First and foremost, I aim to eliminate as much sugar as possible from my diet. With diseases like RA, inflammation is the enemy, and from what I've learned over the past few months, sugar is a major cause of inflammation within the body.
Next, I will re-eliminate sodas. Diet soda is pretty much an addiction for me, and like many recovering addicts, I've been off and on the wagon a lot. Although diet sodas don't contain sugar, they are full of artificial sweeteners (just as bad), and I'm recently learning what the ingredient phosphoric acid can do to your bones. Remember, mine are already showing significant signs of deterioration.
Another major goal is to eliminate processed foods from the majority of our weekly diet. I believe that my family can realistically follow a clean-eating lifestyle about 90% of the week, with an allowance for one meal PER WEEK where we loosen the rules a bit. Hey, life takes unexpected turns and my kids are still in the age of Saturday morning birthday parties. 'Nuff said.
In addition, I will prioritize buying food with integrity. To me, this means switching to organics fruits and vegetables (locally grown when possible). This is a huge and scary step for a beginner like me. I'm more intimidated by farmers markets than I was by the health food store (see first post). Thank goodness I've found an organic fruits/veggies delivery service. Right to my door once a week, until I start to build up a little confidence and know how to be intelligent when, to market I go! It also means all my poultry and beef purchases will be free of hormones, antibiotics. Ethically treated chickens and cattle. Grass-fed (and grass-finished when possible) beef. Cage-free eggs. I don't even remember what else I'm supposed to look for, but I have it written down for when I shop!
So, here are my rules so far:
1. No sugar or any other kind of artificial sweeteners
2. No Sodas.
3. No highly processed foods (5 or fewer ingredients, all of which I can pronounce)
4. Ethically raised and junk-free poultry, beef and eggs
I need so much help following even these four simple rules, and so I'm relying a lot on some great resources to keep me in line. I have received no benefits from endorsing the following companies, brands, or people. They have no clue I exist. But they're helping me, and for that reason alone, I want to recognize my most valuable resources to date:
1. Maximized Living Nutrition Book
This has been the most comprehensive overview of what I need to change and why. Written by doctors, it provides just enough science to satisfy my curiosity and so much practicality (how do I DO this?) to help me begin.
2. The blog "100 Days of Real Food". Talk about comprehensive and practical. Lisa Leake and her team at "100 Days of Real Food" are practically handing me every tool and encouragement I'll ever need on a silver platter. Unless silver is an unhealthy metal on which to serve food. In that case, I'm sure she's handing me everything on a BPA free, recycled glass platter. From videos of her own pantry to articles on switching over picky kids' palates to simple rules to follow, I am a huge fan of her practical approach to this very daunting decision.
3. Another website that has helped me put together some meal ideas and shore up my recipes - Against All Grains. This website is Paleo, and I do not intend to follow all the Paleo rules. But I also do not need to rely so much on grains and it is helping me get a little more creative about my meal planning.
4. The Fit Bit.
To be fair, I don't even have it yet. It's coming at the beginning of next week, and I really couldn't be more excited. Several friends have recommended this amazing little wireless activity and sleep tracker to me. One of the biggest contributors to my health issues has been lack of exercise and lack of sleep. This little gadget tracks BOTH and lights up all pretty when you reach certain goals you've set. Since no one will follow me around handing me gold stars every time I make a wise choice or go to bed on time, I'm pretty excited about this little tool that will (fingers crossed) capture MAJOR improvements in my health as I start to incorporate all this clean eating!
5. Friends & Family. I wish I could put a link to this one or a picture that included all of them. But honestly, one of my biggest tools for success is knowing that I have a team of people who love me and are rooting for me in this endeavor. I hope that, if you're reading this, you have a really good team surrounding you, too. This is a place where quantity doesn't count near as much as quality. One good friend, one good accountability partner - and you're blessed beyond measure!
6. Faith. I list this last because it's honestly the most important one. As I stated in my starting post, I believe God is leading me toward a new thing nutritionally. Any resource I've found is just a gift from Him through a creative avenue. And any single good choice or string of good choices and successes is only achieved in the strength and power He gives me. Phil 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
I assume that means I can even shop at a Farmers Market.
(I'll keep you posted!)
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