Still going strong...Heath is on his own for a few days, he's out of town and it will be up to him to make his own meals and decisions. I did provide him with a shopping list, so he can go to the store and make his own food while he's staying with friends. He updated me yesterday that he has lost 5 pounds. I wish I could say that. It seems that my body is happy where it is...but I have some shorts from last spring that say otherwise. But I think the weight will come off, slowly.
For the curious, this is what I ate today:
Breakfast: Blueberry bagel with Smart Balance Light vegan butter. 8 oz oatmeal with raisins, apple, flax seed.
Lunch: 2 c. spinach, red pepper, sprouts, broccoli, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, 1 1/2 cups fruit salad with cinnamon
Snack: 2 handfuls of almonds with dried blueberries and cranberries
Dinner: leftover Pasta with Peanut Pesto (from last night-delish!!), 2 pieces sourdough bread
Weekend plans: to watch Food, Inc. I haven't seen it, but hear it's very interesting. I will bring further thoughts after I have seen it.
Link: I watched a very interesting clip of Alicia Silverstone talking about going vegan. It's short, here's the link.
http://fora.tv/2009/10/19/The_Kind_Diet_Alicia_Silverstone#chapter_05
New goal: to incorporate even more raw food into my diet. I am making the transition to 100% vegan, and want to eventually get to 50% raw. This will take some more experience/planning/research. I will keep you updated on this.
What does the Bible say about our bodies and nutrition? I will be looking for verses/passages on this topic. The first one that comes to mind is:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Still Going Strong...
Day 14:
Today is Sunday and things are still going well. My former meat/processed food, etc husband is doing so awesome. I am so proud of his discipline and desire to better his health. Heath has had a few cravings here or there, but is learning to satisfy them with things he CAN eat. Last weekend was a case of the chocolate cravings, so he picked up some dark chocolate, and eats just a serving. It has great antioxidants, and can satisfy easily because of its richness. Yesterday was a nacho cheese craving. I decided he just needed some sodium, so we bought some nut mixes and sunflower seeds with sea salt. Salt is not bad in and of itself, but table salt has a lot of bad and not a lot of good...sea salt can be very beneficial. We started using sea salt a while ago, so I season things as desired without reservations.
After my last post, some friends commented on my new "green" dishwashing detergent. They mentioned laundry soap/cleaners in general, and suggested making my own. I wondered why I hadn't thought of that, and think that I will start doing that after my store-bought cleaners are gone. I found some links online for recipes.
Below, I have a link about something that is very important to me: keeping my child free of hazardous chemicals/dyes/metals. I am a strong believer in keeping our bodies free of contaminants that can cause disease. I do not vaccinate my child, not because of my fears, but because of what I believe is right. Listen and read with an open mind.
PS: I am not going to be dyeing my hair anymore. Chemicals are even more dangerous to our body when they are appplied on the scalp, especially when wet.
Link: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/20/david-ayoub-interview-february-2010.aspx
Goal for this week: I work 8-5 this week, which means that I will miss the majority of the beautiful weather that we're to have this week. My goal is to take Laila for a walk each day, regardless of the things I have to do each night. I want to cherish the time that I have with my daughter, and let her know how important it is to enjoy the world that God has blessed us with.
Today is Sunday and things are still going well. My former meat/processed food, etc husband is doing so awesome. I am so proud of his discipline and desire to better his health. Heath has had a few cravings here or there, but is learning to satisfy them with things he CAN eat. Last weekend was a case of the chocolate cravings, so he picked up some dark chocolate, and eats just a serving. It has great antioxidants, and can satisfy easily because of its richness. Yesterday was a nacho cheese craving. I decided he just needed some sodium, so we bought some nut mixes and sunflower seeds with sea salt. Salt is not bad in and of itself, but table salt has a lot of bad and not a lot of good...sea salt can be very beneficial. We started using sea salt a while ago, so I season things as desired without reservations.
After my last post, some friends commented on my new "green" dishwashing detergent. They mentioned laundry soap/cleaners in general, and suggested making my own. I wondered why I hadn't thought of that, and think that I will start doing that after my store-bought cleaners are gone. I found some links online for recipes.
Below, I have a link about something that is very important to me: keeping my child free of hazardous chemicals/dyes/metals. I am a strong believer in keeping our bodies free of contaminants that can cause disease. I do not vaccinate my child, not because of my fears, but because of what I believe is right. Listen and read with an open mind.
PS: I am not going to be dyeing my hair anymore. Chemicals are even more dangerous to our body when they are appplied on the scalp, especially when wet.
Link: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/20/david-ayoub-interview-february-2010.aspx
Goal for this week: I work 8-5 this week, which means that I will miss the majority of the beautiful weather that we're to have this week. My goal is to take Laila for a walk each day, regardless of the things I have to do each night. I want to cherish the time that I have with my daughter, and let her know how important it is to enjoy the world that God has blessed us with.
