I mentioned that everyone's soapbox issue has a story behind it. Mine is no different. My mom was always really good about giving us healthy food growing up. We weren't all organic and granola or anything extreme but she cooked a lot and avoided sugar, odd colors, and things that just didn't seem natural. My whole life I heard "nothing grows naturally blue." As much as I hated to admit it back then, she was right. Blueberries aren't really blue, not like a blue Ring Pop is. Blue corn is the same, more of a purple. Trust me, I researched trying to find a justification to eat that Ring Pop but to no avail. Obviously this sort of upbringing is bound to carry into my own adulthood and parenting. I've always loved to cook and have always been a healthy eater but even in my own admission, I've gone a little crazy about it lately. But there's a reason.
About a year ago, I started dropping weight. People were commenting about how good I looked and I was pretty excited because I wasn't really doing anything different. I started regularly getting compliments on my weight about the time that I started to not feel great. Then I started to feel worse and noticed the comments went from "Wow you look great!" to "Wow you're really skinny." Then I started to feel a lot worse and the comments turned into "Are you sick? Are you eating? You're too skinny." I was eating. All the time. But I was sick and it was becoming apparent. I started getting so offended and mad at what people would say. Is it ever ok to walk up to an overweight person and say "Wow, you're really fat. You should eat less." I think not. So why is it socially acceptable to say to someone "Wow, you're really skinny. You should eat more." Rude. Long story short, I was sick for two months. I'll spare you the details of sick but suffice it to say there was nausea, weakness, insomnia, and a whole host of digestive issues that contributed to me losing about 15-20 pounds (that I didn't really need to lose) in 2 months. At one point I was so sick I went to an urgent care center on vacation. They ran a host of tests, which all came back normal. I saw my primary care doctor, my OB/GYN, and two different gastroenterologists. I was poked, prodded, and ran through the ringer. Finally, a test came back abnormal. Lymphocytic colitis. They prescribed a medication over the phone without so much as an explanation of what it was. But the medicine worked! In a week and a half (and a trip to Israel where the food is divine), I had gained back 7 much-needed pounds. Between conversations with my doctor and my own research, I learned that LC is an autoimmune disease, a chronic condition I'll have my whole life. It'll flare up and go away regularly. As effective as the medication is, I can only take it rfor short amounts of time because it can cause kidney damage. They have no idea what causes it, no recommendations for how to avoid future flare-ups, and there's no cure. The doctor's only suggestion was to maintain a consistent diet because although they haven't identified any particular foods that cause the flare ups, changes in diet seem to aggravate it. There's only one problem...I'm a missionary. I travel around the world for my calling and my career. Consistency in diet will only get me so far until I get on a plane to go another country for a couple weeks.
As you can see, I have developed a love-hate relationship with food. I love to eat. I hate being sick because of what I love to eat. That's when I started learning more about clean eating. Autoimmune issues (colitis, psoriasis, arthritis, Reynauds, lupus, etc) are caused by your immune system attacking healthy cells. There are many people who believe that the reason this happens is because the food that we consume in America is so overly processed that our body doesn't know what to do with it. So it attacks. People say "What's the big deal, we've been eating this stuff for decades?" Yes, we have. And through those decades we've seen things like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, autism, and autoimmune issues steadily rise. The "food" that we buy in America is hardly even real food anymore. Somewhere between 70-80% of the food we find in grocery stores, restaurants, etc is genetically modified to the point that it's no longer even real food. It's a science experiment. Most of the non-organic crops in our country have pesticides genetically modified into their chemical make-up or have been scientifically altered to where they're resistant to the heavy doses of pesticides used on them. Would you go into your garage and take a swig of RoundUp? For most of us, that's essentially what we've been doing for decades.
I truly believe that the food in our country is poisoning us. Strong words but I mean it. The corporations that control the food industry are in it for profit, not the well-being of Americans. These same corporations are the ones lobbying the FDA to regulate less, disclose less, and approve more. At the risk of sounding like an anti-government conspiracy theorist, doesn't it seem odd that the FDA controls the food industry (that's making us sick) and the drugs that are used to combat these sicknesses? For me personally, it's not about theories and opinions. It's about the fact that I've been off my colitis medication for 4 months and I feel great. It's about the fact that now that my children are almost entirely clean in their diets I can tell when they've had processed and artificial foods simply by their abnormal behavior. It's about the actual benefits I've seen in my family.
