Food First

I've been thinking about something. Grocery stores are big, really big. They appear to have lots and lots and lots of food, but do they really? I think you can find food in two places in the grocery store - in the fruits and vegetables section and the meat section. That's it. The rest of the store is boxed, canned, and otherwised filled with additives, preservatives, chemicals, and heaven only knows what else. I think that's the real reason America is fat, children have ADHD, and people are living with and dying from diseases like cancer and diabetes. Seriously. It's a scary thought.
I've been thinking about what goes in my mouth. I'm not thinking about calories or carbs or fat. I'm thinking about chemicals - man made chemicals, and I'm wondering - do I have stupid written on my forehead everytime I pop one of these chemicals into my mouth and declare it food?
I've been trying to buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. The idea of swallowing pesticides...well...
I buy organic, hormone free, free range meat and eggs. So that's a start.
But I also have eaten my fair share of sugar chemicals. That might explain the fat, excema, asthma, migraines, fatigue, and pre-diabetes.
I've bought into the "healthy" foods ad campaigns. I've eaten so-called health food bars, low-fat foods, low-carb foods, so-called no sugar foods (yeah right -what about the carbs - carbs break down into sugar - even I know that - duh), and more. I switched from white to wheat and learned that I'm sensitive to wheat and other grains. Could it be that grains are for cows and horses and not for people? Hmmm... I used fake eggs and fake butter. I've bought boxes and cans and bags. No wonder my food bill is so high. It occurred to me that for all the nutrition I don't get from all of those hyped up packages, I'm really paying for "cute" cardboard and plastic containers. Oh joy.
One time I did an experiment. For one week I ate whole fruit and vegetables, chicken, and lean beef. I lost SEVEN pounds! Why didn't I repeat that? Laziness. Busyness. Life. But I've thought about it, and I've tried it again in small spurts. I've noticed that when I eat REAL food without additives, chemicals, or sugar - I lose weight. When I add back bread, cereal, oatmeal - I gain weight. So what does that mean?
I think I need to make some changes. Change is hard. Living without sugar is HARD. But it occurs to me that I'd like to live, and I'd like to be healthy so I can enjoy living.
A couple of years ago my family went to the Smoky Mountains. We walked a mile trail that nearly killed me. I never huffed and puffed so much in my life. We thought we were going to see a waterfall, but apparently we took the wrong fork in the trail. I swore I would get in shape and see that waterfall. That was a couple of years ago.
So what is it going to take to motivate my butt?
This past year has been difficult. I feel bad all the time. I totally run out of energy by 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm cranky, moody, depressed, fatigued, and just misereable. I began to recognize the significance of my health effectiving my life around February of 2007. Since then I've been reading, trying different things, and trying to find my life motivator. I guess you just have to decide.
That's why I'm blogging. I'm deciding out loud.
The last three days I've eaten primarily chicken, eggs, vegetables, and fruit. I had one transgression on Saturday night - pizza. Slap my hand already. I am taking the multi-million dollar vitamins I bought (I actually took these vitamins for a solid month and really did feel better. Why did I stop? I don't know. I'm bad about starting and stopping.), spirulina, extra fiber, and flax. For those interested I buy my vitamins from www.womentowomen.com. They are high quality and loaded with vitamins and minerals. The best part is your daily supply comes in a small package for conveniently throwing into a purse, pocket, or lunch kit. (This endorsement is my personal opinion. I do not get anything for mentioning these vitamins or linking to their site.)
I've also been drinking water. Tons of water. And adding Celtic Sea Salt to my water.
Guess what? I'm not hungry. In fact, I'm super full. I weigh myself daily. I am losing weight, but I will only record my weight loss or gain once a week. In fact, I'm going to add a weight loss ticker to this blog.
This is my eating plan: eat lean protein, eggs, vegetables, and fruit. Supplement with vitamins, spirulina (I learned about spirulina from the health ranger...go to http://www.truthpublishing.com/chlorellaspirulina_p/pdf-cat21249.htm for a free ebook by Mike Adams. It's very impressive.), Jay Robb Whey Protein shakes, and fiber (from the Vitamin Shoppe). I made the first protein shake this evening.
My recipe:
1 1/2 scoops chocolate whey protein
4 strawberries
1/2 small banana
1 tbsp. fiber
1 tbsp. ground flax
4 ice cubes
Blend it up and drink it up. It was light and frothy. It tasted more like strawberries and was pink in color. There was NO after taste! You cannot taste the fiber or flax.
I'm also drinking 12 cups of water a day. My bladder loves me.
That's my plan. I'm also planning on avoiding processed food, sugar, flour, and grains. I am going to try quinoa. I read up on it and I think it's worth a try. Some people call it a "super grain" due to the high protein (the highest in a plant), calcium, vitamins, and minerals. They also say it feels up your tummy so you feel full. I like that idea.
Another thing I'm going to add is CoQ10. I get migraines. I read studies showed it makes a difference. I ordered a natural oil for migraines as well. If it works - I will report back. Actually, if it works, I'll SHOUT it out loud to the world! I also drink herbal tea. And I confess I drink coffee. I'm not ready to give up my one vice. I am trying to cut down to one cup and 1/2 caffeine, 1/2 decaf. Eventually I'll wean myself off of it, but not yet.
This is important. I stopped using sucralose months ago. I linked it to stomach pain. I had the same problem with asparteme. I've been reading up on these fake sugars. Chemicals...no wonder. I use Stevia exclusively. It has made a REAL difference. I keep a bottle in my purse for tea at restaurants.
I don't think I'll feel better overnight. I don't think my aches, pains, and ailments will miraculously heal in a few days, but I do believe there is hope. I will stick to my plan; testing, reflecting, and changing as I educate myself and learn. I am going for optimal weight and optimal health.
Exercise? Another blog...another day...