Monday, March 22, 2010
One Week Down
Update: It's been one week since the experiment began, and I have to say that it's going very well. Heath loves the "diet." I know it's because I'm preparing all the meals for him, and he doesn't have to lift a finger. I am preparing breakfast for all of us before work, usually hot cereal. I am also preparing lunch and something for Heath to take to work with him. It does take a little extra time, but no more than 25 minutes in the morning. I have peace of mind because I know that my family is well fed.
Groceries: I have devised a plan where I write out one week of meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I recently got the new 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. I also use the Healthy Cooking for Kids cookbook by Shelly Null. There are so many interesting recipes in both these books, and I won't need to stray from them for quite a while. I am also surprised that my grocery bill isn't skyrocketing like I thought it would. There are some extras that I am now purchasing:
organic cane sugar, organic confectioner's sugar: I have learned that regular granulated sugar is processed using animal bones. Gross.
Seventh Generation Dishwashing detergent: Heath raised an interesting point about eating healthy but not paying attention to the chemicals that your dishes are washed in...case in point. Switched to a better for the environment/better for the body detergent. Will soon be switching to a friendlier form of cleaning solutions for the house, more than likely.
Goal for this week: Getting as much sun as possible now that it's starting to get nice outside. I have been weaning down my Vitamin D3 to 4,000 I.U. starting today, because the best sources come from the sun. I am amazed at all the research that I find that supports how vital Vitamin D is to our health. Especially the little ones. Below is a link that has a lot of different information about Vitamin D3. There is also a handy guide to decipher how much one should be taking, if not in the sun daily. If in the sun, make sure you expose face and hands to the sun for about 10-15 minutes daily. This needs to be sans sunscreen, because sunscreen blocks some of the rays necessary to absorb Vitamin D. Just a small detail: Laila has been taking Vitamin D all winter long. She has been sick one day. And that was a small cold which she fought off quickly. And yes, she goes to daycare.
Link: http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm
Groceries: I have devised a plan where I write out one week of meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I recently got the new 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. I also use the Healthy Cooking for Kids cookbook by Shelly Null. There are so many interesting recipes in both these books, and I won't need to stray from them for quite a while. I am also surprised that my grocery bill isn't skyrocketing like I thought it would. There are some extras that I am now purchasing:
organic cane sugar, organic confectioner's sugar: I have learned that regular granulated sugar is processed using animal bones. Gross.
Seventh Generation Dishwashing detergent: Heath raised an interesting point about eating healthy but not paying attention to the chemicals that your dishes are washed in...case in point. Switched to a better for the environment/better for the body detergent. Will soon be switching to a friendlier form of cleaning solutions for the house, more than likely.
Goal for this week: Getting as much sun as possible now that it's starting to get nice outside. I have been weaning down my Vitamin D3 to 4,000 I.U. starting today, because the best sources come from the sun. I am amazed at all the research that I find that supports how vital Vitamin D is to our health. Especially the little ones. Below is a link that has a lot of different information about Vitamin D3. There is also a handy guide to decipher how much one should be taking, if not in the sun daily. If in the sun, make sure you expose face and hands to the sun for about 10-15 minutes daily. This needs to be sans sunscreen, because sunscreen blocks some of the rays necessary to absorb Vitamin D. Just a small detail: Laila has been taking Vitamin D all winter long. She has been sick one day. And that was a small cold which she fought off quickly. And yes, she goes to daycare.
Link: http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Day 3
Sample day:
Breakfast- raw fruit salad with cinnamon on 6 oz strawberry soy yogurt
Snack (optional)- 1/4 c almonds, 1/4 c raisins
Lunch-
whole wheat bagel sandwich with hummus spread, 3 slices avocado, 1/4 c sprouts, raw spinach, 1 c raw bell peppers, 1/2 c Kashi organic crackers
Dinner- black bean quesadillas, avocado on side, mixed raw bell peppers, 1 1/2 c jasmine rice
Dessert- 1 orange, 1/2 c fresh pineapple
This is what I ate today. I didn't eat the snack, but left it optional for Heath and Laila. I have been eating early, and not eating anything past 9 pm. I think this is working out the best, because I have been waking up feeling very refreshed and not bloated. I have had a lot more sharpness of mind during the day. I am not counting calories, and I don't eat until maximum fullness.
I must admit that this is the first time I have ever eaten raw bell peppers. I bought 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, and 1 green pepper. I didn't know how good they tasted! Laila even ate them, and wanted more. I read that kids will eat them if they are presented in different colors; my kid is proof of that.
