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Monday, exactly half way through the experiment and so happy that I am doing this before Christmas. So many of us opt to wait until after Christmas and set our sights on a new body for January, less pain and less discomfort - and it never happens! What feels good is to start right now, start where you are and figure out the challenges one by one. At the very least, you are doing something, gaining momentum by taking action kicking the overwhelm into touch. My very first step on this journey was to commit to drinking water every morning before getting out of bed - and I have done this one small thing every single day. Success on this small point gives traction, something to get hold of and something positive to start the day. The rest flows from that. Have you tried this yet? Day 15 was a leftovers kind of day. I had two appointments and had to dash in and out between so the day had the opportunity to be chaotic and a big challenge. My strategy was to rely on leftovers and to ask Mike to help and cook something for lunch in between. It worked! Still on track with this paleo way of eating and feeling so different to the place where I started. More of this another day. I spent the evening at dance class and had a blast. Have you tried dance? Day 15 Paleo Reset Summary Breakfast: Protein Shake + C8, and Floradix Lunch: Grain Free Almond and coconut porridge, grated apple and walnut Supper Left over pork curry, C8 Snacks: Handful of macadamia nuts, an orange, an apple Easy! Here is one of our songs from the play list last night - easy to move to, easy to wonder, easy to dance, keep moving!

Sunday - and for the first time in ages I had a deliciously long lie in! Highly recommended. Awoke feeling stronger again, brain fog receding and noticing a more positive outlook on life. Happier. All good, Ted (dog) was sleeping next to me on the bed, too. Not sure how he managed to end up there but he was definitely making the most of it! Feels good to have the weight of him curled up on the bed covers, happy dog, happy me. Food wise, I kept the menu simple again, I dont want to spend precious time creating and cooking meals all day, there is so much other stuff to do. We had a combination of convenience foods, quick cooks and a slow cooker meal so hands on time was minimal. Added C8 MCT Oil to the mix and kept on with the Floradix iron tablets to build on energy levels. There is a great chart I found which summarsied the C8 possibilities which is useful (if a little vague in parts)! Everything seems to be pointing in the right direction as regards feeling full and helping with low energy too. Are you taking any supplements that have made a genuine difference to your way of eating? It is great to share actual experience and avoid spending on useless supplements that dont work. Been there and done that! Self experimentation seems to be key and a genuine lived experience of what makes us feel better. On a side note, I can say that I have not taken any painklillers for at least a week and for someone who was popping pills everyday to cope with the joint pains and heel issue, this is huge. What am I doing differently besides the supplements? Eating paleo and that means avoiding processed food, avoiding junk food and most of all avoiding sugar! It genuinely messes with my mind and energy levels and it seems that I am not the only one. Here is a great interview between Dr Jen Unwin (of Fork in the Road fame) and Anna Fruehling, Sugar Addiction Specialist and Primal Health Coach - note what they have to say about the effects of not eating sugar and then eating some sugar - on their mental health - fascinating stuuf! It is also interesting to hear both discuss familial patterns of using food to treat, using special occasions as an excuse to eat sugar and all the turmoil that flows from that which is especially relevant with Christmas just around the corner. How will you face the challenges around that? Other interesting stuff to share: I love a motivating book list and this is a great list from the fabulous team at the Do Lectures - this gives 100 interesting and varied recommendations to learn, guide and explore your way into 2022! If you are looking for a bench mark on your fitness levels this is a great starting point! Paleo Reset Day 14, summary of meals Breakfast: Keto Noatmeal and Berries Lunch: Simple Pork Curry and Spinach Supper: Chicken and Cauliflower, handful of macadamia nuts, orange and plums

Another day another challenge! Lovely invite arrived yesterday to visit Doreen, Mike's mum in Doncaster and take fish and chips for Lunch!!!! *Oh Boy, Siren alert.*Danger Ahead* Actually, for once, I found this to be an easy issue to resolve by taking my own lunch as well as having a couple of hot chips straight from the packet - in a life's too short moment. No fuss this time, no drama. In fact, the substantial and prolonged improvements I am beginning to feel in my ankle and heel are enough to persuade me to stick to the plan plus my commitment to 30 days. How do you deal with social events when you are following a particular way of eating? How do you feel when you are the one abstaining and everyone else is tucking in? How do other people make you feel when you are abstaining? Especially with Christmas just around the corner - what's your motivation to stay on track? You may have noticed a new product in the top right hand square of the montage. As well as joint pain, my brain seems to have gone to mush! So I am trialling adding C8 MCT Oil to my morning protein shake to see if it helps with reducing brain fog and I look forward to reporting on this side experiment - have you tried it? Have you had success? The salad jars were an easy make keeping the dressing at the bottom and lots of lovely layers of contrasting salad bits and bobs. When it was time to eat together, I tipped the jar upside down to coat the salad and emptied everything onto my plate. Easy! Today's paleo reset summary: Breakfast: Paleo Protein Shake + C8 Lunch: Salad Jar with smoked mackerel and a simple dressing made with extra virgin avocado oil, mustard and a drop of vinegar Supper: Home made Chicken Curry - diced chicken and onion sauteed, add curry spices, dash of coconut milk, 1/4 cup of cashews (there are better nut choices but that was all I had in the store cupboard) and 2 big handfuls of baby spinach. Really good. Also drank a VAT of coffee and added pure collagen peptides to my cup. Yay, things are on the up!

Having thought that everything was feeling better, today was not so good on the pain front and a bit of a hobble has returned to my right foot. However, I am only 12 days in to this paleo reset and to me it feels like 2 steps forward and a small step back. I can deal with that. Overall the momentum is forward - it is a question of keeping going. The challenge to day was what to eat while out! The issue being - try looking for food to eat which does not contain grains, gluten or sugar when you want something quick! Prawns, almonds, an apple and a wonderful thick black coffee kept everything moving along nicely. For a while, I have felt that I am not eating enough good fat in my version of paleo diet and am ready to try to up this over the weekend. MCT Oil on order and watch out for a few other adjustments! Still feeling that I have more resilience than before the paleo reset. More tolerance and calmer! Today's Reset looked like this: Breakfast: One slice of toasted keto-friendly fat and seedy bread with almond butter and half an apple Lunch: (on the go) Almonds, King Prawns and an apple + coffee Supper: Fresh organic microgreens, chopped spinach and toasted pine nut salad with extra virgin avocado oil, paleo pizza with anchovies and jalapenos and a few shavings of parmesan cheese. How are you doing on you reset?

We both woke early as there was much to do before 2 pm which is the official cut off for shipping all our paleo friendly sausages, nitrite free bacon and paleo goodies! The good news is that my ankle was so MUCH better! Not pain free but not the hobbling, crippling pain I have been used to waking up with after bake days. WOO HOO. This is a massive plus. Oh yes! All in all, I feel so much stronger in myself: emotionally, mentally as well as physically. Still tired but that was probably because we watched back to back episodes of "Narcos" in bed till we fell asleep! In fact, we have watched so many episodes of this show now , we are becoming fluent in Spanish, Muy Bien! Have you seen it? Seriously though, I want you to know that I feel different to when I started this project and set myself the target of 30 days grain, gluten and sugar free. We are not eating complicated food but we are managing to avoid grains, refined sugar and gluten. I have also cut back on dairy. This experiment on myself is not about weight loss (yet) but more about overcoming joint pain without medication and without throwing the towel in and feeling that there is nothing that can be done without pills. It starts with food and here's where anyone can make a difference and take the power back. This toxic weight loss culture in which we live is so unhelpful when we know that changing your diet, sleeping well and moving your body can improve your health, drastically - any weight loss is a by product of changing these behaviours. So come on! What's stopping you?? Here's a quick breakdown of the meals we ate today. We took TED for a super long walk too when we had finished work at 2.30pm this afternoon. The sunset was glorious, pink and orange, a true shepherd's delight! Paleo Reset Day 11 Breakfast: Protein Shake (convenient when busy) Lunch: 2 poached eggs on our keto-friendly Fat and Seedy Bread Snack: Fruit Mince Pie (paleo-friendly) Supper: Sweet Potato Chips, Fresh microgreens and 2 lamb burgers, Hunter and Gather BBQ sauce, an orange and a small handful of macadamia nuts.

It's late on Wednesday evening, (9.40pm to be precise) and all our bakes are prepped and waiting for shipping in our big fridges! A few more to finish off tomorrow early doors to catch the courier but everything looks fab! It has been a long day with lots of challenges and a new degree of awareness. I am beginning to see a big link between feeling stressed and overwhelmed when we are busy and wanting to eat junk food! This is new to me - but I felt it keenly today , the awareness, combined with a real yearning to reward myself with something sugary and sweet for working so hard. This needs to be looked at in more depth methinks - do you ever feel like that? It is an old habit , a very old pattern ready to let go and that's a good thing. Thank you Paleo, you have my heart. The second picture in the collage is of some of our delicious keto bread packed and ready to ship. And the final image in the collage is a little free gift we are tucking into everyone's order boxes this week and I am so pleased with how they have turned out....But onto the more important stuff - what did I eat today and did I manage to keep on track? Breakfast: Grain-Free Coconut & Almond Porridge with apple, walnuts and blueberries Lunch: Protein shake (not great but did not have time to stop) Supper: A Mike Omelette - yes Mike cooked as he had finished sausage prep a short time before me, orange and whole almonds Grabbed a couple of handfuls of macadamia nuts too after lunch and around 4pm. Also note that my ankle joint is not as sore as usual given that been standing on it all day ..one to watch. How has your day been? PS. I am so pleased I stuck to it to day, it was tough but I feel so much better for it.

Day 9 and the challenge (to strip out sugar from my diet for 30 days) feels already a little easier. My appetite seems less too which is a blessing! Busy work day too. Legs and feet a little sore after dance class yesterday BUT nowhere near as bad as they have been. Watch this space! Took Ted for a lovely walk by myself this morning. He ran and ran up and down the fields behind our house with a new friend, Chester and then spent the rest of the afternoon asleep! Definitely a dogs life. Body wise I noticed a bit of a craving for more fat today - so have added butter to my steamed veggies and avocado too. As part of this reset I am trying to reduce any dairy products so this seemed a great compromise. Have you had any cravings today? Thought the above was a useful sheet to share for anyone interested in "How to Hack Happiness Chemicals" naturally although I am uncertain of the source - the info is a great natural boost and please note, electronics are not on the list! Paleo Meals today: Breakfast: Protein Shake with Fresh Microgreens Added Lunch: Chicken Stir Fry with half an avocado Supper: Steak and steamed veggies with butter, orange, plums and walnuts Heading out to night school tonight and am very happy with all the food prep we have completed today in readiness for our baking days to follow. Enjoy your evening!

