pictured: Amy Knowles, Sally Fallon Morell, and Lee Burdett, at Wise Traditions 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Can you think of any health secrets — tips and tricks you’ve learned as you maximize the health and vitality of your body?
This year, I was privileged to attend Wise Traditions, the annual conference for the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Sally Fallon Morell, the president of WAPF, shared her own 12 health secrets at the closing ceremony. They are inspiring, motivating, and represent many of the same key ideas that made such a difference in my own health over the years.
If you’d like to learn more about Sally Fallon Morell, check out her book, Nourishing Traditions.
12 Health Secrets From A Real Food Pioneer
Many of these tips are based on the dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Be sure to account for your own special dietary or health needs as you incorporate these practices into your routine.
#1 — Eat 3 regular meals per day with animal protein, animal fat, and healthy carbs.
According to Dr. Weston A. Price’s research, optimally healthy people are not vegetarian or vegan. Why? Because there are so many vital nutrients found most abundantly, and sometimes solely, in animal foods.
So, Sally includes them in every meal.
In addition to this, skipping meals can stress your adrenal glands as they work to energize you and stabilize your blood sugar. By avoiding a surplus of sugary foods and instead focusing on healthy fats and carbs, you can prevent blood sugar spikes and provide long-lasting energy.
“Our food must be satisfying. We can’t live on renunciation. So this means plenty of good fat.” –Sally Fallon Morell
Read more about healthy fats here –> Avocado Oil: The New Fat in the Real Food Kitchen.
#2 — Don’t snack between meals.
Our bodies depend on cycles, rhythms, and schedules. For example, the liver needs fasting after meals and a lengthy fast at night in order to complete its cycles from beginning to end.
To stay fueled throughout the day without snacking, plan out hearty, fulfilling meals. Sally gives detailed descriptions of what breakfast, lunch, and dinner look like for her:
Breakfast: eggs and meat, smoked fish, cheese and sourdough bread, soaked oatmeal and butter, soaked pancakes with bacon or homemade sausage, soup, leftovers from dinner…
Lunch: liver pate, raw cheese (which she says is a complete food and the best source of K2 in the US), crispy pancakes with caviar, homemade broth soup, quiche, fermented foods.
Dinner: meat with fat, vegetables with fat, carbs as tolerated.
Dessert: If you need a sweet treat, try making the almond cookies from Nourishing Traditions.
Notice all of the fat? It’s because healthy fats are satiating. They sustain our feeling of fullness so that we don’t get hungry as quickly.
#3 — Eat mostly home-cooked food.
And sit down when you eat — with others or a good book! Mealtimes should be relaxing and low-stress for best digestion. This isn’t the time to discipline the kids or discuss their grades. Take time to be thankful.
Learn the Top 5 Foods That Nourish Your Family here.
#4 — Pay attention to your digestion.
Do you ever have a stomach ache after mealtime? Various digestive aids can help.
According to Sally, if your cholesterol is too low you may have trouble digesting fats. To help with this, try Swedish bitters, lacto-ferments, lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar in water, beet kvass, or an ox bile tablet with the meal.
To help digest protein, be sure to use plenty of quality salt, as salt aids in protein breakdown. Eat the protein with fat, broth, or tropical fruits which contain enzymes that naturally break down protein. Examples include bananas, papayas, pineapple, mango, or avocado.
To help digest carbohydrates, properly prepare all of your grains. Eat your carbs with adequate fat.
If you have serious digestive ailments, look into a gut-healing protocol such as the GAPS diet.
If you feel like your gut needs some healing, here are 82 Ways To Heal Your Gut.
#5 — If you do eat out, choose high-end restaurants instead of fast food.
Order simple foods such as meat and fish with plain vegetables. Then you can add butter.
Avoid soups since they most are made from a packaged base containing MSG — or see if the chef makes his soups from scratch instead. Also avoid salad dressings and fried foods, since these may have rancid industrial oils.
For breakfast, simply order fried eggs and bacon. Then you at least know you’re getting something real, not from a box! Avoid sausage since you don’t know what’s in it.
To make your own simple drink at a restaurant, squeeze lemon into sparkling water and add a small pinch of salt.
#6 — Avoid the worst of the processed industrial foods.
“Long shelf life = short human life.” –Sally Fallon Morell
Did you know that scientists induce obesity in rats by giving them MSG? Just search PubMed!
MSG is found in nearly all processed foods, so avoid them. Also avoid industrial fats and oils, refined sweeteners, extruded breakfast cereals and highly processed grains.
