WHAT BRINGS ME HERE? I grew up wanting to be a baking Blue Peter Presenter, but without the “here’s one I made earlier”, I would always make it live to my audience (the pets)! As a child I would constantly be making and baking. I would stand in the kitchen for hours on end covered in flour; cakes full of egg shells, dogs covered in a baking dust, cats licking dropped cream from the floor, an image of complete chaos…but I would be in my utter element. I used to pretend I was presenting to an imaginary camera and would deliver whatever I had made to my parents and little brother at the end for the “taste test”. Obviously their reactions were always proud and positive (as we were on camera of course) and I would be so pumped with sugary excitement that I’d start planning my next project.
To fast forward a little …. Just before my eighteenth birthday I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I’d lost 3 stone very quickly over a couple of months, I was drinking everything and anything in sight, weeing constantly, crying constantly, waking up with cramp CONSTANTLY and oh, I had the “worst case of thrush” the doctor had ever seen. (Sorry boys). 2 weeks in hospital later, a T1 diagnosed diabetic with a bag full of medication, injections and lucozade tablets I headed back to school to complete my A-Levels. People’s reactions were mixed, most were kind with sympathetic intrigue but there were a few “Will I catch it?”, “My Grandpa’s diabetic and he doesn’t have any legs” that have stuck in my mind forever. I managed to get through my A-Levels but had to defer my place at University that year, as my mind and health were not in the right place. I have found diabetes a very challenging disease to live with and have had as many ups and downs as I have high and low blood sugars. So many dietitians and Professors have told me over the years that eating carbohydrates (slow releasing) to maintain a stable blood sugar is the way to go. However, for me eating any carbohydrate slow releasing, complex or not, I will inevitably end up having to give myself so much insulin to compensate for the rise in sugar it gives me that it simply isn’t worth it.
A new discovery. I came across a lower carb lifestyle through my Trainer and friend, Henri. I was battling with my weight, never had periods, had just got engaged and desperately wanted to be a confident bride and get my health on firm track. Henri recommended that I give the low carb lifestyle a go and set me on my way with an eating and exercise plan. Over the ten months before the wedding I fell head over heels in love with this lifestyle, not only because I love cooking and preparing meals, or because of the weight loss, but because my once erratically controlled diabetes was suddenly in the best shape of its life and I wasn’t having to think about calculating the amount of carbohydrate I was ingesting all the time.
I truly learnt what worked for my body and what didn’t.
I now feel what being well, happy and healthy is about and I never want to let that feeling go. Over the years I have “fell off the wagon” so to speak and my blood sugars are the first thing to be affected. My insulin retirements immediately shoot up and my time in range (via CGM) rapidly decreases. My weight is very much affected by food and stress and I have to work very hard to balance it.
I have been every weight and every size during my time with diabetes, at my heaviest I was 16.5 stone and at my lightest I was 8 stone. I am 5’8 and like all girls I have fixated on my weight many times throughout my life. But becoming a mother to my two daughters made me want to a) live better and more than ever and b) be a role model for them. I am so careful about the language I use around them and showing them that living with a disease such as diabetes doesn’t stop me being the best I can be.
I am also a huge food lover and a large part of our life is spent planning meals for ourselves, friends, visiting markets and restaurants. We live for good food and I’d never want to refuse myself that enjoyment.
Since sticking to a low carb lifestyle and increasing my exercising regime I have also managed to cut my insulin intake by approximately 60%. I have also managed to banish the following persistent health issues:
- Headaches
- Irregular periods (I now have a period every 23 days, having never had a regular period before September 2013 after being diagnosed with pcos at aged 18 – yes, it was a hard year!!)
- Acne- I used to be prone to erratic acne around my jaw and chin, my skin has been so clear now that I now very rarely wear foundation or cover up
- Bloating- I used to feel frequently bloated and “heavy”, I would regularly rush home from work and throw on the baggiest clothes I could find to allow my tummy to release itself and feel free. I no longer suffer from bloating, other than occasionally during my menstrual cycle.
And the following things have increased dramatically:
- Energy
- No Cravings- I no longer have any of the cravings I used to for chocolate or diet coke, which used to be my two daily frenimies. If I crave anything now it’s roasted butternut squash and my ‘guilt free’ chocolate avocado mousse.