Monday morning choices for this second week of paleo reset. Yes we made it to Day 8!! Keep going. Breakfast: Protein Shake with a handful of organic microgreens added for extra interest, Americano from Starbucks when passing Lunch: 3 -egg Omelette stuffed with chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes and diced ham with a spoonful of a sweet potato hash (perfect;y fine to eat more on a paleo diet BUT am trying ot watch the carb count too) and a handful of organic microgreens Supper: A very thin sirloin steak (shared with Ted) and steamed veggies with butter on top (no pic) Ted opted to sleep away the morning in his favourite yoga pose of surrender Later we took him on a long walk around Kirkstall Abbey. The snow formed little frosty balls around his woolly fur paws but this did not stop him chasing half a mile across the park to play with an immaculately trained springer spaniel. He's just naughty and we haven't a clue how to train a dog that doesn't like food! Does anyone have any tips? The good news is that by the time we had run across the park to catch him, we had completed our work out for the day and were ready to come home. It is beautiful though and well worth a visit (free). Dance class this evening and I can't wait! - The temperature is rising and my feet are raring to go, yes my body is definitley feeling a bit better - will report back tomorrow after dancing but for now, my knee pain and ankle joint are feeling a little less painful - will take that .. Wherever you are, keep safe and warm!

(Paleo Meal Summary at Bottom of Page) Ted's first snow! Slept in late after being woken up twice during the night - once by our son to tell us Dad had left the lights on the car and once by Ted who wanted to know we were still there - and a pee! To the first disturbance, Michael shouted "it's fine, it's parking lights" and turned over and went back to sleep. To the second, I got up and let Ted out - Oh and guess who is currently waiting in for the AA to fix a flat battery on the car.... Meanwhile, when I finally did get up we cooked a lovely slow breakfast of low carb bagels, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. We shared the Sunday papers and I got to check out the the Christmas gift guides, buckling slightly under the cost of it all. Noticed too that face masks are making a come back if you are out shopping however - not if you are out in any other enclosed space having fun? Anyone else confused? What's the difference? Later, we cooked a tray bake roast dinner, thinking ahead to Christmas - and all the delicious add-ons we can find and still keep on track with this paleo way of eating. Let's talk paleo stuffing balls. These are possible on a paelo diet but the chestnuts and cranberries to add to them have a high carb count and I decided to wait until Christmas to try out my new recipe. Instead we added our Primal Cut gluten free Pigs in Blankets, roast tatties and carrots for Michael and a tray of roasted green leafy veg to share: If you are interested in which are the best veg to eat on a low carb and keto diet, here is a helpful video from the guys at Diet Doctor : We also ate a portion of mixed berries each with a tablespoon fo balsamic vinegar. Yum. We both spent the afternoon writing and then walking with Ted in the snow. Such joy to see snow through the innocent eyes of a pup! Later, on a second walk though, the fun seemed less so as the snow had already turned to hard ice and was treacherous to walk out on! Roll on tomorrow, its going to be fun :( Day 7 Paleo Reset Meal Summary Breakfast: Low Carb Bagels, Butter, Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon Afternoon Meal : Tray bake roast chicken thighs, Primal Cut pigs in blankets, roast carrots, roast sprouts and roast green beans, gravy and fresh berries with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Supper: Fresh Organic Microgreens

How windy was it last night?? Ted woke us up barking downstairs and then pulled a fast one by nipping outside to relieve himself and whipping upstairs into his old bedroom crate before the door was even shut! Clearly rattled by the clattering boards and howling gale outside (not), he proceeded to snore for the rest of the night with his chin resting on an old pair of underpants that had found their way inside - its a dog's life! Meanwhile, see picture above. Is it me or does life look a lot simpler in meal terms, today? Having woken at 6.30am , I lay in bed for a while trying to meditate and see my way into the day quietly - develop a morning routine (says the book on overcoming stress) - very difficult when there are two others sharing your space and both snoring soundly! Also, is it just me or does my butterfly mind mean that meditation is out of the question? Lots of thoughts came pouring in and I kept hearing myself say, I can't do this and then just like that, a patch of bliss until I woke my own self up snoring in tandem with the others! Ho Hum.. Later I headed into town for some errands, and was so very happy to find possibly the last remaining dress in this design by Oliver Bonas! That is Christmas Day sorted and even better, I had dropped a dress size - which I can assure you was 100% necessary in order to fit into this beauty, spanx permitting. So is it paleo, reflexology, acupuncture or a haircut that has prompted this event? I am beginning to feel stronger for sure and experience less cravings and less pain in my joints and it is only Day 6 of this 30 Day Paleo reset. Perhaps we truly underestimate just how badly sugar, takeaways and junk food affects our bodies? One thing is for sure, the journey to better health starts with food! Breakfast was skipped today although I did grab a large black coffe when I was out in town and had drunk about a litre of water when I woke up - this is a small routine BUT makes 100% difference. If you can commit to only one thing for now, commit to that. By returning again and again to this and honouring this small commitment, our bodies start to feel more confident that we can perhaps make bigger changes and stick to them. It may take time but every day we honour that commitment makes a difference. Try it and see. Not my idea by the way, I must credit the wonderful Dr Nicole LePera for this tip in her book "How to Do the Work" . Read it if you want to break out of old habits and life patterns that are holding you back. Lunch was a delicious paleo-friendly grain free coconut and almond porridge, topped with grated apple, blueberries and walnuts. If you are in a hurry and do not have time to make porridge but want a great start to the day, try our keto-friendly Noatmeal porridge from our friends at Wander Foods - just add milk or water and go! And finally supper - stirfry with chicken. We stuffed the stir fry vegetables ( a pre-prepared pack) with lots and lots of broccoli florets and fresh baby spinach to keep hunger pangs at bay. We fried off the chicken first. Then prior to frying the veggies, we toasted some mustard seeds til they popped, tipped in the veggies, added some cumin and turmeric and sauteed for about 5 mins, then added the chicken back into the pan and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Simple! Summary Breakfast/Lunch: grain free coconut and almond porridge with grated apple, blueberries and walnuts Supper: Stirfry Chicken with Spices and lemon juice. PS. Quick reminder - the main aim of this reset is to ditch sugar and processed food from our diet anything else that flows from that is a bonus!

Paleo Update Last night I felt as if I had been run over by a bus. Literally. Detox do your worst :( To celebrate getting this far, I lay motionless on our bed all evening, wrapped in a blanket feeling really quite sad but for no particular reason and watched "Bruised" the new film by Halle Berry on Netflix - it seemed somehow appropriate! Have you seen it yet? It has a very real feel to it - its about MMA cage fighting, Halle Berry stars as a mum to a small boy trying to fight her way back up the ranks. There are parts that are just so sad - when her son hears "Just the Two of Us" on a loud speaker - wow his reaction was so raw - and it made me sob even harder! Definitely worth a look especially if you enjoy watching Halle Berry being beaten to a pulp. Ah Hem... By the way, have you ever felt tearful on the start of a detox journey? Paleo Today But that was yesterday! Knowing that at some point on this reset I was could feel a bit low, I had made an appointment last week for a reflexology treatment and woke up this morning looking forward very much to having a space to relax in and do nothing (again)! Worth every penny and I came away from the treatment feeling less brain foggy and more alert than I had done in a long time also the almost constant pain in my ankle had receded and I managed the whole day without any pain medication - this is huge! When you plan to reset your eating habits, add some treatments in to your schedule so that there are some good things to look forward to during the week, every little helps :) Paleo Meals we ate Today Meanwhile, back to food. This paleo day started with a lovely sausage breakfast! There are many things I love about our Primal Cut Sausages but this in particular - that I don't even have to think about them to know they are real food and by that I mean that they are made from the very best free range Yorkshire pork, there are no hidden nasties, no rusk, no sugar, no fillers, no oats, no preservatives and gluten free. That's why we started Primal Cut because all other sausages were a compromise and we are not about that! Oh No! Breakfast was a pack of our Breakfast Sausages, sliced and fried with onion and topped with spinach and a fried egg, Simplicity itself. Lunch was a prawn cocktail with more fresh microgreens (remember my eating goal is an emphasis on leafy green vegetables). We used the Hunter and Gather avocado mayo to make the dressing and combined this with lemon zest and lemon juice. Again, another great paleo product for clean eating and sugar free. We love Hunter and Gather! Supper was a spinach and onion omelette with roasted green beans followed by some fresh berries, an apple and a small hand ful of Brazil nuts. Mike was hungry and added two of our low carb bagels, toasted and slathered in butter to his evening meal. Very happy And that's it! I'm off to watch Gogglebox with Ted - does your dog watch TV too - how are you spending your evening?

Day 4 - and I found this to be a tough day! (But I am still here) Early up as I knew there was a final large order for Fruit Mince Pies to complete for shipping this afternoon. Packing and labelling and shipping and all finally completed for 2 pm for Brendan to collect in his huge van and take to Leeds to start their journey onwards. Wow, realised at that point I had not eaten anything! Intermittent Fasting without even trying - not recommended. Quickly cooked some pancetta bacon and scrambled some eggs in ghee which we ate with fresh organic microgreens and followed up with an orange and a handful of walnuts - this felt a huge relief - as at this point it is so easy to slip off the wagon and fall back into old habits ie send out for fish and chips.. It was tough though but this time feels different, there is a longer list of symptoms creeping up (with my age haha) and I would like this to halt. Now. More of that later. Supper was a made up concoction of "What's left in the fridge Mrs" comprising Roast Butternut Squash and pan fried chopped chicken and spinach with more microgreens. Leafy greens seem to be key to feeling full and this is easy to do with microgreesn on hand to supplement every meal All in all, surprisingly good! In between, I somehow managed a long walk with my youngest son Rob as the sun was starting to fade. We looked at the cloud formations and felt that there was a change afoot. The clouds seem to point to cold weather coming, they looked like soft snowy drifts floating overhead. We pulled our coats a little tighter. Ted frolicked for a while in the long grass by the stream and then made a run for it towards a rather nice Bichon Frise the other side of the fence. We have not perfected "Get Back Here Now" so by the time Rob had jumped over the fence and legged it down the entire length of the field, the sun had completely gone and we had to use torches to find our way back. Ted of course loved it. Me too. Tomorrow, bring it on!

Wow! 8 pm and we have just finished!! We started at 7 am so it has been a long day but so worth it! All the fresh bakes and hand made goodies look amazing and are prepped (mostly) and ready to go tomorrow - so we are on track - and yes we stayed on track to day too! This is huge - believe me - but we did it! Woo - Hoo - here is a summary of today's paleo meals, we are trying to keep it super easy, super simple and full of green leafy veggies where ever possible Breakfast: Sliced ham, scrambled eggs, blueberries and fresh organic microgreens Snack: Primal Cut Bone Broth + Salt Lunch: Fried Cabbage and tuna in our organic ghee from Happy Butter and topped with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil (fancy)! Supper: Slow cooked pork loin with tomato sauce, courgettes and cauliflower - a lifesaver as when we finished, it was ready to eat and piping hot - easy food, full of nutrition and goodness. Ted however was not so impressed with today - because he missed his walk - although he had the run of our garden and would periodically dash out, heels kicking behind him, overall he prefers his long walks over the fields behind our house - me too! We hope you are enjoying these updates Tuesday through Thursday is always super busy for us but I hope these picture collages give some inspiration to you. See you tomorrow!

