Plato said it best, "Necessity is the mother of invention."
My journey into the raw food lifestyle began after several prestigious doctors (over a decade of them!) were unable to determine the cause of my many symptoms. I suffered with fatigue, weight gain, severe bloating, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, and brain fog to name a few. As a nurse practitioner, I realized conventional medicine didn't have all the answers. I was sick and tired of being "sick and tired." So, I enrolled in various holistic seminars and eventually came to study functional medicine at the University of Miami.
Learning from our nations top doctors such as Dr. Mark Hyman & Dr. Perlmutter (who are now regulars on Dr. Oz!), I began to use the principals of functional medicine to heal myself. I discovered that I had severe food sensitivities, leaky gut, candida overgrowth, SIBO, low stomach acid, early adrenal fatigue and my hormones were out of whack (I was only in my 30's!). The root cause of all my issues stemmed from a poor quality diet and high stress. I quit my stressful job, opened my own practice and began healing myself and my patients.
I had so many food sensitivities that the gluten free products sold in stores had something I was sensitive to or lacked taste and nutrition. Raw food bread alternatives were formulated with nuts, flax or coconut and although healthy, were too high in calories --I needed to lose weight. Plus, their leathery texture was not satisfying and most cracked when folded.
Determined to get healthy, lose weight, and still have some sense of normalcy, (like eating a sandwich), I became obsessed with creating a wrap made out of veggies. I spent months of trial and error developing my recipe.
I set the bar high, they had to be made with superfoods, low calorie, low sodium, and pack in as much fiber as possible. They had to be 100% natural, made with real food, no junk & no regrets! Plus they had to be soft, nutrient dense and actually taste good. Kale & spinach fit the bill perfectly.
I tested my wraps on strangers, at office parties, with friends, family, my clinic patients and any willing participant. The response was overwhelming and soon I was unable to go anywhere without being asked if I brought wraps!
Now I am in wrap heaven. I healed quite a bit, but am still on my journey to optimal health. Raw Wraps allows me to not be the person in the room who can't eat while others are enjoying. Actually, now even people without allergies are hooked on them...
I sincerely hope you enjoy them and they bring you good health. It is my deepest honor to know that my wraps are helping those who suffer with allergies.
Brandy Chappell, ARNP
