February project

Well it's the last day in January and I've made it through my first project of 2017! As mentioned in my last post,  it didn't all go as planned but on the whole I think I did pretty good. Life this past month has been challenging and where I once would have drowned my misery in cake, that hasn't been an option. If I'm being honest, I'm finding myself more and more depressed. The news that I have a uterine tumour hasn't helped. The doctor says the odds are 90% in my favour that it is benign but that doesn't seem good enough...I want 100%! I'm taking medication designed to shrink it (and give me constant headaches to boot) and have surgery scheduled for March 20th. Then I'll find out the biopsy results. Fingers and toes crossed!

As I mentioned in my last post, I plan on continuing to eat a wholly unprocessed diet. I expect that things may slide a bit since it will not be my focus for February but that's okay. As long as I can keep coming back to it, it will be of great benefit to me and my health.

On to my February project....daily movement. I commit to moving my body daily. By daily movement I mean doing more than my current few minutes of yoga and core exercises. I mean going to the gym, walking for at least half an hour, strength training at home, longer yoga sessions. This has to become a habit for me if I'm to get well. I want to increase my endurance and strength. This will help to decrease my depression and aid in weight loss. A win-win!

I'm gearing up and getting ready to go tomorrow!

Unprocessed week four

It was a pretty good week for my unprocessed eating project. Mind you, I did have some fails this month. Chocolate (77% but not made at home), crackers, a bagel and cream cheese. I didn't make crackers, I bought some "Mary's Gone Crackers" which are fine but when I ran out I switched to the regular Breton that I had in the cupboard. The  bagel was eaten on a day I was starving for lunch. At least the cream cheese on it was made from grass fed milk and was organic. Some of the vegetables and fruit that I ate weren't organic, but I ate plenty of them!

I ate out one day and chose to go to the "Green Door" on Main street in Ottawa. It's a vegetarian buffet made with organic and local ingredients as much as possible. So good! I filled half of my plate with salads. Broccoli salad with a tofu dressing, Celeriac salad, kale salad, marinated mushrooms, green bean salad. Mung bean thread salad. I also had mashed potatoes with kale and a piece of broccoli quiche. For dessert I ate a slice of lemon coconut cake. (Made with spelt flour and maple syrup). It was delicious!!

Another meal was a delicious vegetable tart (made with eggplant, mushrooms, zuchinni, yellow squash, tomatoes and goat cheese). With it we had steak smothered in mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

One day I had broccoli soup for dinner. Along side the soup I made a fabulous quinoa salad with steamed beets, roasted mushrooms, dill and feta. There were a few steps involved but it was well worth it! I'll post the recipe next month.

Breakfasts have mostly been spelt bread, toasted with cashew butter and bananas. Or oatmeal with frozen berries, walnuts and coconut milk. Lunches are still difficult. If there are leftovers I eat those. Or a boiled egg and raw vegetables with hummus. Maybe I should have a smoothie on those days that I'm hungry but don't feel like eating...I think I'll give that a try.

I've been knitting away on a Christmas gift for next year. I was almost done of the main body of a sweater when I realized that I had made a noticeable mistake and had to take half of it apart! So frustrating. But I'll keep working on it. It'll feel pretty good to have the main part of my gifts done ahead of time.

Going back to the Unprocessed project....it's gone pretty well. My failures had more to do with lack of planning than with anything else. I still crave processed food sometimes but feel a lot better for not eating it. And I've lost 4 pounds! Just a drop in the bucket compared to what I want to lose but it's a start and I have to say it was pretty painless! I'm going to continue eating this way as much as possible into the next month. along with another project I'm starting on February 1st. More on that later...

C    xxoo

Just tired

I’m tired this morning. I woke up at four and wasn’t able to get back to sleep. This has been happening more and more lately and it makes for some really long days. Days when your eyes feel full of grit and your nerves are jangled from too much coffee, taken in an effort to keep moving. Days when you feel like everything is too much effort. Normally, yoga is the first thing I do in the morning while a cup of herbal tea or hot water and lemon steep. Not today.

I finally hit the mat after being awake for four hours. Quickly got dizzy doing sun salutes so I dialed it back and eased into a bunch of twisting poses. Slowly, mindfully. Added some hip openers. Oh, it felt so good. Finished off in Savasana (or corpse pose) for 5 minutes. I almost fell asleep! I can’t say I’m an energizer bunny now but I feel calmer and not quite so tired.

