Over the years I have been repeatedly challenged, questioned and sometimes criticized for eating and living an organic green lifestyle. I find most people are just curious, intrigued and are eager to learn more about healthy eating and living. However, sometimes I find myself explaining and even defending my choices and way of life. Is this because others are guilty for not living a healthy lifestyle or because living this “green and clean” way is unconventional and “foreign” to them? I am not here to judge someones way of life, I am just here to help bring awareness and help other people on their journey to be healthier!
One of my favorite conversations about healthy eating was in the summer of 2004. My daughter was playing at the neighbors house and she had just proudly proclaimed that she gave up Partially Hydrogenated Oils for Lent. This was before the whole Trans Fat craze began and very few people were actually aware of what partially hydrogenated oils were. My (then) 5 yr old daughter went on to explain to my neighbor exactly what partially hydrogenated oils are, why they are bad for us and then went into her pantry and showed her foods that contained this harmful oil. My neighbor was shocked and very skeptical that food manufactures would pump our foods with such a horrible thing. my neighbor, who was not a huge supporter of healthy eating, then said to me:
“Janell I will never understand why you care so much about nutrition and eating healthy, it might not prolong your life, you could still die tomorrow.” She went on to suggest that I should just eat what I want, do what I want to and enjoy life to its fullest since I can not predict what my future truly holds. I could die in an accident or develop some rare disease that I was genetically predisposed for. Her statement and suggestions made me think about my lifestyle choices. My mind then wondered into a fictitious glutenous nightmare and I imagined a life where I woke up everyday and ate a nice warm donuts for breakfast, I laid around on the couch, not worrying about the household chores, then ate a a large cheesy pizza for lunch and fill up so much that all I could fathom to do is take a nap, then to wake up, play on my computer and then finish the day with a large cheese burger, fries and some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I thought for split second maybe I do have it all wrong I thought, maybe that would be blissful and fun…Then I WOKE UP
Ok, yes it is nice to splurge every now and then and eat unhealthy foods and chill out in the sun all day. But every day, no way, those foods would eventually make me feel sickly, sluggish and unhappy. I love eating the way I do because it makes me feel good, I love exercising because I always feel refreshed and energized when I am done. I then sat my neighbor down and explained to her that the main reason I eat and live this way is not to prolong my life, but it is to enjoy living it while I am alive. I eat healthy, I feel healthy, I love my clean, green life and I hope to help you love to eat healthy too!
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