I hear this comment frequently when I speak to people about food. Almost all of my clients, friends and family members eat a Standard American Diet.

I grew up on a standard Portuguese diet, both of my parents are from the Lisbon area. Kale, potatoes, fish, rice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, bread, butter, olives, almond pastries, wine, hot peppers and Moroccan spices filled our house. Yeah, not even close to being vegan or gluten free.

Over time I gradually was testing out what foods felt good and bad. When I was around 13 years old I had food poisoning for two weeks after having a hamburger and fries for dinner. I haven’t had red meat since.

I began to notice a trend with feeling intestinal discomfort with dairy and eggs. My skin would freak out, acne, dry and yet oily, and I could feel a change for the worse in my mood on days where I would have dairy in more than one meal. So gradually with more knowledge and an understanding of dairy products, how to find out what ingredients were dairy based and etc. that was also cut out.

After that came bread, I think the most difficult thing for me to cut out at the time. Bread had almost the same exact side effects for me. I think it partially was the reason for headaches and sleeping problems. I use to frequently have violent, detailed, horrible dreams with me crying, screaming, and sometimes even kicking as I woke up.

I can’t say that my body is sensitive, or that I know for a fact that these were EXACTLY the correct connections. But it is what I noticed and if we all listen, pay attention and may be even keep track of things like this in a journal there could be “sensitivities” we all have.

Sometimes loved ones fear that they will loss you as a friend or that the social balance will change once you move around what foods you like to eat. There is this dark place people might imagine, the unknown. You can try explaining that this is nutritionally what is best for you, or as what I have noticed people like to say about me, you have “sensitivities.”

We all have sensitivities! 

Once your awareness goes up and you are willing to get rid of what your body treats as toxins, and replace it with healing nutritious foods just may be any one will see just how sensitive all of our bodies truly are.

There is also a huge possibility that once more people acknowledge these feelings it will be easier to speak about it. It just takes one person to change the world, the way another person will talk about their body, or even have a friend consider that there is no need to be scared.

I gradually cut things out but also replaced them. I cut wheat and ate more greens, over time I began exploring more fruits and vegetables, became curious about seeds and nuts, herbs and so on.

I have never felt like there is so much food out there until now, which may seem ironic to people.

I know there are loads of vegetarians, vegans, raw foodists who all changed over night. But that is not my story. So when friends or clients ask me my opinion I tell them to go with their own instinct. You know if turning into a raw vegan overnight will lead you to binge eat half way through day one on junk food you can’t remember yourself ever wanting.

Respect and love your journey. I personally would have never guessed that I would be where I am today.

I hope that helps answer some questions people had for me on my personal opinion. Thank you all for stopping by and reading this rather short post that is a bit different from the ones I’ve been writing up these past few weeks.

I will do a video soon with more about my personal journey if more questions come up. I think it will be a better way of presenting this information, plus I really do need to get better at them!

Much love ❤ and raw power 😉

xoxo Jess