Celeste Darling 12/1/25 Celeste Darling 12/1/25

Ingredients

Berries

Mkay, let’s sign on some foundations that I lean into:

I align with the botanical perspective: a berry is a food that grows from a flower with many seeds on the inside.
A serving size is how much one hand can hold -my hand holds about 1/4 cup.
Leverage foraging when possible, then choose what would grow naturally in the local climate, followed by nutritional supplementation.
For all things alive and living, always verify what’s organic - eat what’s alive - and if it’s over-priced or rotting on the shelf, go somewhere else or grow it yourself (hydroponic automated systems can be far less costly) - Manifest local organic! Make it happen.

Banana (serving size: the full length of a thumb, from wrist to tip)
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Boisonberries
Chokeberries
Cloudberries
Currants
Zucchini
Pumpkin

Nopes:

I don‘t know why, my body simply rejected it at least 3 times so I’m taking a break from these:

A.No Grapes

B. No Cranberries

C. No Grapefruit

D. No Tangerines / Moderate Oranges

Leafies

I’ve become “that guy” when it comes to leafies… I have a hydroponic setup because lettuce is too pricey, doesn’t Last long enough, tastes weird, and specific lettuce my body doesn’t react to can be hard to find and out of season/region …but the organic seeds can be traded and acquired in garden stores and online!

Romaine (the whole family)
Endive
Chivcory

Nope’s

A.No to Moderate Cruciferous (Bok Choy)

B. No to moderate nightshades

Nuts

My NUTritionist recommended I lean away from inflammatory nuts; and that whirled open a rabbit hole of research…

Macademia
Walnut
Pecan

Nope’s

A.No Almonds (inflammatory/ impacts bone health)

B. No Peanuts (soy/inflammatory, plus it’s not a nut)

Veggie

What is a veggie anymore? >!< My reality got flipped when I adopted the “what is a berry” fundamentals (garden vs culinary)

Moderate Carrots
Multi-colored fingerling potatoes

Nope’s

A.Moderate onions (caramelized) (replace with asafetida)

B. No garlic (replace with fennel)

Seeds

Because I’m aware of my adversity to diverticulitis… Most of the seeds I consume are super ground into power via a coffee grinder and used as “seasoning” and “protein powder”

Flax seed (ground/powder)
Holy Basil seed (ground/powder)
Pumpkin seed (ground/powder)
Fennel (ground/powder)
Hemp hearts / Shelled Hemp seed (leave as is, they liquify)

Sweeteners

By this time, all the favors are playing well and don‘T need sweeteners for my palette …UNLESS I’m in a mood and the only cure is more of that sweet sweet cow bell!

Honey (from the hive, find you a local bee keeper or visit a farmer’s market)
Maple Syrup (from the tree, preferably Canadian)
Monk fruit (the droppers are also travel friendly)
Chocolate/cocoa (wow, am I picky, here’s a specific list of chocolate options tried so far)

Oils

Avocado oil (Primary choice)
Ancient Ghee (mmm butter)
Olive oil (I tend to lean away because I don’t always know when it goes rancid)

Celeste Darling 11/15/25 Celeste Darling 11/15/25

Hi, Mom.

I hear you’re experiencing some heart congestion and lupus flares. I did some research and found some notes in addition to some discoveries that have helped me.

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IMPORTANT! I am not a nutritionist. What I’ve listened before ideas I helped curate from the internet. Please do your own research and talk with your doctor.

***

I hear you were told by your doctor to “lose weight” and suggested getting a scale… and I want to inspire a wider perspective of what that could mean.

The psychology of a scale may be an unhealthy and inaccurate approach to addressing inflammation.

Another way to track inflammation is by girth - I use a cloth measuring tape - count the centimeters not the water weight.

Do timed resistance training reps and calisthenic progressions - feel the muscle gain progress through body weight strength and mobility challenges.

I’ve watched you use a scale several times before and witness obsession for a couple months then gain everything back and more - to me, it was an emotional roller coaster that became harmful to watch.

Would you be willing to approach your health a different way this time?

The idea behind “food as medicine” leans on the foundation that the body is programmed to heal itself. Meal planning becomes the strategy to ensure all the nutritional needs are fulfilled while also stimulating the metabolism to be prepared for the next meal.