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New in Sweden (originally from Minnesota USA)


GirlMeant2Fly

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Hello! My name is Melissa, and I am 33 years old. I am originally from Minnesota USA but I moved to Gothenburg Sweden in November 2016 to be with my Swedish boyfriend.

I have had many health issues for a lot of my life (especially an easily upset stomach, brittle nails, and acne, among many other things), getting worse as I get older, and I have suspected possible hypothyroidism (but I haven't been able to get tested for it yet). I found out a few days ago that a local friend has thyroid issues, so I was asking her about it and she suggested It Starts With Food and the Whole30 program. After reading about it extensively the last few days, I know it is the right thing for me to do! Because of some commitments I have this month that affect my ability to commit to the program properly, I plan to start Whole30 on May 22nd or 29th (depending on if we are going out of town on the 26-28th).

 

Just wondering if there are any other people here in Sweden, etc.? 

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hi!

We lived in Sweden for 7 years (my husband is Swedish and my children were born there) and we travel to Skåne every summer to visit my mother in law. 

How are you acclimating? I found it extremely difficult, but we were in Stockhom.

Im wondering if anyone knows what coffee creamer (non dairy) is available at ICA? My mil is going to gather some frukost items for our first morning there and coffee is critical after that long, overnight flight. Does anyone have a brand without too many chemicals? I've been using Califita here in the US, and it is acceptable 

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  • 1 month later...
On 7/15/2017 at 0:54 AM, MDL said:

Hi!

We lived in Sweden for 7 years (my husband is Swedish and my children were born there) and we travel to Skåne every summer to visit my mother in law. 

How are you acclimating? I found it extremely difficult, but we were in Stockhom.

Im wondering if anyone knows what coffee creamer (non dairy) is available at ICA? My mil is going to gather some frukost items for our first morning there and coffee is critical after that long, overnight flight. Does anyone have a brand without too many chemicals? I've been using Califita here in the US, and it is acceptable 

MDL:  Sorry for the delay in reply!  I thought I had replied to it the day you posted, but I guess not.  :-(  I have found it easy to acclimate in general, but it also isn't my first time living away from my home country.  I lived in Germany for nearly 3 years, and Germany was much harder!  I spoke some basic German, but the Germans really did not want to speak any English, etc--so I ended up very much relying on my German boyfriend (at the time), etc.  Here, at least everyone pretty much speaks English, if I need it!  But I also did a lot more preparing ahead of time--learning about the culture (which didn't seem as much of a culture shock to me, coming from Minnesota where it's mostly Scandinavian ancestry...), and I started learning Swedish ASAP and "intensive", so I'm already at a conversational level right now and I understand a lot more than I can speak.  I have traveled to other parts of Sweden, and I really like the feel of Gothenburg compared to someplace like Stockholm--it's a little more "calm" and less touristy and whatnot here, than Stockholm.  ;-)

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about coffee creamer, since I don't drink coffee myself and my Swedish boyfriend drinks his coffee black...  :-(  Did you find something, though?  I am a little curious, because maybe next summer my mother might visit and I am pretty sure she wouldn't drink coffee black if she drank any coffee.  Haha. 

 

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4 hours ago, kroves said:

Hi Melissa!

Just curious if you were able to do a Whole30 in Gothenburg? I've been here for 3 weeks and am having trouble finding organic/free range meats. 

 

-Kimme

Hi Kimme!  Unfortunately, I ended up not doing a Whole30 yet, because life got in my way this summer (like being sick a while, and I was expecting a visitor for 3 weeks, and going to visit some people, etc.).  :-(  Boo.  I have been half-doing it, but not completely.  I usually don't eat anything with flour/grain, but I have cheated a couple times with that.  But I haven't cut out cheese yet.  I have tried things like the Whole30 mayo, and ranch dressing, though!  They're good.  We managed to get it to taste pretty good, with a couple of tries and tweaks in the oil.

I do plan to start in the next week or two, though, since now there's nobody who should be visiting us, etc.  Finally things are settling down!  Since I haven't started yet, I haven't looked for the meat--we've just been making sure to get low fat meat.  My first ideas might be someplace like ICA Maxi or ICA Focus?  I am not sure if either has an EKO section or something.  But if they don't have it (which could be likely), you could maybe try someplace like Saluhallen at Kungstorget (there is also a smaller Saluhallen at Kvilletorget, but they have some specialty meats, and might have something in consideration of other religions?)?  Since there are like butchers there.  I have heard that some "odd" things you could ask a butcher if they could get it, and they might make arrangements to get it for you but it might take a couple of days.  It's worth a shot?  Please let me know if you do find something! 

It could be nice to have a local Whole30 buddy, if you're interested in chatting and helping each other keep on track and with support and whatnot?  We can maybe even meet up, or even try to find places to get the things together?  Just send me a message if you're interested.

I have an American friend who is now living here, who is the one who recommended the program to me, but I am not sure if she has done it here in Sweden or not.  I can ask, and see if she knows where to get it.  UPDATE:  She told me she couldn't afford the organic/free-range meat, so the best she could do was the Halal meat at the Orienthus in Biskopsgården (near where she lives).  She suggested there might be a store near Järntorget (not sure what it is called), but they're probably also pricey.  I know organic/free-range is recommended, but since I am also not working yet I am probably just going to need to do as best I can in other stores for now, and wait for the organic/free-range stuff at a later date after I have a job of my own.  But her suggestion of the Orienthus is a good idea, cause I have heard they have some good prices on things in general!

 

--Melissa

 

 

 

 

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Hi Melissa,

Thanks for the recs! I've mostly been shopping at the Willy's Hema that's near my apartment. We're actually only going to be in Gothenburg until Sept 21st and then go back to the US. I looked at my schedule and we're going to be traveling quite a bit this month so I'm not sure I'd be able to complete a strict Whole30 until I get home. I'm going to try and do the best I can until then though! 

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