Sunday, August 9, 2009

Insights. . .

With all the learning about eating RAW food, I've become so much more aware of my health and my body and more aware of. . . It's really hard to put into words how I feel about what's been happening to me because of this way of eating.

A little History. . .
I have never been a big dieter, never trying this or that to lose weight. I have been 15 - 20 or so pounds overweight most of my pregnant/post pregnant life. In trying to have children I learned that I have PCOS, and that my body doesn't agree/use Carbohydrates correctly. A Dr told me that when we were trying to have our first child, but it wasn't until after our 5th child that I realized I should be doing something about how I ate. From that time on, I've been on a "Trying to eat Healthy" crusade. Don't even talk to my children about it! They SO have a "Oh no here she goes AGAIN!" attitude. In fact, I'm pretty sure they are thinking this about my new RAW food phase. However, I feel totally different now, than I ever did in all the other tries.

I have done Atkins several times and been successful in losing weight, but never sustaining it. Plus, I never could feel good about it because it never leveled up with the Word of Wisdom and so I just couldn't ever come to terms with it. I totally feel that the RAW food way of life does line up with the Word of Wisdom, if it's studied, and we're honest with what it actually says about eating meat and grains. That's another thing I struggled with. . . Food Storage. Because of my issues with carbs, it was hard for me to think of how Un-good all that grain in my basement is for me. But now, I know that I can sprout that grain and make it wonderfully healthy GREEN stuff for me and my family!

So. . . GARDENING! Yep, I've actually become excited about growing my own GREEN food! We have pretty much always had a garden all of our married life, and it's been mainly my responsibility to keep it going. In fact, I have to point out to DH, that's a plant and that's a weed. . . I think I've kept my growing up years attitude about a garden. ICK! Weeds! WORK!! Now I've learned the difference between a Farmer - who puts seeds in the ground and watches them grow, and a Gardener - who tends, nurturers, prunes, watches, anticipates.

I'm even trying a winter garden. Did you know that you can grow your own greens over the winter in a covered (not a greenhouse) box? Two books that have changed my Gardening experience are The All New Square Foot Garden and The Four Season Harvest. If I had my camera (which has spent a semester down at BYU being used by the future photographer), I would love to post pictures of the tiny arugula leaves that are coming up in my back porch SQF Garden! And the amazing 6 foot tall pruned tomato plants in the back garden! Or of the yummy "Cheesy Kale Chips" that I dehydrated from the kale we picked out of our garden.

OK so I think that's enough for tonight, but I have more insights and thoughts to share. Aren't you Lucky?!?!?!?