Here goes nothing!

Well, here goes nothing!

My first blog post…ever…It is pretty crazy how I got to this point.  I have gone back and forth on how to execute sharing my passion for cooking and people.  And here we are!  From my lowest of lows, to finding my passion and loving what I do!  So let me give you a little background on how I got to this point.  I used to work in group insurance for years and years, and wanted to be a group sales rep, which I thought was my dream job.  I worked really hard to climb the ladder to earn that position in a male driven industry.  And guess what?  I even worked my way into my boss’s job when he decided to leave and go out on his own.  Thought I hit the jackpot of jobs and was well on my way.  Until several rounds of downsizing and re-orgs left me one week before my due date with my second child and no job.  How could they let me go the week before having a baby?  I used to ask myself that question all of the time…but now I want to jump up and down and shout from the rooftops THANK YOU!  Had they not laid me off (and several others) – I would never have stumbled upon my next opportunity which was such a better fit!  And I wouldn’t have “gone for it” like I did!  Isn’t it funny how things work out sometimes?

So several months after I had my second child, I had to have surgery on my foot (while still on leave) for what they thought was a benign cyst (probably pregnancy hormone induced) – to find out it actually was a low grade sarcoma.  To be 30 with 2 kids under 2, no job and to be told I had cancer…that was a pretty stressful time in my life.  You can imagine the thoughts that went through my head.  Luckily for me, I had a great support system of family and friends who got me through it.  While recovering from that surgery, I started to learn more about health and wellness.  You see, I started this nutritional rebalancing system a week before my surgery.  I was looking to drop the baby weight.  What I didn’t realize was the slew of other health benefits that would come along with it, as well as my dream job!  The plan I followed is the only system clinically proven to help take your body from acidic to alkaline.  When that happens, there are so many health benefits!  My 6^th day on the plan, I started sleeping through the night for the first time in five years…I was hooked!  I dropped all of my baby weight and started to focus on how I could help others achieve the same success.  And then I learned that cancer can not thrive in an alkaline environment…which kept me interested in this plan.  You see, they told me there was nothing I could do to prevent a reoccurrence.  What I also learned is that while physicians can be extremely intelligent, most of them are taught NOTHING about nutrition and how food can help or hurt you.  Does that shock you?  It did me!  I kept researching how alkalinity can help cancer patients/survivors.  While this system hasn’t cured, healed or treated me for anything – I am almost 3 years in and 3 years cancer free since my surgery and starting this plan.  Coincidence?  Possibly…but maybe not.  So now you can see how health and wellness took off for me.  I wanted to help other people.  What else could I do?

So over time, my team of just me, turned into a team of thousands and thousands with the goal of helping others.  Within our support groups and on my personal page, I started to share my love for healthy cooking.  I love to host, I love to feed people, I love when someone tells me what I made is delicious!  It’s the best compliment I can get.  What came easy to me in the kitchen, I quickly learned didn’t come easy to the masses.  What I KNOW is healthy, many others don’t.  You see, our society has been taught all wrong by the media.  Depending on your generation, depending on the environment you grew up in, will depend on your views of what healthy is.  My mom’s generation is the “fat free” and “low fat” craze.  What we know now?  Fat free and low fat generally means chemically altered to be that way.  And what do those chemicals do?  Well look at the overall health of America and you can see.  What about the percentage of obesity in our country?  Not to mention the lack of actual nutrition in our food supply.  An apple today is not the same as an apple 10 years ago.  What can we do about this now?  Make changes.  Be aware.  Eat real foods.  Shop local where you know where the produce comes from.  Stick with organic when you can, to avoid as many pesticides and herbicides as possible.  And also shop the perimeters of your stores and avoid the aisles when you can.  Try to stay away from processed foods.

Through coaching others through my same nutrition plan, I have also been able to help others learn how to eat real, healthy foods.  How to follow simple recipes that don’t take a long prep time, that can give you those flavors you crave without the calories.  To nourish your body with real food!  To look at food as fuel that can also satisfy those taste buds!

What you will find in my future blog posts and my site?

New recipes as fast as I can get them out to you!  You will also learn that I LOVE to share what I love!  When I find something good?  You will know about it!  That can be the comfiest workout pants out there – a great movie – a great way to stay active – easy snack ideas – health tips – some of my favorite things – great at home date night menu ideas – kid friendly foods – new meal inspiration and more!  A big THANK YOU for checking out my blog and my site!  If you decide to give any of my recipes a whirl, please tag me in them @Jerseyjennskitchen #jerseyjennskitchen so I can see the yumminess you recreate!  Have specific questions?  Drop me a line anytime and I am happy to respond at [email protected]!  Thank you for your love and support!  Here goes nothing! <3