Days like today are good days to putter around the house. Lighting candles and diffusing essential oils. Clearing some cobwebs and making cozy corners. Curling up with a blanket, cup of tea and a book. (I’m currently reading my way through “A Year Between Friends: 3191 miles apart” by Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stepahnie Congdon Barnes) In other words, embracing hygge.

A good chai tea is always comforting and what I’ve got in my cupboard right now is an easy powdered blend that’s great to have on hand. It’s from one of my favourite herbal books called “The Healing Kitchen” by Holly Bellebuono. It aids both digestion and the nervous system. It also supports the immune and endocrine system.

Ashwagandha Chai

For the blend:

8 ounces ashwagandha powder

2 tablespoons ground cardamom

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

To make the blend, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer to a glass jar, cap and label. Store in cupboard.

For the beverage:

1 cup of milk (I use coconut or almond milk)

1 teaspoon Ashwagandha Chai Blend

A few drops of maple syrup

Warm the milk in a small saucepan, covered, over low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of chai blend and simmer gently over very low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into a mug and stir in maple syrup. Enjoy!

I’ll be making some chamomile body wash today. Chamomile is soothing when you’re feeling overly tired and at the same time, uplifting. This body wash is gentle on the skin, an important factor at this time of year.

Chamomile Body Wash

5 drops chamomile essential oil

1 teaspoon almond oil

1 16-ounce bottle of castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s unscented)

3 drops of citrus or peppermint essential oil or other (optional)

To make:

Add the chamomile essential oil and almond oil to the bottle of soap. Add an optional oil if desired. Shake it really well.

This is super easy to make. If you find castile soap drying, put the soap in a foaming pump bottle. Fill it 1/3 with soap and 2/3 full of water. Screw on the pump top and give it a good shake.

Chamomile essential is great if you’re feeling anxious, have a headache or insomnia. A few drops in your bath, a drop massaged on your temples or a sniff of the open bottle. It can all help. Chamomile is a great tool in your aromatherapy arsenal. It has anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-spasmodic, diuretic, calming and tonic properties. There’s lots to love! One caveat though: if you have a ragweed allergy, chamomile can cause a reaction.

I’ve got Godiva chocolate ready for later today and a friend coming over. Tired or not it’ll be a good day!

Self care toolbox

Self care is something that I’ve never been terribly good at. When I was a single parent of 5 children it seemed to be something that I never could take the time for. There weren’t enough hours in the day to take care of everyone else and myself too. And once out of any habit, it’s awfully hard to get yourself back into it.

In 2016, after my breakdown, it became apparent that the only way I was going to get well was if I started to look after myself. Not only physically. Not only mentally. But holistically, in every way possible.

The thing about self care is that it must be made up of things that you enjoy doing or that you enjoy the results of. I don’t really enjoy doing my nails, for example, but I love the way they look when they’re done. If I use colour I really enjoy and luscious hand cream then the process is made more enjoyable.

Other self care practices that I enjoy:

-sweating: By this I mean using a sauna or taking a hot restorative yoga class. Deep sweating may help remove waste products from the body. I like either a traditional sauna or infrared sauna. The infrared sauna does work differently in that it heats the body rather than the air. These saunas also boost circulation which increases the removal of toxins through the liver. Drink lots of water after!

-detox bath: I like taking a detox bath once a week, for at least 30 minutes. I run a nice warm bath and add 2 cups of Epsom salts and some essential oil to the water. I find lavender especially nice. It’s best if you can climb into bed and go to sleep right after.

-massage: I have pretty severe osteoarthritis of the spine and fibromyalgia. Adding massage to my self care toolbox helps with the pain associated with both of these conditions immensely. Massage therapy helps to increase detoxification and stimulates the lymphatic system as well. The manipulation of soft tissue increases circulation thus enhancing relaxation and pain relief. If you can’t get to a massage therapist once a month there are massage schools where you can get a great massage for a good price or enlist the aid of a partner or friend.

-meditation: When I take the time to meditate my day always goes better. Things run more smoothly and I’m more in tune with the world around me. Even five minutes a day is enough. It needn’t take long. There have been times when I’ve even locked myself in the bathroom to get the time alone to meditate for four or five minutes! You can use an app for guided meditation or set a timer or just count your inhales and exhales. Whatever works best for you. I tend to just set a timer and very occasionally use an app on my iPhone.

