Anyone who knows me, outside of the blog world that is, knows that I define the persona of a picky eater. No exaggeration there, what-so-ever. I was a processed food junkie, surviving off of 100 calorie packs and caseloads of diet coke.
In the beginning of January our Pastor was preaching on the 6 Biblical principles of a spiritual life, summing up with the fact that our spirituality is linked to every other aspect of our life. It effects our minds, our souls, our emotions, our bodies, our words, our thoughts, and so on.
I visited a therapist for several sessions, immediately following Dylan's death. One of the things she recommended to me was to focus on a healthy diet. It helps even out the roller coaster of emotions that grief produces. She especially emphasized increasing my intake of flax seed. (It's awesome brain food, apparently!)
The first family I volunteered for was an extremely health conscious, organic, natural living family. I learned so much from that Mom!
I also wanted my future kids to be healthy eaters. And, I know the best way to lead them in that, was by example. I knew I had a long way to go personally, for that to happen.
Knowing that during high stress situations, it's important to maintain a healthy diet, exercise program, and of course a daily dose of Scripture, 6 weeks ago, I embarked on a new-food trying, testing of my gag reflex, all out health kick. And, it's lead me down a path that is nothing short of a miracle.
With God's Help, I've survived and thrived during some very trying circumstances, without any use of anti-depressants or sleeping aids. I am in the best physical and spiritual shape of my life.
While I fully believe in the power of medication, I also fully believe in using the least intervening of an approach as possible.
You're now talking to a steel cut oat, bell pepper, asparagus, banana, pea pod, cherry, melon, pineapple, mango, cucumber eating QUEEN. I started out with fruit smoothies and fruit leather to get me used to the natural sugar taste of fruits. I moved on to dried fruit, to aid in controlling my gag reflex with the texture of the whole raw fruit thing, and moved up to eating whole fruits! I add ground flax seed to everything I can, and drink lots of teas, especially the green ones. Boy, have I been missing out these past 26 years!
Now, don't get carried away here. I'm not sure that you'll EVER find me biting into an onion.
But, never before have I had this clear of skin or this toned of a body! I am getting greener by the minute! ;)
What have you done to get your kids to eat vegetables? (Yes, I am going to be trying recipes from the Deceptively Delicious Book.) Have any good smoothie recipes? Let's hear 'em! Even if they're tricks you use on your five year olds, let's hear 'em! Because let's be honest, that's right at my level.
Wishing you a healthy, blessed-beyond-belief week!
Nicole
"Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In Your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; You have put all my sins behind Your back."
Isaiah 38:16-17
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."
Jeremiah 33:6
8 comments:
You are too funny! It's about time you try foods other than pizza!! LOL! Five year olds get told they have to eat their veggies before they can go play! They also are told they have to eat them before they get seconds of the "good tasting stuff" that's on the table. You've got to try an onion! Fry one up with some mushrooms!!! Yum!!! Just have a piece of gum afterward!
Good for you for getting healthy! More importantly....good job getting through all this tough stuff in your life naturally...without turning to medication. God is your source to get through these times and the food he has provided is obviously helping you too! ~Aunt Diane
Nicole, We are very healthy eaters and I like easy, simple recipes...I have a bunch if you ever need an idea or two. I, too was not a veggie eater until I met my husband, now we have fresh veggies with just about every meal.
Keep up the good work!
~Katie (Dauksts) Belland~
Nicole, If you eat pasta I have found that if I chop zucchini really fine the kids will not notice it there. Actually pasta sauce can hide alot of things ;).
I chop spinach very finely for lasagna too.
Also my kids were throwing away thier apples at school. They said they did not like eating a whole one and the slices turned brown. I did put lemon juice on them but that made them more sour. Now I rinse them in sprite and will send something to dip them in. Kind of a compromise. So maybe you can get past the raw fruit texture if you used some cream cheese (or the lower fat nuechatel) a little brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla. It seems to work for my kids.
good for you! It is hard to work against that gag reflex!
I've done a strawberry & spinach smoothie in the past, and my toddles loves it! IT looks gross, but tastes great. All it is some strawberries, a handful of un-cooked spinach, honey, and ground flaxseed. Give it a try!
Nicole - my eldest and his wife were undercover missionaries in China and intend to go back when their family is complete. They have always given their kids a lot of fruit and veggies because they are plentiful in China and also safe. My husband had a heart attack and his diet is amazing. He eats flax seed in a lot of his concoctions!
Try edamame (Soybeans!)! They are way way way easy to prepare and taste way way better than you'd think. my nearly 4 year old calls them green peanuts!
You might also try cooking things LESS! You don't have to boil stuff to mush or fry it to oblivion - just heat it or steam it lightly enough to "knock off the raw" as my man says.
i've started on the healthy eating and working out thing lately, and i've never felt better. i seem to have more energy and my skin is really clear and bright. check out http://greenmonstermovement.com/ there are so many great recipes for green smoothies. the author of that site has another healthy lifestyle website http://ohsheglows.com/ check that out too!
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