The first of my bake days this week so super busy (picture is of packet mixes we ship out, my focus was on these today) - however - we kept on track with our paleo diet and know you can too! Keep it simple and let our nutritious food nurture you and help you create amazing meals for your family - good luck! Breakfast - Leftover salmon, organic microgreens and walnuts Lunch - Primal Cut Keto burgers - the best - with char-grilled onions (not deliberate) simple salad and tomatoes and our organic microgreens - with the addition of Hunter and Gather BBQ sauce, the prefect condiment, an orange and a handful of almonds Snack - handful of macadamia nuts and a coffee Supper - Supermarket roasted chicken on a bed of steamed broccoli and topped with fresh organic microgreens! Heading out for night school now - what are you doing this evening? PS Drank as much water as I could too - and this does make a difference :)

We have decided to reset and commit 100% to eating a paleo diet in the run up to Christmas this year due to struggling with a bit of the November blues. This simply means that all our meals will be based around fresh free range meats, fish (wild caught where possible), leafy green veg, microgreens, fruit (low carb options only), nuts and seeds and good healthy fats. We will use lots of products from our online shop to show you how easy it is to work a paleo diet into your life and hope, as we go, to be able to share some of the symptoms we have struggled with and how they improve as a result of changing up our diet. We would love you to share our journey and tell us of any improvements in your health you have experienced as a result of changing up your diet and cutting out processed food. The more we can share these experiences and learn together the more we can do to help each other feel better and move better. Paleo Reset Day One looked like this: Woke Up at 6am - How cold?? Check out the pic of the roof of our garage taken a few hours later - Drank .5L hot water with lemon to warm up, Ted (the dog) also came up to sleep on our bed as Mike went to the wholesalers at 5 am! Breakfast: Poached organic free range eggs with blueberries, apple, organic microgreens and whole almonds Lunch: Chicken Fajita Salad with Hunter and Gather Horse Radish Mayo Snack: Cooked Chicken, Apple and slices of avocado Supper: Grilled Salmon with roast green beans (or runner beans as we did not have any green beans)! Drank a further 2L of water throughout the day. Tired and achy but happy to be pushing the paleo reset button again - have also resurrected my journal and started a 100 day project to write again each morning, regardless. Dance class this evening, will keep you updated! Paleo Recipe: Chicken Fajita Salad 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 small onion sliced 500g of skinless chicken breast 2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp cumin 1 cup chopped red pepper Romaine Lettuce Handful of small tomatoes 1 avocado Fresh Organic Microgreens To cook this recipe: Heat oil in frying pan. Add sliced onions and cook til they start to soften Add the chicken (cut into strips) Add the cumin and oregano Add the chopped red pepper when the chicken has browned and cooked through Shred the lettuce and add the tomatoes and microgreens if using, serve onto two plates Top with the chicken fajitas Enjoy!

Sausage has a long history going back around 7000 thousands years. In the United Kingdom, British sausage came later and was heavily influenced by the Romans during their occupation around 400 A.D. This gives us a true Roman sausage heritage, an Italian sausage ancestry - Britalian sausage! Both Romans and resident the resident Britons loved the Lucanian and Luganega sausages. The original Italian sausage recipes were superb - what was their secret? Simple, fresh, organic ingredients, with meats from pasture-raised, free-range animals. Britalian Sausages A mixture of traditional British sausages and Slow Food principles, traditional  and the methods and the provenance of locally grown natural ingredients. Then, as now, it's hardwired into the Italian DNA. The result, nutrient-dense sausages of superior flavour. Food made this way has the added benefit of helping local communities as much of the money stays local - and not with far off investors. Improving British Bangers High welfare, 100% free-range pork. Primal cuts of shoulder or belly are ideal as they contain a good ratio of lean muscle to fat. Relax, it's not the fat in a typical British sausage we need to be concerned about. Low Carb Sausages In terms of creating a healthier low carb sausage, good fats bring flavour, texture, juiciness and good overall mouthfeel. Natural Sausages are simply (high welfare) meat – chopped, salted & seasoned, mixed and stuffed into natural casings, either hog, sheep or occasionally beef. But to also make a sausage healthier, we need to significantly reduce carbs. Historically, offcuts, offal and otherwise waste parts would have also used in sausage making, this though was predominantly a reserve of the less well-off. These uncomplicated principles have become intrinsic to sausage making all over the world. Later more exotic herbs, spices, berries, fruits, and even vegetables were introduced according to local availability. Consequently, many recipes were influenced by seasonal variation and the available trade routes bringing more variation to available seasonings. What Is Sausage Made Of In post-war Britain with rationing in full swing, meat was ever more scarce and the British sausage was to become an unwitting casualty. Butchers of the day had little choice but to substitute lean meat for trim, rind and non-meat fillers. A particular favourite was cereal e.g. bread, rusk, oats. With meat in short supply, this appeared to be the perfect solution. Being able to absorb around twice their weight in water makes these low-cost additions ideal both as a filler and extender, so they thought! Fortunately, for the sausage maker, the hydration of bread or cereal grains further releases glutenin and gliadin proteins. This adds to the amount of gluten already present. Consequently, this new process of making sausages identified cereal products (i.e. wheat, barley, rye, oats) as an incredibly effective binder. This meant making sausage was now much easier and profitable for the manufacturers, though as we now know the proteins in these ingredients create all sorts of problems due to the inflammation and disruption to hormone levels. Perhaps not such good news for today's consumers and those with conditions like Coeliac disease, Diabetes, Crohn's , Let's no get bogged down with the full list, though take it from me - there's many more. How It's Made It's a sad fact that our humble sausage is nothing more than a commodity to agro-industrial producers. To smaller producers, sausages are often seen as a convenient product to facilitate higher yields and increase margins. If we were to ask, a traditional sausage-maker here in the UK - What makes British sausage, British? Most will tell you that British sausages need; bread, rusk or some kind of cereal grain to create the correct taste and give that light consistency. Codswallop! - as our research testifies. British consumers now want a sausage that's high welfare and high meat content. With an allowance for seasonings that may contain fruit and/or vegetables, meat content shouldn't be lower than 85%. For sausages seasoned with a simple herb and spice blend, meat content needs to be in excess of 96%, if it isn't, check the label or ask some questions! In its purest of form, a Sausage is simply; Seasoned minced or chopped meat (usually pork or beef), preserved with salt and stuffed into the animal intestine (either, pig or sheep) Processed Sausage In an effort to make ever-cheaper sausages, many sausage makers ceased to create their own seasonings. It’s now common for these to be bought-in in pre-mixed sachets for each recipe. This is all very well, though whilst we lose invaluable knowledge and skills. We inadvertently hand over increasing control to the large manufacturers who may, in turn, see our own personal health and well being as the lowest common denominator. Provenance Both loyalty and trust are fundamental to provenance. In principle, this would be knowing the person who created your bacon or made sausages for that matter, by name. Provenance is the integrity of ingredients and confidence in controls applied in creating our food. It's true we should eat less meat! Though we need to pay more too, always choose 100% free-range, pasture-fed meats. In the long term, your quality of life and physical existence may just depend on this one principle. What's in a sausage? There is a glimmer of light to improve consumer confidence. As a result of the very sad and tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. Natasha's Law will now bring an end to this gap in the law from October 2021 when it becomes enforceable. Towards the end of their campaigning, Kate and I were privileged to meet with the parents of Natasha. It was a very moving experience, one we'll never forget. This remarkable couple showed incredible strength in fighting not only for justice for their daughters' unnecessary death. But also, in lobbying parliament and the decision-makers necessary to actually change the law. Their selfless campaign being in the midst of their own personal grief - an inspiration to us all. Are Gluten-Free Sausages Healthy? Rising demand from consumers now sees increasing selections of gluten-free sausages becoming available on our supermarket shelves. One or two even made with Pork shoulder and natural casings. However, as a result of this convenience, supermarket options include various synthetic chemical ingredients; Phosphates, Sulphites and Nitrites to extend shelf life and improve colour, Monosodium glutamate (MSG) to enhance flavour, Soya and other legume flours as bulking and binding agents. Sugar (Dextrose) to add taste? In terms of holding it all together, traditional hog and sheep casings are now increasingly rare. Instead, collagen manufactured from the hides of cows, pigs, fish, and poultry; bones etc. is the norm – it really doesn't bear thinking about. Why? it's cheaper, more robust and straight! (natural = curved) meaning its ideal from a production perspective. As a result, collagen is now the preferred option for almost all manufacturers. Looking Forward... Above all, despite the recent resurgence and resemblance of Proper or Natural Sausage coming to the fore, we should not expect experiences of the previous seventy years to change overnight. With the UK sausage industry worth an estimated £1bn a year, the relevant movers & shakers are likely to be resolute in retaining the status quo. …if we do nowt, nowt will change! In the long term maybe we simply have to accept that our food isn’t a commodity, that we are what we eat and food quality is primary to maintaining our genetic health. That the true cost of food is far greater than we previously realised. Above all, we need to recognise that the typical British sausage is in many respects representative of previous mistakes. Consequently, that natural, high welfare, low carb sausages are symbolic of the real-foods we need to hold on to. Educate Not Medicate Who Invented Sausages Are Sausages Healthy The Low Fat Sausage Myth

Here is a quick guide to the essential ingredients we always have on hand in our kitchen to enable us to cook delicious keto dishes and low carb meals at any time particularly when we're up against it time wise and still wanting to stay on track with the low carb way of eating! Always in the fridge: Full Fat Greek Yoghurt Salted Butter Cheese (cream cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese) Fresh Vegetables: spinach, spring onions, wild rocket, hearts of romaine lettuce (great for tacos), carrots, peppers, aubergine (great substitute for layers in a lasagne), cucumber, celery, broccoli and cauliflower, tomatoes, onions Lemons Harissa Paste (surprisingly adaptable) Mayonnaise Pre-Chopped Garlic & Ginger Nitrite-free Bacon Always By the Hob Extra virgin olive oil Light and mild olive oil Avocado oil Himalayan Salt Black Pepper Grinder Free Range eggs (large) Duck fat (great for braised purple cabbage) Organic Ghee Fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, chives) Store Cupboard Essentials Grain Free Baking Powder Almond Flour Vanilla Extract Canned green lentils, kidney beans & chick peas Canned chopped tomatoes Canned Tuna & Mackerel Mustard (Dijon and wholegrain) Apple Cider Vinegar & Wine Vinegar Quinoa Red lentils (dry) Tamari Worcestershire Sauce Toasted sesame oil Fab range of spices and herbs Low Carb Bread Mix Always In the freezer Healthy sausages, Keto Meatballs and Keto Burgers ( at least two or three varieties so easy) This list is not definitive but will always allow you to make a low carb meal or keto recipe quickly and with no excuses! So let's get cooking! PS. If you are looking for a little low carb or keto inspiration, here are some delicious low carb ideas and healthy keto recipes from our blog - simply click on each below and enjoy! Alternative Pasta, Sausage and Tomato Sauce Whole30 approved Sausage Traybake Low Carb Sausage Lasagne Healthy Autumn Tray Bake Hearty Breakfast Looking for help with eating disorders, addiction to sugar, weight loss and more? Try our brand new service at: Sugarsaddictive.com

