30 Days of Gratitude: Day 28 - Good Food

Though I haven't always believed it, good food is about more than taste, presentation, and texture. In fact, the last few years have been quite a 'food' journey for me.There was a time that my day was a play from one sugary, processed snack to another. I'd start my day with a delicious bowl of Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs (w/ half and half, of course!) and end it with a bowl (ok, who are we kidding? It was more like half of a carton) of ice cream. Luckily, good genetics and a forgiving metabolism have saved me from some of the serious complications that are typical of that diet. Even more luckily, however, was the discovery that the way I feel - physically and mentally - is directly linked to the foods I put in my mouth! 

Surprise! Turns out our bodies aren't designed to be chemistry labs. I know, crazy, right? 

About 4 years ago our family began a journey to re-align our diet with the Word of Wisdom. We started by cutting out additives like hydrogenated oils, artificial dies, and high fructose corn syrups. Slowly we've almost completely eliminated all processed foods from our pantry. Other than whole grain pastas, we pretty much skip over any packaged items at the grocery store. We consume lean poultry and meats in appropriate (4 - 6 oz) proportions, and instead load up on fruits and vegetables.

This fall, I decided to take my personal diet a step further, eliminating all refined sugar (including white flour) except for on special occasions. I'm not going to lie, it has its difficult moments! But the rewards have been worth the sacrifice. I feel better now than I can remember ever feeling. My chronic body pains and headaches have all but stopped. My body feels (and looks!) strong and healthy! And, slowly but surely, I find myself craving healthy choices over desserts. I am grateful for healthy, natural foods that taste good and more importantly make me feel good.