-pedicure: Our feet take a savage beating. Day in, day out we heap abuse upon them and rarely do we think about them unless they start to hurt. A once a month full on pedicure is what’s called for. From a peppermint foot scrub and soak to a foot massage and a great coat of colour, nothing makes a girl feel better than a pedicure.

-writing: Writing in my planner, journal, gratitude list, on this blog, brain dumping….any and all forms of writing are important to me. Using words to express myself (whether for anyone else to read or not) is important to me. It keeps me in touch with my feelings, keeps me organized and helps me make sense of the world and my life.

-extra skin care: Sometimes it’s a face mask or using my clarisonic. Other times it’s oil cleansing, exfoliation and face massage. A couple of times a week I do something fantastic for my skin. It feels like I’m pampering myself and gives my skin a nice glow. It’s the same with my body. Whether it’s dry skin brushing, a brown sugar body scrub or coconut oil to moisturize I try to do something extra when I can. At least a couple of times a week.

-creative Tuesdays: Or Thursdays or any day really. As long as it’s once every week or two. A day when I take out my sketchpad and paints, pencils and pens. An afternoon to create. In whatever way I please. It’s a way to give myself permission to play creatively. Sometimes I’m working on a project for a gift, other times I’m just messing about. But it’s always important.

-reading: Is reading really an act of self care? It is for me! It’s a way of transporting myself into another time, another place, another life. I’ve always have a non-fiction title going but that’s not what I reach for at bedtime. Bedtime means a fiction title and I try to read a couple of chapters each evening. Occasionally (especially with a biography) my non-fiction will spill over into my bedtime reading but not usually. My bedtime book at the moment is “The Preacher” by Camilla Lackberg, a Swedish crime writer. Which means I’m often reading more than a chapter or two and staying up later than I should.

What’s in your self-care toolbox?

C   xo

What I'm doing

What I’m doing now: I’m sitting and re-watching season 2 of “Outlander”….just because. I’ve read all the books (more than once, truth be told) and am eagerly awaiting season 3. It looks like my wait may be long since there’s no release date yet. So, season 2 will have to do. Drinking a cup of good coffee with cream. The coffee is shade grown and locally ground, it’s good stuff. Sitting in a comfortable lazy boy chair with the sun streaming in the window.

Listening to: Scottish, British and French accents. The drip of snow melting from the roof outside the window.

Clothing myself in: Black leggings, wool socks and a cozy plaid tunic. And a hydrating face mask. My skin has not been behaving lately. It’s dry and flaky. Hopefully this helps. The mask is made by Ole Henriksen called “blue/black berry enzyme mask”.

Reading: I just finished “The Girls” by Emma Cline which was an interesting imagining of what it was like being part of Charles Manson’s “family”. Names are changed but it’s obvious what the author is writing about. At the moment, I’m reading “Living the Good Life” by Linda Cockburn and “The Nine of US: Growing Up Kennedy” by Jean Kennedy Smith. The former is writing by a woman documenting her family’s 6 months of living sustainably on an Australian suburban block. Taken to the extreme it’s pretty interesting. The second book is written by the last surviving child of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy and Joseph P Kennedy. IT offers a great peek into what it was like when she and her siblings were young. It’s a small book but fascinating to anyone who has an interest in the Kennedy family.

Creating by hand: I had almost finished my first ribbed sock when I realized that I had made a major mistake. Of course, it was back in the beginning of the pattern! So I took it apart and put it away for the time being, thoroughly disgusted. Instead of continuing with socks I drove to the yarn store and bought a beautiful blue yarn to make a cardigan. It’s intended to be a Christmas gift. Getting these projects underway early gives me a feeling of control and makes things a whole lot easier come December.

Crafting in the kitchen: I need to up my prepping game. I’m feeling pretty uninspired when it comes to meals. I’m not sure whether this is because it’s a lot of work making unprocessed meals all the time. To be honest, there are times when I just don’t eat because there’s nothing truly easy available. I feel that if I prepped properly this could be avoided. I used to be so good at that! However, that was when there was a houseful of people to cook for. It’s a lot different cooking for two. So this week, I’ll prep….

