The following are a list of resources that I put together based on my personal experiences with blogging, cooking, growing in faith, treating Lyme/mold/autoimmune issues, and learning more about food and fitness. I hope you find these as helpful for you as they have been for me!
STARTING A FOOD BLOG
Some of you have asked me about how I set up my food blog, so I figured this was the best place to share my answers!
Bluehost
I recommend enrolling in a Bluehost hosting plan. They offer great deals as a web host and they have full technical support for anytime you run into difficulty. You can create a domain name and register it through Bluehost to then use in setting up a WordPress blog.
WordPress
I use WordPress for Fed and Fulfilled and I paid for a Genesis theme with Foodie Pro as m “child theme.” Basically, it just means that I have a built-in template that makes it easy to write posts specifically for recipes. If you’re just starting out, there are many free themes to use in setting up your blog, but I recommend paying a bit more for Genesis if you plan to make your blog into a business. It’s worth it for the extra features it comes with to make your life as a blogger much easier!
Minimalist Baker Tutorial Videos
If you’re still scratching your head as to what I’m even talking about with Bluehost and WordPress, then I encourage you to begin by watching some FREE videos produced by the talented food blogger team at Minimalist Baker. They walk you through how to set up your site quickly, easily, and efficiently!
Food Blogger Pro
For those who want to go a bit deeper into blogging or plan to monetize a blog, I strongly recommend subscribing to a Food Blogger Pro membership. This was a life-saver for me in setting up Fed and Fulfilled! They have awesome tech support, tons of informational videos on everything from photography to advertising. Enrollment opens at various times throughout the year, so sign up for their waiting list to be notified when the next opening occurs.
Just a Girl and Her Blog
This beautiful and inspiring blog is run by Abby, a friend of mine. Not only will you learn more about home decor, DIY projects, and organization, but there is a whole section dedicated to starting and running a blog – which Abby does so well! She took her blog from a hobby to a full-fledged, successful business in only 3 years. AND she shares exactly how she did it! Super helpful and inspiring!
MY COOKING ESSENTIALS
Living a Paleo lifestyle is much simpler when you have the right kitchen equipment and special ingredients! Here are some online stores that I recommend to help make your cooking life easier!
My Amazon Store
All of my favorite cooking gadgets and ingredients are in one place on my Fed and Fulfilled Amazon Store! Check out what products I recommend and have them delivered to your door! **As an Amazon Affiliate, I receive a small commission on qualifying purchases, but that does not influence my opinions on the products in my shop. These are my go-to tried items that make my life easier! Happy shopping!
Thrive Market
Thrive Market has been a life-saver when searching for specialty ingredients – especially for anyone who lives far outside access to health food stores, Whole Foods, or large grocery store chains. Thrive has a huge variety of products for any diet, along with housewares, beauty supplies, and more! I highly recommend subscribing! They offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more, and often throw in free gifts! **As a Thrive Market Affiliate, I receive a small commission if you use my link to subscribe, but that in no way influences my opinion. I love Thrive and am happy to share it with you!
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
This section speaks to the “Fulfilled” aspect of my blog’s name. My faith is what fulfills me and the authors and resources below played a big part in guiding and growing me in my journey as a Christ-follower.
She Reads Truth
This is an online Bible study and community for women. Each day is a new set of scriptures and a devotional story to go along with them. It’s my favorite online devo and I always feel like I learn something from what I read, whether the scriptures chosen, the devo itself, or the comments left by other readers. Really good!
Lysa TerKeurst
Lysa has written a number of books and devotionals. She’s extremely relatable and I appreciate her openness in sharing her struggles in life and faith – many of which I identify with! Check out her books, “The Best Yes” and “Uninvited,” among others!
Angie Smith
For anyone else who has gone through pregnancy loss, I recommend checking out Angie Smith’s blog and her book, “I Will Carry You.” She writes from the heart about dealing with loss and overcoming grief. Another one of my favorite Christian authors.
Wendy Pope
This Proverbs 31 Ministries contributor has an awesome way with words and has been really encouraging in my “waiting seasons.” I highly recommend her book, “Wait and See” for anyone going through a wait who might need a spiritual boost. Such a great, inspirational read!
Vaneetha Rendall Risner
If you or anyone you know is going through a season of suffering, definitely check out Vaneetha’s blog and book, “The Scars that have Shaped Me.” Her story is powerful and a testament to God’s provision and strength through hardship. She’s one of the most inspiring women authors I’ve ever read!
LIVING WITH LYME, MOLD, & AUTOIMMUNITY
It’s so hard to find good resources on Lyme Disease, Mold Toxicity, and Autoimmune Disease, because these health issues aren’t usually handled very well among traditional medicine doctors. I’ve rounded up a couple of sites that I’ve found helpful on my journey through both issues.
Dr. Bill Rawls
Dr. Rawls is an MD who understands Lyme Disease because he suffers from it himself and totally put it into remission using a variety of herbs and supplements rather than rounds of harsh antibiotics. While I have never used his custom protocol, his book, “Unlocking Lyme” was the first I read after I got diagnosed. I recommend his site as a starting point for Lyme articles, webinars, and videos. He’s constantly doing Q&A sessions and stays up-to-date on the latest treatments and supportive therapies. His knowledge of Lyme has been really helpful for me in my journey and I hope it helps you, too!
Global Lyme Alliance
This non-profit organization is dedicated to funding research and treatments for Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses, as well as educating people across the globe and raising awareness about the diseases. There are a lot of helpful resources on this site that allowed me to learn a lot more about what I was dealing with. They even have a doctor search to find Lyme-literate doctors near you. (It’s also a great cause to donate to, if you’re able!)
