organized. I definitely recommend keeping a schedule, write everything down even if you think you will remember it (I use the Notes section on my iPhone), keep your calendar up to date, “star” emails that you still have to respond to, and use spreadsheets!
What are your top tips for dining out safely if someone has a gluten allergy or intolerance, or any other kind of food allergy?
I feel very lucky to live in NYC and LA, two of the most gluten-free friendly cities. If you don’t live in a gluten-free friendly area, I feel ya! And even if you do, you still need to be careful. When you have a gluten sensitivity, and especially celiac disease, you have to be incredibly careful when dining out. Thankfully, there are some eateries that represent themselves as 100% gluten free and thus are safe for those with celiac disease. There are other eateries that take precautions to keep their kitchen as gluten-free friendly as possible. Here are some tips for dining out safely:
- Call the eatery beforehand to see if they are gluten-free friendly. Ask if they offer gluten free options such as gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts. I’ve found that many restaurants offer gluten-free options but don’t always list them on their menu. This is one of the reasons I detail the gluten-free options on my website and include any nuances I find.
- Speak to your server, and tell him/her that you are gluten-free. Don’t be embarrassed to say that you are gluten-free. It’s so much worse if you order something that you think is gluten-free and it isn’t and then you get sick!
- Ask your server if they have a gluten-free menu. If they don’t have a gluten-free menu, then ask which items are gluten-free or if they can make modifications and substitutions to make it GF.
What are your 3 favorite places to eat in NYC?
I get asked this question all the time, and it’s such a tough one since I eat out all the time! Here are a few of my faves though 🙂
- Senza Gluten – 100% gluten free Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. Their French toast and pancakes for brunch are heavenly, and I love all of their desserts!
- Erin McKenna’s Bakery – 100% gluten free bakery in the Lower East Side (also located in LA and Florida!). You won’t be able to leave with just one dessert! I love their cupcake tops and donuts.
- Inday – 100% gluten-free fast casual eatery in Flatiron. Their food makes you feel clean – I always get their “not rice” aka cauliflower “rice” and top it with all the veggies.
What about in California?
- Lilac Patisserie – 100% gluten-free bakery in Santa Barbara. It’s incredible to walk into a bakery that looks like “a real bakery” AND you can eat everything since it’s all gluten free. They have so many delectable cakes and breads and pastries – I’m so impressed.
- Beaming – 100% gluten-free superfood café in Santa Monica, Brentwood, West Hollywood, La Jolla, and Del Mar. They have delicious acai bowls, salads, and clean baked goods.
- Hugo’s – Very gluten-free & vegan friendly restaurant in West Hollywood, Studio City, & Agoura Hills. The menu is overwhelming in a good way because there are so many options, and almost everything can be made gluten-free including their five different types of pancakes & French toast, sticky buns, and mac & cheese.
When you‘re not reviewing restaurants and running your business, what are some things you like to do?
I love being active! I qualified for and ran the NYC and Boston Marathons in 2013 which were such amazing experiences. I live a few blocks from the beach so run and walk there a lot, and I’m still in awe with how pretty Santa Monica is. I feel so fortunate that I’m able to live in such a beautiful place! Brendan and I both enjoy working out and being outside. He rows a lot and competes in triathlons. We’ve been hiking on the weekends and recently got paddleboards. I love that California is all about being outside – almost all of the restaurants have outdoor seating!
What‘s a day in the life like?
No day is ever the same which keeps it interesting! It sounds cheesy but I really do wake up excited to conquer the day. On a typical day, I wake up and do my first social media post of the day either during breakfast or at the gym. When I run outside, I don’t bring my phone so it’s my time to zone out and get creative without technology. When I go to the gym, I answer emails, responds to comments on my social media networks, and post for the brands/eateries I manage.
For lunch, I either schedule lunch at a restaurant or throw together a salad and omelette before jumping into my recipes for the day. I dedicate certain days as recipe days so I can be in the kitchen creating recipes uninterrupted and then shoot them in the daylight which is so key for good photos!