This autumn paleo-friendly breakfast bake uses our all-natural sausages for extra flavour and will satisfy even the hungriest member of the family! Packed full of golden autumnal veg and topped with fresh free-range eggs, we have made this dish extra flavoursome by including lots of seasoning with the oil for baking. A simple, nourishing and tasty Autumn tray bake for the whole family- nothing easier! To make the autumn traybake you will need: 6 free range pork sausages (we used our Toulouse sausage - you can also buy this in a coil which would be fun to bake too) Butternut Squash (peeled and cubed) Sweet Potatoes (peeled and cubed) 1/2 red onion (peeled and cut into quarters) Yellow Pepper (sliced) Broccoli (chopped) And anything else you wish to use up in the fridge! Super nice additions include a handful of chopped pecan nuts and a handful of dried cranberries (no sugar added) 4 - 6 eggs (depending on how many are eating)! Seasoning 1/4 cup of your choice of cooking oil ( coconut, olive oil or avocado oil) 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp onion granules 1/2 tsp each of dried basil, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt and cracked black pepper How to make this healthy Autumn traybake Pre heat the oven to 180C Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and place into large mixing bowl (ignore this step if using our Toulouse Coil) Chop the veg and add into the mixing bowl In a separate bowl mix together all the seasoning ingredients Pour the seasoning onto the sausage and vegetable mix to coat generously Line a baking sheet with tin foil and carefully transfer the mix onto the baking sheet. Spread the mix out evenly Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the vegetable are starting to brown. Remove from the oven and stir in the pecans and cranberries if using. If using the Toulouse coil, place this on top too, cook for a further 20 minutes Remove the tray and create 4 or 6 wells in the mix. Crack an egg into each well - being careful not to break the yolk Cook for a final ten minutes max for the eggs to bake well. Serve and enjoy! So Hello Autumn! The weather is definitely changing and now that we have our puppy, Ted we are out walking every day. Having a dog changes lives in so many unexpected ways from having to find the energy to walk him at least three times a day (or he goes super hyper bonkers) to taking time to talk to people who also have dogs and to share the fun of watching them grow up and also being able to watch the seasonal changes on the walkways and paths we follow every day. WE hope you try out our Autumn tray bake - we'd love to see your pictures or hear from you if you do!

Keto Bread Rolls Mix Bread is one of those things that just about everyone loves. It's also something that needs to be prepared differently if you are following a low carb or ketogenic diet. This recipe uses almond flour instead of regular flour. Almond flour has less protein than other types of flours but much more fiber. Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels and keep you feeling fuller longer. If you enjoy baking your own bread but find you can no longer tolerate wheat bread due to inflammation, bloating and general discomfort, here's a gluten free foods alternative to traditional bread. Simply bake it at home using our Keto Bread packet mix! With our convenient ready-made keto breads and mixes, it is possible to have all natural gluten-free alternatives to bread including bread to eat on the keto diet that will both nourish your body and leave you feeling satisfied. We only use nutrient-dense, real food ingredients and these bread products because they are free from, will not leave you feeling foggy, bloated, irritable, or worse, with an allergic reaction. How to make Keto Bread rolls. For a low carb, keto-friendly bread mix, simply add grated courgette, free range eggs, garlic and olive oil to the Primal Alternative No Nut Hemp Bread packet mix. This is a great time-saving bread option as there is no need need to prove or knead the mixture just add it to a lined 1lb loaf tin or shape into the dough mix into four bread rolls using your hands. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 - 45 mins and these are ready for tea! What do Keto Bread Rolls taste like? The taste and texture of the bread or keto bread rolls is soft like ‘real’ bread with a chewy crust. It works best toasted or eaten fresh-baked and warm straight from the oven. Our breads use only nutrient dense, whole food ingredients and are crammed with healthy benefits as well as free from artificial preservatives. These breads are gluten free too. What are the nutritional benefits of Primal Cut Keto Bread Rolls? The main ingredients in each bread mix are: free range eggs, fresh grated courgettes and healthy olive oil. We add sunflower seed, hemp seed and psyllium husks to the blend, each of which ingredient has their own nutritional benefit. For example, hemp seeds are rich in protein and fibre as well as healthful fatty acids including omegas-3 and omega-6. They have an anti -oxidant effect and may help to reduce symptoms and improve the health of the heart, skin and joints. Psyllium husk is hugely beneficial to tums and can help to improve digestion and alleviate symptoms of IBS and ulcerative colitis. Psyllium husk is also a natural laxative. When the psyllium husk contacts water during the digestion process, it expands to create a gel like substance that will slow down the absorption and breakdown of sugar in our blood which is perfect for folk on the keto diet or low carb diet or who suffer from diabetes. And finally, the sunflower seeds we use in our keto bread are a rich source of minerals including magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. These minerals are necessary for healthy bone and muscle development and help to maintain balanced nerve function. And the best bit? It is easy to pronounce every single ingredient listed simply because they are all real foods - with not an additive in sight! Healthy Choices Each whole food ingredient has been purposefully chosen by the guys at Primal Alternative for optimal health. Together, they make an easy and delicious alternative to wheat free bread and a simple way to get more of the good stuff into our bodies. When we eat a Keto diet we can feel that we miss out on certain carbs and often wonder what to eat to replace good old fashioned bread or bread rolls for a bacon sandwich! This bake your own packet mix is the perfect alternative! So if you are frustrated with supermarket options, short on time or have failed at previous attempts to bake healthy keto bread, we encourage you to give these packet mixes a try! Mmmmm...can you smell that fresh crusty bread baking in your kitchen yet?! If you would like to buy the keto bread roll packet mix, follow the link to our online shop: No Nut Hemp Bread Mix PS. We also sell Keto Bread ready made in a loaf to savour and enjoy toasted with your tea! Here's the link: No Nut Hemp Bread Deliveries every Friday! (Photo Credit for Burger Pic: The Sustainable Pantry)

Why the fuss around bacon and nitrites? We've been bringing home the bacon for a millennia - some even say it was made in heaven itself. However, science has uncovered some real evidence to show that the preservation of meat by salting was first practiced in China, Africa and South America, likely around a similar period. Though it would be some time before a key type of salt was seen in Europe - in Germany cured pork became known as baco, and similarly in France it was referred to as bako. Both variations having a similar meaning; buttock, ham or side of pork. Before refrigeration heavy salting and air drying was to became the favoured method of preserving meat beyond a day or so, sometimes for many months. Consequently, todays bacon comes in many different forms and dozens of cure recipes, many of them a closely guarded secret or regional favourite. Bacon Types: Side or Streaky Bacon The most popular bacon of all in America is cut from the belly. With parallel layers of fat it can be smoked or unsmoked and served with or without the rind. Pancetta is a dried Italian version of streaky bacon which can either be smoked or unsmoked. Back Bacon, Irish, Canadian (Loin) Mist popular in the UK, back bacon is taken from the loin or middle section of the back. Collar Bacon (Neck). Middle Bacon - A flavourful mix of both Back and Streaky Cottage, Shoulder Bacon - Marbled similar to middle bacon and often rolled and tied after the cure to give larger slices like ham, though with more fat. Cheek bacon - Face, neck (jowl) bacon - but not guanciale, which is a ready to eat deli meat used to flavour dishes such as Carbonara. Smoked or au naturel, bacon is one of those foods most can't resist - everything tastes better with bacon! What better than a few rashers of crispy bacon and egg or bacon sandwich with brown sauce. Although pork bacon is by far the most popular, mutton, turkey, and beef can also be made into great bacon. Even plant-based (vegan) versions are now readily available - what next? Saltpeter Salt is the primary and only ingredient actually needed to make bacon. Though without the artificial preservatives, modern processing and added sugar, it would look and taste very different from what we see in the shops today. Originally, bacon and all meats were preserved with just salt. Though the quality was hit and miss and varied according to the location from where the salt was extracted. Naturally, this meant the chenical make up of salt differed according to lacation and geological history. The earliest known records indicate salting was used as a method of curing meat in the Tarim Basin, in the Xinjiang province, China 5000 - 7000 years ago. Though, access to potassium nitrate salts didn't get going in Britain until the mid 18th century, when large reserves were found in southern India. Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate), a naturally occurring and generally beneficial element found in rock salts. Early butchers noticed particular batches of salts resulted in bacon that lasted longer, achieved a desirable crimson colour sooner and had a different flavour. The first records of the reddening effects of Saltpeter on meat was reported in Europe by the Romans, though . Interestingly, Saltpeter is also an ingredient in the production of fertilisers and fireworks and more worryingly - explosives. Buyer Beware! as the friend of a friend of ours recently found out, whilst attempting to purchase Potassium Nitrate without good reason. It may well land you in the attention of MI5 and a very early alarm call! - a true story. Traditional Bacon Standard curing of commercial bacon takes just a few days. It involves as much as 25% water injected as a brine solution along with phosphates to hold the injected brine solution - much of this is still within the meat when we come to cook it. The colouration and flavour of most modern bacon is also artificially enhanced due to the widespread use of the additives such as; potassium nitrate & sodium nitrite. Though permitted by EU and UK law, there are strict rules on the safe levels of nitrate and nitrite that may be used in food. Health Risk Based of the data, an increased cancer risk linked to Sodium Nitrate/Nitrite in conventional bacon is real. Though objectively, it may not be that simple! Can we say for sure that a diagnosis of colon cancer is directly linked to the levels of processed meat in an individual's diet? Is there something we're missing? Clearly not everyone who has ever eaten bacon is going to get the 'Big-C'. The current evidence shows that the threat of cancer increases due to high levels of Nitrosamines, not nitrate or nitrite itself. Nitrosamines are formed at safe levels naturally in the body, but can also be at high levels as a function of exposure to high heat, as in some methods for cooking bacon. Therefore, heat is a major factor in increasing risks. Heat + nitrites + amino acids equals an increased risk in the formation of carcinogenic compounds. So less frazzle is the way to go. Sadly, that may mean the end of crispy bacon forever. Our advice: Don't Crucify Your Bacon! Nitrite free bacon - what is it? Curing bacon without nitrites and injection of artificial preservatives, brines and sugar takes time! Our delicious pork bacon is lovingly cared for, for up to 5 weeks. In creating our cures provenance and organic are key factors in selection of cure ingredients: Organic Himalayan salt (The purest source on earth - no potassium nitrate) Traditional and fresh herbs Natural and Fresh fruits - without added sulphites Spices - sourced as locally as possible. The result is an all-natural nitrate free, or uncured bacon with a subtle fragrance and intense flavours, we call it the taste of provenance. Even better! there’s no added water, sodium / potassium nitrite or phosphates and so no grey frothy discharge (from the release of phosphates and water) or shrinkage while cooking. Primal Cut free-from naked bacon contains only fresh organic fruit sugars and nitrates present in the natural raw organic seasonings. As with our gluten-free sausages, both flavour and preservation are achieved by the careful selection of naturally organic ingredients. The best foods and most nutritious foods have always been made using natural ingredients. Is Primal Cut Bacon Nitrite Free? Let's be entirely transparent and appreciate that nitrates are a naturally occurring compound fundamental to all life on earth (The Nitrogen Cycle). In terms of Primal bacon, both nitrate & nitrite are present in our Himalayan salts, herbs, spices, fresh fruits, etc. The important part for us is we avoid injecting strong synthetic solutions containing sugar, phosphate,nitrate or nitrite, this means that in the UK you'll see it labelled as Nitrite Free Bacon or Nitrate Free Bacon. Slightly different rules apply in Australia and the U.S. Natural Bacon Anything heat treated, or created artificially carries added risks, our bodies rely on natural nutrient-dense sources of real food, hence why all Primal Cut products fit this criteria. To be clear, in terms of UK food labelling requirements; natural bacon, nitrate-free bacon, preservative-free bacon, unprocessed bacon, naked bacon and uncured bacon are all effectively the same thing. They all describe a type of bacon that's cured without the inorganic form of Potassium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrates. Healthy Bacon - The Holy Grail Is Bacon Gluten Free? Technically, no - though the devil is in the detail. Of course, this is important if you have an allergy to gluten or are aware of its damaging effects and choose to avoid it. Bacon is one of those foods that could be described as naturally gluten free as it not knowingly present or added to the cures used, that said! The risk of cross contamination should never be overlooked, particularly if you have coeliac disease. Take the typical setting, where pastries, sausages, pies and possibly sandwiches are produced. The risk of cross-contamination in these scenarios would be real & not carry a 100% guarantee. The risk is the same for any individual or organisation producing or handling food. Though we see various foods being labelled as gluten-free, this is very much an internal statement - if not verified. Any foods, including naked bacon and regular bacon needing formal gluten free status need to be produced within a controlled environment. Audit & Certification to the AOECS Gluten Free Standard is the required route to achieving gluten free certification in the UK & EU. Thankfully, our artisanal bacon (Primal Bacon) is gluten free (AOECS & Certified by Coeliac UK), a tasty, sugar free bacon, 100% allergen-free and totally delicious, nutrient-dense, and comes with the peace of mind you're eating real food with real provenance. Ethical, sustainable, nitrate free bacon! Bringing home the bacon: Get 20% OFF everything with your first order - discover the benefits & natural taste of Real-Bacon for yourself! To find out more about Nitrite Free Bacon and British Charcuterie visit our online shop. For help with weight loss or food addiction recovery, visit our new confidential service: sugarsaddictive.com