You can also research hidden sources of MSG.
Processed foods are one of the top 5 Foods That Are Compromising Your Immune System.
#7 — Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks.
The adrenal glands produce many of our hormones — including the “fight or flight” stress hormones that sugar and caffeine stimulate. Continual stimulation exhausts our ability to compensate and correctly deal with stress.
Try searching Google for pictures of spiders spinning webs under the influence of caffeine!
Instead of caffeine and junk food, drink raw milk, kombucha, or hot broth in the morning.
Sally’s favorite hot drink for the morning is 1 tablespoon molasses, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger stirred into a mug (8-ounce) of hot water.
Read more about adrenal fatigue here –> Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue.
#8 — Supplement with food, not pills.
There are many nutrient-dense foods out there — eat them!
However, some supplements don’t go amiss. Everyone can use a daily dose of cod liver oil.
Sally’s supplements are simple. She takes her daily fermented cod liver oil, vitamin C to help fight allergies, and vitamin B12.
#9 — Take boron for your joints and bones.
According to WebMD, boron affects the way our bodies handle minerals such as magnesium and phosphorus. It also balances estrogen. This is all helpful in maintaining healthy joints and bones.
Sally’s boron tonic is 1 teaspoon of borax mixed into 1 quart of water. She drinks 1 teaspoon of this base mixture in a glass of water every day.
#10 — Exercise regularly.
It’s best to exercise out-of-doors. Just don’t overdo it.
Read about how real women lift weights here –> 10 Reasons Real Women Should Lift Weights.
#11 — Pick a goal.
And make sure it has absolutely nothing to do with health or eating. Why? To keep any of us from dwelling too much on ourselves. It’s important to look toward the future!
#12 — Find balance.
Find a balance between restraint and spontaneity, play and work, strictness and leniency, justice and mercy, renunciation and excess.
What are your health secrets? Please add to this list — let’s keep it growing!
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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Wow! Thank you! I love these guidelines.
I would love to learn more about Boron. I thought borax was toxic, that is why I never use it in my home made detergent. I was under the impression that it has estrogenic properties, and that it can disrupt hormones if taken orally.
But I am open to learn more about it, and I would love it if someone would write a blog post about it.
Definitely wondering the same here!
I have been wondering the same thing. I read this article which really seems to support what Sally said but would like to know more. http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm
love Sally and WAPF! brewing Kombucha at home, drinking it every day. husband & kids love it!! i’m also making home made sourdough which is awesome but my kids don’t like it. i’m giving them sprouted bread and raw butter.
Curious what people take is on food combining, which doesn’t seem to get addressed here. Especially starch & protein, and fruits & other foods.
Starch and protein are supposed to be eaten together. Otherwise you risk either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Of course you can have some starches like sourdough whole bread with just fat. The idea that they should not be eaten together is fad-diet nonsense. Also, the article states that some fruits help the digestion of protein.
Sally’s recommendations on meals are strange and not ideal. First of all, having just eggs (and meat!) at breakfast is terrible for your adrenals. I eat two eggs every morning, but if I don’t eat sufficient carbs I will be hungry and weak within an hour even if I felt full off the fat and protein.
Secondly, the noon meal is the main meal. That’s when we should eat the bulk of our meat. It is not recommended to eat meat or large amounts of protein in the evening, which hurts sleep. It is recommended on the contrary to eat lots of CARBS. Dr. Chris Masterjohn and Paul Jaminet both discuss this. It is best for sleep. A bit of protein is necessary though! To combat waking around 2-3. Some cheese is perfect, and a glass of raw milk…
I too am stumbled by the borax suggestion! I use it in ant bait to kill ants! I have heard of drinking baking soda with water but never heard of drinking borax before. Is there another recommended source of boron?
Secondly I am an avid coffee drinker. Does one cup of caffiene really effect my adrenals? Sometimes I drink tea instead. Although I sleep between eight and nine hours each night I really feel groggy without caffiene. If I have nothing to do on the weekend I will sometime skip my morning coffee.
Do the adrenal risks of one cup of coffee or tea really outweigh the benefits of antioxidants and cacheols?
What about fruits like acai? Or other herbs like guaranna, Yerba mate or ginseng?
The four listed above have deep roots in various cultures so I’m very curious as to what is so non traditional about them?
Hi Chloe,
The above suggestions are certainly not meant to be all encompassing. Many cultures have nutritious traditions that were not touched on in this short article/lecture. I would definitely encourage you to research more about traditional cultures and their foodways that interest you and select those traditions that work best for you and your family.
