This last batch of ATCs was created a couple months ago. Most of them are in others' hands by now.
I've been devoting myself over the past few weeks to a deeply personal project ~ changing my eating habits
for good.
Although I've been lacto-ovo vegetarian (dairy and eggs in the diet) for many years, over the last few I found myself eating way more processed wheat products, cheese and ice cream than I knew I should have been. And not enough actual vegetables.
For the past nearly-50 years, my forays into tinkering with my diet included spans of time as a vegetarian, times of relatively light meat eating (beef rarely but chicken and/or fish fairly often), a couple of vegan years, and many years of periodic extended juice/fruit fasts.
I'd also been a light drinker for most of my adult life. Never alcoholic, but a social drinker and someone who looked forward every early evening to "wine o'clock."
That same inner voice that almost two years ago told me to start meditating in earnest, told me last July that I'd had enough alcohol, that I was done with it and ready to engage life without it. I've been alcohol-free for nearly nine months. The mere thought of drinking now makes my mind swim.
Remember that sinusitis I mentioned a couple months ago? After thoroughly researching the issue online, taking numerous OTC drugs without success, going to the doctor just to have confirmed that I did not have a bacterial or viral infection...I started in with several alternative home-care remedies and finally the sinus situation began resolving itself.
Which led me to realize that I needed to change my eating habits. Although I had blood drawn in January and the typical allergens in my blood were very low to non-existent, nevertheless it became obvious to me that my body has been reacting to something or things I was ingesting, or something(s) in the environment.
So I've cleaned up my diet
for good. I'm now gluten-free and vegan. I'm eating to satisfy my body's need for nutrition, not to satisfy my ego or my sweet tooth. I've given up all processed foods, instead eating fresh or dried grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits and a few other extremely healthful things.
This is actually easy for me to do since I always only cook for myself and I very rarely go out to eat. I gave away everything in my pantry and refrigerator that wasn't what I want to eat now, and replaced it all with the most healthful options.
Most likely this sinusitis, these protracted allergies, are environmental in nature, because I haven't cleared them up fully yet, and they keep coming back. At least I've ruled out food allergies, though. And I'll continue to do everything holistic that I can to strengthen my immune system so that this relatively minor problem doesn't become something far worse.
I've had the good fortune to be healthy. I'm not taking that for granted any longer.
If you're one of those few who truly want to explore this subject,
Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford is indispensable.
Happy Spring. May you be healthy.
