Take back your health!!

I think it's time we take some responsibility for our own health!!! I am so outraged by how many people know their behaviors are hurting them, yet continue to do them. I hear this line all the time " I can't give up sugar" Or cheese or meat, etc. We never use the words "I WON'T give up sugar" because that would be putting the blame on yourself! And who wants to take the blame for their own health??? Can't and won't are two very different things! Most people WON'T make changes in their lives, not because they CAN'T, but because they just don't want to! If you think about it this way...tomorrow you will die if you eat another bite of sugar...I bet you will not take another bite!
Your health should be #1 on your list of priorities. I know most think it should be your children, but being healthy keeps you around longer and maybe your kids won't have to worry about you as much as you age! Healthy is not being thin or fat, healthy is being regularly active, eating a well balanced diet, drinking lots of water, being positive, setting goals, and most important loving yourself! Lets break it down:

1. Being active! I know we all cringe at the words "workout" or "gym", but really you need to be active. You don't have to join a gym, but those who have gym memberships workout more often, mostly because weather is not an excuse, and they are paying for it! Personal Trainers are a great resource! They are usually up to date with all sorts of new and fun exercises, and can keep you motivated! What should you look for in a trainer? Someone who is excited about exercise, someone who listens to your needs and understands your lifestyle, creativity is also important...it will keep exercise fun! Big NO NO on my list...a diet pusher! Don't diet, and don't let a trainer put you on a crazy diet! When you are ready, you will want to change your lifestyle, diets will just set you up to fail, crave junk food, and in the end result in more weight gain! Remember, you can also be active by walking, running, hiking, biking...so many ways to get moving! It is your body...take some responsibility!

2. Balanced diet, what the heck is that? There is so much out there about the "best" diet, but really, the best diet is the kind which keeps healthy...as in not sick all the time, not bloated, not foggy, and not tired! For me, that is a plant-based diet about 70-80% raw food! It makes me feel energized, happy, lean, and healthy! I don't know if it is a diet everyone can thrive on, but I sure do know of many, many, out there who's lives have been transformed by a plant-based diet! If your food cannot be pronounced or sounds like a science experiment then it's mostly like bad for your health! Chose wisely, eat whole foods, lots of fresh fruit, fill up on fruit & veggies, avoid low-fat, sugar free, processed junk!

 3. Water...so simple, just drink it! All day, skip the juice, the soda, and the energy drinks! Water is the only way to hydrate your body!

4. Positivity is so important! It is almost as crucial to our health as food or water! Being in a positive state of mind brings postivity right back to you! What you put out you shall receive! If you find yourself around negative people, do your best not to be influenced by their state of mind. But...choose who is around you if you can! Negative thoughts will create stress in the body, stress creates illness and disease!

5. Set goals! I really think it is important to be constantly learning, changing, and moving forward! Goals help push you in the right direction! They keep you motivated! Make a list of things you want to accomplish and watch how quickly you will be checking them off the list! Life is so much fuller when you open your mind up and start being productive! Feeling accomplished is great! It also opens up many doors you thought might have been closed! You might have thought paying off debt was out of reach, but make it a goal, work towards it, and watch it happen!

6. Love yourself! I know it sounds silly, but do it! Don't say or think negative things about yourself. Treat your body kindly, and remember to take care of your mind. Read, relax, take deep breaths, and always be kind to yourself. Don't feel bad about having "me time", it is good for you! Alone time allows you to focus on healing soul!

There you go...now take back your health!!! It is your responsibility! No one should care more about you than YOU!