- Skin- much clearer, no spots, no oil
- Hair- much shinier and healthier
- I eat three meals a day with no snacking and no skipping meals
- I have a clearer mind, I am more positive, patient about life, goals and challenges
My biggest achievement has however been having 2 pregnancies with T1D and 2 healthy daughters. They are brilliant and very honest when it comes to trying my new recipes!
The Low Carb Kitchen is a collection of delicious, nutritious recipes, blogs about my type one diabetes, pregnancy and lifestyle bits. I am by no means a trained dietician/ nutritionist or chef and every recipe I share has been made and photographed by myself. These are all my own creations, they are recipes that I eat. Eating low carb helps me to aid in the control of my blood sugar levels but it doesn’t cure me of being t1! I just want to be as honest as I can be in this blog and share as much about my journey as a type one diabetic as I can a with you.
I am the author of The Low Carb Diabetes Cookbook which was published in November 2018, co-written with Dr David Cavan, a diabetes specialist and best selling author of the Reverse Your Diabetes collection of books. I wrote and developed 100 low carb recipes for the book. The book is there to show and inspire people to cook. Simple, delicious recipes for the whole family.
I have since published 2 ebooks – The Low Carb Baking Bible and Mrs P’s Low Carb Christmas. Both are filled with low carb favourites and I am very proud of.
I do a lot of private chef work, nationwide and internationally, specifically for families who want to follow a lower carb / keto lifestyle. I really enjoy cooking for people as it means I get to share my story and inspire people with my cooking and recipes. If you would like to book me or for more information you can email me at [email protected]
I am an ambassador for Combe Grove, a metabolic health and wellness retreat in Bath. It runs week long retreats for those living with the menopause, pre diabetes, insulin resistance, type 1 diabetes and food addiction. If you would like more information then I can put you in touch with Dr Rebecca Hiscutt who is a dietician and practice manager.
By using my name – Emma Porter – you will receive a £222 discount + an additional free treatment for booking through you
I am also available for:
- One on one health focused cooking lessons
- Guest speaking on low carb / diabetes
- Magazine / online publications / interviews / comments
- Group cooking lessons
- Food Photography / Food Styling
- Parties / Catering / Fairs
I really hope you enjoy this blog as much as I love creating it, please feel free to contact me on here or any of the links below and share any thoughts or just say hi!
I LOVE hearing from you all!
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Email: [email protected]
It’s fab – just read, sadly while eating cake! But it could be the beginning of a new me.
Haha…one step at a time ;o)
Love this. I have heard mixed things about the Paleo lifestyle. Your blog has totally changed my opinion for the better. So lovely to hear you are happy and looking so well. Congrats Mrs P excited what the beautiful future has to offer you 🙂
Hi Amelia, Thank you SO MUCH for writing such a lovely comment, so kind! I’m so pleased that you are inspired! It’s definitely the best thing I’ve ever done for myself! Always here if you want advice 🙂
Fab blog! Very inspiring. I thought it was only me that was obsessed with chocolate & diet coke! A really bad addition that I need to get rid of. Eating clean makes me feel great but always seem to slip back into old habits 🙁 x
Hi Kate- Thank YOU so much for taking the time to comment! Diet coke and chocolate were literally an obsession of mine too- I didn’t think I could ever give them up! I still allow myself 90% chocolate every now and then as I do LOVE good chocolate and I do think that if you don’t have a treat every now and then you are more likely to slip back in to old ways! I plan a treat day every now and then so that I know I have something to look forward to which I find helps me stay on track too. The diet coke I have managed to completely curb though, and I definitely don’t miss it! Keep going and do keep in touch 🙂 x
Hi Emma … just joined your blog (via our mutual friend Anita Kelsey) and very interested to hear more. However, I don’t eat meat (still eat poultry and fish), so wondering how I could incorporate more vegetable protein into the Paleo diet? Your thoughts or ideas would be great. I have a condition called Graves Disease which is a hyper-active thyroid and like Diabetes 1, is auto-immune. It’s currently ‘in remission’, but the drugs to bring down my thyroid levels have left my metabolism very low and me carrying an extra 17kgs on top of my already ‘normal’ overweight weight of 70kgs. At only 5ft 1in, I am very uncomfortable and obese now and lack so much energy that I find it hard to even start. I too am a chocoholic, but Diet coke not an issue! I am inspired though and will be following your blog avidly – hopefully it will work for me too. Jan