As for the coffee/caffeine question the “groggy” feeling you are experiencing when you don’t have coffee is one reason many people choose to wean themselves from it. It might be worth looking into with a holistic healthcare practitioner if you are concerned.
I started adding the boron solution to my diet several years ago (consumed at the recommended dilution as above) and the joint pain I had experienced is gone. I bypass the fear mongering and do my own research and for that I have been blessed with never having the ailments that doctors diagnosed me with over my decades.
Thank you for posting this! I have been to see Sally Fallon twice! – and can’t wait for her to come back again.
I also thought borax was poisonous…. could some one please comment on this …..I am very eager to understand this boron idea…. thank you
Several commenters have asked about Sally’s borax tonic. I have just reported what she shared with the conference-goers. Questions about the tonic can be directed to her. I did notice that the dilution of borax to water in the end dose is extremely small. I wonder if this is possibly a micronutrient dosing. There are many trace minerals that can be beneficial in minute amounts but unsafe at larger doses.
I love what Dr. Hazel Parcells said when a man told her that bleach was poison and produce should not be washed with it. “Yes, a spoonful of whiskey won’t kill you — but a quart might!”
I agree with you on the micronutrient dosing, Lee. If Sally consumes a bit of Borax daily and she’s still alive and kicking, I would bet that it’s ok for most people. Would I eat Borax out of a box with a spoon? Heck no. But this is such a small amount that I can’t see why it would be unsafe.
I’ve never had the pleasure of hearing Sally speak at a conference. I hope to one day. Great post!
I can say that I have used Sally’s Borax concoction for nearly 4 years. I am 65 yrs old and do have some stiffness in my joints when I miss a day of the tsp in my water in the morning….so I do not miss a day!
Here is the WebMD article reference on Boron.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-894-BORON.aspx?activeIngredientId=894&activeIngredientName=BORON
Same here.. wondering about borax.. I LOVE it’s natural qualities for laundry soap.. but would never consider ingesting it.. 🙂
I have seen boron in the vitamin isle..
Also I love my coffee.. so won’t be ditching that anytime soon.
I drink maybe 2 cups a morning.. then green tea & always lemon or ACV water throughout the day..
but give up coffee…. nope.. not going to happen 🙂
I found this info on Boron:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/894.html
Homeopathy uses borax extremely diluted. From what I’ve learned you can buy the Borax tabs/pellets, dilute on in 8oz of water & take 1 tsp as needed. With Homeopathy though it is used only if your “homeopathc picture” suggests you need it. Here is a description of indicators for homeopathic borax: http://www.homeoint.org/books/boericmm/b/borx.htm
To allay your fears about borax I suggest you start with this.
http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm
I have been using it for years with only good results.
Sally suggested pancakes for two of the three meals in a day and quiche for one of those two meals but no mention of the type of flour that should be utilized and most pancakes in America are made out of refined carbs. Based off of the latest epidemiological studies, it has been shown that a high carb high fat diet puts you at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Also Sally doesn’t exactly look like a healthy figure with that bloated inflammed face, no offense.
addressing the specific concern of the pancakes and quiche suggested in the menus – Crispy Pancakes http://thenourishingcook.com/soaked-pancakes-not-as-soggy-as-they-sound/ are made from whole grain flours (preferably freshly milled) and soaked overnight in buttermilk or kefir. The pancakes are then dehydrated until they are crispy to be used as a replacement for processed/packaged crackers. The quiches in Sally’s cookbook, Nourishing Traditions, are usually made with her Yogurt Dough http://ournourishingroots.com/real-food-101-how-to-make-all-purpose-yogurt-dough/ which is also whole grain-and-soaked. Sally, to my knowledge, was the one who coined the term “SAD” when referring to the Standard American Diet full of refined carbs.
Also, as was pointed out at the very beginning of this article, we are all different and we all have our own health needs, and it is up to each individual to determine which advice to follow and which to disregard. Personally I follow a more Paleo-style way of eating, but I was able to find a lot in Sally’s address with which to agree. She is such an encouragement and a tireless advocate for food freedom. I’m especially impressed with how she fights for the right to eat healthy food for those who are in prison and not blessed as you and I are with the ability to go to the store or farmer’s market and choose what we’d like to eat, or argue whether or not our pancakes are made from processed refined flours.
Thanks for the links and reply. Although I’m also a paleo eater I was just pointing out what appears to be confusing advice with inconsistent details because I like to look at articles as fit for a newbie (which I’m sure there are plenty of, that stumble on this site on a regular basis).