Low Carb Eating Is a simple eating style that is easy to implement and can suit any number of individuals, families - and anyone seeking any number of differing health goals. It's simple! To be low carb, eat a reduced amount of carbohydrate with each meal. And, because low carbohydrate meals are based around good fats, lean protein and non-starchy leaf and salad vegetables, it is even possible to feel fuller for longer! Ditching the sugar is key to success. Feeling fuller for longer will help us cut back on cravings and snacks and will ultimately lead to long term weight loss and stable blood sugar levels. This is key for any of us struggling with a poor metabolism, creeping weight issues (that cannot be ignored) or diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. If you are looking for tips on how to implement a change of diet, we wrote about his here and if you are wondering if food addiction is a problem for you, take this quiz test from Yale University and check your result. But for now, if you are thinking about going low carb, let's explore the results you would like to achieve to determine just how low carb you will need to go. Option 1: Liberal Low Carb Up to 130g of Carbs per day. This option is for those with no weight to lose, who maintain an active lifestyle, have a positive optimistic outlook and a good metabolic rate. It is still a great way of eating because it ensures consistent energy levels and offers a simple, varied and nutritious way of eating that is sustainable for life. Fruit and root vegetables for carbohydrates will feature strongly in this option and help to maintain a varied and balanced diet. Option 2: Moderate Low Carb 75g to 100g carbs per day A half way step which is particularly good is you have not too much weight to lose but feel sluggish and wanting to curb the energy slumps and stop the snacking during the day. A great introductory step then, where meals are based around protein and good fats combined with a decent variety of leafy and non starchy veg. A good long term option for keeping on track too with a low carb way of life and after the main weight loss phase has ended. Eminently do-able. Option 3: Strict Low Carb 50g (and less) carbs per day This option effectively eliminates all starchy grains, most fruit and starchy veg and your carbohydrate intake will feel restricted. Instead, focus on what you can eat: lean protein, good fats and leafy green vegetables. This way of eating may improve a sluggish metabolism, ensure weight loss and lead to greater and more consistent energy levels. Self experimentation is key and it may well be that option 2 works for you as an introduction for a couple of weeks before stepping things up to make a faster difference here at option 3. So, we've outlined three low carb approaches to help you determine how low you should go on a low carb diet. We recommend you monitor your body's response - and, as with any other significant dietary change, check with your GP before embarking on this new way of eating - especially if you are taking medication or have any other health care concerns. Good Luck!

Hoping to share book recommendations, podcasts and other stuff that has helped my own weight loss journey over the last couple of years - the ones that have made a real difference. Along the way please feel free to comment and share your own recommendations so that we can make a difference together! This was THE book that made the biggest difference last year. The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal . It lead to a profound understanding of the vital importance of movement and how we need to move to thrive. I loved this book. I loved the idea of connection with each other through movement (dancing, team sports, running, walking) of the basic human need to keep moving, of movement in nature and the awesome power of connecting to the beauty of our natural surroundings by moving through it. In the book, McGonigal shows how movement is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery--and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Perfect timing for these post lock down days! For the past five years I've danced each week at my 5Rhythms class and have felt the collective joy of moving together. The class taught embodiment through feeling into the body and feeling the power of connecting to earth and grounding. We've all of us laughed, danced and cried together in this fab class and when the pandemic switched the lights out albeit temporarily, all of us felt a collective sadness in missing out on our weekly class. This book tells us why and how the power of movement draws us together and talks of the power of music to enhance our movement and our experience in life. It's a real eye opener. This book will resonate with so many who have re-found that love of walking in nature during the pandemic. Walking the same paths each week and watching nature turn through each of the seasons has been an unexpected joy and privilege this year. The reassuring nod from nature that regardless of what we do, she will return, Spring will follow winter and Summer will soon be with us has for many , kept us going through these uncertain times. The author also takes time to explain that movement is not dependent on body size, shape or image. That so many of us are turned off movement through childhood experience and school sports and athletics. But that is not the movement that McGonigal shares or encourages. It is far more encompassing and far greater than that. This book goes beyond familiar arguments telling us why we must exercise, to explain why movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. In this way, this book has fundamentally changed my view of sport and exercise and given me a "higher perspective" on the joy of movement. Read this now - you won't regret it! Connect with Kelly McGonigal on Instagram Facebook Website Looking for help with eating disorders, addiction to sugar, weight loss and more? Try our brand new service at: Sugarsaddictive.com

Do you find it hard to change your diet due to cravings? Did you know that food addiction involves the same areas of the brain as drug addiction? In this article we offer 7 simple and creative steps to change your diet to implement at your own pace. No pressure just ideas and simple heart felt encouragement from us both. Parallels between sugar addiction and drug addiction Back to food addiction. And yes, it's true, it's the same neuro transmitters involved in food addiction and many of the symptoms of food addiction are identical to those of drug addiction. Processed junk food, like cocaine, has a powerful effect on the reward centres of the brain. These effects are caused by stimulating brain neuro transmitters like dopamine which make us feel good. But it is an artificial high and does not last. Then we crash and our bodies and brains crave more. Nowadays, the sugar levels and additive combinations in ultra-processed food and processed junk food are purposefully designed to stimulate these neuro transmitters - why? ...follow the money - you read it first here. Well not really, we all know it don't we, but it doesn't stop it being hard to resist! It's the thought we are "being played" that gets me, every time. Ultra Processed Foods The most problem foods are those that combine high sugar and high fat ingredients: think cake, biscuits, pastries, eclairs - the equivalent of crack cocaine to the food world and there's just as much money in it for the big food companies (as well as dubious ethics). So, you read it here first, its not lack of will power that's causing food addiction - its the food. And, whilst writing, if you want to know if you have a food addiction, we got you covered with this exceptional quiz from Yale University- YFAS Test. Before you start, be kind But what is the best way to tackle food addiction and how do we break out of it's vicious grip? How can we change our diet? Experience has shown us that diets don't work. It may be different for you but perhaps the best starting point is - just to be kind - Q17 of the YFAS test reads: my food consumption has caused significant psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, self-loathing, or guilt in the past 12 months - if we've reached that point then it HAS become an issue. "Right, that's it, I'll diet on Monday", is just heart breaking and not a great response. What to do instead? Here's what I think. Change your way of thinking, change your mindset and address the root issues. Move your body. Breathe. Rest. Put yourself first and really take time to care about you in whatever way, shape of form that looks like to you. For me its find quiet, solitude, reading, writing, thinking. What works for you? A pace that works for you Next, start to introduce small steps, going at your own pace and change the way you approach food. And by small, I mean small - I read an amazing story about a woman who made a commitment to simply drink a glass of water every morning without fail. This commitment held and with this came confidence to introduce another step and then another, working at her own pace and making change happen in her own way but secure in the knowledge that it could be done because of her previous success. And you can do it too. Here are 7 steps to help you re-think your diet and approach to food and nutrition. Take sugar out of your diet Reduce or eliminate sugary and starchy carbohydrate foods from your diet. Talk about diving in head first! These foods include wheat bread, breakfast cereal, potatoes, rice, oats, milk chocolate, pop, fruit juice, cake, pies, pastry. Its a biggie but its the one that's going to make a profound difference. Take the veg challenge Load up with non-starchy vegetables at every single meal. The greener, the better - my secret weapon of choice is baby spinach! Non-starchy and salad vegetables will help you feel fuller for longer so don't stint! You will be amazed at how many different ways there are of incorporating green veg into your diet - add to chilli, combine in stews, hide in omelettes, chop fine and you will not know they are there - and trust me, they work! Here's a great list of veggies to eat freely to help you feel fuller for longer. Read it and learn....remember, knowledge is power! Eat good fats Mackerel fillets and sardines, oily fish, kippers, olive oils, coconut oils, duck fat - experiment and explore - another great way to keep feeling fuller for longer. Nuts and cheese fall into this category too but eat sparingly as they can be highly calorific - this was discovered by me, falling into the trap of eating lots and lots of nuts and cheese because they taste great and are a natural wholefood - and suffering the consequences! Like I say, knowledge is power! Watch your Fruit choices Huh? Well yes, not all fruits were created equal and therein lies the problem. Opt for fruit that is low in sugar in preference to those high in natural sugar (or fructose). Never ever opt for fruit smoothies which is possibly the fastest root to mainlining sugar known to man - where all the good bits of the fruit that counteract the fruit sugars and stripped out and discarded during pulping! Low sugar fruit includes apples, pears and berries - blueberries are a superfood too - high sugar fruit includes bananas, mangoes and pineapples. Here's a great list of fruits to eat in preference to those not to eat. Eat protein (but don't overdo it)! Eat protein at every meal as this too will make you feel fuller for longer. But how much protein does your body need? Expert Nora Gedgaudas in her book Primal Fat Burner recommends dividing your ideal body weight in kg by 0.8%. That gives you an idea of the amount of protein to shoot for. More than that and your body will turn the excess into sugar and you will be back to square one. Learn to love water Drink approximately 2 litres of water per day. Again, this keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Its cheap too. And do-able. Commit to that first 500ml on waking - keep it up, challenge yourself, surprise yourself and with that single consistent win under your belt you never know which of the other seven principles you can bring on board. YES! Quit the Scooby snacks :( Stop snacking. Stick to three meals a day. Keep it simple and explore the benefits of intermittent fast and time restricted eating. Take the power back. These ideas are free and simple to implement although not always easy. Good News The good news is that there are many who have gone before us and if you look carefully, they are all waving their encouragement from the other side of the river! And the water sure looks good over there. Take your time to implement each one of these 7 steps to change your diet at your own pace and in your own order and in this way, the lasting change you long for will not be long coming. Let us know how you get on with implementing these changes - we would love to hear your progress! Email us at hello@primalcut.co.uk or leave a message in the comments section below! Need more help? Check out our weight loss & sugar addiction recovery services at: Sugarsaddictive.com Thank you!