During the week, if it’s not a recipe day, I’ll schedule one or two eateries in a day. I’ll meet with chefs and owners at eateries to figure out what’s gluten-free at their restaurant and bring up the right questions such as potential cross contamination and modifications/substitutions. If I have an evening event, then I may schedule a lunch in the area and work out of a coffee shop in between meals. When I’m with Brendan on the weekends, I only schedule one meal in a day so we still have time to enjoy other things besides food! 🙂
If you follow me on Snapchat, then you know that I’m constantly opening packages! I feel so fortunate to get sent so many delicious products, and I love being able to share my faves with my followers. I also go to multiple supermarkets every day, depending on what I need for a recipe! Different items are available at different stores, and I love finding good deals so I sometimes end up going to Whole Foods, Von’s, CVS, Ralph’s, and the local farmers market all in one day. Whatever leftovers I have from restaurants or recipes from that day usually ends up being Brendan’s dinner or we meet up for dinner at one of the restaurants that invite me in, so he ends up eating pretty well. 🙂
What‘s the strangest restaurant experience you‘ve ever had?
I typically have amazing experiences eating out at restaurants. However, there was a Mexican restaurant in Manhattan that invited me, and it was an unsettling experience. Whenever I go to a restaurant that invites me in, I introduce myself to the host and the waiter. The host typically tells the waiter about me but I still reiterate to the waiter that I’m gluten-free so there’s no confusion. One of the first things I ask at a Mexican restaurant is if the chips are indeed gluten-free. Even if the chips are corn chips, they could still be fried in a shared fryer which leads to cross contamination. The waiter told me they were safe for me to eat, so we ordered chips & guacamole to start, along with nachos and a salad with tortillas chips as one of the toppings. I was mid-bite with my first nacho when the manager ran over and told me to stop eating them because they weren’t actually gluten-free. This was unsettling because I had asked the right questions and still was about to get glutened. I also had to have them redo the salad since it came with tortilla chips that weren’t gluten-free. I’ve been to over a thousand restaurants, and thankfully this is one of the only times something like this has happened. When you go out to eat, I urge you to use my website as a guide for nuances like this, and definitely ask the wait staff and manager many questions!
When you‘re not eating out, what‘s your favorite go–to, quick and easy meal to make at home?
A big salad and omelette topped with lots of roasted veggies such as brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, and squash. It’s so easy to make, and it’s healthy and delicious.
Favorite food?
That’s a tough one! I would have to say a few – a big salad, roasted veggies, lobster, and chocolate.
What‘s your favorite dessert?!
Anything chocolate and anything unique to the gluten-free world such as croissants, eclairs, and donuts!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to turn their passion or hobby into a career but is scared to take the plunge?
It’s so important for everyone to have a passion or hobby. I feel like that’s how your creativity gets going, and your side gig can help you in other ventures even if it doesn’t become your full-time gig. I never meant for GFFM to become anything, and definitely not my career. It happened so organically since it stemmed from my passion, but it also took hard work and dedication for it to become what it is today. When I started posting on social media and launched glutenfreefollowme.com a couple years ago, my family and friends never really understood what I was doing or why I was spending all this time focused on GFFM. Now, it’s easy to see how the journey happened, but it wasn’t in the moment, so I’m glad I believed in myself and kept at it! Don’t let anyone sway you from your passion or hobby. Only you know what you’re passionate about, and the reason you’re good at it is because you’re so passionate about it. I don’t recommend for everyone to turn their passion or hobby into a career, but if it works out financially then it may be worth it to take the plunge! Another thing to note – I get asked a lot how to get more followers, and that shouldn’t be your main goal. If you’re in the social media space, then yes, having a lot of good followers can be part of it but that shouldn’t be why you’re doing it. Your passion will shine through your work and can then translate into success.
Do you ever miss gluten?
I miss it a bit when I’m out with a group of people and everyone but me is eating the bread from the bread basket. However, rather than filling up on the bread, I am able to eat more of the “real food” later on in the meal. When a restaurant does serve gluten-free bread, it makes me appreciate it even more. I definitely don’t miss my gluten reaction, so it’s all worth it in the end.
What are your plans/goals for the future?
I love where I am now with Gluten Free Follow Me, but I am always looking for opportunities that can take me on other journeys. I could see myself writing a book about my gluten-free lifestyle and continuing to share my story and advice on other forms of media. Stay tuned!
Ummm.. How amazing is she? I cannot get over this interview. LOVE IT. HUGE thanks to Jackie for letting me pick her brain and for providing such helpful responses! Be sure to check out her website if you haven’t already, and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for more gluten-free adventures!
P.S. Please stalk her wedding photos. They’re stunning.
by Christina | Jan 1, 2017 | Wellness
2016 might be over, but I still found myself writing 2013 on my paper the other day. I’m clearly struggling to keep up with the times.
