Removing foods from your normal routine isn't easy. In the last month I have had several people share with me their decision to try a new diet removing gluten, dairy, soy and many other smaller ingredients. Our food culture here in the United States is not very welcoming to such a diet (though I must say it has greatly improved over the last 5 years). Yet, the health of my generation and those following has demonstrated a need for change. People are experiencing dramatic health issues as early as their teens and twenties. From my own personal journey, I have come to believe these issues are connected to our food. Now, I do not pretend to be a professional physician or even a formally educated advisor. All that I share is simply what I have learned over the years
from professionals and my own battle for full health. Feel free to read with a grain of salt and
please do your own research as well! I could talk for hours about the alterations that have been made to food over the last several decades or the toxins that we put into our bodies on a daily basis, but I will refrain from all that today. Instead, I encourage
you to research the processes your food goes through before it reaches you. You might be very surprised.
Since our bodies have gone through so much by the time we are in our twenties it makes sense that normal bodily functions begin to fail or malfunction. A major part of our bodies that take the hit is our internal organs, specifically our stomach, intestines, colon, liver and gallbladder. These are the areas food is broken down, filtered and gathered for nutrients. If so much of what we eat is harmful it doesn't take long for each of these parts to wear down and stop performing as your body needs. Your body's balance is thrown off. It becomes hard for your brain to function well without nutrients and so the messages to your body are not as they should be, causing issues like low blood sugar, lack of enzyme production, low or high acidity in the stomach, etc. Eventually food allergies or intolerances begin to form. Your organs begin to only be able to take certain foods as the years pass because they don't have the proper amount of enzymes, etc. to break down, filter and gather nutrients from all foods. The longer you go without fixing the root issues of rebuilding your organs and eating clean, safe food the less you will be able to eat and the more upset and off balance your body will become. The end result: autoimmune diseases. Take a gander at this
link to see what many of us are headed toward. As WomensHeath.gov states, "overall, autoimmune diseases are common, affecting more than 23.5 million Americans. They are the leading cause of death and disability." Don't let yourself become a part of this statistic.
I hope this sounds a bit scary to you, sometimes it takes a little kick in the rear to make or continue on with difficult changes. As I said in the beginning it's not an easy thing to reassess your health and restart your diet. Generally, it's not accepted in our culture, but the effects of our daily food choices are so very real. It's worth it. Slow down and look at the food you eat. Where does it come from? What's in it? How has it been cooked and stored? Start noticing your body's ups and downs and responses to food and stress. Take small steps to support your organs. Care about how you live and what you eat.
As I said earlier, people have been approaching me asking for help with food options that are allergy or intolerant friendly. I find that breakfast seems to be the most difficult meal to keep interesting. So as a little inspiration, I'm sharing a nutritious and easy {Everything- Free} option. It's so yummy I had it this morning!
{Coconut Yogurt with Fruit & Energy}
Fresh or Frozen Fruit (I love berries!)
I prefer the plain Yogurt because it's low in sugar and I can always sweeten it with Stevia or local Honey. The
Macca Powder and
Hemp Hearts provide lots of natural energy, are filling and full of nutrients. Click on the links to learn about the benefits of each and see the brands I favor!