So you can call it a fad or call me a weird mom (which duh, I totally am) or call it crazy or whatever. But I believe that our bodies were created to survive off the things of the land. I wish I had any sort of green thumb whatsoever. I'd be a farmer. Our bodies were not made to digest and process chemicals. What if you switched to a steady diet of plastic and paper? Could you survive? What if you decided to fill your gas tank with orange juice instead of gasoline? Would it drive? We have to look at what our bodies were designed to consume and take nutrients from. And trust me, I know this is a daunting task! I'd love to talk to anyone who is interested in learning how we made the switch. For now, here are some pointers that will at least help you get started:
1-Educate yourself. The Internet is full of information on clean eating and the benefits of going organic/non-GMO. I follow The Food Babe and I think she's a great resource. Learn about Monsanto and what they've done to the food industry in America. I'll include some other links below.
2-Don't expect perfection. Perfectionism is the killer of all good intentions! You have to take baby steps. Every little step towards cleaner eating is one step away from chemicals and processed foods.
3-Start reading food labels. Try to avoid eating things that a-you can't pronounce and b-you've can't identify.
4-Shift your paradigm about the cost of food. If you go to the store and start comparing the price of regular chicken versus organic chicken, it seems extreme. Instead of asking "why is it so expensive to eat healthy" start asking yourself "why is it so cheap to eat unhealthy?"
5-Start with the things you eat the most. Whether it's milk, meat, fruit, Cheerios, whatever. Make the switch to organic/non-GMO with the things that will make the biggest impact on your family. It doesn't have to be an "all or nothing" decision.
6-Find a grocery store, co-op, or organic delivery service that offers clean foods at more affordable prices. I shop at Sprouts and love it. I buy clean meat in bulk at BJs. (They don't have all clean meat but they're getting better.) I also use a weekly delivery service called Nature's Garden Delivered that brings local organic food that is in season right to my door! With two preschoolers and a gas-guzzling SUV, the convenience alone is worth it!
7-Eat more at home. Yes that means cooking more (sorry for those that hate cooking!) but you can find great clean-eating recipes on Pinterest! Even things like snacks, freezer meals, and to-go meals can be made ahead of time. The Food Babe often posts recipes as well. Unless a restaurant markets itself as clean and organic, it's not. That being said, learn what food chains and local restaurants offer good options.
8-Avoid the buzz words and fads. Gluten-free isn't necessarily the way to go. I love gluten with every ounce of my soul. I try to eat organic, non-GMO wheat because the other stuff is so laden with chemicals and pesticides that it has caused an entire generation to develop sensitivities and allergies to it! If you can't go organic/non-GMO anywhere else, this would be a good place to start....if you have a love affair of carbs like I do.
9-Recognize that whether you know it or not, you are addicted to certain foods. Studies show that sugar has the same effect on our brains as cocaine. Scary right? Even scarier is how much sugar is in the processed foods that fill our grocery stores. As you begin to rid yourself of certain things, you may notice cravings increasing. That's the nature of the beast with addiction. As you're lowering your sugar intake, for example, trying satisfying the craving with fresh berries, honey, pure organic maple syrup, organic dark chocolate, etc. Remember, baby steps.
10-Lastly, give yourself grace. This is not a fad diet. This is not a New Years resolution. This is a new way of life. It takes time. One mess-up or even a weekend binge does not undo the progress you've made. Stick with it and eventually you'll get to the point where the occasional "unclean" meal or indulgence won't be a big deal nor will it be as appealing in the first place.
I don't judge anyone else's choices in what's best for their family. In the same way, I would ask the same respect be given to me and my family. We made a lifestyle choice for health reasons and we've all been extremely pleased with it. (Because if mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, right?) I'm healthy again and we're all happy about it. I absolutely believe that processed foods are a type of poison to our bodies. With that firm belief, whether right or wrong, what type of mother would I be if I allowed my kids to eat "junk food" having that conviction? What type of mother would I be if I didn't advocate for their health? If I don't, who will? If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask. The Internet is full of information but if I have enough friends and family interested, I'd be happy to do a little series here on how we made the switch. Just ask. :)
Here are some helpful links:
Food Babe
What is a GMO?
What's the big deal with GMOs?
How much sugar is too much?
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