To be fit and happy: A few minutes of yoga a day is about all I’m doing at the moment. I’ve been sick, I’m still feeling weak, I hate the cold….the excuses are never ending. But the truth is I’ve gotten out of the habit of doing more. My meditation time has gone by the wayside as well. So, instead of big changes I’m just going to:

1) add 5 Sun Salutations to the morning yoga I’m already doing.

2) a little core work. My back has been bothering me more and more lately, which is always a sign that my core muscles are weakening. So I’m digging out my physio exercises and adding them to the routine.

3) 5 minutes of meditation in the evening. Right before bed. I may end up falling asleep halfway through but I can at least get the habit back.

Unprocessed week 2: Despite my whining I did manage to eat some good meals last week. A baked sweet potato topped with taco meat and a sprinkle of cheese, side salad. Lemon chicken thighs and green beans with roasted cherry tomatoes. Gluten free pasta and a meat sauce full of vegetables. Tuna salad wrapped in lettuce leaves. Steak loaded with mushrooms and green beans. And I made a delicious loaf of hearty spelt bread from the cookbook “Savor” by Ilona Oppenheim (chock full of delicious looking unprocessed recipes).

Giving thanks: So grateful for all the wonderful and supportive people in my life. My family, friends and this online community fill me up. I’m still feeling fragile since my breakdown last January. I’m still fighting the black dogs of depression and anxiety. There are still days when I just want to give up. But I haven’t. I’m still here. A big part of the reason for that is all of you….so thank you.

C   xo

Hygge

I’m finally starting to feel better…I had my first full meal last night and although I’m feeling it a bit today it was definitely worth it! I went to dinner at my in laws. We started with some carrots and hummus, extra old cheddar, crackers and bruschetta. Oh, raw vegetables, how I’ve missed you!! Honestly that would have almost been enough but the meal rolled on and I couldn’t resist…I would have taken a picture but I dove right in before I even thought of doing it.

We had delicious, moist salmon and plump, tender scallops. Perfectly cooked. This was drizzled with a beurre blanc (with the addition of lime and Dijon). Steamed broccoli, sliced cucumber and tomatoes. A meal to savour. A meal to be enjoyed with all of the senses.

After dinner we sat around the table and talked for an hour. The evening was the very definition of hygge (pronounced hue-gah) to me…cozy, warm, good company and great food. There was the sound of happy chatter and laughter. Rain on the window.  For that moment it didn’t matter what was going on in the world.

Hygge has been defined as “cozy togetherness”, “the art of creating intimacy”, “the absence of annoyance”. To me hygge is about atmosphere. While certain things help to contribute to the sense of hygge; candles, blankets, comfortable chairs, flowers, its about way more than things. It is an experience. One you can have with others or alone, just you, a cup of tea and a good book.

You can experience hygge after a day spent hiking. Tired and quiet, sitting around a fire. Perhaps, a glass of wine in hand. Listening to the wind in the trees. Gazing at the stars in the sky. Perfect.

The word “hygge” originates from a Norwegian word meaning “well-being”. From about 1300 to 1814 Denmark and Norway were one kingdom. The word first appeared in Danish writings in the early 1800’s. According to the European Social Survey Danes are the happiest people in Europe. They are the ones who meet most often with their friends and family. Apparently, they feel the calmest and most peaceful. The growing interest in Hygge is well founded.

According to Meik Wiking in the book “The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way of Living Well” some important elements of Hygge are as follows:

:: Atmosphere-  turn down the lamps. Use lamps rather than overhead lighting. Light some candles.

:: Presence- put down the phone! Be here now

:: Pleasure- coffee, tea, cakes, chocolate, wine, comfort food.

:: Equality- we over me. Cook together, clean up together

:: Gratitude- drink in every moment. Make memories

:: Harmony- peaceful interactions are what it’s about

:: Comfort- cozy blankets, comfortable pillows, fire in the fireplace

:: Shelter- Wherever you are. A tiny cabin, comfortable house, cozy tent. Hygge is about feeling safe.

Check out these books to find out more:

“How to Hygge” by Signe Johansen

“The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking

“Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness” by Marie Tourell Soderberg

“The Cozy Life” by Pia Edberg

“Scandinavian Comfort Food” by Trine Hahnemann

“Scandinaavian Gatherings” by Melissa Bahen

Wishing you a “hyggeligt” (hygge like) day!

