Every Journey Begins with Just One Step

    There are so many things rushing through my mind right now.  Today is the beginning of my Journey to Well.  Today hasn't been terrible.  I'm thoroughly expecting the terrible to follow at some point, but it didn't happen today.  For this, I'm thankful.  I ask myself (and have been asked several times just today) - WHY would someone do what I've begun.  The reasons are plentiful and my dedication is true.  What on Earth am I even talking about?  My Journey to Well, which has been a long time coming, started as an idea, evolved into a plan and began today with action.  I've been (mostly) grain-free and completely dairy-free for almost a year and a half.  Unpleasant GI symptoms have plagued me since my sister's death 2 years ago.  The stress  triggered something that I'd not before experienced and slowly, I figured out that a change in diet was necessary.  So, I did an elimination diet - took out everything but vegetables and fruits and slowly started adding from there.  I discovered that grains and dairy upset my system and so have avoided them.  I already (before today) consistently am asked "What CAN you eat?!?!"  My answer, before today, was "Vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, eggs and meat."  My answer as of today - all of the same things, except for the animal products.  I've decided to try out a vegan diet.  It's really not so very different from how I've been eating, except that I am sticking almost completely to whole, real foods.

    We (as a family) eat relatively little processed foods anyhow, but I'm dropping that even more.  I am allowing for a few vegan-friendly processed foods - today, for example, I had a serving of TVP with veggies for lunch (and I put some into the taco meat I made for dinner, but don't tell anyone!).  I like MorningStar Farms products occasionally.  But, for the most part, a whole foods, plant based diet is the direction I've chosen to go.  I didn't really say much about this to Sam, my youngest.  One of his comments today, after getting his dinner (I'm not sure where it came from, but out of the mouths of babes...)  "I don't understand people who don't eat meat.  They don't know what they're missing!"   What an encouragement? 

    I apologize for the "all-over" nature of this, my first entry on this blog.  My thoughts are truly all over as I explore my feelings, my reasons and the implications of this choice.

     My Reasons

• Health - I'm overweight by way too much.  I have food triggers for debilitating migraine headaches.  I can feel my body not working the way I want it to - for example - When I get stressed, I can feel my blood pressure going up.  I  am too young (LOL, in my opinion) to deal with things like high blood pressure.  And I am directly responsible for my outcome.  I'm the only person who is responsible for my health.  
• Breaking Bonds - I'm a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.  I've used food to distance myself from people, out of fear that they, too, will just hurt me.  On some level, this has been my life since I was 4 years old.  No More.

• My Faith - I'm a Christian.  What was the Ideal?  The Original Plan that God had for us?  It was a life in the Garden of Eden - surrounded by plants and animals - but eating plants.  It wasn't until after the Fall that we started to consume animal products.  So, perhaps, our optimum health can exist most easily, by following the Original Plan?  Also, just today (and I don't think this is a coincidence), I read an article that indicated that one of the (if not the biggest) factory farming congloms in the U.S. is run by a man who is a Christian.  This same company was featured in a documentary that I watched a couple years ago - and it was not featured in a positive light.  At the end of the day, I have to reconcile my beliefs with my actions.  If my actions contribute to what I see as a major problem, I can't reconcile my beliefs with my actions.  I am not someone who will ever say "Don't eat meat." to someone, everyone needs to do what they feel is the right thing for them.  For me, however,  the treatment of animals is very important to me, and if I am using my buying power to line the pockets of huge corporations who not only encourage their small farmer contractors to perpetuate gross mistreatment of animals, but also by very nature of their business model, put small family farmers out of business because of their virtual monopoly on the market.  In good conscience, I can no longer take part in this.   

    And so... the Journey to Well has begun.  My "First Step" - my first day - has gone remarkably well.  I had a smoothie for breakfast (Kale, Carrot, Cucumber, Peach & Strawberry with Chia seeds.)  Lunch was a salad of TVP & tomatoes, cucumbers and mint.  And dinner for the family was tacos, so I just eliminated the meat and shell and had a taco salad - butter lettuce, kale, cilantro, tomatoes, black beans and walnuts with tomatillo salsa.   I didn't have any cravings today, I thought for sure that would be an issue, thankful that it hasn't yet been an issue, even when cooking the taco meat.

   Day One - Success.