Am I Addicted To Carbs? - Take the test Developed by Yale University Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity (YFAS) in 2009, this 25-point questionnaire is designed to assess food addiction in individuals. Food for thought indeed. And while there is currently no official diagnosis of "food addiction", the YFAS test was created to identify those who exhibited symptoms of dependency towards certain food. We probably know this already but it bears repeating: the foods most notably identified by YFAS to cause food addiction were those high in fat and high in sugar: cake; buns; biscuits; cookies; fudge. Yes, all the stuff that's been shouting at us during lockdown! This simple, self-reported quiz was created by a Yale researcher, Ashley Gearhardt, to determine those at high risk for food addiction, regardless of weight. Consider the following seven statements to see how many correctly describe your relationship with sugary or high starch carbohydrate foods. If two or more of these questions apply to you then you may have a food or carbohydrate addiction. You can take the full test here . We would love to hear from you if you too are in recovery from food addiction. We would love to hear your story to share and offer inspiration to any one else on the long road home! It's amazing how much it can help when we know others have gone before us and made the pathway clear! Get in touch at hello@primalcut.co.uk or leave your story in the comments section below. Thank you! For Carb & Sugar Addiction Help, go to: sugarsaddictive.com

This delicious gluten free pizza combines almond meal with fragrant spices and sweet potato to create a simple, colourful pizza base. The topping combines Primal Cut gluten free sausages with fried onions, toasted fennel seeds, goats cheese and tomatoes, topped off with parmesan cheese shavings and our fresh organic micro greens for added texture and colour. An easy bake offering something a little different for tea. This recipe will serve 4. To make the Pizza Base: 2 x 500g packs of sweet potato (cut into 2cm cubes) 100g of almond meal 2 tsp of smoked paprika and 1 tsp of dried oregano For the topping you will need: 4 - 6 tbsp of tomato passata 1- large red onion sliced 6 - cherry tomatoes, halved 3 - Gluten Free Sausages 2 - tsp of fennel seeds 125 g of goats cheese 20g of parmesan cheese shavings Handful of organic microgreens Making Gluten free Pizza: Turn the oven onto 200C Line a baking sheet with baking paper Cook the sweet potato til soft and drain the water Add the almond meal and spices. Mash together. Spread the mix onto a sheet of baking paper onto of the tray to form teh pizza base Place in the oven and cook for ten minutes til turning golden brown Carefully remove and set aside Meanwhile, fry the onions, fennel seeds and sausages together having first removed the sausages from their skins Top the pizza crust with the passata Top the passata with the fried sausage mix. Tuck the tomato halves on top and add blobs of the goats cheese as desired. Place back into the oven to cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes until the base is a forming a golden brown crust and the cheese is hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with shavings of parmesan cheese and organic microgreens Slice and enjoy! Further reading: What Makes Sausages Gluten Free

That's the Primal Cut Way.....and its back to basics.... Why do we eat? We eat to receive daily nourishment and to savour the pleasures of great tasting food. Eating is pleasurable because it satisfies our hunger. The food that nourishes the most is the food that is as close to its natural form as possible: meats, eggs, seeds, nuts, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables, seafood and fruit. For the longest time in our history, these were all the foods we ate. It was a rich and varied diet and included fermented foods, home made stocks and broths, cultured creams and cheese, free-range meats and a good variety of seasonal fruit and veg grown at home, naturally. The food was nourishing and satisfying and is the diet remembered by all our grandparents and that's the food we produce and sell at Primal Cut. Simple! Why Whole Food? Whole-foods contain a naturally occurring and harmonious balance of "ingredients" to maximise nutrition, increase satiety and to minimise toxicity. Take apples. Each apple contains naturally occurring fruit sugars that are bundled up with plant fibre. The fibre works to decrease the rate of sugar absorption in the body and allows for a healthy, natural insulin response. It also allows us to feel full. However, if we were to isolate the fruit sugars in each apple and only consume this sugar product, we would lose all the benefits provided by the plant fibre and all the nutritional value whilst upping the sugar. This is what we do when we create fruit smoothies for example, we discard the pulp and fibre and drink the juice for a sugar hit! But this was not how nature designed our food to be eaten - there's a reason why real food is seasonal and also why naturally occurring sugar was so hard to find! These days we have moved so far away from the land and natural food production and passed through an industrial food revolution to the point where we have become heavily reliant on refined and ultra processed food. There are many many reasons that have contributed to this including politics, soil depletion, unsustainable farming practices, genetic modification of crops, the demands of an ever increasing world population but mostly we say the same old adage applies of corporate greed and "follow the money" as to why we have ended up in such a mess with food production. And simply put, refined food does not satisfy hunger . In fact, quite the reverse: refined ultra processed food promotes overeating because without the naturally occurring triggers that promote satiety, we can no longer tell that we are full. Great news for the manufacturers not such good news for you and me. That's why at Real Food Online we only make food and using whole food ingredients and no white refined sugar, ever. In its own small way, when we chose for whole foods, we are choosing to take the power back, to take ownership of our health and to use our buying power to make powerful choices for the health of our planet Why Paleo? Paleo is short for the paleolithic diet (the caveman diet) and, for us it simply means a move back to eating the type of food that caused our ancestors to thrive: meats, eggs, seeds, nuts, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables, seafood and fruit. It is the diet of our forefathers who did not suffer from the myriad of issues that affect our health as human beings every day - we're talking cancer, type 2 diabetes, coeliac disease, allergies, autism, the list is endless - good health these days now seems the exception and not the norm - we need to stop and ask why this is happening. We love food but were caught in an endless buying cycle of ready meals and take outs when our children were small and we were both working full time. Time seemed such a premium and we were both so tired all the time. We were miserable until we realised we could take the power back and make changes to our diet that would promote a healthier way of living. For us that was stripping out refined ultra processed foods and going back to basics. Eating the food that our bodies were designed to eat - food for humans not machines! When we stopped eating a diet full of sugar and ultra processed food and transitioned to a low-carb paleo diet not only did the weight begin to drop but we also began to experience a myriad other benefits including a huge mental clarity, more energy, more lightness, more focus and more drive. This gave us more time to do the things that we wanted to do and more energy to do them and ultimately led us to create our own food business Primal Cut to make grain-free an easy and convenient choice. Why Grain-free? Read on... Why Gluten Free? Here's the science-y bit! Gluten is a protein found in grass seeds such as wheat, barley and rye. While these seeds have historically been a staple food nowadays it seems that more and more people are gluten intolerant and unable to digest gluten-containing foods. Coeliac disease is perhaps the most recognisable of all the gluten intolerant conditions. Why the rise in gluten sensitivity? The seeds we eat are not the seeds our forefathers grew and saved each year with such care and dedication. Instead the seeds have changed and become modified through the use of genetic engineering. It is just not the same food. Other gluten intolerant conditions such as "leaky gut" are starting to be recognised by scientists for the part that gluten plays. Gluten seems to increase intestinal permeability which results in a "leaky gut". In this condition, molecules present in the gut lining cross into the blood stream triggering an immune response and inflammation. Over time this becomes chronic and extremely painful. Chronic inflammation may manifest in a huge variety of symptoms too such as acid reflux, bloating, arthritis, asthma, hay fever, swelling, mental fog, lethargy, skin issues including eczema and acne and many many more. That's why we don't eat grains and why all our food is gluten-free. Our 100% free-range sausages, bacon and cured meats are certified gluten free by Coeliac UK too! That's our ethos in a nut shell. There are so many ways we can start to take the power back and learn to listen to our bodies to understand what they need to thrive. We all have the power, can you feel it? Change your diet, change your life!