Hi Jan, I’m so pleased you found me and thank YOU very much for writing to me so honestly. I would definitely recommend that you try out Paleo for 4 – 6 weeks as strictly as possible to let your body adjust to the change; that would mean going gluten free and dairy free with no caffeine, carbs, sugar etc. It will seem very hard at first- and I certainly suffered withdrawal symptoms, headaches and cravings VERY strongly, but once I had got through these the natural energy boost I felt was astounding. If you are prepared to plan ahead meals then this will help you to stay focused. If you eat chicken and fish then thats a great start, incorporate them with lots of eggs, butternut squash, caulliflower rice dishes, along with some homemade vegetable soups etc. Do try and stay clear of fruit for the 4-6 weeks- berries are good (blueberries especially) as they are low sugar / carb but anything else should be avoided at all costs. I am working with my trainer and friend, Henri at the moment to try and create a 28 day plan so keep a look out as it will hopefully be launching in the next week or so 🙂 I really hope this helps and please say in touch. YOU CAN DO IT! 🙂
Thanks … I will start preparing my meal plans and shopping trip! It’s winter in NZ (where I live) so berries are not in the shops – it will have to be frozen ones!! I’ve done something similar before and yes, the first 3 or 4 days were awful with withdrawal symptoms … need to plan a good time to feel ill!!
All looks amazing.. Will def try all of the veggie options. What are the main food groups you are cutting out, apart from the obvious sugars?
Just read your reply to Jan so scrap answering my first post. I guess this would mean me going vegan then?
Thank you 🙂 you don’t have to go vegan completely as eggs play a huge part (do you eat them?), you can eat as many veggies as you want and nuts (macadamia and almonds are the best for you) 🙂 grains, pulses, dairy, sugar and complex carbs etc have to be cut out completely though if you are sticking to Paleo completely. I will let you know as soon as this health / fitness and recipe plan has been drawn up and maybe you could try it 🙂
Absolutely! Will def give it a go. x
I really hope I can kill this chocolate & diet coke addiction. My husband thinks I’m crazy but the cravings I get are awful!
It’s just getting over the initial stages and I did that back in January – 30 days of no sugar, dairy, pasta, white potatoes etc. Felt amazing & dropped 12 lbs! Bad habits soon crept back in 🙁
Will definitely be following you for inspiration and ideas. Please let me know when the health / fitness plan is done. Kate x
I found that I literally had to give it all up solidly for 10 days before I lost the cravings. The first two I had chronic headaches and felt so unwell but by day 10 I felt amazing and energised. It’s easy to fall off the band wagon though, no ones perfect- especially as we live in a world of instant temptation! You should try definitely getting rid of the diet coke – then maybe allow yourself a treat on day 10 – maybe some raw cacao brownies or something like that so you get the chocolate fix, but no nasty gluten or sugar high. 12 lbs is an amazing weight loss ! you just have to have a focus- health! Keep going! GOOD LUCK. 🙂
Having type 1 diabetes and pcos myself I’m pleased to have found your blog and will follow with interest. I too discovered that a paleo or low GI diet really helps my blood sugar control, although I only found this out by trial and error. I wish more health care professionals would recommend this way of eating to newly diagnosed diabetics. Looking forward to seeing more!
Thank you so much for commenting and I hope you are well 🙂 I too wish health care professionals or even Diabetes UK would pick up on Paleo – I think it could change so many peoples lives for the better, I certainly rarely ever suffer from the highs or lows I did before. Not having to take insulin for certain meals feels like such a novelty still – and then still having a good blood sugar afterwards. Every dietitian I have met through my healthcare have always said “eat slow releasning carbohydrates” – I think they are very misinformed and are just feeding bad information on to people who believe them. Keep in touch!
Wow! What unbelievably kind words! I’m so touched- thank you so much I am so glad you enjoy my recipes and thank you so much for sharing. I hope you feel better very soon! 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Emi. And thank you so much for the get well wishes. <3
Glad I found your blog from Jhuls! Neat to read your story…I eat low-glycemic, so your recipes should work great for me. Excited to follow your blog and look around!
Hi Lori- thank you so much for commenting! I’ve just had a quick look at your blog too and it looks great, delicious recipe ideas! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Hello, Emi!!
