Food

Our family has been on a journey over the past couple of years of changing the way we eat. It's not something we're doing over night. We still have a LONG way to go. But we're trying. We are becoming more aware that the food we put into our bodies can impact our health and wellness.

This is a new way of thinking for me. Before, I didn't really ask questions. My main focus at the grocery store was "how can I save money." I blindly trusted the "system" to protect my family from deadly food diseases or chemicals. Then my eyes were opened.

I recently learned about a pesticide called malathion that is used to break down the nervous system of insects. It is commonly used on some of the fruits and vegetables that we frequently eat. Now, I don't know about you but that's a bit scary! That same chemical is going into the little bodies of my three kids? I don't think so!

Certain foods we frequently eat have been linked to all kinds of diseases: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, just to name a few. One of my favorite parts of the documentary Food Inc, is when they discuss the actual cost of food. That 99 cent hamburger that we think is really cheap is really not. The cost of health care and the environmental impact of that "cheap" hamburger is actually very expensive. I'm not advocating that all disease is caused by eating bad foods. I fully understand that some diseases are genetic and there's not much we can do to stop them. However, there is so much research and evidence to suggest that we can potentially fight off disease by making better food choices.

So when we began making these changes, I thought it was going to be difficult. And I thought it was going to really suck. I was really going to miss those fast food burgers and fries. Well, i couldn't have been more wrong! The food we eat now is so delicious and satisfying and we eat less because we savor and enjoy every last bite! We eat real food. And we eat lots of it.

Are we completely giving up fast food and bad food? Absolutely not! Everyone has different goals. Our goal is to eat whole foods as much as possible with an occasional fast food meal here and there. I'm a sucker for Chick Fil A!

I hope this post doesn't make anyone feel judged or overwhelmed. That's not my intention at all for writing about this. I simply want to encourage usu to begin thinking about the food that we put into our bodies. Do a little research and see what small steps you can take to begin the journey to more healthy eating.

A couple of great resources:

Food Inc

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

Broccoli Cupcake


Happy eating!