Supplements: Laila takes a children's multivitamin from the health food store, and D3 (1,000 I.U.), plus a probiotic for kids. The days we don't eat a good source of omega-3 fats, we take Carlson's fish oil. 1 tsp for me, 1/2 for Laila. I also take 5,000 I.U. of D3 (with calcium), and a probiotic. I am hoping we can discontinue the D3 for most of the summer, once we are outside more and can get it from the sun.
Tidbit: Laila has dealt with eczema in the past, and I have found since she started the fish oil that it has ceased to exist.
Goal for the week: I don't want to throw out food at the end of the week. I read an article about how much food Americans throw away, and it was not cool. I know that the further we get into this journey, I will get used to how much we all eat every week. This should help me avoid throwing out any produce that has gone bad.
Breakfast- raw fruit salad with cinnamon on 6 oz strawberry soy yogurt
Snack (optional)- 1/4 c almonds, 1/4 c raisins
Lunch-
whole wheat bagel sandwich with hummus spread, 3 slices avocado, 1/4 c sprouts, raw spinach, 1 c raw bell peppers, 1/2 c Kashi organic crackersDinner- black bean quesadillas, avocado on side, mixed raw bell peppers, 1 1/2 c jasmine rice
Dessert- 1 orange, 1/2 c fresh pineapple
This is what I ate today. I didn't eat the snack, but left it optional for Heath and Laila. I have been eating early, and not eating anything past 9 pm. I think this is working out the best, because I have been waking up feeling very refreshed and not bloated. I have had a lot more sharpness of mind during the day. I am not counting calories, and I don't eat until maximum fullness.
I must admit that this is the first time I have ever eaten raw bell peppers. I bought 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, and 1 green pepper. I didn't know how good they tasted! Laila even ate them, and wanted more. I read that kids will eat them if they are presented in different colors; my kid is proof of that.
Supplements: Laila takes a children's multivitamin from the health food store, and D3 (1,000 I.U.), plus a probiotic for kids. The days we don't eat a good source of omega-3 fats, we take Carlson's fish oil. 1 tsp for me, 1/2 for Laila. I also take 5,000 I.U. of D3 (with calcium), and a probiotic. I am hoping we can discontinue the D3 for most of the summer, once we are outside more and can get it from the sun.
Tidbit: Laila has dealt with eczema in the past, and I have found since she started the fish oil that it has ceased to exist.
Goal for the week: I don't want to throw out food at the end of the week. I read an article about how much food Americans throw away, and it was not cool. I know that the further we get into this journey, I will get used to how much we all eat every week. This should help me avoid throwing out any produce that has gone bad.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start.
I have a confession. I eat meat. Yet I call myself a vegetarian/vegan. I should clear this up. I rarely eat meat, maybe once a month. And most of the time, that's fish. So I may be a hypocrite. But, I am mostly vegan, with the exception of the fish. I don't "do" dairy products. I have been "vegan" for about a year, and am very happy to report that my digestive system likes me this way.
I have been attempting a strict vegan diet, but I have a husband and a child who are not exactly on the bandwagon here. Heath likes meat. A lot. Laila loves cheese. And candy. So, occasionally I fall off my plan. Especially when we go out to eat.
That brings us to the decision. We went to Perkins on Sunday afternoon. We ate breakfast. Heath and I got into a conversation about basic health issues. I have a strong belief that diet contributes to a lot of health problems, and that most ailments can be helped dramatically if one's diet changes. I brought up the topic of an experiment. I would find it interesting if Heath would try my vegan/raw food (more on that later) diet for one year. ONE YEAR. He agreed promptly. (Surprise!) So, here we are.
We started yesterday. I am planning on blogging about random thoughts on diet, and will include any results/complaints/general ideas about the progression of this journey.
I am excited to see where this takes us. Faithfully feasting, we strive to please the Lord with our food choices in order that we may be the very best for His Glory.
I have been attempting a strict vegan diet, but I have a husband and a child who are not exactly on the bandwagon here. Heath likes meat. A lot. Laila loves cheese. And candy. So, occasionally I fall off my plan. Especially when we go out to eat.
That brings us to the decision. We went to Perkins on Sunday afternoon. We ate breakfast. Heath and I got into a conversation about basic health issues. I have a strong belief that diet contributes to a lot of health problems, and that most ailments can be helped dramatically if one's diet changes. I brought up the topic of an experiment. I would find it interesting if Heath would try my vegan/raw food (more on that later) diet for one year. ONE YEAR. He agreed promptly. (Surprise!) So, here we are.
We started yesterday. I am planning on blogging about random thoughts on diet, and will include any results/complaints/general ideas about the progression of this journey.
I am excited to see where this takes us. Faithfully feasting, we strive to please the Lord with our food choices in order that we may be the very best for His Glory.
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