I know you’ve probably read a million posts with this same exact title already, but I still want to write mine. Personally, I love reading these kinds of posts. It’s so interesting and enlightening to see what others have been through in the past year and how it changed them. These posts are also a great source of inspo for new perspectives to take and new things to think about in the upcoming year. Maybe you didn’t learn something on this list this year, but maybe you want to explore it in 2017.
A lot happened in 2016. A lot a lot. So much that I can hardly remember it all. What I do know, however, is that I learned more this year and grew more as a person than I ever have before. That’s very exciting. I think the point of life is to keep progressing as a person every single year. Never be stagnant.
Although I learned a lot of major lessons this year, I’m still learning them every single day. Maybe I’ll learn the exact same things again in 2017. Who knows? Of course, these are not the only lessons I learned in 2016. I’ve learned too much to write in one post, and we all know I already have a problem with writing too much, so I’m sticking with the first 12 that come to mind.
- My health comes first. Always. Mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Without my health, this life is no life at all. I have a new gratitude for what my body and my brain are able to do every single day. This year I had to set aside things I previously never imagined having to set aside for the sake of my health. I learned that at the end of the day, making a decision for my health is the most important thing I can ever do. This includes both the little and big decisions. It meant that instead of pulling an all-nighter to get through all of my notes and readings to study for my final, I went to sleep instead. It meant that instead of working out, I sat on my bed and meditated. It meant that instead of going out with friends, I stayed at home to rest (although let’s be real…I like being a grandma, anyways.) It meant that instead of pushing through college and forcing myself to endure the stress, I took a quarter off to focus on visiting doctors and getting tests run. It meant choosing doctor appointments over social outings and events. It meant spending my first Thanksgiving without my family so that I could, in the end, minimize my stress levels. I’ve always been the type of person who just follows the plan, no matter what. Sick? Push through it. Tired? Drink caffeine and keep going. This year, I learned that pushing my health to its limits for the sake of sticking to the plan is not okay. My health comes first, no matter what.
- Don’t put effort into a relationship if the other person is not reciprocating. I have done this with so many relationship for so many years. Honestly, the majority of the relationships in my life prior to this year felt very one-sided. I don’t like to give up on friendships. Instead, I convince myself that if I just try harder, the other person will eventually come around. This year, I finally realized that’s not always true. I feel incredibly guilty when I stop putting effort into things, but now I’m realizing that I can’t waste energy on somebody who is not going to invest their energy into me as well. I want my friends to be as invested in me as I am in them. Period. I lost a few very close relationships this year because of this principle, but I am so much happier because of it. I felt a huge sense of a relief, and I was finally able to dedicate more time to the relationships that deserved it, like my close friends who care about me like their own family, as well as give more time to myself. A guilty conscience can bite you in the butt sometimes, and in the end it’s always important to do what’s best for you. You deserve the same amount of love and respect that you show to others. Always.
- Being skinny is not the same as being healthy. And being skinny is not the goal. 2016 taught me to see weight in a completely different light than I used to. Before I really understood health, I used to equate healthy with skinny. Now, I realize that’s not the case at all. People who are extremely skinny are often very unhealthy. From experience, I can tell you that the times when I was at my lowest weight were the times when I felt worse than ever before. I had no energy, I was freezing, I was in pain, I had brain fog…the list goes on. I had to gain weight to gain my health back, and putting on weight gave me an inexplicable sense of freedom. Sadly, it took a near-death experience for me to realize that I truly don’t give a shit about being “skinny.” I want to be healthy, no matter what weight correlates with that. I’ve gained almost 40 pounds in the last year, and I’m still trying to gain more. Learning this lesson is one of the things I’m most proud of, because we live in a world that really does glorify the wrong things. True health is wealth.
