My Viome results - what // how I'm eating - Therapeutic Eating with Katie Trussell

Roll out the red carpet – it’s time for the BIG reveal.

There are a few things I know about *my body:

⇢ gluten is tasty but doesn’t feel good and often leads to breakouts

⇢ dairy is yummy but makes my skin oily and eventually leads to some kind of cystic breakout

⇢ beans – while they sound healthy – cause gas a bloating beyond measure

⇢ most grains, while seemingly nourishing lead me to feeling overly full and a bit fatigued

⇢ sugar leads to a tasty fun high – at most – but most often leads to a big crash and a sense of anxiety

Those are simply things I’ve intuited over time – without medical advice, by tuning in to how I feel. Kind of like a hangover – we know that one too many alcoholic drinks – and for some, drinking at all – can lead to a nauseating avalanche of questionable aftermath. Yet what I’m beginning to see is that sometimes the cues are far too subtle – even for the astute intuitive eater.

Could you imagine a test returning results to you with the following list of foods to AVOID: hemp seeds, cashews, prunes, plums, cauliflower, cucumber, grapes, potatoes and pistachios? I couldn’t – and those were the exact foods from my VIOME test that have apparently been causing my gut distress (even though I can’t say prunes make their way into my diet at regular intervals…). To the mix a hefty list of foods to MINIMIZE include: beans, almonds, amaranth, apples, avocado, beets, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery, chia seeds, jicama, kale, nectarines, oats, peas, pumpkin, watermelon and all dairy except for yogurt in 1/2 cup quantities…I mean…whowa. Half that list is what most would assume are basic health foods everyone should be eating, but think again.

And think again we must.

I took the VIOME gut intelligence test after a bout with:

Depression

a Cystic acne breakout – all over my cheeks and chin

Lethargy

Chronic hip pain

The real kicker – I had just switched from 8 months of eating a Keto specific diet back to a Plant Based approach assuming that I would feel enlivened by reintroducing plant proteins back into my body. I was so so wrong. So wrong. After 30 days of eating grains and beans my body, skin and mood were on the outs. Something I was doing was failing me – I loved what I was eating – don’t get me wrong – delicious creations were pouring out of my mind and heart but my body was aching in all the ways. Something had to give.

If I took one thing from diving face first into meditation in 2019 and 2020 it was: to feel good. Because if I don’t feel good, nothing good can come to me therefore feeling good has to be a #1 priority. Feeling good to me means I have energy, my skin is clear, I feel confident and my thoughts are free flowing and streaming. Feeling good means I can function. Feeling good means my work, passions and creativity are fluid and others can reap from these open channels. Feeling good…is a must.

Which leads me to, Illness is a Choice and Food Advice is Obsolete.

Until you know exactly the ,biochemistry of your own unique microbiome – we should all start reconsidering what we’re eating and who we’re getting our advice from – I think it’s safe to say that the lot of us are likely getting our advice from very intelligent and bright medical professionals whether they’re trained holistic physicians or functional food practitioners – no one knows until they know what’s going on inside of you which is why I’ve entrusted in ,VIOME for what I’m doing with my body going forward. I just can’t see any other way.

Which is why I’ve officially begun offering ,Personalized Meal Plans specific to your Microbiome. You may still be curious how to prepare certain foods, in what combinations, how to maximize your superfoods and how to make sure your diet includes a variety of ,delicious creations – so don’t hesitate to reach out if this is you.

Back to what I’m eating:

I truly think we’ve hit an era of inspiring innovation and revolutionary shifts on a mass scale but also an era of information overload. Everyone is trying to teach someone something – but maybe we know too much! Which is why I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the simple approach.

Since I’ve gotten my results I’ve taken some time to familiarize myself with what foods support my health and which one’s don’t. I’ve committed to 3 months, 90 days, of solely eating from my superfoods and “enjoy” lists and to – at all costs – avoid the foods on my avoid list while drastically minimizing those on my minimize list…just to think…apples, almonds and avocados…ya Lucy.

That’s how simple the viome results are laid out ↓

Which means I’ll be eating heaps of salmon (yum!) , dandelion greens, cilantro, egg white omelettes, sunbutter, pumpkin seeds, lamb roasts (instant pot slow cooker recipes here we come!), radicchio, all things coconut apparently – the meat, the butter, the oil and MCT are apparently very good for me, banana-cranberry smoothies and so much more! Life has always been delicious but it’s about to get OPTIMUM.

Here’s what I’ve been doing thus far:

While coffee isn’t one of my superfoods I can still enjoy it in 1 cup increments (according to Viome). I’ve been adding:

2 scoops of ,collagen peptides (all things bone broth was recommended so collagen peptides for the win)

1 spoonful of ,coconut butter (definitely one of my superfoods)

1 spoonful of honey

Blending til frothy and enjoyed after meditation!

For meals: * indicates a superfood

Here is a brown rice bowl that I prepped by soaking for 8 hours in a combination of water + 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp of salt to neutralize phytic acid and arsenic (this simple practice helps to improve digestion). Then rinsed, drained and steamed per usual.

1 can of salmon*

1 bunch of steamed dandelion greens*

Seasoned with:

Tamari

Flax Oil*

sea salt & pepper

Eaten with sheets of nori

For another quick meal full of beneficial foods for my gut:

Leftover prepared brown rice*

Chicken sausage*

Carrots*

Cilantro*

Roasted radicchio* in olive oil, tamari & balsamic reduction + salt and pepper (400 degrees for 18 minutes)

This meal successfully included all foods on my superfood list – woot!

And for a proper pro shot – this – A Cranberry Banana smoothie bowl

Gah. I’ll take – yes yes.

Contains my two superfood fruits – and a bit of Macnut milk, topped with frozen cranberries and some fresh sliced banana.

So how am I doing thus far?

I’m pretty darn stoked guys. I feel good – my energy is HIGH – my skin is CLEAR and my emotions are level.

I’m running with this my friends – coming with?

And just for toots n’ giggles, a makeup free selfie cuz that’s how I like to roll…. p.s. if you click this photo you’ll get a $10 discount (enter promocode: TRUSSELL10) on your first VIOME kit ♡