You mention ZOE a lot - what is it?
Why should I join ZOE if I can get all these tips and meal ideas from you?
Great question! Here are a few reasons my blog is no substitute for a ZOE membership (follow this link for $35 off if you do decide to join):
1. How I eat (and all the recipes and tips on this blog) are in response to my personal test results and where I am on my health journey. You won't have any sense of how well your body controls glucose and fat—or any sense of the health of your own gut microbiome—until you get tested yourself.
2. Related to the above: once you have your results back, you get lists of food options to help you boost your good gut bugs (and repair your microbiome), as well as a list of foods to avoid because they feed and encourage the population of bad bugs. While everything I recommend on this blog will likely help you achieve this, you may be able to freely eat things I can't.
3. While I can provide recipes and meal ideas that score high in the ZOE app for anyone who's trying to heal their gut (or manage sugar and/or cholesterol), I cannot mimic what the app does for you over the course of a day. It takes into account what you eat (and when) over the course of the whole day and helps you see how your choices add up.
4. As a member, you get a ton of meal ideas and food guidance. You also have nutritionists on hand to answer your questions.
Is ZOE only available in the USA?
The ZOE program is currently available in the UK and available to people living in the continental United States and Hawaii. However, it is not currently available to people living in New York due to regulations in this state.
Are you a registered dietitian?
No!* That's why you'll see me share sources for everything I post on this blog. I'm not a doctor or a scientist - I'm simply someone who reads a lot around health, wellness and longevity and I started this blog to share what I've learned. I do have a PhD (in Linguistics) so I guess I'm pretty well trained in the art of distinguishing real science from internet garbage. *Please see my medical disclaimer.
Does ZOE pay you?
Nope - I'm a member so I'm paying them. Let's call this blog a gratitude play... thanks to ZOE, I'm so much better that I'm giving them a whole lot of free press.
You mention a lot of US-based products - what can I do if I don't live in the USA?
I spent the first 24 years of my life in South Africa, lived in the UK for 4 years, Colombia for a year and finally settled in the US. I know it's frustrating when blog content skews to supporting consumers in only one country. The good news? If you're a ZOE member, you can scan products on the shelves in both US and UK grocery stores.
Where's the meat?
Based on my personalized results from my ZOE tests, all red meat, chicken, and turkey suppresses the good gut bugs that I have far too few of. On top of that, I've always had trouble digesting meat - it literally hurts me in anything other than very small quantities. So what you'll find here are meals and recipes that include fish, eggs and some cheese and strained Greek yoghurt. Things that are vegan are clearly marked that way.