- If you want to do something, just do it. Stop waiting around. For most of my life, I held myself back from pursuing my creative ideas because I was scared. I’m still not totally sure of what. I would overthink everything, though, and think about all the ways it could go wrong. I would think that I shouldn’t do it because someone else could do it better. I was worried that I might fail and waste money and time, so what would be the point? Sometimes I was nervous that people would judge me. Sometimes I literally didn’t pursue things because I was scared someone would copy me after I did them. Thinking about it now, that doesn’t even make sense. I didn’t want someone to steal my idea, so I thought it was better to keep it to myself until I could execute it perfectly, when I had “more time.” I was always waiting for the right time. This year, I finally decided to just do it. I realized I was sick of waiting around for my life to start or for things to change. There is no right time. You have to make changes to see changes. You have to just go for it. Launch it. Adjust as you go. But if you wait around, then it might be too late. Launching the Actually Adultish podcast was one of the things I decided to go for, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I’m so proud of the podcast, and I absolutely love creating it. I can’t tell you how many people told me it was a waste of time and that no one would listen to it. I didn’t care, and I did it anyways. Guess what? They were wrong. 🙂
- Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. This goes hand in hand with #4, but it’s definitely a principle I have learned to live by. First and foremost, it’s what I pride myself on when it comes to my blog. Addicted to Lovely is a place where I put myself out there completely. I do the same on social media and on the podcast. I spent a long time just writing surface-level posts, and that made me not want to post very often at all. As soon as I said, Screw it, I’m just gonna put myself out there, I felt so much better. My content finally felt worthwhile. We don’t need more fluff on the Internet. I started to really connect with people, and I learned that I wasn’t alone in how I felt or what I went through. Similarly, I learned that I could be a source of support for others, and vice versa. People might think I put too much on the Internet, but I really could care less. I want to talk about things most other people don’t want to talk about. I want to help others feel less alone. I want to end the health lies. I’m tired of everyone hiding behind topics that don’t really matter. Realness. That’s the gold. Taking it a step back, I learned to put myself out there in smaller ways, socially. Don’t be afraid to message someone, email them, or go up to them and talk to them. If you have a question for someone, just ask! If you think someone is interesting, just tell them! Stop worrying about what anyone else will think. The worst thing that could ever happen is a no, and at the end of the day, who cares if you get one?
- Don’t give up on finding your tribe. I’ve pretty much been a lone wolf for as long as I can remember. I like to be alone, but I also have always felt like I just don’t connect well with other people. I never had the same interests as the people around me. I didn’t want to talk about or do the same things as the people who surrounded me. I like health, beauty, sitting at home and being a grandma, baking, eating, watching movies all day long, Disneyland….all of that. In college, I always felt like an outsider, which is why I turned to the Internet to find a community. Honestly, I had given up on finding my “people.” I felt like if I couldn’t find them by now, then I probably wouldn’t ever. I was so wrong. I have met so many incredible humans this year who have truly changed my life. I met my best friends. I never thought that I would finally meet my college “group” in my last year, but I’m so glad I did. Similarly, I never could’ve imagined how many close friends I have made through blogging and Instagram. I’m much closer to these people than almost everyone else, and I finally found people who truly understand me. My point is, don’t give up. If you’re feeling alone, you will find your tribe. Even if it takes longer than you expected.
- It’s okay to ask for help. I’m sure I will forever be learning this lesson over and over again. I have always hated asking for help. I like to do everything myself. I like to be independent, and I don’t trust other people to do things the way I want them done. This year I finally realized that sometimes I do need help, and there is absolutely no shame in asking for it. Instead, I’ve found that the more help I ask for, the more opportunities I have to learn from other people. Sure, sometimes it doesn’t always work out, but you can recover. At the end of the day, I can’t be everyone at once. I can’t do everything at once. I can’t help everyone else at once. I can’t know everything there is to know. I’ve always liked to be the helper, but never the helped. This year, I discovered that it’s more than okay for me to get help sometimes, too. We all deserve a little help.
- Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. The fact that I love to help others and have an annoyingly strong work ethic, sense of compassion, and guilty conscience has led me into some trouble. To be specific, I was definitely taken advantage of this year by a few people. In most cases, I allowed it to happen because I thought I was powerless. I felt like I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. F THAT. When I finally realized that I was taken advantage of, it was much too late in the game. Although I can’t change it, I can certainly learn from it. I’ve vowed to myself to be wary of people trying to take advantage of me. If I ever find myself in a situation where I feel like someone is using me, I’m getting out of that situation, no matter what that means. I don’t care if I lose a connection or some other kind of opportunity. I am valuable, and my time is worth something. I deserve to be appreciated, just like everyone else does.
