Making a change

Hi guys!

I read an article this morning about an eight year old child who has a disease called NF which more or less means his body inevitably grows tumors on a regular basis. The article was written by his Mom, and the central theme seemed to be the changes that were made in their lives as a result of his diagnosis. She briefly talks about the new raw diet they have adapted, and other changes in their nutrition.

This morning I was looking through some things and came across a notebook my Mom kept to write quotes in. At the end of the quotes, she has four pages containing supplement information. The first page looks like this:

Tues. June 1
1200 Vit. C
99 Potassium
1 tablet Gymnema
10,000 Vit. A
1,000 Vit. D
1,000 Betaine
2 tablespoons Calcium
Banana
----------------------------
cottage cheese
1,200 Vit. C
99 Potassium
1 tablet Gymnema
10,000 Vit. A
1,000 Vit. D
1,000 Betaine
2 tablespoons Calcium
1,000 B12


This was written 24 days before she passed away. She only had 2 days worth of entries, but as you can see, they are extensive. June 1st continues on the next page. This makes me wonder two things:

Why did her entries stop? I don't think she received official diagnosis that she had cancer until about June 11th. Maybe she received the diagnosis and then gave up hope?

It also makes me think that she consulted someone to improve her health and this is the regiment she was given. That means she wanted to fight. She wanted to be healthier and to feel better. She wanted to live.

For the little boy in the article, his family waited for a devastating diagnosis before changing their lifestyle for the better. For my Mom, it was a little too late to make the changes necessary to not only be healthy, but to live.

So I ask you this: why wait before taking care of YOU? We like to walk around thinking we're untouchable from disease and death. We look at the statistics and think our chances of dodging a terminal illness are pretty good.

Our bodies are the vehicles which carry us through this life. We fuel our bodies with crap and expect them to somehow function efficiently. We get sick or gain weight and look for the quick fix because we're too lazy to put in the effort needed to change long term. I am tired of hearing people complain about their various ailments - fatigue, aches, excess weight - while feeding themselves sugar, processed crap, nothing that their bodies can use for any purpose.

I'm tired of hearing "I wish..." or "I'm jealous of.." or "I want..." - if you want something badly enough, you can achieve it. If you admire something about someone else, you too, can obtain the same quality, you just have to work for it. If you have a dream, surround yourself with that vision and align the rest of your life accordingly to ensure you get there.

It all starts with a single step. What are you no longer willing to tolerate in your life when it comes to health? What is one small step you can take NOW to better your health? Maybe it's incorporating a "no meat Monday" or drinking more water, cutting back on processed foods, drinking one less pop a week, remembering to take your multivitamin. Where can you improve?

I'll admit, I've gone full tilt. It's been three weeks of making drastic changes and I can honestly say I feel amazing, and this is my validation that what I'm doing is working for ME. My body has given me positive feedback and I will continue along with these changes, and looking for others I can incorporate into my life. Here are some of the things I have changed:

- I drink more water, and actually start my day with a big glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon juice
- I eat nothing white - no white pasta, white sugar, white bread
- I eat nothing processed - no more granola bars, no cookies, no crackers - UNLESS the nutritional label is good, which usually is not the case
- I don't drink pop
- I eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours to keep up my metabolism
- I add fiber to my breakfast every morning
- I combine complex carbs with protein every time I eat (snacks too)
- I eat GREEN veggies every single day, usually twice a day
- I limit the amount of carbs I get from grains
- I eat healthy fat every day, usually 1-2 servings


I still have a lot to learn when it comes to nutrition and what my body requires on a daily basis, but I'm happy with the changes I have made so far. I'm not saying I'm going to follow these changes 100% of the time, though I have so far. Maybe I'll have a pop again, but for now I am trying to listen to my body and appreciate it for the strength and health it gives me back when I feed it wholesome, nutritious foods.

What are you willing to change right now? I'd love to hear your thoughts.