SAD --> WOW

Isn't is SAD how the Standard American Diet is so unbalanced? Most eat a great deal of processed foods, meat, sugars (in all its forms) and inflammatory foods. It leaves much less room for a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. It's how I've eaten for quite some time. SAD.



With my new health issues (and some I've dealt with for a long time but didn't have a diagnosis)...Occipital Neuralgia, Alopecia Areata (or severe malnourishment due to side effects from my last MS med) and Fibromyalgia all on top of my other diseases have compounded to make me reach out for even more answers.

I tried some nutritionists (one wasn't great but helped me get the LEAP testing to figure out my most intolerant foods and the other helped me with anti-inflammatory diet and nutritional counseling---she was amazing). But, in the end, I've been quite limited because of my declining health. I can't cook and prep foods very often. So, as I've declined, I've turned more and more to processed foods. SAD.

(http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-inflammatory-foods-to-avoid.htm)

With blessings and my desperation for almost 18 years, I have decided to jump ALL the way into the Word Of Wisdom Way! I've tried the world's way (all kinds of diets, protein every 3 hours, supplements, shakes, etc, etc, etc) and I just get worse and worse. I felt somewhat better when I increased my fruits, vegetables and grains and decreased my processed and sugary foods for those 12 weeks (July-Sept). Not great, but better. But, I didn't fully jump into the WORD OF WISDOM.

(https://www.lds.org/topics/word-of-wisdom?lang=eng)


So, I'm doing it. January 1st and I started a private (closed) group on Facebook for support and recipe sharing. I'm not going extreme (some Plant Based, WHOLE foods eaters don't eat ANY meat, eggs, oils, refined grains, transfats, or dairy but I think it is a personal decision and I'm not there yet). I'm simply cutting back on processed foods, sugars and transfats and instead filling my body with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains as close to God's creations as possible. (Less man-made and unnatural additions). It is such a personal thing how you interpret "meat sparingly," but I can say I don't think eating animal protein every 3 hours is sparingly. I've tried the world's way and am gonna give it a shot God's way (especially shared for the latter-days).


Here is what I did this year to help me make SMALL changes for long-lasting (ish) results:

1. Cut out my biggest inflammatory and addictive (whether it's psychological or physical, I didn't care) offender---sugar. Not ALL sugar, but sugar as in no candy, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, etc for 12 weeks. I also attended a few sessions of an addiction class. I was nervous people would think I was uber lame for coming for a sugar addiction, but everyone was cool. People were there for ALL KINDS of things and it helped me have a group to account to and share with so I stayed on track.
2. July- cut out sugar 
3. August- increased vegetable daily intake to 3 different vegetables in season 
4. September -3 dinners a week without meat (which helped me increase different grains and vegetables I hadn't used before or very often)

Here is what I will be doing to make it easier and long-lasting: (with my cute hubby's help because I can't cook or prep much)

1. 
   Once a week a week I will cook all of my grains, lentils, rice, beans, and squash with my hubby (1.5 hrs on Saturday)
   1. Squash – 45 min – 1 hr cooking in the oven.
   2. Wheat Berries- 1 ½ hour
   3. Barley pearls simmering on stove- 1 hr.
   4. Brown Rice in rice cooker
   5. Soak & rinse quinoa, cook in rice cooker when rice is done.
   6. Lentils-10 min
   7. Chop veggies and fruits
   8. Beans from cans- rinse and put ALL of above in various air tight containers.
   
   
   2. Meal plan
   -This past year our meal plan was typically on a plan for dinners
   M-Leftovers
   T-Mexican/Italian
   W-Soup/Salad
   Th-Microwave Meals
   F-Date Night (once a month or every other month) or Microwave
   Sa-Vegetarian
   Su-Crockpot
   
   THIS year I'm going to start with a foundation of grains and add in fruits, vegetables, and legumes, as well as plan out my breakfasts and lunches. I will blog about all of this aspect later on.
   
   3. Support from friends and family
   -Our private Facebook group begins January 1st and we may even get together as a group here in town if I'm up to it. Sharing recipes, foods, and laughing about mishaps and pinterest fails.
   
   
   Even if it ONLY helps a LITTLE, I'm down with it. Almost 18 years ago I gained 90 pounds in less than a year and thought I was going blind and deaf. It was frightening and I felt out of control. Since then I've gained more weight, more diseases and my body has controlled everything. In 2015 I lost 20 pounds (more than I've EVER been able to lose with all of my health problems). And that was just sort of following the word of wisdom (even when I brought back sugar Oct-Dec). IF I lose some more weight in the process...cool. But it isn't my focus. My focus is controlling my body (as much as possible) instead of letting it control me. HEALTH.
   
   It's an experiment of some sort. I've been a guinea pig for several doctors and decided to let God take the wheel. Who knows...maybe I'll get somewhere instead of running around in circles.