- Give people a second chance. Ask anyone who grew up with me… I’ve never been one to give second chances. I’ve always been a one and done kinda girl. Sounds harsh, but that’s just the way I always approached things. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This year, I learned to give people second chances, and it ended up being really rewarding in the end. Sometimes that meant that I had to change my expectations of people, but sometimes it just meant that I was flat out wrong about things. My change in mindset has allowed me to find new friends, reconnect with old ones, and repair other relationships in my life that were previously broken. Now, I truly cannot imagine my life without some of these relationships. It’s easy to make judgments and write people off, but it’s not always smart to do so. Does this mean that I’m willing to give every single person a second chance? No, definitely not. Some things warrant an end to a relationship or opportunity. However, I have learned to really evaluate every situation individually and not to be so quick to write someone or something off.
- Even if you feel like no one has your back, someone does. Don’t give up on yourself. I wrote about this in my post about support, but you really cannot give up even when you feel like no one around you is supporting you. Even if you feel like they are actively doing things to try to push you down, do not give up. First of all, people might have your back without you even realizing it. This is something I learned in a big way this year. For example, after being disappointed when family and friends didn’t support me when it came to my plans for the future and the projects I am currently working on, I happened to discover that many people who were either acquaintances or people I’ve never even met were showing me a lot of support. I was so blinded by the people right in front of me that I didn’t push to see beyond them. More than that, though, I learned more than ever before to be my own biggest supporter. During my health crisis, I felt extremely alone, and I realized that if I wanted to get through it I was going to have to feel supported. The problem was, I felt like there was no one I could really lean on. I saw my choices as the following: A) stop fighting and leave it up to chance to see if I made it through, or B) buck up, be my own biggest supporter, and learn to only need my own strength. B it was, and B taught me a lot about myself. Even when everyone around you is telling you no, tell yourself yes.
- Authenticity is everything. The longer I’m a part of the blogosphere, the more I come to understand how many people are not being authentic. I made an entire podcast episode about Instagram lies, which you should listen to if you haven’t already. (But don’t listen if you don’t like curse words.) Unfortunately, this fact broke my heart multiple times when I discovered that people I truly admired were being fake in some way. People promote things they would never use, they lie about where they are, they pretend to eat food but don’t, they lie about workout routines, they publish things that they themselves did not create, and so on. The truth hurts, but it only further inspired me to stay as authentic and true to myself as I can. Hold me accountable to this. At the end of the day, I’m not going to do something just for popularity or money. If that means less people pay attention to me and I don’t make a dime, I really could care less. Integrity is everything. I have to believe and hope that in the end, people will figure out who is authentic and who is not. In the meantime, Ima do me.
- I figured out what I want to do with my life… My experiences in the healthcare system, my struggles with my own health, and hearing other people’s stories made me finally realize what I am most passionate about. I want to help other people heal through food. That’s what I believe in. I could practically write a book about this topic, but I’m so excited to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and help as many people heal through food and lifestyle choices as I can. I want to give people real health information and end the lies. I want to support people and help them become their happiest, healthiest selves, corny as it sounds. I have zero doubt this is what I’m meant to do. So I’m doing it.
It’s crazy how much has happened in the last year, and I am beyond grateful for every lesson I have learned. More than that, I’m excited for what I will continue to learn in the future. What was the most important lesson you learned in 2016? Please share!
by Christina | Dec 22, 2016 | Recipes, Wellness
I was almost ready to tap out and officially take a break until after Christmas, but then I realized that one of you might want to make this glorious cake for your holiday festivities! I’m definitely a planner, so I’ve been planning out my Christmas recipes all week long. So many decisions to make! Do I want chocolate? Do I want something fruity? Do I want a pudding? A cake? Cookies? Brownies?
I’m excited to show you guys what I end up making. We’ll see if it works out. In the meantime, though, I would highly suggest baking this dark chocolate fudge pecan cake.
I made a chocolate cake similar to this last year that was to die for, and I wanted to recreate it. This time, though, I wanted it to be fudgier and even more chocolate-y. (Are those words? Don’t care.) Dark chocolate, to be specific. I also wanted to swap out the frosting. I’m really picky about frosting. I think that most frostings are gross. This one is more like a ganache, which is much more up my alley. It’s thin, rich, and definitely doesn’t taste artificial.
I’ve also been eyeing a few chocolate pecan pie recipes that were floating around during Thanksgiving, but as I’ve said before, I don’t really like pie. Pecan pie is my mom’s favorite, though, so I wanted to make something that both of us would enjoy. A chocolate pecan cake seemed like the perfect compromise.