Goodbye meat & dairy, you WON'T be missed

Pomegranate, clementines, and green grapes...all set me into a state of laughter, put a huge smile on my face, and got me excited to EAT! That's what my new lifestyle has created, a new (and very appreciated) joy for cooking & creating!
Let's start from the beginning! I grew up eating (not by choice) meat...every dinner included some sort of animal; chicken, pork, beef (I dreaded it the most), or fish. I knew as a young child that I did not like it, any of it! I tolerated fish and chicken, but pork and beef caused me to cry through the entire meal! I also didn't like milk...at all, to the point that it would cause me to vomit! My parents didn't force me to drink it, but I HAD to eat my dinner...including the meat! I still remember the awful taste and texture that I could barely stomach.
As a young adult I quickly gave up red meat and pork!! I loved being on my own and cooking for myself...I continued the practice of making dinner the only way I knew how...meat, veggie, starch. I cooked chicken and fish, mostly because I raised this way. Dinner, as I knew it, included meat so I picked the ones I could tolerate.  As I got older and started experimenting more in the kitchen and reading (a lot) about other lifestyles, I started cooking meat-less meals! I did this more and more! I was getting excited about cooking, there is something wonderful about looking at the ingredients full of color, fresh, and ready to eat! No fear of meat juice contaminating anything, no need to wash hands in between touching veggies, no need to worry if they are under cooked or will make me sick! I was hooked and my life was about to change!
I AM a vegan! I think I have always been one, just confused and brainwashed by society to believe there was only one way of eating! I gave up all meat...and about 2 weeks later I was dairy free as well! I didn't miss it or crave it, I wasn't upset, there was no sad day of parting with foods I loved...it was actually easy and I was happy!
This brings me back to my amazing fruit salad, the one that made my laugh :) This is what has happened ever since I became a Vegan, every meal I cook or create (I say this because some are raw) make me feel good! I smile and get excited when I am in the kitchen! I can't wait to make dinner (which used to be something I dreaded). I know, I know, where do I get my Protein? lol! Well, as shocking as it may sound, there is protein in many foods, not just meat! Being a Vegan opens up your mind to a different way of eating! Combining foods with amino acids to create a balanced meal is key! If you aren't too creative, Quinoa is the answer! It is a complete protein! I won't get into all of that  though, protein, calcium, and B12...you can research it, there is a ton of literature out there to help make this lifestyle easy!
So besides being happy about my food, there are other things I have noticed! After giving up dairy (yes, cheese included) I noticed my body was bloat free. I used to experience a bloat after meals or even randomly throughout the day...NO MORE! My tummy is flat, lean, and happy! My sugar cravings are just about gone!! I think this is my favorite side effect! I used to crave sugar all the time, now I have no desire to grab cookies after meals, which is when I craved them the most! Now, if I do crave something sweet, I am instantly drawn to fruit, one of my favorite is apples! Hydration is something that comes with being a Vegan (if done right), eating an abundance of fruit and veggies (especially raw) will hydrate your body and the need to drink so much water goes away! I know we have been told we need to drink constantly, but if your food is full of water...there is no need to drink as often! Great skin, lots of energy, and I feel satisfied when I eat (instead of that gross full feeling)...so many benefits!!!
I will warn you though, people are ready at any moment to criticize the lifestyle and argue. There is a strong emotional attachment to food, I mean, our parents fed us all these amazing meats covered in melted cheesy goodness right? It can't be bad for us? Or can it?  It can, and it is! Don't blame your parents though, they didn't have the research and the information that we have now! People are quick to defend their meat...hey the cavemen lived on it so it must be good for us! I find that point hilarious!!! If you really start to research cavemen, you will find that they ate blubber from animals, the liver, not lean chicken breast. They ate the most nutrient dense part of the animal, not the tastiest. They also didn't eat it often due to the lack of food storage and ability to hunt frequently. Remember, they lived amongst predators much bigger then them...they were the prey! I think cavemen ate far more fruit, greens, berries, seeds, nuts and roots then we are taught to believe. But I must say..."the caveman lived on meat" theory is great for the meat industry!?!? I have learned quickly not to argue back, its not worth it. I just let it be. Everyone has a choice to eat & live the way they see best. I just hope one day every family can have more meat-less meals at dinner!
So that's my story. I am truly blessed that I am able to live this lifestyle! I am lucky to have a husband and child who are accepting of it and are willing to try everything I make! This journey has opened my eyes to the greed of our food industry, the cruelty to our animals, the over processing of our foods, GMOs, and so much more! I will never go back, I now know what healthy feels like! If you want to be med free and feel great, try adding more fruit and veggies to your day, have a meat-less dinner or even an entire day, have a dairy-free week and you will greatly benefit!