Mee McCormick is a chef, rancher, organic farmer, restauranteur, community builder, mother, wife, author and autoimmune warrior. In this webinar Mee gets candid about how to cook and eat for your microbiome (gut health), the affect it has on your mental health, and gives tips on recipes and ingredients to incorporate into your menu planning while in quarantine.
What we learned in this discussion:
1. Clean up your side of the street.
Mee invites us to be an active participant in our wellness. You can’t take responsibility for everything and everybody, but you do have the power to make decisions and changes, big or small, when it comes to your health.
2. There is no one perfect way… YOUR way is the best way for you.
We are constantly flooded with messages from media, friends, family, even strangers, about how we “should” or “shouldn’t” eat. The truth is everyone’s body’s are different and what may work for you could not work, or even be detrimental, to someone else. Mee suggests getting your microbiome tested to help steer you in the right direction and recommends using Viome.
3. Pay attention to what’s in season.
A great way to inform what to include in your meal planning is to take advantage of produce that’s in season. Including plants in your diet when they’re at their seasonal peak means maximizing the health benefits they have to offer and keeps your immune system strong. How do you know what’s in season? Start by checking your farmer’s almanac!
4. A kind kitchen matters.
For many, the kitchen can be a place of strife and anxiety. Practice having compassion with yourself and the food you cook. Practice gratitude when preparing a meal. Get mindful. Look at your kitchen, your space, your plate – don’t get mad at it! Observe where you can make small changes and do it one step at a time.
5. Get excited about what’s on your plate!
Many times eating for immunity, gut health and mental health can mean making adjustments to what we choose to include on our plates. Instead of distressing about what you may be eliminating, get excited about everything you are including! A shift in mindset takes you from a place of lack to one of abundance.