It took me many attempts to perfect this recipe. I was so determined to make it extra fudgey and rich that I went a little too overboard. The ingredients that make cakes “fudgey” are also “heavy” ingredients, so my cakes just kept falling apart. It still tasted incredible, though. Like a cake brownie. My friend and I put the broken cake in a bowl, topped it with ice cream, and ate it with a spoon. NO FOOD LEFT BEHIND.
Anyways, I spent all day making different versions of this cake, and I finally got the recipe right at around midnight that night. Talk about pushing it to the last second. The sense of accomplishment… I can’t even tell you.
Even though the recipe development was a bit of a challenge, I promise you that it’s very simple and easy to make this cake. All you need is a big bowl for the cake and a food processor for the frosting. It’s probably better that it requires two things instead of one – you get to lick the chocolate remnants twice. 
This cake is very rich. If you’re not a chocolate lover, you might wanna stay away from this one. The pecans, however, really help to balance out the dense chocolate flavor. You can, of course, make adjustments to this if you want. If it’s too much chocolate for you, you could leave out the dark chocolate chips. (Yep, there are dark chocolate chips in this bad boy.) If you don’t like pecans, you can definitely leave those out as well and just make it a dark chocolate fudge cake. Also, feel free to cut the recipe in half and make a one layer, shorter cake. This cake doesn’t really need to be so tall…but I wanted it to be.
My mother claims this pairs perfectly with a good glass of red wine. I think it pairs perfectly with a nice dollop of vanilla ice cream. I think everything pairs well with vanilla ice cream, though.
As I’ve said before, I’m still trying to figure out what a “Christmassy” dessert is. I think this definitely qualifies, though. There’s a chocolate cake at our family Christmas party every year, so I associate it with the holiday season. Nuts are also a Christmas thing, in my opinion. Plus, this cake has an extravagant look to it that will make your family members think you’re fancy, even when you’re not. You can also obviously make this cake at any time of year. Birthday cake, anyone?
I can also basically guarantee that no one will know this is a healthified cake unless you tell them it is. Part of what made this recipe so difficult for me to perfect was the fact that I was determined to make it both gluten-free and vegan. It’s a lot easier to do one or the other. I DID IT, THOUGH. Now everyone can enjoy a slice of chocolate fudge heaven.
I’m pretty obsessed with this, to say the least. There are so many different textures and flavors going on, there’s no way you won’t be satisfied. You’ve got the crunch of the pecans and dark chocolate chips. You’ve got the dense, rich, chocolate fudgey cake. Then there’s the silky smooth chocolate ganache running through the middle of the two layers. It’s a chocoholic’s dream.
Dark Chocolate Fudge Pecan Cake (Gluten-Free / Vegan)
Serves: 10
Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups cocoa powder
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (I use raw pecans)
- Optional: additional 1/2 cup chopped pecans for topping
Frosting:
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 2 cups coconut sugar
- 4 tbsp coconut milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350*F. Grease two round 9-inch baking pans with coconut oil.
- Add the cocoa powder, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, coconut sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Mix everything together.
- Add in the coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together thoroughly.
- Fold in the pecans and the dark chocolate chips.
- Pour half the batter into one cake pan, and the other half into the other pan. Place in the oven for about 35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you put a toothpick or knife into the cake and it comes out clean. There will also probably be some cracks on the top surface.
- Make the frosting while the cake is baking.
- Once the cake is done cooking, allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer one cake layer to a plate or cake platter. Use a spatula or thin knife to frost the top of that layer. You can put some pecan pieces on top as well, if you want. (You know I did…)
- Place the second layer on top of the first. Frost the top of that cake layer, then frost the sides of both cakes.
- After the entire cake is frosted, top it off with as many pecans as you want! I made a design, but you could also just drop them randomly on top of the cake.
- Cut a slice and enjoy!
For the frosting:
- Use a high-power blender (I used a NutriBullet) to blend the coconut sugar until it becomes a powder-like consistency (like powdered sugar).
- Add your powdered coconut sugar, coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder to a food processor. Mix the ingredients together on a low speed until they reach a fudge-like consistency.
- You can leave the frosting there at room temperature until you frost the cake!
