On The Road To Healthier Eating

In preparation for our homeschooling journey, I began reading a lot of homeschooling blogs. I noticed a trend right away and that trend was healthier eating. Homeschooling moms shared their concerns about all of the chemicals found in our foods. A lot of families were grinding their own wheat, raising animals for meat/dairy/eggs, and growing their own food. All of this peaked my interest and I began doing some research. 

I found numerous reports and opinions on the danger of the chemicals in our food. I read reports on growth hormones, USDA manipulations, and the food industries deception. I began looking around at people and thinking about how much change has taken place in people' bodies since I was young. The more I read the more I was convinced all those people were on to something.

Another thing spurring my research was increasingly bad lipid panels for me and DH. Although we didn't exercise regularly, we were still active. We didn't eat out a lot and ate relative healthy. We ate a lot but not unhealthy.  I knew we needed to make changes, but where?

There were two things that really made me stop and re-evaluate our food choices. The first was the documentary "Food Inc." The second was a cook book called "Nourishing Traditions." Both of these things really gave me cause to think and a new perspective of food and the food industry. 

Reading labels on foods became the new normal for me. I began to look at the ingredients in a product and would opt for the one with the less ingredients. I began look for copycat recipes to boxed foods we liked. I tried to avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup in it, which is hard to do. We switched from margarine to real butter. I bought more fresh ingredients. Started adding more raw fruits and vegetables to our diet. I opted for frozen products instead of their counterparts in cans. I switched to sea salt. Substituted white sugar for raw sugar. Went from bleached white flour to unbleached. Incorporated whole wheat flour into recipes where I could. Changed from white bread to whole wheat bread. Switched from regular pasta to whole wheat pasta. Went from vegetable oil to olive oil. I made sure to add probiotics to our diet. It was a slow stead process, but we did begin to see change.

It has been several years now since I began to make changes. Our digestive system is working better. We don't get sick as often and seem to be able to avoid all those nasty stomach viruses that seem to make its rounds every year. When we do break down and eat a lot of processed foods, boy, we can tell it the next day. Our stomachs' get cranky. While we haven't cut out all processed foods - I still have to have my Cheerwine, Little Debbie Fudge Cakes, and boxed mac&cheese occasionally-, we are eating healthier than ever. We have also seen a improvement in our lipids panels. 

Changing our diet was just part of our journey to a healthier lifestyle. We also began down the road to regular exercise and weight loss. I will share that journey with you tomorrow. 

Living life simply and loving every minute of it!