I believe in you, and I believe in your destiny. ~Kahlil Gibran

Every day we have the blessing to start fresh, new and it is time to acknowledge how BIG that is. If you are trying to make postitive changes in your life and you find that you stumble a little here and there, well, that's part of life. You will keep trying until you are strong enough to make it through. That is called growth.

We are all here for a purpose, whether you know what that purpose is or not. If you look, it will be plain as day. Clearing the body of weight, toxins and other debris opens up the flow. Gives you increased physical health so that you can focus on things that are bigger in the big picture.

Below are a couple of  links that can help you on your way. More of the 'how to' to eating fresh, local and sustainable, recipes and delicious options. You may have very little time for cooking, but just changing one meal a day will impact your health, your community and ultimately the politics of food. Plus, you just might enjoy it.

Sustainable Kitchen
http://www.sustainabletable.org/kitchen/
 
The Foodee Project
http://www.thefoodee.com/blog/category/uncategorized/meal-of-the-day/

What is the question?

Diet, exercise and stress management...the BIG 3, life changers~

Let's start with food.



So, the question  is...where are you right now? Is there something in your life that is holding you back when it comes to making healthy food choices? Maybe you just don't have enough guidance or information...

In my ongoing quest for finding healthy local produce, I came across a very knowledgeable woman offering demos for the store. We struck up a conversation over greens, yogurt and rescue remedy. In talking with her and both being practitioners of different modalities, I realized that no matter where we are in our walk toward health, there is always somewhere for us to go. So whether you have decided to eat a salad a day, stop eating fast food, delve into the world of raw and fermented or are just mulling all of this information over, there is always something new and exciting waiting for you.  

You don't have to do it all or know it all right now.

 

As you gain more knowledge, your viewpoint will change toward what you believe is healthy. I have people come into my office all the time and tell me that they 'eat healthy.' Then, they tell me what they eat...it is not necessarily healthy. Just because you don't eat fast food, doesn't mean it's all good. There are many hidden carcinogenic (cancer causing) agents in A TON of our foods. 

As a matter of fact, A few years ago, the FDA approved a viral cocktail that will be sprayed on cold cuts, sausages, hot dogs, sliced turkey, and chicken. To be fair, please read both links below, then decide whether you'll want to eat these foods or feed them to your kids!

• http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_1801.cfm

• http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2464943&page=1

Now, after reading these articles, has your viewpoint opened up, just a little? Maybe you've realized that you might be willing to change, just a little?

Little tip in case you have...Read labels: anything mentioning bacteriophage preparation, AVOID! If you get cold cuts and meats at a restaurant, ask them if they use meats prepared this way. The same rule goes for irradiated foods, and foods that contain hormones and antibiotics.

In your best health ~jgirl

When we consider the consequences of our actions,

we can determine the best choices to create the outcome we desire.

 

So what is this 'real foods' thing all about?

God designed us in an amazing and intricate fashion. In a nutshell, our bodies were meant to eat from nature to provide fuel to our cells which in turn run the metabolic machine that keeps us going.

Things like chemicals, food dyes, pesticides, herbicides, plastic, trans fats, fake sugar and such actually clog, congest and confuse our internal body functions. This is generally what the Standard American Diet (SAD) is made up of. This is why so many people feel crummy and are on one or more prescription drugs, act crummy- depressed, angry, unpleasant disposition and are generally cranky butts - stuck in their lives watching reality tv, gossiping about others, no sex drive, hate the neighbor and never really smile. Most of us know there is a problem out there, but what can we do about it. Well, we can WAKE UP and get informed. We have been trained and misinformed on so many things. The media has educated us brilliantly. Now it is time to think for ourselves.

The basics for healthy food choices:

• eat foods that are fresh, seasonal, local and in their closest to natural state.
• eat foods that are grass-fed, pasture raised, without hormones or antibiotics
• eat foods that are free from chemicals, food dyes and pesticides
• eat foods that are local organic over industrial organic - yes, there is also a war going on inside the organic world these days...the point is to be conscious and not get hung up on it.
• eat foods that are non-GMO and non-irradiated, this is huge, you midwesterners...how much corn and soy do you see along the side of the road in your community?
• eat foods that support sustainable agriculture and reduce your ecological footprint.
• eat foods that are healthy for YOU (grains, dairy, legumes etc. do they fire up your gut?)

Most of these things you have already heard of, but maybe don't know how to transition in your home. That is our journey. We have to start at somewhere.

Where does your food come from. Most of it comes from processing plants and factories far far away. It takes more fuel to get it here than you put in your car on a weekly basis. It was once food, but has been denatured or ripped apart and put back together...kind of like Frankenstien. The difference is, our food gets dressed up real pretty with shapes and colors and packaging before it goes out in public, but Franky, well, you've seen him.

Sustainable - Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals--environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.

Translation - Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers and animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances communities.

If we don't get our food from 'home' or our local community we will become dependent on other countries for our basic survival. Sounds extreme, but look at what happened with the ecoli spinach ordeal. One location, one mishap, one big deal. Are you ready to make a change?

 

Action
Look up your local grocer. You will find farmers markets, farms and stores from the links below. Maybe take a field trip in and see what it looks like. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There may be stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods in your area too, but they usually won't come up on this site. It doesn't mean they aren't good, it just means that they are a chain, more industrial and corporate. We are looking for options.

  

http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/

http://www.foodroutes.org/

http://www.kidsfootprint.org/index.html - nugget for kids!

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward. And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

There is always a lot of information that comes at you fast. In the news, from a friend, a class, a blog, the tv. Sometimes it is too much, sometimes it is very confusing, sometimes we actually want more. The point here is...don't stress about it. Do the best you can. Make the best choices you can with the information you have today. But don't stop listening, learning or growing.

I go through periods of time when I just can't process one more thing. And the information doesn't stop, it waits until it is relevant for you. I know this is true because when it is time, I just can't get enough of it.

We can only handle so much at once. We have to mentally digest, sometimes rationalize, consider a plan when we think about change. Most of the time we don't even think about change unless we are forced to or get a rude awakening. A friend is sick, we are diagnosed with something that couldn't possibly be, an incident, an accident... then, we will use what we have learned as a building block for the next steps that we are ready to take.

So, sit back, have a farm fresh salad or homemake your soup today.
Enjoy your kitchen instead of thinking of it as a chore and chew your food.
Laugh with your kids, your spouse, your friends.
Kiss your loved ones.

Food is a necessity, but it is also an enjoyment to be shared with others.
By reawakening and training their senses, Slow Food helps people rediscover the joys of eating and understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s made.