1. October 2012

Hi, I´m Petra!

So much has changed in my life since I started this blog!

About two and a half years ago I fell ill. Out of the blue, after a quite healthy cucumber salad for lunch, I got acid reflux. Often accompanied by stomach pain, it lasted for nearly two years.

After the heavy reflux hadn´t improved for some weeks the doctors ordered a lot of test. I was examinated in all kinds of ways, swallowed quite a few tubes and gave a good amount of blood. All test results came out perfectly fine. The best I could wish for, of course. But on the downside nothing could really be done for my pain.

The doctors told me I had to stop the acid reflux by all means, otherwise the risk of oesophagus cancer would increase considerably. I dieted for weeks and kept a food diary to find out what food might cause the trouble – without any result. The reflux stayed the same, wether I ate potato salad with steak or just a small portion of oats & water porridge. I´ve lost count how many nights I spent sitting upright in my bed, waiting, hoping, that the fire in my throat and my chest would stop. I tried about every natural remedy for acid reflux, nothing worked. For weeks I only lived on healing earth or potato juice – without any long term result. Then I gave in to the doctors´ advice and took proton pump inhibitors.

When they didn´t work, the doctors told me I had to increase the dosage. Over more than a year I took hundreds, thousands of proton pump inhibitors. But strangely, the higher the dosage the more acid my body produced. The stunned doctors only told me, they hadn´t experienced a phenomenon like that before. But no matter what, I shouldn’t stop taking the pills.

One day I decided not to ruin the last bit of my health. I stopped taking the proton pump inhibitors and started a very strict diet: vegan, sugar free, fat free apart from some nuts and seeds, gluten free, and no processed food at all. I don´t know why I chose this diet -  helplessness, just running out of options or instinct?

For two weeks nothing changed. After three weeks I started feeling better, two months later I was nearly symptom free. Not till then I realized how close I had been to giving up. Finally it was like getting my life back. I wouldn´t say I´m completely cured but most of the time I´m fine and enjoying delicious food more than ever – if that´s even possible. Every day I am deeply grateful for this gift.

One year ago I decided to live one of my dreams and I moved from the big city of Dortmund to Sylt, a little island in the North Sea, next to the Danish border.

Meanwhile I´ve carefully reintroduced grains to my diet, mostly gluten free. From time to time I enjoy sustainable fish or some dairy like local cheese and kefir.

During the last two years I´ve learned a lot not only about food but the food processing industry and it´s impact, too. I´m not only concerned about my own health anymore and I think everybody can make a difference for this planet. For this reason I decided to choose my food not just for my own well-being and you will find mostly vegan recipes on this blog, if possible made of local products.

I have learned to love natural food passionately and I´m going to share my best recipes with you!

Your feedback and comments are always very much appreciated or you can contact me via email. Thanks for stopping by!

Petra