This weekend I attended a three day birthday celebration and experienced a freedom that would have been inaccessible prior to adopting a primal lifestyle. In years past, a weekend of this nature would have involved one of two scenarios (I was not skilled in the art of moderation):

Scenario A:  Worry about bringing my own food to stay on my strict diet. Worry about completing my inflexible workout regimen. Worry about whether or not to have a glass of wine or champagne (liquid calories!). Covet my friends’ celebratory food while I resentfully swallowed my dry chicken breast and broccoli. Why could they stay so so fit when just looking at cupcakes made my pants tighter?!

The stunning Alaskan fall has arrived, with its abundant harvest of highbush cranberries.  I'm a compulsive berry picker with too many cranberries and not enough low/no sugar recipes.  While on the hunt for primal uses for the tart gems, I came across an initially intriguing recipe, Spiced Highbush Cranberry Ketchup. Then I read the ingredient list, which included two cups of sugar! 

I am in love with the beautiful vegetables coming out of our local Alaskan farms. The midnight sun really sweetens up our produce; the cucumbers, snap peas, kohlrabi and cherry tomatoes taste like candy. 

Last week my flow was missing. I felt overwhelmed and anxious; I was doubting myself in all aspects of my life. My monkey mind was saying the meanest things and I couldn’t make it stop. I felt completely uninspired and unmotivated. Before starting the primal lifestyle I would have sunk into a self-soothing session of wine and chocolate. I’ve since learned healthier stress management tools, so I tried them all in an attempt to feel better.