NOURISHMENT FOR BODY, MIND, AND SOUL
BODY
When your body is sick and your health is failing, real food paves the way to real healing. It’s the most foundational part of any healing plan. The purposeful nourishment of real food is necessary for continued well-being.
MIND
When your mind is taunted by toxic inner voices and weighed down by fear and the burdens of everyday life, real food comes in the form of prayer, strategic self awareness, and meaningful relationships. Together, these lead to real healing. Like the real food that nourishes your body, the real food for your mind is varied and uniquely beautiful in its different forms.
SOUL
When your soul is weary and longing for peace, God’s word is the real food, the only food, that can lead to the real healing of your wounded heart. God’s word is the food that nourishes your sense of self and feeds your positive perception of the world and your place in it. You are chosen, redeemed, and loved beyond measure. There is no greater food for your soul.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
THE ORIGINS OF REAL FOOD REAL HEALING
My name is Jen. This page first began as a personal outlet to write about my health journey. In 2015, when my son was one year old, I experienced two miscarriages. After the second, my health rapidly deteriorated. I was diagnosed with thyroid disease, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis in quick succession. I then began a journey to overcome the chronic fatigue, brain fog, muscle pain, joint pain, bloating, migraines, blurred vision, and other symptoms that dominated my daily life.
Over time, I learned to use food as medicine. I taught myself to cook, and proved (to myself) that real food truly nourishes my body. I learned to make chicken stock, braise beef, and roast vegetables. Changing my diet led to vast improvements in my health, but my journey has not been without bumps in the road. In my sickest years, I experienced multiple rounds of C-Diff, carbohydrate malabsorption, Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), food sensitivities, hormone dysregulation, low stomach acid, and histamine intolerance. For several years, I picked up a new diagnosis every three months on average.
In 2018, a severe ulcerative colitis flare led to a lengthy hospital stay. When I got home, we discovered toxic mold in our home. At that point, I began learning about bio-toxins and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) as a potential root cause to my many ailments. The earliest articles on this page reference my family’s move from our home. Because of the severity of our exposure, we followed the recommendation to dispose of all our contents. We stepped forward in fear, and yet we trusted (though imperfectly) that God would provide for our future needs.
HEALING IS NOT LINEAR
In my journey to heal from mold toxicity, I’ve learned that healing is not linear. Sometimes you take two steps forward and five steps back, but then you leap forward in one long jump. It’s important to manage expectations accordingly.
I’ve also learned that healing is not only physical. To be my best self and live a fulfilled life, I had to learn to respect the power my mind and thoughts have over my physical being. I had to pay due attention to my spiritual life and nourish my soul too. This has led me (and this page) to where we are today.
THE MISSION OF REAL FOOD REAL HEALING
Real Food Real Healing exists to provide resources and community for readers who seek healing for ailing bodies, burdened minds, and weary souls.
