Isms in the Kitchen Part 4 - Insights from Sir Robert

Sorry for the delay in posting our next installment in the Isms in the Kitchen series, but I was trying to tie down Sir Robert and get his take on all of this. Sometimes that can be like trying to pick up mercury – he is on the go – a lot. (Sadly all of us who grew up with mercury thermometers know that visual too well. Can’t even imagine the amount of mercury poisoning one class of 5th graders was exposed to in 1981 because Johnny wanted to show off how “cool” mercury was. It boggles the mind.)

Q – So you have isms all up in your house. How does it feel to be the priest of the home in a house full of isms?

A – Exhausting and..... An Honor.

Q – The girls are not the only ones changing their diets these days. How long have you personally been eating differently?

A – About 8 weeks or so.

Q - Why did you change your diet?

A – Well, I’m 40 – my dad died at 51 and that didn’t happen overnight. I really want to take ground where my health is concerned. My eyes have been opened since learning all we have about the girls and how food affects them, but really I started being more conscious of all this when you had cancer.

Q – That was in 2003 and we went pretty much completely organic, but this is a much deeper change. So what have you cut out or done differently in the last 8 weeks?

A- I definitely don’t do dairy – refined sugar, gluten –well for the most part, I did have a flour tortilla today. Sometimes gluten is tough to stay away from when you eat out and many of my meetings are at restaurants. I avoid MSG for sure. Processed food is something I’ve really cut out. I’m trying to eat whole foods when I can.

Q – Why did you choose to cut out these foods?

A- From all I’ve read and heard (he’s staring at me now) it seemed like it would be beneficial. I’ve really enjoyed the books, Body by God, The Ab Diet. What the Bible Says about Healthy Living and The Maker’s Diet.

Q - What changes have you seen?

A – Physically, I’ve lost 25 pounds, but honestly cycling has made a huge impact on my weight as well. I used to cycle in high school and have picked it back up in the last several months. I love it now.

Q - Do you have a goal with your cycling? (hope you hear the set-up).

A – I’d like to ride a century – a hundred miles – by September.

Q – How far are you now on that goal.

A – I’m up to 52 miles.

Q – Why is that important to you?

A – For most cyclists the first goal is a century. And it’ something I’ve never done before.

Q - How has the diet affected you otherwise?

A - I feel great. I have more energy. (This is starting to sound like a commercial.)

Q – Do you feel you can think more clearly now?

A - Do I think more clearly? – Well we’ll see.

Q – Has making this change been difficult?

A - I used to crave sugar and dairy, but now hummus and almond milk have been there to help me along.

Q - Do you feel like you had an ism growing up and didn’t know it?

A – Oh yeah. Back then people didn’t call it ADD or ADHD; they called it daydreaming and forgetfulness. The HD part, I know now is just kinesthetic processing. I know now that if I am working on something or trying to learn something, I need to be moving to do it. Sitting still for 8 hours a day doesn’t work for me. I was also always very tired. When I was about 8, they thought I had Leukemia because I would have these horrible bruises on my face. I had headaches that would cause me to throw up. Most people know them as migraines, but in the south they were “sick headaches.” They told my parents that I had a Vitamin C deficiency. I was never able to tolerate whole milk as a baby. They didn’t call it lactose intolerant back then just a colicky baby. I still to this day get car sick if I don’t ride up front. I suppose my vestibular hicky is off.

Q - What foods did you eat as kid?

A - Sugar and Milk. :) I Loved Fruit Loops and milk. (truly the breakfast of champions)

Q – What didn’t you eat as a kid?

A- I didn’t eat chicken, rice, noodles, eggs, cheese, potatoes - unless they were French fries, mushrooms, or anything of the maggot texture variety. I didn’t like steak – loved tuna fish sandwiches, though. Bacon, toast and jelly were my staples. I ate it every day of my life for 15 years.

Q – Tell me about what you eat for breakfast now?

A- Hemp Protein mixed with Almond milk, a bowl of granola, with coconut yogurt, blueberries and hot sauce.

Q – For our readers, that is not a typo. He does indeed eat hot sauce on his breakfast yogurt. Can you say sensory seeker?


Q – Back to your childhood. What about textures?

A – I didn’t like certain fabrics. I loved terrycloth and t-shirts. Church shoes were hell. No belts. Didn’t like collared shirts – especially if the material was itchy.

Q - How was it when you read?

A – I could never read during the day – nothing else could be going on. Even now in my office, I have to turn out all the lights with only the light of the computer on to be able to read. When I was a kid, I used to read the same sentences over and over again. It made me feel stupid. Then I began to believe that I was stupid. My grades reflected that – really until you taught me how to study in college.

Q – How did you move from feeling stupid to getting a master's degree?

A – Learning some study skills from you and finding my identity and self-worth in Christ versus what I could or couldn’t do.

Q - Now for the big question. Eating this way can cost more. As the one who brings home the bacon (the organic, beef, uncured, non-smoked, non-MSG-infested bacon), do you feel it is worth the dent it is making in the budget?

A - YES!

Q- Is there anything else you would like too add to your first interview?

A – Nope. I think I’m good.

This interview was conducted mostly over the phone and riding in the car (both while Rob was driving.)