Paula Deen is an American cooking icon.  She was one of my mom's favorite resources for tasty meals as she was augmenting her cooking skills with the Food Network.  In fact, my dad had me write Paula when my mom passed thanking her for being an inspiration.

Yet, as I learned more about eating healthy and what truly good nutrition is, I saw how unhealthy these rich tasty dishes were.  Now, I'm totally aware that it's up to each individual to watch their own nutrition and indulge in moderation, but recipes like these clearly helped contribute to the heart conditions that took my father at the age of 55 in 2008 from sudden heart failure.

Paula Deen recently admitted that she has known for the past three years that she has type 2 diabetes.  She stated that she kept the information private because she wanted to "figure things out in my own head".  Meanwhile she continued making a living off her super rich high fat high sugar recipes on her show, in cookbooks, website, etc…all the while happily uttering the phrase "add another stick of butter, y'all!".

She sells a butter warmer pan.  A pan whose sole purpose is warming butter.  She sells butter flavored lip balm.  No, seriously.  All the while she talks about doing everything in moderation, that she doesn't live like she cooks, that everyone should moderate their diets and they'll be fine.  Meanwhile, she admits that was staggered when she finally calculated how much sugar she drank from lunchtime to dinner via sweet tea.  How's that for moderation?

To be fair, at the end of the day Paula says "I'm your cook, not your doctor."  The problem with that, however, is that nutrition is as vital a part of health as anything out there.  In fact, it's the MOST important aspect of health.  So essentially, your cook IS your doctor, for better or worse.  Paula Deen talks about how she cooks for the families who worry about paying their bills and feeing their families, yet I have written about how healthy eating can be just as affordable as unhealthy eating, especially when you look at all the ingredients needed for many of Paula's recipes.

Paula is beloved by tons of people because she exudes Americana and homestyle memories.  People love her, trust her, enjoy everything she does.  However, her own son has created a show specifically themed around the fact that her recipes aren't healthy.  His show is called Not My Mama's Meals and is centered around healthier versions of her recipes.  In other words, her family is purposely providing unhealthy AND healthy versions of their recipes in order to double their money.

It's unfortunate.  I like Paula when I see her on TV.  She seems like the nicest person in the world.  I just hope that the media that will come from her admitting this publicly will one day cause HER show to be more like her son's.  I'd also love to give her some Shakeology to help control that Type 2 Diabetes, since it's designed to be low glycemic.  Here's to a healthier future for Paula Deen and America!

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