S1E1 – Mary – Culinary Inspiration!

Welcome to Episode 1 of my Brand-New Podcast!

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to get this podcast off the ground, but now that it is, I can’t wait to keep going! I have had this idea rolling around in my head for a while now, and Mary was the perfect first guest to have on the show.

For years, I have thought about making a separate site to talk about chronic pain and chronic health issues. It always felt like a different side of myself – something that didn’t quite belong on Dairy-Free State. But after talking with lots of people about how often the choices they make with their diets intersect with how they’re managing their various health conditions, I had the realization that it’s all connected for so many of us.

I kept trying to compartmentalize parts of my life, even though they flowed into each other behind the scenes every day. Putting chronic health topics front and center on Dairy-Free State feels more appropriate than ever.

Mary and I had an awesome conversation in March, before we had both been on self-quarantine for a while. Since then, she’s really kept me inspired with cute mask photos, updates on her garden, and of course, delicious and inspiring meals almost every day. If you’re looking for someone who has a curious and adventurous approach to food, look no further!

In this first episode, we cover Mary’s experiences managing her diabetes with a dietitian, her desire to almost always eat interesting food (apparently my sometimes regular diet of peanut butter, eggs, and more peanut butter would bore her), and other things that have motivated and inspired her on her new food journey. A couple highlights to look out for (transcriptions for all podcasts coming soon!) 

• Mary is lactose intolerant, but sometimes she takes Lactaid and toughs through it! But she had to make more drastic changes lately after a bout of high blood pressure drove her to the hospital. Since then, she’s been working on managing her blood pressure, learning more about how to manage with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, including what it means to be creative with a restrictive diet. 
• Her official stance on Penzey’s Mural of Flavor: “You could put it on a shoe and it would taste delicious.” So, there ya go. 
• While we’ve all heard horror stories, or experienced them ourselves, of doctors who don’t listen to us, or scold us for not making “healthy choices,” Mary was lucky and has had a great support system around her throughout this process. If you advocate for yourself and hook up with the right people, this is possible!
• I know I get a little too enthusiastic and close to the mic. I’ll get better. Stick through it; this material is good!