A Little Background......

I was raised in small town USA. The Midwest, the "Cornbelt" of the States; acres of wheat, soybeans, oats, corn and grazing cows are familiar sights here. The Amish community are our neighbors. We frequent the same banks and stores. Oftentimes, we spot an Amish horse & buggy hitched to a fence at Dairy Queen while the family enjoys an ice cream treat. It is here, in this community, that I learned how and what to eat.
Basically, it was "anything goes". My family served up all the traditional meals of the standard American diet: beef, ham, sausage & bacon, poultry, lunchmeat, cheese, butter, milk, eggs, processed foods and snacks. Vegetables (if served, at all) were always flavored with butter & salt. Potatoes were mashed, butter & salt were added, then gravy was poured over all. Fresh fruit was seldom eaten and showed up mainly canned in sweetened juice, or in baked goods.

                                          (Left to right, front row: my sister, Kim, Me, my
                                            sister, Julie, my Mom. back row: my brother, Ron,
                                            my Dad)
Our family's health was generally good. We were active and spent alot of time outdoors (no video games at that time). None of us were overweight. We weren't sedentary, so we burned off the calories we ate. We looked fit and healthy, but I'd really like to know what our cholesterol levels were, even as young children!

Fast forward...now, I am a mother of three. As a mom, I am more conscious of what I am feeding my family. I breastfeed (no formula-fed babies here!).  I grow a garden, canning & freezing the harvest. I bake my own bread, but still prepare the same foods I grew up with. A little improvement, but not much.

                                           (My three little ones, left to right: Andrew,
                                             Heather, and Ethan. sorry for the glare on
                                             photo!)
Years later, I am a single parent of three teens. Working a full-time job and parenting leaves me no time in the kitchen! Our lifestyle is busy with work, school and social activities, so we eat more frozen processed foods, order pizza and hit the fast food joints. This continues throughout their college years.

                                          ( Left to right, front row: son, Andrew, daughter,
                                            Heather, Me, son, Ethan. back row: my Dad
                                            and Mom)

Present....I am now 48 yrs. old, and remarried. My children are young adults, out on their own. After 48 years of eating the standard American diet, my body finally starts to revolt and feel the effects...high blood pressure, anemia, fatigue, overweight.
I've decided to turn the tide, and exchange the SAD diet, for the one loaded with nutrients found in whole foods and plants.
My goals:
Reverse hypertension
Conquer anemia
Lose weight
Regain health/fitness
My results (after only 2 wks!):
An inner calm, sense of well-being
Bloated feeling gone
Clothes feel looser
Satisfied, not hungry all the time
Energy slowly returning

I ask you this:
If we can eat our way to the destruction of our health, why can't we eat our way to the restoration of our health?
It seems we can...do just that!
Til next time...