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS)
ILADS is a non-profit dedicated to research and treatments for Lyme and other related diseases. They have a search engine for finding Lyme-literate doctors and also offer a lot of educational resources for both patients and healthcare professionals. They also give helpful guidelines for how to apply for Social Security Disability benefits if you are severely disabled from Lyme Disease.
The Institute for Functional Medicine
When I discovered I had autoimmune disease, I knew I needed doctors who understood the importance of treating the root cause, not just my symptoms. Functional Medicine has been a huge help to me because it’s about healing the body through food, self-care, and lifestyle changes, not just through medications. This link has a Functional Medicine Doctor search so that you can find practitioners in your area. As with any doctor, make sure you ask a lot of questions to see if they are the right fit for you. You are your own best advocate for your health!
Surviving Mold
Mold toxicity is such a complicated issue that it’s often difficult to know where to start. This site is a great resource to educate yourself on what toxic mold and mycotoxins are, where they can be hiding, how they affect the body, and steps to take for testing and treatments. I highly recommend finding a doctor who understands mold illness, as well, rather than just trying to treat it yourself. But this is a good place to gather more information!
Micro Balance Health Products
For those sensitive to mold and who need reliable products to keep mold levels down in the home or in your body, I recommend these cleaners! The EC3 Mold solution is one we use frequently for keeping our house as free of mold as possible. They also have mold-reducing candles, laundry additive for keeping mold out of clothing, and a bunch of other products to help support mold-sensitive patients.
FOOD BLOGS TO FREQUENT
Below are a list of my favorite food blogs. Some have inspired me to create my own blog and others are my go-to sites for amazing recipes that my family and I love to cook and eat! Enjoy and be prepared for some drool-worthy food photos! 🙂
For any diet:
Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum has been one of my all-time favorite food blogs well before I went Paleo. The good news is that this blog has hundreds of recipes to accommodate many diets! Every recipe I have made from here has turned out well. The site is run by a cute husband and wife team who are some of the most successful food bloggers in the business. (They also own and run Food Blogger Pro!)
Smitten Kitchen
This blog has some of the most beautiful photographs – simple and dramatic. Plus, I can’t stop making the “Easiest Fridge Pickles” recipe! You can easily spend hours looking at the food masterpieces from this site! Especially the desserts!
Minimalist Baker
You’ll find perfectly simple designs, colorful photos, and easy recipes with big flavors on this blog! Not to mention all the many helpful resource videos for starting and managing your own food blog! Another husband and wife power-blogging couple!
For the Paleo diet:
Against All Grain
My first experiences with the Paleo diet resulted from a friend buying me an Against All Grain cookbook. I fell in love with Danielle Walker’s recipes and even more with her story. Definitely take the time to read about her health journey, strong faith, and her family’s story.
PaleOMG
PaleOMG wins for the most fun and creative Paleo recipes that are also easy to make! Many of my go-to Paleo meals come from this food blog. And if you are into fashion, Juli shares all about where she finds her stylish wardrobe!
The Urban Poser
This blog has my full respect because not only does it offer delicious Paleo recipes, it also boasts the cookbook, “My Paleo Patisserie,” which makes grain-free baking a total art form. It blew my mind to see grain-free eclairs, macarons, madeleines, and more. I can’t even imagine the work that went into creating these recipes! The photos are out of this world and the food is masterful. Love, love, love!
For the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet:
Grazed and Enthused
Going AIP doesn’t have to mean you need to sacrifice flavor and creativity when you cook. Alaena’s blog is a great AIP recipe resource, full of delicious and healthy recipes that make you forget you’re even on a special diet! She also has tips on health, skincare, raising children, and more. Check out her site!
Autoimmune-Paleo
This is a hugely helpful blog that not only has great recipes, but also a ton of good information on the AIP diet. I own one of their cookbooks and it helped me make the transition much easier from mostly Paleo to fully AIP.
Unbound Wellness
Michelle at Unbound Wellness has a HUGE arsenal of easy, tasty Paleo and AIP recipes. She has a ton of knowledge about Hashimoto’s, gut health, and autoimmune disease, so she’s a great resource for anyone who struggles in those area. Did I mention she has amazing recipes?! Especially if you’re just getting started on the autoimmune protocol and need simple meal ideas!
FUN WITH FITNESS
Down your green smoothie, grab a water bottle, and get ready to sweat! Below are my favorite ways to work out! There are so many awesome online fitness videos that are 100% FREE thanks to YouTube! Here are the ones I use most often.
Jessica Smith TV
I love using Jessica Smith TV for my daily workouts. Not only does she have an arsenal of workouts in her fitness library, but she also provides a lot of low impact alternatives. This was really perfect for me when I had to tone down the intensity of my daily workouts. I highly recommend checking out her Barre workouts (my personal favorites), strength training/sculpting sessions, and walking workouts. She also has some great abs videos, too!
Fitness Blender
Fitness Blender will always be a go-to fitness resource for me. This husband and wife team puts out very professional workout videos and are constantly producing new content. For a real challenge, try the infamous 1,000 calorie workouts! I love their strength and core workouts, too! The best part is, their website allows you to search for workouts using a wide variety of criteria. Very user-friendly!
Yoga with Adriene
There are days when we just need to relax, breathe, and meditate to calm our bodies and ease stress. Yoga with Adriene is a perfect resource to give your body a break, while still getting a workout in. Don’t be fooled – yoga can still be a challenge! I also really enjoy her breathing exercises to help with stress and anxiety.
**Please note that this page contains affiliate links to which I may receive a small commission if an item is purchased. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and I only write about and share things that I am passionate about or have experience with. For more info, read my disclosure.**