I hope you are enjoying the week and I hope I could make you smile with this little thing: I have nominated you for the ‘Beautiful Blogger’ Award. Participation is optional. If interested, please follow this link: http://thenotsocreativecook.wordpress.com/2014/08/05/beautiful-blogger-award/
xx Jhuls
Wow- thank you so much Jhuls, so sweet of you! I will definitely have a look :o) Emi
My pleasure, Emi. <3
I’ve just scratched the surface of your blog but I’m already in LOVE! I have had type one diabetes for 22 years this September and I just started phasing into Paleo and it’s amazing what it’s done for my blood sugars. I can’t wait to follow you and maybe snag some ideas to implement into my journey to amazing health.
Hi Megan- wow- thank you so much for such a lovely and uplifting comment. I am so pleased that you have found my blog and if the recipes can inspire you in some way then that would be great! 22 yrs- wow- T1 is such a hard disease to control but Paleo has certainly changed my life – seeing stable sugars and feeling genuinely ‘well’ is a fantastic feeling. Good luck and stay in touch :o)
So great to hear your success story with Paleo. I have been ill ever since I was a teenager, and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year. I found that when I was on strict paleo my symptoms virtually went into remission! I have a really sweet tooth so am enjoying coming up with sweet, paleo treats for my blog, but unfortunately don’t have quite the imagination when it comes to making real meals! So I’m definitely looking forward to keeping up with your recipes. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Hi Kera, thank you so much for getting in touch and commenting. I have had a look at your blog and you have some really lovely recipes! I too have a huge sweet tooth- especially at this time of year! Its so good to hear what a positive effect Paleo can have on your health- I hear this a lot from so many people who suffer from multiple conditions. It has certainly helped me! Do keep in touch and keep blogging! Emi x
Hi Mrs P
I’ve been following you on Instagram for a little while and just flicked over to your blog. So inspiring. Love your story. I’ve been doing strict paleo for about two months now – I could go on and on about all the good things about the lifestyle – and I’m just starting to introduce a few sweet paleo things into my diet now. It’s great to have access to so many lovely recipes. Thank you for your wonderful blog. Keep up the good work.
Jane
Hi Jane,
Thank you so much for commenting and I am so pleased you clicked across! It’s an amazing lifestyle, isn’t it. I certainly feel ‘well’ when I’m sticking to Paleo. Its amazing how just one or two of the wrong foods can make you feel terrible! I am so pleased that you are finding it has such a positive impact on you too. It’s always nice to indulge in a sweet treat every now and then and knowing that they aren’t harming you too is an added benefit!
Do keep in touch! I would love to hear how you get on.
Emi x
Hi Emma
I have been toying with the idea of a paleo lifestyle since Christmas and have read a lot of blogs and books that are mainly American or Australian. It is great to find a British blogger whose recipes are simple, set out with lovely photography, and we are able to make them as the ingredients are local. I am taking the plunge today with my husband and then will try after time to introduce things to my 3 sons (12,8 &4) without them knowing 🙂
Hi Louise, thank you so much for your message! It’s so lovely to hear that you are enjoying my blog! Good luck starting Paleo, the first three days are always the toughest but after that you will start feeling all the benefits! Good luck and do keep in touch! Have a great week :o)
Emma!!
I just found you on Instagram & obviously had to check out your website because I was so amazed & excited by the food you are creating!
I have literally been scrolling through your recipes for the last hour. I have been paleo for almost one year now & it’s the best thing I have ever done. Thank you so much for all of your inspiration! It’s great to be injected with new passion & ideas!! I love cooking too and maybe one day we can cook together! Lots of love, joy & laughter xx
Rose, Australia.
Dear Rose! Such a wonderful message to receive. Thank you so much, I am so happy to hear that you like my blog / instagram and that it’s reached you all the way in Australia! The internet always manages to amaze me! It’s so good to hear that Paleo has been so positive for you too and I can’t wait to hear which recipes you try and enjoy. Keep in touch. Emma x
Hi! What a lovely blog, found thanks to my sister Olivia. I shall be peeking through and trying some of these lovely recipes!
Hi Benedicte! How wonderful to hear from you and I’m so pleased that beautiful Olivia introduced us! I hope you enjoy my blog and do feel free to contact me on email, any time. Emma x
Your blog is beautiful. Keep it up. I have my blog too feel free to share your views here is a link to it https://rosesunshine1314.wordpress.com/about/
Thank you so much! X