There you have it! A kickass dark chocolate fudge pecan cake that’ll leave you weak at the knees. I can definitely see this becoming my go-to cake recipe…
If you try it, let me know! Tag me in your pics! What’s your favorite Christmas dessert?
by Christina | Dec 21, 2016 | Wellness
Last year was my first holiday season with official food allergies and intolerances. I was really nervous because the holidays are a big deal to me. They’re my “thing.” I’ve also been a foodie for as long as I can remember. You can always count on me to eat an entire chocolate cake in one sitting with you. Food has always been especially important to me during the holidays, so I was anxious about getting through it with my new restrictions. I didn’t want to feel left out. I didn’t want to feel judged. I didn’t want things to feel different. There were a few bumps in the road, but it ended up being just as fun as ever, in the end.
There are two important aspects to getting through the holiday season when it comes to food allergies and intolerances. The first is the actual food. You want to be able to eat food without getting sick! The second is the emotional aspect. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of feeling left out or like a burden, whether that’s because of your own thoughts or someone else’s attitude.
Let’s start with the easier part – the food itself. These are my go-to strategies to make everything run as smoothly as possible.
- First of all, learn to cook. Love to cook. Cooking and baking are so fun. When you cook things yourself, you have control over what goes in them and you know they’re safe to eat. There are millions of free, delicious recipes on the Internet that cater to different food restrictions and allergies. If you don’t eat gluten or dairy, check out my Gingerbread Men, Chocolate Chai Cookies, Apple Crumble, or Ice Cream Scone Sandwiches!
- Related to that, take some time to find replacements for your favorite holiday treats so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Want hot chocolate but can’t drink dairy milk? Try my Spiced Hot Chocolate or grab some Eating Evolved mix. Love eggnog but can’t have eggs? Try Califia Farms Holiday Nog or look up a recipe online for vegan eggnog. Everything can be replaced. You can make gluten-free cookies. You can make nut-free cakes. You can make peppermint bark, pasta, ice cream, and even bread that’s allergy-friendly. If there was something you were really looking forward to eating this season, find a replacement and make it or buy it. Otherwise, you’ll probably just feel sad and like you missed out. THERE’S NO REASON TO MISS OUT. Don’t mope around and say you can’t eat something that you used to love, because you definitely can. It might just need different ingredients!
- Find out what’s being served before you attend an event. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you feel annoying. For example, we have Christmas at my aunt’s house, and she plans out the meal pretty far in advance. I always ask her early on what she’s making, and if there’s anything that I think I can potentially eat, I ask how she’s going to make it. This is especially important because sometimes things that you think are harmless actually aren’t, depending on how they’re cooked. For example, a lot of meats, like hams, turkeys, and chickens, are cooked in gluten or dairy. Sometimes the people serving it don’t realize that, so it’s good to inquire and explain why you’re wondering.
- If you’re making your own holiday meal, come up with a menu that’s totally allergy-friendly, but also different from what you usually make for yourself. You still want it to feel special!
- Bring food with you to the events you’re attending. Bring some sides to Christmas dinner. Bring cookies to your Christmas Eve party. Just always offer to bring extra, and make sure you can eat what you bring. Plus, it’s nice to help out the host or hostess! There can always be more food, IMO.
- If you know you’re going to a specific restaurant, look up the menu ahead of time to see what you can get. If you need to, you can also call the restaurant ahead of time to make sure they can accommodate you. That way you don’t have to deal with everything during the actual event, and you can prepare ahead of time if there won’t be sufficient accommodations. Again, don’t be afraid to ask “annoying” questions. It’s better to be overly inquisitive than to spend the whole night sick and in pain.
- Switch up your old traditions. If you have a tradition of getting fried chicken every Christmas Eve but you recently discovered you’re allergic to gluten, suggest something new. Don’t be afraid to change traditions. My family and I always go to San Francisco a few days before Christmas, and we always eat at the same restaurants for lunch and dinner. After I found out about my food intolerances, I knew there was no way I would be able to eat at those restaurants. Instead, I researched and found a few new places for us to try that everyone could enjoy.
- Arm yourself with snacks, just in case you get in a sticky situation. For example, I pretty much always have a container of nuts, an avocado, and a can of tuna in my purse.
- Keep some digestive aids with you. For example, it’s not a bad idea to carry Lactaid, Gluten-Ease, digestive enzymes, and some soothing teas (like ginger and peppermint), with you. Lactaid and Gluten-Ease are not an excuse to go ahead and eat things you’re allergic to, though. For emergency use only!
- Focus on the things that you love about the holidays that don’t have to do with food. The most important thing is spending time with family and friends. I’ve found that my holiday season is much less food-focused than it used to be, and I like it much better that way. I spend more time thinking about what actually matters. There are so many other fun activities to be doing at this time of year. You could be ice skating, building a snowman, decorating the house, visiting Christmas lights, or watching a Christmas movie!
