I have discovered, as of late, that what you put into your body has a profound affect on how well it operates. Just like a car is bound to experience mechanical problems if it is only run on the cheapest gas and old, gluey oil.
If we could see the effects of what we ate as clearly as these little guys, we'd probably be a lot more careful about what we put in our mouths!
About a year ago, I was diagnosed with very high cholesterol. I was only 28 years old and weighed 136 pounds – not exactly a likely candidate for such a problem. And none of my immediate family struggled with it either, making the excuse of “I can’t help it, it’s just in my genes” not altogether legitimate. Although genetics may have played a role, I had to look myself square in the face and acknowledge that I was part of the problem. I was all too often resorting to what was cheap and easy and emotionally satisfying rather than what was healthy and best for my body and life. I began to see a nutritionist at our local heart clinic and get my blood work done every few months to check on progress. And, let me tell you, it was remarkable. Here’s a snapshot of the numbers:
This last date is slightly higher on some of the numbers because I'm pregnant, which can raise cholesterol for women.
Once I started seeing significant results and sharing my success with others, people were constantly asking me if it was terribly difficult to change my diet and “deprive” myself of things that we as Americans deem to be innate rights, like fast food, and pre-made frozen meals, and FRIED everything. The truth is, it wasn’t! There is very little that I actually cut out of my diet and SO many ways to make substitutions. Like ground turkey instead of beef, olive oil instead of hydrogenated vegetable oil, heart-smart margarine instead of butter, egg beaters instead of eggs, 1% or fat-free cheeses, skim milk, canola mayo, high fiber cereals, muffins, pancakes, pastas and breads, and lots more vegetables and fruit. And, of course, less of everything to drink except water. All the things I used to cook and love, I can still cook with some modifications and we can barely, if at all, notice a difference. Everything is fresher, lighter. And if I need something quick and easy on the go, I get a sub from subway or a salad (without heavy dressing). And the best part – because this is a lifestyle change and not a diet – it’s OK to cheat every now and then. The important thing is to generally reform our habits. Learn to pay attention at the grocery store. Care about what we put in our body and not just satisfy our cravings. I still have a ways to go, but I thought I would share my success so far as an inspiration to others that making healthy choices can make a tangible difference even in a short amount of time.
I’d love to hear some of your healthy eating tips and ideas. What are some of your best kitchen secrets?
Nostalgia in the Making 
Yay! So glad you decided to make some positive changes, and have only good things to say about it! We have been very careful about what we eat for a few years now (since I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and In Defense Of Food by Michael Pollan). We’re with you!
One of our things is, we try not to eat any food that our Great-Grandparents wouldn’t have been able to identify. This cuts out processed foods, and encourages eating whole foods!
Another thing we do is eat organically whenever possible. People say that it’s expensive, but they take food stamps at my local farmer’s market, and I’d rather pay for healthy food now than for hospital bills and medications later!
Thanks for the great post :)
xx.
You are very right, you have to weigh your expenses carefully. What’s more expensive, healthy food at the grocery or eating out multiple times a week (which many people who complain about cost do.)
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