I do very much respect Sally for her hard work and achievements. I just feel it is important to question everything that doesn’t seem to fit the model of good health. After all constructive criticism and critical thinking is essential to finding out the truth right?
It’s all about balance. When Sally talks about pancakes or crackers or bread she is talking about an almost alarmingly modest amount of properly prepared items that often contain a good amount of healthy fats and other nutrients and accompany very low carb foods. For instance, in one of her books where she lists lunch options, she mentions a nourishing soup with THREE crackers (homemade with freshly milled sprouted grain and coconut oil) piled high with pate as an example.
Thanks for sharing this great article. The borax tonic is interesting; I also thought it was toxic.
I would add meditation as a daily practice that greatly improves health.
Also, I have to agree that Sally does not look very healthy in this picture.
I have also taken notice of how in recent years she does not look healthy as well. While some of this may be age, it seems as though she has aged quickly. What I wonder about most is the lazy eyelid, which to me, would indicate some neurological issue.
While I’m all for the principles of traditional foods, I very much disagree with the quantity and ratios suggested by her and some other “real food” proponents. For example, in her “meal suggestions”, vegetables seem like an afterthought. And what about fruits? Frankly, I’m getting quite annoyed with bloggers pasting suggestions and such with headlines that lead others to take it as gospel, especially those that are just discovering “real food”. Many blog posts tout health benefits of certain regimens, supplements, foods etc. with absolutely nothing to back up their claims, except that “a friend of a friend swears by it”. It’s posts like these that have made me stop following certain “real food” blogs. Bloggers need to realize that (while they are not) others see them as an authority. Especially when they portray themselves as such. While people should know to take information with a grain of salt and do their own research, I think bloggers should take a bit more responsibility in their approach and content, rather than relying solely on their legal disclaimers.
I think the comments regarding Sally’s appearance are a bit unnecessary. Just because she happens to be an authority of the Traditional Foods lifestyle doesn’t mean she is the epitome of perfect health. None of us are. It’s easy to judge such a public figure on appearances simply because of the lifestyle she promotes, her excellent teaching, and her vast knowledge of Traditional Foods; however, this lifestyle IS NOT the Fountain of Youth. If Sally has inflammation, a lazy eye, weight gain or anything else, who are we to point it out — as if she has somehow failed? Bodies age, break down, and succumb to wear and tear, whether you’re eating healthy or not. It happens to all of us eventually. Personally, I don’t see much of a change in Sally over the years. She has always had a rounded face and a curvy figure. I admire her for not feeling like she has to conform to our society’s standard of beauty — which states that women have to be thin as rails, with sunken faces, visible cheek and collar bones, and tiny waists — just because she is a pubic figure.
Plus, who’s to say that any redness in her face isn’t a result of the camera taking the photo?
You and I struggle with our own health issues; let’s not take it upon ourselves to point out possible shortcomings in others just because they don’t measure up to our standards.
Agree with you! People are so quick to judge. It’s sad.
I agree with you for the most part and my criticism wasn’t against her size or shape. But her being someone who is seen as an “authority”, I don’t think it’s odd for people to wonder about what appears to be signs of inflammation. By the mere fact that we are trying to promote healthy bodies through diet, I’d be very curious to know why someone, who we would assume is walking the talk of diet ideals, would be succumbing to anything other than radiant health. Everyone does age differently and our genetics, while swayed by food and diet, don’t always out picture in social ideals. Sally IS a beautiful woman, but seeing various pictures of her over the years, to me and obviously some others, there are changes in her appearance that look health related rather than simply age. Since we’re talking about someone who is a public figure in the avenue of health, I don’t think it odd that people are picking up on things that may bring into question wether what she is purporting as “Secrets of Health” are really that healthy at all. I know when I eat like crap, I don’t look so hot. My skin turns red. And as a matter of fact when I have too much sugar I myself get a lazy eye lid! If I’m sounding harsh in stating the obvious, I apologize. But these things honestly make me, and I guess others wonder? If I ate the menu she described above, I’d feel like crud. Don’t know what else to say….
I want to thank you for your comment, Lindsey. In fact, in the photo above, I think Sally looks really tired! I want to point out that she was at a conference where many people were, no doubt, vying for her attention. We don’t know what her schedule was leading up to and including the conference, nor how many time zones she may have traveled over. She’s also “not as young as she used to be,” and that can also take a toll. I think that unless we see her in person, over a period of time, we really can’t judge her health by a photo. And who’s to say what inherited body weaknesses she may have been struggling with, or how long a struggle it’s been? There is so much about Sally that we just don’t know! I would hate to have people judge Christ by an isolated experience they had rubbing up next to me…
I appreciate those commenters who have asked specific questions about specific items or statements. Having a question or concern about a specific statement enables us to carry on intelligent conversation. When comments digress to vague generalizations based on observations from an iPhone picture taken at the end of a very long day there isn’t much constructive to be said.
