"My journey of showing people
how to eat better (and enjoy it) has helped me to understand that spotlighting what drives others to produce great products… sharing their insights and talents… is a gift to self." ~ Laura Pensiero |
Pull the Trigger: Your Health is What Matters Most
May 2019
Unique moments in life crystalize. They help you recognize all you’ve accomplished, feel all you’re grateful for, and, perhaps most importantly, show you a road map of how you must shift and evolve if you want to effect change. Often the catalyst is completely unexpected - perhaps the result of gracious and fortunate encounters with others…or touching the fire (near complete burn out)…or the realization that good health isn’t something to ever be taken for granted. In my case, it was a trifecta!
As a registered dietitian and entrepreneur (writer, consultant, restaurateur) for almost 30 years, I was feeling trapped, off balance, and in need of drastic change. My body was hollering from the lifestyle of a restaurateur – herniated discs, wrecked feet, two reconstructed knees, and erratic eating patterns that contradicted all I know as a nutritionist. Then there was the situation of “people burn out” caused by living in a constant state of operations. The things I love - creativity, contemplation, writing, giving, sharing - had been squeezed out by doing and managing. The balance that led to success was gone, and I didn’t recognize myself.
Almost all of us hit some form of a rock bottom, and I had met mine.
Without really analyzing how essential this trip would be, I pulled the trigger and booked a month-long winter trip to Cape Town, South Africa with my longtime partner Cornelius. He needed to see family, and I needed to be 9000 miles away. It had been two years since my last vacation, and never since opening Gigi in 2001, had I taken such a significant break – this time two weeks just wasn’t going to cut it. Right up until the morning we left, I debated whether I should go, whether it was responsible to leave the restaurant for such a long clip.
During the outbound flight, I viewed the film The Magic Pill, a documentary that, among other themes, highlights the condition of metabolic syndrome and how the food industry (which promotes cheap low nutrient carbohydrates) perpetuates this condition here in the U.S. as well as in indigenous diets throughout the world. I realized that a decade ago I could have been a health professional in this documentary – instead, I’m the woman with a variety of symptoms of this deadly condition. Lack of knowledge was not the issue; absence of self-nurturing was at the core, and things had to change. It’s an amazing thing when the lights go on after a long period of doing the same and getting the same result.
Approximately 30% of Americans suffer from metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Some risk factors are: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar levels (insulin resistance), and hyperlipidemia, specifically triglycerides. Inflammation is the base cause of most chronic diseases, and what you do eat and do not eat can significantly affect inflammation. While I didn’t have all of these symptoms, triglycerides were off the chart, and the previous year, I refused medication telling my physician, “I’m a nutritionist, I know what to do.” Life got in the way. One meal per day – the wrong foods and the wrong time.
“Keto” is now popular as a “diet,” but it is not a “diet.” It’s the metabolic state of Ketogenesis, the biochemical process through which organisms produce ketone bodies through breakdown of fatty acids and ketogenic amino acids (fat burning vis a vis deprivation of other substrates - for example, carbohydrates) as an energy source. High protein, high fat, very low carbohydrate diets do not sit well with many health experts, and this caution is real. “Keto” diets are not for everyone. Did I follow the “keto” doctrine to the letter? Absolutely not. But this film rocked me into a new reality and a new way of eating that is right for me.
Because of my triglyceride levels, I made a decision to eliminate carbs from my diet, except for those found in vegetables. I made that decision in flight and have stuck with it since. The first week was terrible – jet lag, insomnia, carb flu (lethargy, brain fog, headache, and, in some cases, nausea), general PTSD, and a period of massive self-reflection.
As a registered dietitian and entrepreneur (writer, consultant, restaurateur) for almost 30 years, I was feeling trapped, off balance, and in need of drastic change. My body was hollering from the lifestyle of a restaurateur – herniated discs, wrecked feet, two reconstructed knees, and erratic eating patterns that contradicted all I know as a nutritionist. Then there was the situation of “people burn out” caused by living in a constant state of operations. The things I love - creativity, contemplation, writing, giving, sharing - had been squeezed out by doing and managing. The balance that led to success was gone, and I didn’t recognize myself.
Almost all of us hit some form of a rock bottom, and I had met mine.
Without really analyzing how essential this trip would be, I pulled the trigger and booked a month-long winter trip to Cape Town, South Africa with my longtime partner Cornelius. He needed to see family, and I needed to be 9000 miles away. It had been two years since my last vacation, and never since opening Gigi in 2001, had I taken such a significant break – this time two weeks just wasn’t going to cut it. Right up until the morning we left, I debated whether I should go, whether it was responsible to leave the restaurant for such a long clip.
