With all the health stuff I’ve had going on over the last couple of years, I’ve started making some little changes here and there.
It was time to stop complaining and find a solution!
It’s been a journey, and I think taking it little steps at a time is the only way I’ve been able to arrive at where I am now.
And I know, I still have SO much to learn and SO far to go!
But, where I’m at this moment in time (and I’ve taken my family along with me) is that we have given up all things GMO (genetically modified).
As well as dairy.
And gluten.
And…well, is there is anything else?
Oh sugar.
The white processed bad kind.
sigh.
And what’s crazy is that in all this I’ve discovered I have a pretty intense (oh the gas and pain and sore throat!) allergy to anything with soy in it.
So, it’s a good thing that’s out anyway.
{soy is a GMO and it’s in everything, similar to corn.)
BEWARE! =)
I’m hoping that by eliminating all the crap, I can finally eliminate my many trips to the crapper each day.
{yes, I did just write that. my mom should be so proud.}
But, just so you know…I’m certainly not jumping on any bandwagon and doing this because it’s the “in” thing to do.
{if you know me at all, it’s that I tend to do the OPPOSITE of what everyone else is.}
{middle child, right here!}
But, the fact is, that I have been researching and studying for a VERY long time, and the more I learn, the harder it has become to feed myself and my family those kinds of fake processed foods.
I want us to be as happy and healthy as we possibly can, and I want to know I did everything I knew to do physically to get us there.
{as always, there is a HUGE spiritual aspect to all this as well. there always always is!}
Plus, with all my jobs, I don’t have time to be in the bathroom all day long.
just sayin….
And surprisingly, it hasn’t been much of an adjustment….for me.
I don’t even miss pizza!
And I’m an emotional eater FOR SURE.
But, if I’m going to be honest, (and I always am), for my kids….it’s taking a little bit longer.
They are two very strong willed children, and they won’t give up the junk without a fight.
Plus eating out or eating at other peoples houses is a slight issue we’re still learning to deal with.
Luckily, Jimmy and I are equally as strong willed.
Tired maybe (definitely), but strong willed.
And because I have been heavily relying on several of my health guru friends, I wanted to pass along some of the info I’ve been collecting, so you could check it out for yourself as well.
I’m also happy to post meal ideas here and there if that’s something you’re interested in as well.
We are simple cooks (“we” means Jimmy), so everything we make for the most part is quick and relatively easy.
{and I’m about to learn the talent of preparing the “snack plate” via my friend Juniper.}
For example, lately we’ve had….Taco salad, Mango Salsa Chicken, Brown Rice Pasta with Ground Turkey and Pasta Sauce, Scrambled eggs with guacamole and tomatoes and turkey, Orange Glazed Salmon….and more!
On the menu to come is Steak & Avocado Salad, mmmm…..
Okay…so here’s the beginning of the knowledge that has been passed down to me by my incredible friends.
{Libby, Candace, Juniper, Liz, and Aurora: thank you for helping me on this journey!}
~~~~~~~
Important links:
It was time to stop complaining and find a solution!
It’s been a journey, and I think taking it little steps at a time is the only way I’ve been able to arrive at where I am now.
And I know, I still have SO much to learn and SO far to go!
But, where I’m at this moment in time (and I’ve taken my family along with me) is that we have given up all things GMO (genetically modified).
As well as dairy.
And gluten.
And…well, is there is anything else?
Oh sugar.
The white processed bad kind.
sigh.
And what’s crazy is that in all this I’ve discovered I have a pretty intense (oh the gas and pain and sore throat!) allergy to anything with soy in it.
So, it’s a good thing that’s out anyway.
{soy is a GMO and it’s in everything, similar to corn.)
BEWARE! =)
I’m hoping that by eliminating all the crap, I can finally eliminate my many trips to the crapper each day.
{yes, I did just write that. my mom should be so proud.}
But, just so you know…I’m certainly not jumping on any bandwagon and doing this because it’s the “in” thing to do.
{if you know me at all, it’s that I tend to do the OPPOSITE of what everyone else is.}
{middle child, right here!}
But, the fact is, that I have been researching and studying for a VERY long time, and the more I learn, the harder it has become to feed myself and my family those kinds of fake processed foods.
I want us to be as happy and healthy as we possibly can, and I want to know I did everything I knew to do physically to get us there.
{as always, there is a HUGE spiritual aspect to all this as well. there always always is!}
Plus, with all my jobs, I don’t have time to be in the bathroom all day long.
just sayin….
And surprisingly, it hasn’t been much of an adjustment….for me.
I don’t even miss pizza!
And I’m an emotional eater FOR SURE.
But, if I’m going to be honest, (and I always am), for my kids….it’s taking a little bit longer.
