Posted on March 21, 2016 by Miranda Malisani
My passion for nutrition was born from struggle.
I spent many years doubled over in pain as a child not knowing why I always felt sick and tired. I was worried with every bite of food I ate because I felt constant nausea, stomach pains, constipation and dizziness. I started out on a pretty crappy diet. It consisted of canned soups, cheese spread on white bread, flavoured chips, crackers and many versions of fast food. I was eating what a lot of the kids in my neighbourhood were eating, but I was always feeling sick. So sick that I couldn’t participate in activities, stay at friend homes for long and I missed a ton of school. My parents began to think I was a hypochondriac and this created a whole other struggle in our home. Food was ruining my life.
It was one random day watching a segment on 20/20 when I was 9 years old that changed my life. It was a feature by Barbara Walters about MSG and the health effects that it and other hidden preservatives were having on the population. My parents investigated and removed all sources in my diet and sure enough after a couple of weeks we realized that I was HIGHLY sensitive to MSG. After removing it from my diet, I felt like a brand new version of me. I didn’t feel nauseous, have stomach cramps, constipation or dizziness, and had so much more energy. I experienced an incredible transformation from food at a very early age. So you can see why I get SO excited to share health information with an audience, as this information literally changed my life.
Finding the right foods can change your life too.
Do you feel you can’t pick yourself up in the morning? Is the heaviness around your waistline making you crazy? Are you are watching your kids eat processed foods day after day and it’s giving you anxiety because you don’t know how to get healthier foods on the table? Our food dilemmas manifest in many ways, but they all can be solved the same way. Through full-body awareness. It resides in the responsibility that we have to discover what is right for our own body. I learned at an early age to pay attention to what makes me feel good and what doesn’t. This was forced upon me, but I am now glad it was.
I learned early that this is the first step in making a change in your health.
It was during that shift in my diet that I became aware of how powerful it is to eat the foods that are right for my body. At the time it was ‘eat the right food and I can go to the playground’ or ‘eat the wrong food and I’ll end up in the fetal position on the couch’. In high school it was eat the right food and look better in those pair of jeans and now it’s eat the right food so I can get up at 6a.m. in the morning with my little one. Regardless of what the situation I clearly see that food impacts my experience. It impacts what I can give others, how I interact with others, and look at myself.
Now, this awareness brings about an ease of movement with food, but it’s not all said and done. Life throws a bit of a “keep listening” message with every stage in life. Since the body is always changing and evolving, each stage brings with it new dietary requirements, and sometimes the foods that you once enjoyed are not tolerated, or vice versa you are able to eat certain foods that you couldn’t when you were young. So you can’t even stop listening once you begin.
Experiencing a dietary transformation requires tuning into your own body’s wisdom, always.
And how do you do this you may ask? There are some steps involved:
I’d love to hear your stories of dietary transformation!
Miranda <3
Category: Blog, Home Page Tags: 20/20, awareness, Barbara Walters, body wisdom, Canada, clean eating, diet, diet change, Energy, family nutrition, healing, health, healthy eating, holistic nutrition, Lifestyle Change, Miranda Malisani, nutrition, nutrition expert, nutritionist, the six, toronto, transformation, Weight Loss, wellness
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Thanks for sharing your story! Love your passion for healthy eating and enjoy reading your food tips. I have a question, and maybe you’ve answered it before, did you offer your children cow’s milk as babies? My son just turned one and I am still breastfeeding so I haven’t had to cross that bridge just yet but it’s something I think about every now and then. Is cow’s milk necessary? What nutrients does it contain that is essential for toddlers? What are some alternatives? I don’t drink cow’s milk myself so I’m really perplexed about this one! Thought I’d gain some insight from a pro nutritionist and mama.
Thanks!
Janie
Thanks for your kind words Janie! I gave my boys Goat’s Milk and did not give them cow’s milk. Goat’s is easier to digest, has more minerals and less lactose. However, it doesn’t have as much folic acid and B12, so I did supplement with this. All the best with your beautiful babe!
Hi Miranda, Great article!! I love watching you on Marilyn, Always informative segments. I have been eating clean for quite a few years now but recently had food allergy/sensitivity testing done, 3 weeks ago. Wheat, Gluten, dairy/casein, almond/peanuts, egg are all triggers for me. Since cutting them out 3 weeks ago and starting a probiotic a week ago, I am feeling worse. My system is a mess. Is this normal and how long can I expect to feel this way before I get better and see improvements?
Any help, tips or advice you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
Debbie
Hi Deb, thanks for your kind message! It’s an individual journey, some experience detox symptoms for a while, but generally you should be noticing some positive changes. I would follow up with your health care provider to see if there is something that is missing.