Who Am I?

To describe myself, immediately I would say that I am a wife and a mother. That’s automatic … Other descriptions are more difficult to articulate. So who am I?

I am a person who has had a love/hate relationship with food my entire life. I grew up in rural Alberta on a farm and had many allergies (some food, some not) as well as asthma. I have also had weight issues through the years, reinforcing the love/hate relationship with food. It’s challenging when you come from a family of prolific bakers! When I say that we had dessert at every meal, we literally had dessert at every meal! Throughout my childhood there was an endless parade of cakes, cookies, pies, homemade bread and cinnamon buns. Oh yes, food was good.

My love/hate relationship continued as I had children of my own. My kids had various food allergies, mainly to dairy, and my oldest son had low blood sugar, so I had to learn to improvise. I cooked without dairy, I learned about fiber, sugar and protein and how to balance a diet so my son’s blood sugar did not crash as often. It became more challenging the more active my kids became, but I figured it out.

… Then my husband developed Type 1 diabetes. Here again food became a greater preoccupation. I had to pay special attention to carbs and glycemic index, but through the years we have become a well-oiled machine.

For me, food allergies and intolerances have come and, which meant constantly reframing what I could and could not eat. Being diagnosed as Celiac three years ago was actually the best thing that could have happened to me – not only was it an explanation for my symptoms but it really forced me to learn to eat real food. Fresh food! From scratch honest-to-goodness farm-to-table food! Homemade salad dressings … the crunchy freshness of garden carrots … and learning how to bake all over again! Pre-Celiac baking was second nature – I never measured, always winging it. Now I’m working with a whole new system. Measuring cups are finally being used! And not for anything would I change it. It’s been a healing process and that is wonderful! I am always learning and growing and approaching food with love … and only sometimes with hate.