Let’s move onto the more difficult part. The emotional stuff.
I don’t have a to-do list for you to check off, but I do have some thoughts and words of advice. First of all, understand that you’re not alone in however you’re feeling. You might feel like you’re missing out. You might be irritated or angry. You might feel deprived. You might feel guilty. You might feel like a burden. You might be embarrassed. You might be frustrated. No matter how you’re feeling, don’t let anyone make you feel like it’s invalid. It can be incredibly frustrating to watch everyone around you eat whatever they want without a care in the world while you have to be extra careful to make sure you don’t accidentally make yourself sick.
I honestly don’t even notice I have “food restrictions” when I’m in L.A. with my friends. When I’m home, however, things are much more complicated. I’m constantly reminded of my “restrictions,” constantly asked why I can’t eat certain things and when I will be able to eat them again, and often told that I’m ruining things for other people because I can’t eat the same things as them.
Sometimes people just don’t like change. Sometimes people are uncomfortable with anything different from what they’re used to. Sometimes when people don’t understand something, they get defensive and say things they might not mean. Sometimes people feel insecure about what they’re eating, and they project it onto others. Sometimes people are just really stressed out around the holidays, and they deflect their frustrations onto your situation. There are a million reasons why people might make you feel the way they do, whether or not they intend to.
You’re not a burden, and you’re not being ridiculous. Nobody should make you feel guilty for eating in a way that will prevent you from being sick. When my family members get mad at me for not eating gluten, I just try to remind myself that they would be much more upset with me if I ate it and then threw up everywhere all night long. Sorry, graphic. Just saying.
I also use a lot of self-talk. I remind myself, If my doctor was here, he would get mad at me for even thinking about feeling guilty for not eating something that makes me sick. I always try to think of the other perspective. What would my doctor say? My therapist? My friends from home? I remind myself that many people who make negative comments about food intolerances aren’t aware of how serious the longterm consequences are for “cheating” with certain foods.
It’s easier if you have some go-to answers for people. “Why don’t you eat that?” “Why are you eating that?” “What’s gluten?” “Since when can’t you have dairy?” “You used to be able to eat that, why can’t you now?” “How do you know you can’t have it?” “What happens if you do?” “What can you eat?” Those are the most common questions I get, and I have a set response to each of those that’s about a sentence long. Beyond that, I usually choose not to engage in the conversation, unless the person is genuinely curious. I don’t owe anybody an explanation or a justification. The thing is, many times people don’t ask those questions because they truly want to understand. It’s sad, but it’s what I’ve experienced and what many of my friends have experienced. That’s okay. At the end of the day, someone else will have your back.
Which brings me to my next point. It helps to have someone you can bitch to for a sec. Just someone who gets it. If a family member makes an ignorant comment, it might make you feel better if you know there’s someone in another room you can go vent to for a moment. If there’s not someone physically there, then just text a friend. Sure, it won’t resolve anything, but sometimes it’s nice to just get it off your chest and hear someone else tell you that the comment was ridiculous. Move on.
A lot of people feel self-conscious about the way their food intolerances make them stand out. Most of us want to just fly under the radar. Just do what you need to do, and if someone else is making you stand out in a way that you don’t like, confront it. If someone says something negative about the way you eat, tell them you don’t appreciate the comment, and explain that you’re not eating something because it will negatively affect your health if you do. If they can’t respect that, then too bad for them.
Unfortunately, food brings out…weird sides of people. Not always the best. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to defend yourself. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to be eating something that’s going to make you sick. If they can’t understand the concept of protecting one’s own health, then they’re probably going to have some major issues of their own somewhere down the line.
The fact that you have a food intolerance, allergy, or even preference is nothing to be ashamed of. If your friend was allergic to perfume, would you or anyone else get upset with her for not wearing it? Probably not. Would she be embarrassed she couldn’t wear perfume? Probably not. No one would care that she can’t wear perfume. It should be the same thing with food.
To be honest, I think that having food intolerances has made me appreciate the holidays even more. I cook more than I used to, and I truly enjoy everything I bake. I’m more interested in the aspects of the holiday season that are unrelated to food. I’ve also learned a lot about standing up for myself and being my own advocate. That’s a skill that’s going to do me a lot of good far beyond the holiday season.