“Ad hominem (Latin) means ‘against the man’. As the name suggests, it is a literary term that involves commenting on or against an opponent to undermine him instead of his arguments.
There are cases where consciously or unconsciously people start to question the opponent or his personal association rather than evaluating the soundness and validity of the argument that he presents. These types of arguments are usually mistaken for personal insults but they are somehow different in nature and the distinction is very subtle.
Arguers who are not familiar with the principles of making logical arguments commonly end up saying something that would draw the audience’s attention to the distasteful characteristics of the individual. Such people use this fallacy as a tool to deceive their audience. Making such a blatant personal comment against somebody makes it hard for people to believe it isn’t true. Typically, even the arguer himself believes that such personal traits or circumstances are not enough to dispose of an individual’s opinion or argument. However, if looked at rationally, such arguments even if true never provide a valid reason to disregard someone’s criticism.”
http://literarydevices.net/ad-hominem/
I don’t see Sally Fallon as an opponent nor the bloggers I have or still follow. I actually own all of her books. Additionally, I’m referencing multiple pictures, not just the one posted here. Just use google images. I had taken note of what I felt appeared to be unhealthy physical markers quite some time ago, not just today via this picture or post. When people are struggling to come to a place of health and follow the advice of “experts” or “authorities” and then find it doesn’t work for them, they then realize there is no “expert” or “authority”. As I said, if I ate what was recommended above, I would be sick. Yet the title of this article is “Health Secrets from a Real Food Pioneer”. That’s a pretty blanket and authoritative title, when this may be a health disaster for others. That’s my criticism, along with the OBSERVATION that her physical appearance could be indicative of health issues. I nor you know if she indeed is experiencing any health issues or is as healthy as a lark. But given my personal experience, and from what I see, am I not allowed to question? It seems as though personal offense is being taken. I’m not against anyone. What I am against is the infallible idols who dispense their advice without regard to any contraindications. And per her appearance, one would wonder if the diet she follows is personally contraindicated for her. While her “menu” suggested quality prepared items, again these ratios, quantities and lack of variety could be a metabolic or inflammatory disaster for some and shouldn’t be labelled as “Health Secrets”.
First about Sally’s appearance. There’s an old proverb about judging by looks. We have mortal bodies, so life happens as we age. Though I am not a food pioneer as she is, I have eaten as she suggests most of my life; YET if you saw me, you would believe I didn’t. I am fat and in a wheelchair. I have had major health issues no matter that I eat healthy enough so that nutrition consultants aren’t sure what to suggest, so I agree with Lee. Do use this advice as a guideline until you have learned enough about your own body to know what it does and doesn’t like. It is able to tell you when you listen.
As to the boron. I know several who use it, one was a body builder who became almost bedridden until he took back his health and started taking it daily along with other changes. He’s now back to work acting and directing. I would give one caution, for those with thyroid challenges, talk to your doctor before using, it can affect your thyroid.
BTW: I’ve been in several car accidents and people believe my wheelchair use is due to them. Wrong, it’s due to those, but mostly to health challenges which accumulated as often happens over a lifetime. At 65, I have many experiences, one picture doesn’t speak to a whole lifetime of learning, just speaks to that moment in time.
I loved what you said. I too, have health issues and walk with a walker. I bought two cookbooks by Sally. I gave them as gifts to a couple of family members who cook. I heard about these cookbooks by a woman in Australia who uses them. She loves them, and couldn’t say enough about them.
I have used boron. Trying it to see if it would help my condition. I even bought boron in pill form. It never hurt me a bit. But I couldn’t tell any significant difference. Believe me, I was hoping and praying it would be the ‘cure’. But, it was not.
As for Sally’s ‘looks’, people believe age won’t come to them. Well only a few ever look younger longer than most others. Hazel Parcell looked mighty good for 106. But she had lived off of good land, air, and water in childhood. She had a start that we did not have in the same way. I ate rice crispies and ate margarine as a child. That’s just the way it was.
Sally has a job that has stress and a life that probably is not perfect- like everybody I know has. Life happens. And on any given day you will find me just glad to be able to move. While still trying to find solutions.