A Quick Recap on the Who, the What and the Why of Primal Cut Primal Cut is a family run business created by husband & wife team, Mike and Kate Oliver, HELLO! The Why We created Primal Cut and grew the business from our own way of eating which is paleo-based, simple, grain-free (so naturally gluten-free), white refined sugar free and in response to the difficulties we had experienced in finding 100% real and natural convenience food. We created Primal Cut for all the folk who have consciously made the primal health switch to grain-free and our aim is to make sticking to that way of eating easier, no matter what your version of grain-free looks like. The What Primal Cut means comfort & convenience food for paleo, primal, keto and low carb-ers & offer nut free, egg free, vegan, low FODMAP and GAPS-friendly options. Every product we offer is free from white refined sugar and seed oils too - that’s a simple given - and a blessing - at a time when so many food producers use dodgy oils and sugar to entice and sell their food ..don’t get us started! We believe that what you eat & how you feel & look & live are all intrinsically linked & we want to create and sell food that will help you find a brand new, healthier you. Hand-Made We hand-craft gluten-free sausages, nitrite-free bacon & charcuterie from the very best free-range Yorkshire pork at our Charcuterie. Our pork is from the highest welfare source where the pigs have been allowed to roam freely and happily at the farm – no compromise. Free-range pork is difficult to source and we have been careful to find the best, sustainable supply that 100% accords with Slow Food principles. Our sausages have won national awards and our bacon from the same free-range pork is 100% natural and nitrite-free. Our charcuterie is also gaining a fantastic reputation and we are delighted to be able to supply this to anyone looking for a sustainable source of additive-free natural guanciale, capocollo & pancetta - like mama used to make! In 2018, we added the Australian brand Primal Alternative to our range securing the first UK licence to hand-bake their grain-free breads, fruit toasts, no nut hemp wraps, pizza bases, keto cookies, and the entire range of bake your own mixes from our Tiny 5* Bakery. In 2020 we added organic microgreens to the Deli Shop from a local supplier and also stock a great range of unsweetened ketchup including a spicy Chipotle Ketchup and classic version, BBQ sauce and Mayos all from our amazing friends at Hunter & Gather. Explore our Shop Now much more than gluten free sausages, there's something for everyone – we hope you have fun! Explore our shop & find new ways to bring 100% real and natural food into your life. Follow this link for customer reviews and please do get in touch if we can help further .

Keto Bread, or No Nut Hemp Bread from Primal Alternative is a firm favourite at Primal Cut HQ! We hand-bake all our loaves to strict criteria to make a nutrient-dense loaf that really hits the spot. Learn More: Keto Bread Read what our customers say : "Thank you for my keto bread delivery today......I look forward to trying them all...I’ve just had some of the No Not Hemp Bread for my post-work snack, and this is my favourite so far. I thought that the Turmeric and Hemp was the best but the NNHB is divine! I really like how it’s ‘bready’ and soft, and it’s sweet but I can’t see any sugar so I guess the sweetness comes from the ingredients. Delicious. Thank you very much, Rose" "Ordered my keto-friendly bread, pizza bases & cookies early this week. Arrived next day after sending out, all in perfect condition, ice pack still frozen. Thank you. Looking forward to my poached eggs on your seeded keto bread toast now and will be making keto pizzas tonight for me and my husband. Still quite hard to source keto-friendly products in the UK everything is still full of sugar! But lost 3 stone on keto so its become my lifestyle rather than a diet and finding a company like this is a Godsend! Shall order again..." Looking for help with eating disorders, addiction to sugar, weight loss and more? Try our brand new service at: Sugarsaddictive.com

..........Or Rebel with a Cause! In which Kate explores the benefits of a real food diet with Dr Trudi Deakin, Registered dietitian and diabetes expert and CEO of X-PERT Health, a registered charity in the UK. X-PERT Health provides education for obesity and diabetes prevention and management throughout the UK. Real Food Rocks Last summer, we took our real food stall on a road trip up to Ambleside to sell real food at the Real Food Rocks Festival at Brathay Hall. It was an amazing festival - full of like -minded individuals, all of whom had switched onto the power of real food and were keen to show how eating an unprocessed, real-food diet with less sugar and more healthy fats can help with weight loss, improve HbA1c and even put Type 2 diabetes into remission. We met and listened to many fascinating people including Dr Trudi Deakin a pioneer in the field of education and empowerment in diabetes and obesity and we made lots of new Primal Cut friends including Ally at the Paleo Canteen, Amy and Jeff from Hunter and Gather and Dr Bridgette Hamilton author of Break the Crave. We were fortunate to catch up recently with Trudi Deakin, and sit down for a real good chat about using real food for obesity and diabetes management management and empowering though dietary change. Here are some of the highlights below! Q. How did your interest in Diabetes start? A. Around 1993 I was working in the NHS, specialising in work with diabetes patients. I saw patients from every walk of life from children with Type 1 diabetes at school to old folks in care homes and people used to say to me - I don't eat sugar so why is my blood sugar level so high? And I thought, people really don't understand that they can also get glucose and sugar from other sources and that this has to change. Education seemed to me to be key but at that time, group sessions were an unknown quantity and we were only able to advise in accordance with government guidelines in a clinical setting and a one to one session. I ran focus groups to discover what could help diabetic patients manage their condition and how they would like the learning to be delivered. And the overwhelming response was that people did not want to be told by a health care professional what they could and could not eat. They wanted to understand their body and how food and drink affected their blood glucose levels. Despite my best efforts, it seemed that group sessions remained an unknown quantity and my work was knocked back. It took time, I had my son, I worked on research modules for the effective delivery of relevant content and applied for grants and in 2000, I registered for a doctorate at Leeds University. We started to run clinical trials to test out the effectiveness of the programmes and what we found was simple: that education in a group setting was a highly effective means of helping individuals manage their diabetes, their health and their life. My work was published and after national recognition through the receipt of several national awards, other health care professionals began to contact me and ask for the programme to deliver in their area. X-PERT Health began - based in Hebden Bridge - and has developed and grown to the point where the programme and all materials are easily available to any health care professional looking to purchase and deliver a six week programme to assist all diabetic patients in learning to self-manage their condition. The programme is also available digitally to purchase here which has been a great addition particularly during lock down when all group work has been suspended. You know I was always guided by an old proverb that says " I hear, I forget, I see, I remember, I do , I understand" - and for me the answer is simple: empower each patient with the tools and knowledge to make a change for themselves - educate not medicate! Q. Why do you think we have such a challenge with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in the UK? A. Ultra-processed food is everywhere from take outs to convenience meals at supermarkets, lunch meal deals: we eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack to the point where we overeat every day. The food choices we are given do not satisfy and the salt and sugar content make us crave more. I do think too that being overweight is becoming more socially acceptable. Combine these challenges with our sedentary lifestyles, longer working hours and lack of sleep and we can see a pattern of unhealthy lifestyles developing but like a lot of folk say, it comes down to this: you can't outrun a bad diet. Q. Do you believe that nutrition has the power to change lives? A. Yes, I do - and what is so exciting is being able to see people put their type 2 diabetes into remission. When I started working with diabetic patients, we were taught that once people had this diagnosis, they had it for life and that was that. Now, when patients are really motivated to do something about the diagnosis, we have evidence that people can change their lifestyle, mainly through diet and can push Type 2 diabetes into remission – not a cure – as if you go back to your old way of life it will come back - but definitely into remission. This offers hope. It is exciting because receiving that diagnosis is for a potential long term condition with long term implications for your health. Now we can say that if you want to change your lifestyle and put that diagnosis into remission we can and here is how to do it. However, one size does not fit all and we really don’t believe in telling people what they should or should not do. The reason for this is simple - I am and have always been a rebel! If someone told me what to do, I would always do the opposite. I resist being told what to do and I saw this time and again in my patients! People often tell you what they think you want to hear. I was taught to set goals for people by rote but when we met again in a clinical setting, people would often fabricate answers and be lenient with the truth and I thought look, this is an insane waste of yours and my time. But I came across a book "The Art of Empowerment" by Dr Robert Anderson. He became my mentor and he taught me that it is not possible for me to empower an individual – they can only empower themselves – and to do that, they require knowledge, understanding and confidence. Knowledge - to make informed decisions, understanding to see the impact that making knowledgeable decisions has on their lives - and confidence – if people don’t have the self belief that they can make the change then they are not going to make the change. At X-PERT Health, the last few minutes of every session are about goal setting. We ask, having heard all the information today what are you going to try out over the week? We set our own SMART goals and ask on a scale of 1 to 10 how confident are you that you can achieve these goals and we ask patients to write these down and we work on empowerment We don’t want over reliance – we want people to make the change for themselves - and they do! Q. Do you have one piece of advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by their own weight challenge and wanting to make a difference? - What would you say to them? A. Eat Real Food and cut the junk!! Real food is packed full of nutrients and so will help people feel fuller faster and for longer. If you eat real food your diet will satisfy your hunger and your cravings will disappear. You will be nourished and feel nourished and you will be able to tell that you are full and no longer hungry. Just. Eat. Real. Food. Q. What are your favourite health related books and who do you follow? A. I have learned so much from Professor Tim Noakes in South Africa Jason Fung on Intermittent Fasting I learn something every day from Dr David Unwin and Zoe Harcombe I love love love the podcasts from the Fat Emperor – Ivor Cummins – absolutely fantastic I recommend The Salt Fix by Dr James DiNicolantonio Drs Michael and Clare Mosley are amazing Dr Aseem Malhotra is brilliant - especially when he provokes the politicians - he rubs a lot of folk up the wrong way but is so brave in the way he is shaking things up! Q. Finally, do you have a great motivational quote we can stick on the fridge to inspire us? A. Well I have two – the first is really the dedication for X-PERT Health "Educate not medicate" The second is by Maya Angelou also with the emphasis on empowerment and is a great place to end: Useful links to find out more from X-PERT Health: X-PERT Health Website Digital programme Online forum (you will need to register first) Looking for help with eating disorders, addiction to sugar, weight loss and more? Try our brand new service at: Sugarsaddictive.com

What would you consider some of the best keto food box delivery options out there? Where can I get my Keto Diet delivered? Ketogenic eating has been gaining popularity lately and it seems like everyone wants to try it at least once. Ketogenic diets consists of high fat foods such as dairy and meat along with carbohydrates and low calorie products like vegetables. This type of diet helps reduce body fat, improves energy levels, and raises metabolism. It is very important to choose the right food boxes delivery to enjoy the benefits of ketosis without experiencing negative side effects. Many keto foods contain ingredients that may cause other problems, such as gluten and artificial preservatives. That's why we assembled a collection of all natural, nutrient dense foods in one convenient box - Keto lifestyle made easy! sometimes we just want someone to take the thinking out of eating keto! The Primal Cut Keto Box is packed full of "convenient" ketogenic diet foods designed to help you keep effortlessly on track on your keto journey. Each box offers 10 keto-friendly items and a limitless number of combinations for you to create new and invigorating, time-saving easy meals! Each Primal Cut Keto Box contains a pack each of our 99% free-range Yorkshire pork keto sausages, keto burgers and meatballs, 2 packs of our delicious sugar & nitrite-free back bacon, a pack each of our delicious Low carb bagels, triple choc keto cookies, fat and seedy Keto Pizza Bases (2 per pack), a loaf of our keto-friendly no nut hemp bread and a packet mix to bake your own fat and seedy keto loaf. Use these simple ideas to create keto-friendly bacon bagels, Friday night pizza night (Only 4g carb, all-natural ingredients and no additives), keto sausage and egg, poached eggs on keto toast, quick sausage pasta sauce with zucchini noodles, sausage traybake, kale with primal bacon and eggs and don't forget to take a peek at our blog for more healthy recipe ideas! If you would like to find out more and to place an order, follow this link to our KETO shop. That's tea sorted!

