Eat to Live . . .

This past Saturday I attended a conference with the amazing Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It was held at the church where I work and I had been contemplating going for some time. I was blessed to get to attend at the last minute and I am so grateful I did!

A few weeks ago, we decided at the prompting of my kid's doctor to go milk free. Since that time I have started reading about the milk industry and it scares the living daylights out of me! The stuff we put in our bodies is disgusting. We started eliminating fast food about 4 months ago. It was difficult but oh so worth it! The junk that they do to the "food" there is mind-blowing! I don't need my food injected with sugar and salt to make me crave more. I don't need pesticides and antibiotics! I want food, real food that makes my body work!

We are leaving for Spring Break in 2 1/2 weeks. We will go full tilt boogy when we return, for now, we are finishing up everything in our house that will be considered "toxic" later. For now we are adding a bit here and there as we purchase new food, trying recipes and deciding what works for us. Our diet will be 90% plant based. We will eat unlimited amounts of vegetables and fruits. We will add nuts and seeds as well as a bit of grains and a minute amount of animal products. We will become NUTRITARIANS. Our bodies will learn to function as they were intended. Our bodies will learn to heal and we will enjoy life.

As we make this journey, I will likely report here how it is going. I don't think it will be easy, but I think it will be worth it! So many people have given me support and offered ideas that they employ. The small changes we have already made are making a difference! My kids adapted well to the no-dairy portion. They went from hating water to embracing it! Their digestive systems are working better. Harrison CHOSE bell peppers for a snack the other day! CHOSE it! McCartney on the other hand HATES this. While she was laying on the floor of Sam's Club the other day whining about not getting cereal, Harrison asked her if she wanted to die earlier eating JUNK. She said, "Yes, I would rather die than eat this way!" Haha! She will adjust . . . sooner or later she will get hungry and it will become easier. She is all for the green smoothies, so I just keep adding things in there that I know she needs whether it be mushrooms, nuts or seeds.

I am already noticing that I am no longer craving sugar and salt. I can only hope that we continue with this and our bodies begin to function the way God intended. Sitting listening to Dr. Fuhrman the other day I realized how very much we rely on medication. One of his analogies was that medication was like a mechanic who cuts the wire to the check oil light in a car instead of actually changing the oil! I hope we can eliminate costly and dangerous medication in the lives of both of us as well as the children. I am heading into the journey with my mom and stepdad too so we can lean on one another. It will be hard, but we will do it.

So here is GOOD-BYE to 282 pounds! While I am not doing this expressly for weight loss, it will be a nice product. I would love to lose 100 pounds in the next year. Most people doing this nutritarian diet lose 75-100 pounds in the first 12 months so we shall see! Benefits include lowered cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, blood sugar regulating, etc. I am looking forward to being healthy for the first time ever!

I am hanging onto the promise that "Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels!"