C xo

Plans and goals

So many big plans for 2017! I’m really excited for this year, even as it’s just beginning to take shape. 

Physically I’d like to take off 25% of my weight in order to be healthier. To be back to were I was in 2010 before my health took a decidedly miserable turn. Years of too much medication, some of which were worse than useless, and extreme stress have taken a toll on me. My body has changed in ways that I couldn’t have imagined, my energy levels have taken a nosedive. So has my self-confidence. However, I’ve learnt a lot of about what my body needs. Studying to be a holistic nutritionist is giving me a good solid base of expanded knowledge, added to my nursing diploma and lots of personal study. I would, however, like to figure out the way of eating that helps me to feel at my very best…omnivore, paleo, vegetarian? We are all different so part of the year will be spent trying different dietary styles on for size. There are certain things which are true for all of us to be sure. Keeping our diets as unprocessed as possible, minimizing added sugar, avoiding simple carbohydrates. Beyond that, Ill’ be trying different dietary hats on for size.

Becoming more physically active is also in the works. One month it’ll be daily movement, another daily yoga. I’ll be attending another yoga retreat this summer. Daily core work is a non-negotiable in order to protect and strengthen my back. It’s all about feeling strong and powerful and having my body work as well as it possibly can.

I’ve got a list of Christmas projects I want to make for next December. It includes things like felted slippers, knee high cable socks, a cardigan, sweater and ribbed socks. I’ve got some watercolour projects planned as well as some personal care items to make up. I’d like to tackle soap making, fair isle knitting and I have a wonderful friend who is going to teach me to quilt this fall. Being creative and learning new things is such a delightful way to spend time. Expanding my creative horizons is a great way to feel alive and like I’m growing and evolving.

There are countless household items to downsize. There’s a house to paint and a bathroom to renovate. Then sell.

There are two more semesters of school to get through. Case studies to get done and I want to keep my average above 90%.

There’s a long list of books waiting to be read. Two have been read already: “Miss Dimple and the Slightly Bewildered Angel” by Mignon Ballard (cute with a great 40’s feel) and “Cruel Beautiful World” by Caroline Leavitt (riveting storytelling with lots of twists and turns). I’m going to continue watching the available Nordic Noir and British TV shows (Call the Midwife, The Crown)

Besides the cooking required in day to day life, I have plans to expand my Scandinavian cooking repertoire. Why Scandinavian cooking, you ask? My answer to that is why not?! It interests me, there are interesting flavours and it’s relatively healthy. Embracing “hygge” is also becoming more important to me and there will be more about that in another post.

I’m doing at least two workshops this year (probably more!). I’ll be doing Heather Bruggeman’s “Hibernate” 4-week workshop, something I’ve done twice in the past. I get so much from this workshop. Each day of the week is assigned a different category…nourish, renew, gather, create and rest. There are delightful essays, recipes and projects. So much goodness! I’m not sure if registration is still open but you can check Heather’s blog at www.beautythatmoves.typepad.com. Workshop links are on the right side of the page. I’m also doing a Desire Map (level one) three-day workshop. I don’t know if you’ve heard of Danielle LaPorte’s Desire Map process but it’s a really unique take on goal setting and inspiration.

There are two road trips in the works! To Stratford, ON for one. I plan on seeing another play at the Shakespeare Festival and visiting with my delightful cousin. Stratford is a lovely town, one worth exploring. I’d also like to spend a little more time at St Jacob’s Market. Lots of unique items there.

The second road trip will be wonderful if we can pull it off: a month-long adventure to the west coast of Canada, then south through the US to California and cutting a diagonal swath back up to Canada…. the go to stops so far are: Banff (my old stomping grounds), Vancouver Island, Seattle, San Francisco, Route 1(!), San Luis Obispo, Sedona and Mansfield Missouri. If anyone has any specific places to see/things to do, please leave a comment! I’d love your input…

That’s it for today…time to put the tea kettle on!

C  xo

Unprocessed-week one

It’s been a tough week…I’ve had a crohn’s flare up that’s caused debilitating pain and weakness. I’ve been subsisting on green drinks and soup. Luckily green drinks and soups can easily be made unprocessed.

When I get like this, afraid to eat anything much but hungry, it’s easy to start obsessing about all sorts of food. Not only the things that are good for me (juicy meat, salads, roasted vegetables, plump beans) but also cakes and chips and chocolate. Not things I could go to the store and buy this month. But I’ve learnt that chocolate can be made at home. Cakes can be certainly be made at home. So can chips.

