After health crisis, mother learns how to cook and eat 'a little less toxic' in the kitchen
A California mother who ate Taco Bell on her wedding day told Fox News Digital that a "health crisis" prompted her to start making her own food "to control the ingredients."
Shawna Holman said she changed her ways in 2013 after years of battling life-altering health issues, including brain fog, sinus infections and chronic migraines.
Now, she's a successful content creator with the online brand "A Little Less Toxic" and a book author as well.
There were "a lot of little things" that led to her food transformation, said Holman.
"I think that's what it is for most people," she said. "It's a lot of small things over time, adding up until it just tips the scales. The good thing is, though, that once I started implementing these kinds of small changes, it changed everything for me very quickly."
Often, people "don't realize that they're not feeling well or that these things aren't contributing to their overall health until they're very unwell and they are desperate to do something differently," she said.
"At least that was the case for me, and that's what led me to want to read ingredients or try anything different. I found out very, very quickly that it made a huge difference in how I feel."
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Holman said that in 2013, she started "eating more real foods" and limiting seed oils, artificial dyes and sweeteners.
"I found that I enjoyed real foods more, and my taste buds had been manipulated by these highly processed food items," she said.
Two weeks into her "diet overhaul," Holman said, she ate an almond and it tasted like dessert.
"It's such a weird experience because I had experienced almonds to be very boring and bland and almost cardboard-like," she said. "But I found that now real food tastes really, really good."
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Holman said she had to learn to "let the processed foods lose their grip on my taste buds and on my mind."
Holman, however, still wanted to recreate the foods that made her feel good.
"I was a Crunchwrap Supreme girl," she said – and discovered that it was "easy to do."
"I look for things that have ingredients that I would use in my own home kitchen, and if it's not something that I would put in a food item myself, I consider if I really want to put that in my body."
In addition to artificial dyes and seed oils, high-fructose corn syrup is another ingredient that she avoids.
"I'm not extreme about any of these things, but there are some things that, if I have an alternative or if I don't need it, I just won't buy it," she said.
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Holman has advice for anyone looking to make similar dietary changes at home but perhaps uncertain about where to start.
"Just keep it simple," she said. "You can make a burger, but you can make it with more simple and real whole-food ingredients to make it more nourishing and supportive of your body."
Healthier eating doesn't have to involve "expensive superfoods," she said.
"It's more about buying and using and cooking with whole-food ingredients," she said.
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"And that is often going to cost less than these packaged or prepared foods and meals. And it's going to cost a lot less than eating out."
Some cost-saving tips that Holman recommended are buying in bulk – including items like rice, beans, oats or flours that can be stored for longer – and shopping for foods that are in season.
"I also like shopping the freezer section for whole fruits and vegetables because they can cost less than the fresh items, but they were picked at the peak of freshness, so they might even be fresher than what's on the shelves," Holman said.
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When it comes to kitchen tools, Holman said,all that's really needed are some pots and pans, good utensils and a stovetop or oven.
"I'm a sucker for a good kitchen gadget, but you really don't need fancy tools to make good meals," she said.
She likes to "keep it simple," she said, "with a good stainless steel and cast-iron pot or pan set and some bakeware."
They're more durable and can "last a lifetime or beyond, so that can save money, too."