They are two very strong willed children, and they won’t give up the junk without a fight.
Plus eating out or eating at other peoples houses is a slight issue we’re still learning to deal with.
Luckily, Jimmy and I are equally as strong willed.
Tired maybe (definitely), but strong willed.
And because I have been heavily relying on several of my health guru friends, I wanted to pass along some of the info I’ve been collecting, so you could check it out for yourself as well.
I’m also happy to post meal ideas here and there if that’s something you’re interested in as well.
We are simple cooks (“we” means Jimmy), so everything we make for the most part is quick and relatively easy.
{and I’m about to learn the talent of preparing the “snack plate” via my friend Juniper.}
For example, lately we’ve had….Taco salad, Mango Salsa Chicken, Brown Rice Pasta with Ground Turkey and Pasta Sauce, Scrambled eggs with guacamole and tomatoes and turkey, Orange Glazed Salmon….and more!
On the menu to come is Steak & Avocado Salad, mmmm…..
Okay…so here’s the beginning of the knowledge that has been passed down to me by my incredible friends.
{Libby, Candace, Juniper, Liz, and Aurora: thank you for helping me on this journey!}
~~~~~~~
Important links:
Good video that opened my eyes to the issues with our foods:
Difference between pasture raised and cage free chicken eggs:
{you want pasture raised!}
Good website for recipes…use coconut milk in place of dairy and honey in place of sugar:
While you are learning to recognize the ingredients to avoid use this site to look things up:
www.foodfacts.com
How to eat real foods on a budget:
http://www.allparenting.com/my-table/articles/960691/eat-real-foods-on-a-budget
Get on Vitacost! You’re first order will be $10 off and there isn’t anything health & food related you can’t find there! And for an amazing price!!!
I have a weekly order going.
Vitacost
~~~~~~~
Movies to watch:
(all streaming on netflix)…
King Corn
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
The Future of Food Inc.
Apps to get:
ShopNoGmo
Gluten Freed
FoodFacts
GFShopping
Fooducate
Books to read:
Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food by Christine Avante
Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure
The Paleo Diet
The Makers Diet by Jordan Rubin
***I’ll add more of all these next blog post on this!***
~~~~~~~
Q: What are the ingredients to watch out for with corn/gluten?
A: There are so many I can’t even remember them all. Here are a few sites you can refer to to look things up and then you can use www.foodfacts.com too but it’s not 100% accurate:
Gluten ingredients:
Corn ingredients:
http://www.livecornfree.com/
http://www.livecornfree.com/
~~~~~~~
Q: What do you eat out?
A: There is a restaurant called True Food Kitchen which is opening up, and I have have the Grass Fed bBison bBurger minus the bun and cheese there.
{make sure you skip the sauce too if you have a soy allergy! i found out the hard way.}
The places I have eaten out are as follows:
{make sure you skip the sauce too if you have a soy allergy! i found out the hard way.}
The places I have eaten out are as follows:
Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza:
They have a gluten free menu. I ate a veggie pizza with gluten free crust and no cheese. Very Yummy
They have a gluten free menu. I ate a veggie pizza with gluten free crust and no cheese. Very Yummy
Double Meat with whole grilled onion extra tomato protein style
Steak Salad with brown rice, grilled veggies, pico de gallo salsa only and side of guacamole.
*{Be aware that their meat is cooked with soybeans. I will be complaining about this, because I NEED Chipotle in my life! it’s just that I get sick every time I eat there!}*
*{Be aware that their meat is cooked with soybeans. I will be complaining about this, because I NEED Chipotle in my life! it’s just that I get sick every time I eat there!}*
Any restaurant that serves wild caught fish grilled and order veggies and/or rice as the side, no bread.
Any of their salads with no salad dressing, no corn, no beans. Substitute any wild caught grilled fish in place of the chicken. Use salsa as the dressing.
Of course there are things wrong with every one of these but better than most.
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Q: What do you order online?
A: Online I order my thai coconut milk, Lara Bars, and then some Gluten Free snacks for the baby.
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Q: What medicines do you use?
A: None of us take vitamins anymore. So far we haven’t had to do much with medicine. I only use it if we really need it. I buy gel cap ibuprofen that doesn’t have corn in it. I use hylands homeopathic medicine for the kids when they are sick. Other than that we don’t use any medicine.
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Q: What are your kitchen staples?
