Day 11 - What's YOUR Excuse?

Today, I met a lady who noticed my big salad for lunch and struck up a conversation about diet and health, alternative medicine, and some other related topics.  It was really nice to talk with someone who "gets it", to share my experiences and hear hers, and hopefully to have educated her a little about how food affects health.

This lady mentioned some things that she "knows" but just isn't "doing" yet.  

I get that.  

It took me a long time to make those big changes that changed my life.  And, even after I had experienced for myself the tremendous health benefits of going gluten-free and cutting out chemicals, I continued to feed my "sweet tooth", until it eventually took over.  My cravings for sugary foods consumed my every waking moment - my body's way of telling me things were out of control.  When I didn't pay attention, I was given a few more serious warnings, and I took notice.  I already knew my food choices were to blame.  But I lacked the self discipline to do anything about it.

Which brought me here.

In an attempt to keep myself accountable, I decided to record my 28 day anti-candida diet here, for others to see, giving me motivation to stick with it.

Since I've made it a personal goal to educate everyone I come in contact with about food and health, I've heard some excuses repeatedly.  It seems there are a few things that keep a lot of people trapped in their unhealthy lifestyles...

I'm too busy.
Today's world is hectic for even the most laid back individuals.  We eat and run, or eat on the run.  Who has time to wash and cut up fresh vegetables, plan healthy menus, and read ingredients?
My response - Who has time for chronic pain, insulin injections, blood work, or open heart surgery?  Is a trip to the pharmacy really that much quicker than a trip to the produce aisle?  I am currently working with three different clients, which means I am at work or in commute for up to 10 hours a day.  This week, I made a great big salad on Sunday, placed a paper towel on top before covering, and it was still fresh and crisp today.  You can prepare healthy snacks and portion them out for the whole week.  The bottom line is, you make time for what's important to you - shouldn't the body you live in be one of them?

It's too expensive to eat healthy. 
Yes, actually, it is.  In a perfect world, I would be eating organic produce and grass fed meats, supplemented with probiotics and a raw whole food multivitamin, washed down with purified water or homemade veggie juice.  We don't live in a perfect world.  The all organic section doesn't have a dollar menu.  But, I know that my body will respond to any real attempt I make at treating it right.  I am doing the best I can on a very tight budget, and I am reaping the health benefits, so you can, too.  Remember, sick days, prescriptions and insurance co-pays are expensive, too.

I don't have the energy.
Now, to this one, I can definitely relate!  This has got to be the single most difficult trial a person can face when learning to eat right.  Chronic fatigue will take away all but your life itself and make you wish it had.  If you get up at 10:00 a.m. and are ready for a nap by noon, I have been where you are.  If on a "good day" you feel ready to conquer the world and then find you are wiped out after conquering the dishes in the kitchen sink, I know how you feel.  Throw in fibromyalgia, rheumatory arthritis, lupus, or any other autoimmune disorders, and you will gladly eat pop tarts for dinner because it was the first thing you laid eyes on when you finally got hungry enough to get off the couch and make the trek all the way to the kitchen.  I wish I knew a way to make it easier, but there just isn't one.  The folks who give me this "excuse" are the reason I'm here - I want you to know that there is hope for you, but you have got to fight the battle with fatigue - over and over again.  With every bite of food you take.  Never give up.  You can win!

When I started this 28 day plan, one of my biggest reasons was fatigue.  I had won the battle with pain, and in so many ways I felt like a new person.  But I was still tired all the time.  I sort of settled into living that way, but something in me was always saying, You've come this far, why stop now?  I almost didn't want to hope that I could have energy again - it's been so long, I'm not sure I would recognize it or know what to do with it.  But here I am, day 11, first week of working full time again, and I have run errands every day after work, came home and cooked supper, and dome some little odd things around the house before sitting down to write blog posts.  I haven't even thought about a nap.  Could this be real?  Time will tell, but it has given me new motivation to keep the salads coming and keep the junk food at  bay.

And, my personal favorite...
There's really not enough research to back that up.
I'm okay with that.  You see, nobody has shown me any research to prove that putting real, healthy food into your body is in any way harmful.  I haven't read any scientific articles on the dangers of MSG deficiency, or the health benefits of yellow #5.  I don't have time to wait for research to be approved by whatever big entity gets to say that there IS enough research.  This is my life, and I want to live it.  Now.  

I'm not telling you to stop taking your current medications or working with your doctors.  I'm just saying that YOU are the only one responsible for YOUR health; if you don't learn to listen to your body, and if you don't make the choice to make the changes that can change your life, then nobody else will.  Do your own research.  Be your own guinea pig.  Prove to the naysayers - and to yourself - that better health is as simple as the food on your plate.