Health Updates + Blog Name Change

I don’t really talk about my health or my personal life on this blog. I’ve always wanted my website to be exclusively my virtual cookbook, ever adapting and changing to what is most needed in the healthy cooking world. But it’s been months since I’ve made content for this blog. I haven’t created a recipe, a blog post, or social media post. It’s difficult to me to talk about why, but I do feel it needs to be said as it will be dramatically changing the nature of my blog from here on out.

When I quit my job to do blogging full-time, I worked 50 to 70 hours a week creating recipes, editing photos, scheduling social media, and picking up freelance work to supplement my income. I wrote ebooks, attended Paleof(x), wrote guest posts, and had the honor of being hosted on podcasts. My ultimate goal was to write a published print cookbook. Blogging was life for me. I learned so much and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.

But life happened, as it does. Due to my health, being a full-time blogger is no longer a sustainable lifestyle for me. After 2 years of fatigue, weakness, pain, dizziness, and other symptoms, I’m so thankful to put a name to what I’ve been feeling. I’ve finally been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, formerly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

POTS is a kind of orthostatic intolerance, meaning that symptoms are triggered upon standing (and in my case, most any movement). A glitch in the nervous system causes the body to overreact to standing, increasing the heart rate dramatically. This increase causes acute and chronic dizziness, weakness, blood pressure problems and fatigue.*

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis was formerly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  Symptoms include chronic fatigue (6+ months), lowering of functioning level as compared to before the illness, and post-exertional “crashes” triggered by activities that would not cause a problem for a healthy person (walking, reading, writing, driving, etc).**

These illnesses can dramatically affect my functioning, so I cannot create content on a regular or full-time basis. I still love to cook, take photos, and write, but I’m sorry to say that the ability to work the extended hours I used to isn’t something I have anymore.

How this will affect my blog

I don’t want my diagnoses to define me or my blog. I’m a creative cook who happens to have chronic illness. I might talk about my personal experiences, and I hope to be an ally to others who have chronic illness. However, I’m sure I’ll  never be an expert on the subject.

Recipe posts may be sporadic, and I may struggle with communication via email and social media outlets. This is because blogging is no longer my job, but it is my creative outlet. Additionally, many of the recipes I create will be low-carb, because that’s the way that I personally eat. However not every recipe will be, and I’m not looking to rebrand as ketogenic.

When I first went paleo, I thought I would not have health problems as a result of eating so well. I’ve realized I was wrong. To be human is to be vulnerable, regardless of what I do to prevent that. I am not invincible, I am not bulletproof, I am not really even protected. My body does not have the capacity to be an entrepreneur anymore, but I will still be a fiercely creative person making delicious food.

I want my blog to reflect the beauty and artistry of cooking, as well as the validity of an individualized (not sensationalized or cure-all) approach to eating. I do not want to be pushing any particular diet style beyond a whole foods approach. Foods that make one person feel good may be different than the next person, and that’s a beautiful facet of our humanity, something to be honored.

I chose the new name “Create Delicious” because the word “create” captures the fact that I view my recipes as my primary art form, not just a way to stick to a diet. Great recipes are made with science, artistic license, trial and error, patience, practice, and lots of love for both the occupation and the people enjoying the finished dishes. Adding “delicious” conveys not only that I want the finished recipes to taste good, but the greater idea that food made from scratch with love, sincerity, and respect makes life just a little bit more delicious.

I’m so excited to create and post new recipes for you as I am able to. My prayer for my blog is that it would be useful in your journey to good nutrition and a positive relationship with food.

And now, back to the food posts; I promise the next thing I put on here will be a new delicious recipe, so stay tuned!

*For more information about POTS, click here.

**For more information about Myaglic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, click here.

Photo credit: Joshua Appleby