A: Here is a list of some of the main things we eat or have in the house all the time:
Avocados (they don’t have to be organic)
Bananas (they don’t have to be organic)
Apples (organic)
Vital Farms pasture raised eggs from whole foods
Rice pasta (make sure there is no corn flour or corn products, usually just rice ingredients and flax seeds)
organic kale (for juicing and smoothies!)
amazing meal powder (pomegranate is my fave flavor for smoothies!) (vitacost!)
organic kale (for juicing and smoothies!)
amazing meal powder (pomegranate is my fave flavor for smoothies!) (vitacost!)
organic pasta sauce
organic brown rice cakes (vitacost)
rice crackers plain (vitacost)
almond milk (pacific brand) (vitacost)
thai coconut milk (canned) (vitacost!)
grass fed beef
organic coconut flakes (vitacost!)
canned black olives
wild caught salmon
quinoa
organic brown rice
frozen organic peas
frozen organic broccoli
frozen organic broccoli
frozen organic fruit from Costco
bare fruit organic apple chips from Costco
organic chicken broth
lots of organic fruits and veggies
any wild caught fish
pamelas products GF bread mix (for tortillas) (vitacost!)
pamelas products GF pancake mix (for pancakes) (vitacost!)
extra virgin olive oil
Apple Farms grass fed hot dogs with no nitrates
Apple Farms grass fed hot dogs with no nitrates
raw honey
Trader Joes Snickerdoodles
Trader Joes lollipops
Raw nuts/seeds
Trader Joes dried fruit (their pineapple is amazing!)
Trader Joes rice crispy bars
Trader Joes olive oil potato chips
Luna and Larrys Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Trader Joes Coconut Ice Cream
Barbaras Honey Rice Puffins (vitacost!)
Trader Joes Snickerdoodles
Trader Joes lollipops
Raw nuts/seeds
Trader Joes dried fruit (their pineapple is amazing!)
Trader Joes rice crispy bars
Trader Joes olive oil potato chips
Luna and Larrys Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Trader Joes Coconut Ice Cream
Barbaras Honey Rice Puffins (vitacost!)
~~~~~~~
Okay, so I would think that is PLENTY to get you thinking.
It certainly was for me.
And do your own research….preferrably studies and info NOT government funded.
Also, if you must…start slow.
Maybe the first month, give up dairy.
The next month, gluten.
And so on….
Just do something.
Make a change.
I have a LOT more to share, but I’ll save some for another post soon.
This is quickly becoming a passion of mine so I can’t seem to learn enough.
{add that to my Zumba teaching & freelance writing and I’m kind of an all over the place mess!}
And if you guys are on a similar journey with your diets, PLEASE, leave comments and ideas and suggestions below!
We all need support!
P.S. I also gave up soda. Even my Zevia because it had corn in it.
I’m a strong woman, hear me ROAR!
{this has been a part of my BlogHer Roomie/friend Mama Kat’s workshop}
Okay, so I would think that is PLENTY to get you thinking.
It certainly was for me.
And do your own research….preferrably studies and info NOT government funded.
Also, if you must…start slow.
Maybe the first month, give up dairy.
The next month, gluten.
And so on….
Just do something.
Make a change.
I have a LOT more to share, but I’ll save some for another post soon.
This is quickly becoming a passion of mine so I can’t seem to learn enough.
{add that to my Zumba teaching & freelance writing and I’m kind of an all over the place mess!}
And if you guys are on a similar journey with your diets, PLEASE, leave comments and ideas and suggestions below!
We all need support!
P.S. I also gave up soda. Even my Zevia because it had corn in it.
I’m a strong woman, hear me ROAR!
{this has been a part of my BlogHer Roomie/friend Mama Kat’s workshop}
© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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I love this post!! I’m so happy to find someone with basically the same diet AND outlook on it, it’s about HEALTH, not image , although they go hand and hand when eating healthy. I am such an emotional eater to! It’s bad but I’m working it. I have read Candace book reshaping it all three times now. It has helped me alot! No one can tell you what to eat but it’s about what makes your body feel best, and being gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and vegetarian makes me feel like I can take on the world ! 🙂 I look forward to following your process summer! 🙂 thanks for sharing. Ps (crapper.. LOL LOL LOL)
Hi Summer!
It’s very inspiring to read about your health journey!
I’ve been working on eliminating processed food also – no more Jenny Craig!
One book I read that really inspired me is called Eat For Health – I think the author is named Joel Furman, or something like that. Let me know if you check it out.
I look forward to your future posts!
Xoxo
Alexis 🙂
Hey Summer! Congrats to you on making so many changes!!! I started making similar changes over a year ago & then really got in full force when I attended IIN to learn about Holistic Nutrition. I def have a gluten sensitivity & dairy issue! Isn’t it crazy all the havoc these different things can wreak on our bodies?! It’s so sad what this country allows in our food supply. And don’t even get me started on what’s in our cosmetics, shampoo’s, etc. I’ve been all-natural with personal care products for years now! Just keep at it!!! It will become like second nature. If you’re already not missing it, that’s awesome! And when you do have the occasional cheat, it really won’t taste very good to you! : )