We are so excited about our brand new Paleo Bakery box offer for all the paleo bakers out there in the UK! We have carefully selected five of our most popular packet mixes comprising paleo bread, paleo pizza bases, paleo wraps, paleo waffles and our super special paleo fruit toast so that you can bake your own! We promise you, there is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked fruit toast straight from the oven or being able to whip up a batch of healthy eating low carb waffles to get the whole family talking over breakfast. We love the fact that none of our products have white refined sugar and that they are all grain and gluten-free as standard. Healthy eating is key for everyone seeking to bolster immunity and foster good health in order to enjoy life to the full. Each packet mix comes with full instructions and requires simple store cupboard additions such as olive oil, water, sea salt or courgette. And every packet mix is faff free too! Here is a quick snapshot of what you can bake with these products, clockwise from right, fresh pumpkin bread, paleo pizza bases, paleo fruit toast, paleo wraps and paleo waffles/low-carb pancakes. Easy and naturally tasty! To order your box, simply follow this link to the Paleo Bakers Box on our online shop! Hat's off to a simpler way of life!

We all know sausages are bad for us! Saturated fat makes them bad, or so we all believe it. In other words, low fat sausages are healthier since they don't have bad fats. The government, NHS, food manufacturers, dieticians, scientists, and the media tell us so. The conventional wisdom leads us to choose low-fat food no matter what it is. Generally, I think almost everyone thinks fat - along with sugar - is to blame for the obesity epidemic. Even though a lot of sausages have sugar as well as fat, let's just focus on the fat since that's one thing that pretty much every sausage has. Saturated fats are undeniably high in energy or calorific value during digestion, this is what led to the Calories In Calories Out (Gluttony and Sloth) hypothesis, this simplistic thinking is all most of us have ever known. The thinking was nice and simple, easy to understand and made perfect sense to the movers, shakers and decision-makers. It was an easy to follow rule, for sure. The following excerpt is the present explanation given on the NHS website: Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you consume high amounts of energy, particularly fat and sugars, but do not burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus energy will be stored by the body as fat. - nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/causes/ It's a simple message that could also be communicated easily, the NHS. Though, the human body is a complex system - we know! Could it really be, this simple? Sadly, this way of thinking is based on the old but erroneous conclusion that gluttony and sloth are the cause of things like obesity, heart disease, cancer, type II diabetes, etc. Having become so deeply ingrained, it's now the norm to think of saturated fats as bad and polyunsaturated fats as good – that consuming a high-fat diet makes us fat. Growing up in the '70s, I clearly recall the shift. We were strongly persuaded to change to margarine, We were advised to stop eating butter, to use sunflower oil instead of animal fats. Drink skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and never the full-fat version (silver tops as they were then - blue today). In Britain and America, fat had been declared public enemy #1, more bad news for our British Sausages. Conventional Thinking: Low Fat The perception we hold of fat being bad was founded on a hypothesis of the now infamous Ancel Keys and his much-disputed Seven Countries Study. For decades successive governments have consistently adopted the findings of the Seven Countries Study and its oversimplified principles of gluttony & sloth. This though was to become the catalyst for the wholesale removal of fats from our foods. However, it didn't stop there, as food manufacturers discovered that this changed their products significantly. The flavour had gone, they didn't taste of anything! To counter this, sugar and its variants were added on mass. Though fats perform some very important roles, other than providing essential macro-nutrients, they're also the carrier or transporter of flavour to the taste buds. Take the fat out and you're left with flavorless bland food - including, low fat sausages! The Eatwell Guide Sadly, the practice remains commonplace as publicised by the NHS in its Eatwell Guide (2016) - previously khown as Eatwell Plate published in 2007 by the Foods Standards Agency. Medical science now knows that Key’s depiction of the Seven Countries Study (SCS) to be fundamentally flawed and has no basis in fact. The data he used was skewed - maybe even manipulated. Despite this, Public Health England remains steadfastly behind the Eatwell Guide. Why? We can only wonder! Perhaps we'd be better off taking note from the author of Pure, White and Deadly – the very credible Professor John Yudkin, or closer to home - Break The Crave by Bridgette Hamilton, Healthy Eating: The Big Mistake by Professor Vernor Wheelock, even our own food addiction recovery program @ sugarsaddictive.com High levels of saturated fat are fundamental to our good health, after all, we're hunter-gatherers, omnivores - not herbivores. Animal fats will likely always remain the primary element of the human diet for many generations to come. To play this video, view this post from your live site. Educate Not Medicate Who Invented Sausages Are Sausages Healthy The Low Fat Sausage Myth Sugarsaddictive.com

Here at Primal Cut, we hand-bake our delicious grain-free, vegan Turmeric and Hemp Bread and deliver it throughout the UK. Best served toasted, this healthy bread alternative is a simple, nutritious, dairy, egg and gluten-free bread alternative to wheat bread. There are no grains and no gluten too - which means no bloat and none of the mid-afternoon energy slumps we so associate with eating wheat-based bread. The loaf has a rich, savoury taste, a good crust and a chewy texture and is a great alternative for lunch box sandwiches, toast or croutons for a yummy homemade soup. If you are looking for a little inspiration on how to eat our bread, here are 11 super simple, tried and tested toppings for a nice thick slice of our healthy loaf. Guaranteed to satisfy the whole family regardless of dietary needs! 1. Avocado, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese Slice and toast the Tumeric Bread, crumble the feta cheese onto the warm bread and top with sliced tomato and avocado 2. Fresh, local honey Spread the honey to taste onto thin toasted slices of our nourishing Vegan Bread 3. Avocado, bacon and poached egg Slice and toast the bread, top with poached eggs and sprinkle with cooked nitrite-free bacon and chopped avocado. A great filling breakfast to keep the whole family nourished and satisfied throughout the day. 4. Tomato-based relish and Prosciutto Crudo Spread the toasted slices of bread with the tomato relish and fold the slices of Prosciutto ham on each slice. Top with some lovely fresh coriander or added zing! 5. Poached egg, smashed avocado and fresh coriander Another twist, using free-range poached eggs, healthy fats and fresh coriander. Nourishing and sustaining. Keep it healthy and simple 6. Onion jam and fried mushrooms Choose a really fresh tasting, sugar-free onion jam or chutney and load the fried mushrooms onto toasted slices of our turmeric and seed loaf. Delicious! 7. Asparagus and Poached eggs 8. Smashed pumpkin and feta cheese Tinned pumpkin is readily available online if the raw product is out of season. Take a slice of toasted Tumeric Bread, spread with the smashed pumpkin and a little pink Himalayan rock salt, and top with crumbled feta. For added texture, grill for 2 mins til the whole topping is warm and melting and bubbly! 9. Cream cheese Simple choice! Sprinkle cracked black pepper, cress, chives or pistachio nuts for a little added crunch on toasted slices. Fun to put lots of different toppings out for the family to choose their own 10. Castello Blue Cheese Simple taste and texture but the two go so well together. For a different option, slice the turmeric and seed loaf extra thin and bake the slices in the oven at a low temperature for about an hour to make crispy crackers. Great for a charcuterie board and for healthy snacking! 11. Slices of oak-smoked nitrite-free bacon We love to see our products in action! If you are enjoying your purchase from our online shop, please tag @primalcut on Instagram and Facebook or use the hashtag primalcut. Every post makes a big difference! Happy Cooking :)

Does a decent, naturally low carb bread sound like the impossible dream? We are here to set you straight! Where to buy low carb bread? To help you in the search for the best tasting, lowest carb bread we opened our low carb, gluten free and keto bakery section. We now hand-make five great, free from primal alternatives to modern wheat bread. They're 100% paleo friendly and gluten free. Specifically for low carb and keto diets, each nutrient-dense loaf is packed with whole-food alternatives to wheat flour and grain-filled sourdough bread and provides a sugar free, slow-release energy source to help you on your low carb journey. If you are missing traditional bread in your diet – why not try a natural primal alternative - change what you eat not how you eat. Low Carb Fat and Seedy Bread Hand-baked in the UK, this low carb keto bread contains no carbs. This bread is gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and packed with nutrient-dense sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seed. With a carb count of just 1 gram per slice, each low carb loaf is topped with poppy seeds, for that added crunch. It's delicious toasted and with a topping of your choice. So if you are used to eating scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast and thought this had to change with your new diet……well hello! This is a perfect option for you and is our best seller in the UK. Further details: High Fat Low Carb Loaf Low Carb Bagels Same great keto bread but shaped into our lunch box friendly Low-carb Bagels, hand-baked to order. And each low carb bagel has 2.8g of carb! These are so perfect toasted with cream cheese and smoked salmon, nut butter, fresh deli meats or cottage cheese even toasted as croutons in hot soup! Filling, nutrient-dense and highly adaptable, our low carb keto bagels come with all the added benefits of eating seeds, nuts, eggs, and freshly grated courgette including feeling satisfied and feeling fuller for longer. They make a great healthy gluten free snack alternative for additive free kids too! Bake Your Own Fat and Seedy Low Carb Bread Simply add grated courgettes and free-range eggs to this packet mix and bake your own fat and seedy keto bread or 6 alternative low carb bagels or 6 alternative low carb bread buns. Easy to make, this is a simple way to bring low carb bread back into your daily life! Get the kids involved – its great fun and an easy win on the road to healthy eating. Find out more here No Nut Hemp Bread This is a great alternative sandwich loaf, hand-baked to order. It has a texture similar to traditional wheat bread with a delicious chewy crust. This is best eaten toasted and topped with your choice of fillings – similar to a Danish open sandwich. Super filling and nutrient-dense, our keto bread loaf is hand-crafted from real, whole-food ingredients including shelled hemp seeds, free-range eggs, rosemary and natural, good-for-you olive oil. It is naturally low in carbohydrates too! Best kept refrigerated, this low carb keto friendly loaf can be sliced and frozen for up to three months. Easy to manage, simply toast straight from frozen and enjoy! Further Details: No Nut Hemp - Low Carb Bread Bake Your Own No Nut Hemp Bread So easy – just add fresh grated courgette and eggs and bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes. Get the kids involved and they will so enjoy eating this delicious alternative to bread – and never know it's healthy grain-free, sugar-free, low carb bread! Further Details: Bake at Home - Low Carb Bread Mix 5 Alternatives to Low Carb Bread There you have it, our lowest carb bread! Five great options and five great alternatives to buy low carb bread. Each delicious option contains no grains, pseudo-grains, gluten, soy, yeast, artificial preservatives, refined sugars or pea flours – so no mid-afternoon breakdowns when blood sugar spikes and those pesky cravings come knocking. We hope you love our bread as much as we do - Happy eating!