Why I’m Rethinking What’s on My Plate (and Maybe You Want To Also)

Ever have one of those moments where you started thinking about "Subject A" and in no time, circular thinking landed you eight or ten letters into the alphabet of subjects, nowhere near where you started? That's been me the last few weeks. I've been purging some of the natural stacks that mount in an everyday household. Smiling at memories of happy moments, fussing at myself about why I kept these items from eight years ago...and on and on. Crazy as it sounds, my thoughts have been circling back to why I think the way I do about food, health, and how we care for our bodies. It started with a simple summer purge—the kind where you open a drawer to declutter and find a stack of papers that had been tucked away during a surprise visit from a friend. That same stack got swept into a box during a move (bless the helpers who don’t ask questions) and eventually resurfaced with a whisper: Deal with me now.

And tucked between expired coupons and forgotten receipts? Memories. Photos of my children on trips to see their great-grandparents in West Virginia. Faded snapshots of my own childhood. I’ve written before about my grandparents—hardy mountain folk shaped by the Great Depression. They didn’t waste a thing, especially not food, and certainly not money on things they could grow or raise themselves. (Following pictures from public records and not my family - I'm on vacation writing this and don't have access to family photos)

They were true stewards of the land, their time, and posessions. In winter, they’d germinate seeds saved from the previous summer’s garden. From a single ear of corn, they could grow up to 800 stalks—yielding 1,600 ears. Incredible, isn’t it? And meat? It wasn’t just food; it was a cycle. Chickens, pigs, and cows were raised for both nourishment and reproduction. Add in the hunting skills passed down through generations, and they had a food system that was sustainable, respectful, and shockingly efficient.

Compare that to today.

Instead of nutrient-dense, homegrown food, we’re handed convenience wrapped in plastic and labeled “healthy.” The modern food system promises ease—but at what cost? Somewhere along the way, we started trusting big companies with our nutritional needs. And many of us are now waking up to the consequences of that misplaced trust.

Our bodies were designed to absorb real nutrients, not synthetic imitations. But so much of what’s labeled “fortified” or “enriched” is actually artificial—chemical versions of nutrients our bodies either reject or store as fat, inflammation, or worse. Over time, our immune systems become overburdened, distracted from their true job of fighting germs and healing us, and instead are forced to battle the very food we eat.

So here we are: overfed, undernourished, and wondering why we’re so tired, inflamed, or foggy. Our bodies don't even recognize what's on our plates.

I’m not suggesting we all go off-grid and raise chickens in the backyard—though if that’s your jam, more power to you (and can I buy some good eggs off of you? haha!)

But I am inviting you to walk with me into a conversation about eating more wholesomely in today’s world. Not perfectly. Not rigidly. But intentionally, and with wisdom that our ancestors would be proud of, and our bodies will apprecaite.

Let’s explore what it means to nourish ourselves without needing to live like it’s 1935. There’s a middle ground—and friends, it’s time we found it. I know I'm determined to pursue this for my health and that of those I love and whom I get to help feed.

Coming Soon ... "What Does Our Body Do With The Junk It Can't Use"