The key is using whole ingredients. In her book “Unprocessed”, Megan Kimble writes that chocolate can be made by using only five ingredients:  Cacao powder boiler and cacao butter; honey or agave; and salt and vanilla extract. Melt the cacao butter in a double boiler. Whisk in the cacao powder and let it cool for half an hour, or until it reaches room temperature. Then rewarm it, stirring in honey, salt and vanilla. Remove from the heat and pour it into a sheet or molds. Let it set for at least an hour in the fridge.

Make homemade Larabars with dried fruits, nuts and dates. There are ton of recipes online. Make up your own fun variations

.

For a basic loaf of whole grain bread you would need whole grain flour, warm water, yeast, salt, honey and oil. Basic whole ingredients. When I’m buying bread at the store I usually buy Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain bread, as recommended by Kimble, although I’ve been buying it for months. It contains: sprouted wheat, water sprouted barley, sprouted millet, malted barley, sprouted lentils, sprouted soybeans, sprouted spelt, yeast, sea salt. 

The soups I’ve eaten this week have all been made from the same basic recipe. I cook carrots or squash or broccoli (or any variety of vegetables) in water and vegetable broth until they are tender. Sometimes I soften onions and broccoli and add it too. Season with salt and pepper. Add some herbs like thyme if I’m in the mood. I blitz it with an immersion blender and add more vegetable broth or water if it’s too thick. Adjust seasonings, if necessary. That’s it!

Green drinks offer endless possibilities. Have a look on Instagram or pinterest and you’ll see what I mean. My favourite juice at the moment is cucumber, carrot and apple, with some kale or spinach thrown in. I feel like I need something more filling, I’ll make up a smoothie. Banana, spinach and strawberry blended with almond milk is a classic mixture. Right now I’m loving banana, cherry, cacao powder and spinach. It looks like mud but tastes delicious.

Whole ingredients are foods our bodies know. It knows what to do with it. It extracts all the nutritional goodness and assimilates it. It can digest it properly. Our bodies don’t know what to do with plastic, chemically drenched frankenfood. We can’t live optimally on them. And the taste of real foods is so far removed from processed. 

To take my mind off of all the delicious food that I can’t eat at the moment, I’ve been a knitting machine. I’ve been wanting to learn to knit socks for a long time and have managed to make my first pair. With cables (first time for those too) no less! Now I’m working on a pair of ribbed socks. Getting an early jump on next year’s Christmas presents. Along with the knitting I’ve been watching Bron/Broen (otherwise known as “The Bridge") a Swedish/Danish crime drama. Any other fans of Nordic Noir out there?

 Peace and rainbows

C    xo

Flourish

Every year I try to choose a word to focus on. Last year was Renew...and boy was it the right word. I didn't realize how broken I WAS until the year was half way through. And renewal was what happened last year.

This year my word is Flourish...After the painful rebuilding of my broken parts (still ongoing btw...PTSD isn't dealt with overnight, especially when it is years in the making.) this year I intend to focus on stepping out into the sunlight. To Flourish exactly where I am. I will continue to speak my truth as hard as that can be. I want to learn to shine my light again and live life to the fullest.

So FLOURISH it is.

In the hopes of building better habits and finding out what works best for me I am committing to trying out various things throughout the year. Daily movement, whole 30, buy nothing, vegan etc....

This month is to eat unprocessed. A tall order for sure but it's only for thirty days. So no sugar (only honey and maple syrup), canned foods, homemade breads and yogurt (can be bought if  it's made with whole unprocessed ingredients). These are the lines I'm drawing in the sand. No GMO's. Organic produce, as much as possible. Also pastured animal protein, and wild fish whenever it is feasible. I am determined to regain my physical health as much as possible. I also must break the chains of sugar and processed carb addiction. The goal isn't weight loss, although that must happen too. It's to fine tune my diet. Strip away the junk and see what makes me feel better. My inspiration for this is the book "Unprocessed"by Megan Kimble. What a great read! So much information and inspiration to do the same, starting wherever you are.



I'll be blogging about it a couple of times and week and will keep you posted on my progress. I think it's going to be enlightening and fun...

Here's to flourishing!

Love and peace
C