During the outbound flight, I viewed the film The Magic Pill, a documentary that, among other themes, highlights the condition of metabolic syndrome and how the food industry (which promotes cheap low nutrient carbohydrates) perpetuates this condition here in the U.S. as well as in indigenous diets throughout the world. I realized that a decade ago I could have been a health professional in this documentary – instead, I’m the woman with a variety of symptoms of this deadly condition. Lack of knowledge was not the issue; absence of self-nurturing was at the core, and things had to change. It’s an amazing thing when the lights go on after a long period of doing the same and getting the same result.
Approximately 30% of Americans suffer from metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Some risk factors are: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar levels (insulin resistance), and hyperlipidemia, specifically triglycerides. Inflammation is the base cause of most chronic diseases, and what you do eat and do not eat can significantly affect inflammation. While I didn’t have all of these symptoms, triglycerides were off the chart, and the previous year, I refused medication telling my physician, “I’m a nutritionist, I know what to do.” Life got in the way. One meal per day – the wrong foods and the wrong time.
“Keto” is now popular as a “diet,” but it is not a “diet.” It’s the metabolic state of Ketogenesis, the biochemical process through which organisms produce ketone bodies through breakdown of fatty acids and ketogenic amino acids (fat burning vis a vis deprivation of other substrates - for example, carbohydrates) as an energy source. High protein, high fat, very low carbohydrate diets do not sit well with many health experts, and this caution is real. “Keto” diets are not for everyone. Did I follow the “keto” doctrine to the letter? Absolutely not. But this film rocked me into a new reality and a new way of eating that is right for me.
Because of my triglyceride levels, I made a decision to eliminate carbs from my diet, except for those found in vegetables. I made that decision in flight and have stuck with it since. The first week was terrible – jet lag, insomnia, carb flu (lethargy, brain fog, headache, and, in some cases, nausea), general PTSD, and a period of massive self-reflection.
I realized that I had far more work in front of me than I planned for…it wasn’t just about changing my diet, it was also a pursuit of healthy and happy.
After the first week in South Africa, I started feeling energetic. With respect to diet, restricting carbs was easy - we cooked by braaing (grilling over hot wood) meat, and poultry, fresh fish and produce were abundant. I never felt like I was eating differently than others (sans bread and dessert). It turned out that I had picked the perfect place to reset diet. Italy would have been a travesty to the “keto” plan. As a nurturer, I have always taken on everyone’s problems as my own, and I tend to overthink the large and small issues of the day. I was also losing sleep. And taking on too much responsibility for others was stealing from my ability to take care of myself. Another energy drain was caring too much about what others thought of me. So, I took a leap of faith and put all of my trust in the Gigi Team - they had my back in every way. While I was away, I learned that I had to match their commitment by being the most positive and supportive leader that I could be. I now understand that I can let go of some operations and explore my creative side. This self-reflection has led to clarity and a plan to move forward. |
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Restaurant work can be both rewarding and depleting. Self-care and conscious focus on loyal guests, supporters and staff has brought the joy back to my business. I needed perspective and to fully appreciate life’s many gifts. I lost track of what drives my happiness, success, and ability to share with others. Without question, writing, cooking, and public health education will be part of my life balance and the design for my future.
Some concepts I’ve embraced that I’d like to share with readers:
Some concepts I’ve embraced that I’d like to share with readers:
- Take time to get out of your “normal” – this is truly a key to gaining perspective.
- Recognize who you are and honor it. If I don’t provide myself with some alone time to think, create and contemplate, I lose perspective.
- Assume the best of people unless they show you their worst.
- Forgive yourself for lapses in perfection.
- Understand that you can effect change.
- People will react to changes in your behavior. Don’t let their discomfort derail you. Those who cannot adjust to a more confident, healthier and happier you probably do not belong in your life.
- Put yourself in situations where you’re engaged in helping others who are far less fortunate than you - a key to self-realization.
- Be kind to yourself.
- Eat breakfast. It sets you off on the right metabolic path for the day.
Additional Resources:
Low Carb Diet: Can it Help You Lose Weight? (Mayo Clinic)
Foods that Fight Inflammation (Harvard Medical School)
Note: Consult your physician before making any dramatic dietary changes.
Low Carb Diet: Can it Help You Lose Weight? (Mayo Clinic)
Foods that Fight Inflammation (Harvard Medical School)
Note: Consult your physician before making any dramatic dietary changes.
Laura Pensiero is Sanctuary's nutrition columnist and the founder, chef/owner and creative force behind Gigi Hudson Valley (Gigi Trattoria and Gigi Catering). She is the author of Hudson Valley Mediterranean and co-author of The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook. Find out more about Laura by reading her interview with Sanctuary HERE.