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a new life

I’ve had this little seed of a thought in my mind for the past few days … and I’ve been working to figure out the essence of it, because while I understood what I wanted to share, I wasn’t sure how to do it.

I”m not sure I know now, either, but I figured I was ready to try.

Yesterday on Live with Kelly & Michael they honored one of their “Unstoppable Mom” finalists.  I had to stop and watch because the woman is from the town in which my parents now live.  Just watching her daily life made me feel both tired and super lazy.  By the end, I had goosebumps and tears in my eyes.  People are amazing, everywhere, and so often their incredible-ness is known only to those in their immediate circle.  I was inspired by the life that woman leads, and it made my accomplishments and obstacles feel small in comparison.

And then I took a step back, and told myself to stop being such a downer.  Yes, her life is inspiring, and I am so glad I was able to witness it, albeit briefly, but I decided I wasn’t going to allow myself to diminish the journey I’ve been on these past few months.  (Although I know for a fact that if I woke up daily at 4.30a and went to bed at midnight I would be a very cranky person ~ sleep is my friend, and in a lot of ways, my savior).  Everyone walks in their own moccasins, and everyone’s path is both challenging and rewarding on epic levels for each individual.  That’s the truth.  Comparisons are silly and not constructive or helpful in any way.

I’d always been that person who wanted to be healthy, active and a contributor to society. But even though I admired those people focused on recycling and the environment, clean eating and soulful exercise, etc, I never seemed to find the motivation within myself to sustain that type of lifestyle.  Last July, when I sat down with my nutritionist/friend to discuss health options for people with MS, I felt myself tense up and dig in my heels in utter resistance.  I had a million excuses … and I felt they were all very stong, very valid points.

And yet, here I sit with my green smoothie, my yoga bag tucked in the corner of my office ready for class tonight, and the man and I have converted our kitchen from a den of delicious comfort food to a veritable vegetable patch and whole foods haven.  And even weirder ~ I crave veggies.  I don’t feel okay unless I’ve loaded up with all kinds during pretty much every meal, every day.  I like them blended, stuffed, grilled, dunked in hummus, chopped … you name it.  And listen, I never even imagined it would be possible, let alone a reality.  It’s amazing what a person can accomplish with a little motivation.

We started small, because I was pretty averse to all the changes that my nutritionist said were necessary.  And I will admit that while we’ve cut back on our dairy intake, I probably won’t ever give it up completely.  No matter what evil pieces of information come my way to encourage it.  As I type this, I’m salivating thinking of the stuffed pepper I have in the fridge for lunch.  The man did dinner last night, because I was at the office until nearly seven (gasp!) and it was soooo good.  Even better, he made enough for lunch today, which was smart, because having anything else with that memory on my taste buds would have been disappointing.

So all these thoughts have been floating in my mind and I also realized that we are nearly halfway through March (a month that, historically, is not my friend) and I’m not feeling like I normally do ~ lethargic, sad, disinterested in life … overwhelmingly apathetic.  And it has made me consider one of my favorite quotes (which hung on my mother’s beside wall in most of our homes through the years) ~

Change your thoughts and you will change your world.  

I haven’t just changed my thoughts ~ but in this new year, I have focused very hard on staying strong and upbeat and positive about all that life has thrown my way. It doesn’t help anyone to cry woefully about one’s lot in life ~ it’s better to get up, dust oneself off, and get on with things (which as I type sounds so British in my head). I’m not sure if it’s the new diet, the cleaner living, the dedication to exercise, the lack of alcohol (a known depressant) or my concerted effort to stay positive, but I do definitely feel different.  I have spent large chunks of my life battling what I’ve always referred to as ‘the darkness’ and right now, it feels very far away.  Even though things are tough, and unknown and scary things seem to be around every corner, and one of the largest side effects of my new medicine is depression.  So in a way, I’m walking proof of the power of the mind.

In so many ways, big and small, 2013 has been the start of a new life for the man and I.  Yes, we will be making it legal in June (!!), but it’s so much more than that.  I think back to four and half years ago and am amazed at how far we’ve come together ~ the accomplishments, the lessons learned, the chances taken.  I think I’m a pretty tough chick, but he is my partner in every sense of the word, and when I’ve been weak, he’s been strong.  I couldn’t and wouldn’t be where I am without his support and teamwork.  I feel so incredibly blessed for all that I have in terms of family and friendship.  I think that has helped buoy me through all this craziness as well.  I won’t allow myself to be beaten.  (I’m a little bit competitive … and that may or may not be an understatement!).

So now that I’ve waxed lyrical for a while, I’ll close out with this ~ it’s a much more beautiful world when you’re smiling all the time.  Even if you’re faking it, eventually you might even fool yourself.

 

routines

 

 

 

 

Every morning, while the man is getting ready for work, I set about making our Green Smoothies.  Over the summer, when MS was a possibility, but not a certainty, I sat down with a nutritionist, and she gave me so much information and so many resources, it felt as though I was back in college, doing a history term paper.  I mean, the wealth of information out there on self-healing through diet is impressive, and thorough.  I was surprised how little I knew and as I learned more, and experimented, it was hard not to acknowledge the benefits.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I didn’t wake up and make a seamless transition to healthy living.  I have much too much love for food (all food, my friends, I don’t discriminate) and wine for any dietary changes to be easy.  What the man and I decided after a few abortive failures at a drastic overhaul was that we were going to start small, and grow.

Green smoothies, it turns out, are a good first step.  My soon-to-be-MIL got me a NutriBullet for Christmas and it has quickly become the number one kitchen accessory we use.  The NutriBullet breaks the Green Smoothie down so that you can pretty much make one in your sleep.  Fill the bottom of the cup with greens (about halfway to the max line), add fruit (good tip: use avocado or banana to even out the texture) to the max line, add your boost (usually, the man and I add a dollop of raw almond butter with flax seeds, and a little scoop of the Green Vibrance pictured above) and then you fill the cup with water to the Max line, twist on the Extractor Blade, pop it on the base, press and blend.

Voila, instant Green Smoothie.

This week, we’ve had banana-strawberry flavored smoothies every day because we are waiting for our avocado to ripen.  I use a 50/50 baby spinach and greens mix for my base, 1 banana & 1 apple (each smoothie gets half) a tangerine each (vitamin C), a few strawberries as mentioned, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice (contrary to natural instinct, lime and lemon juice are very alkaline, so I like to pop a little in every day), plus the boosts and water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was talking to the nutritionist, there was so much information, I absolutely did not retain it all ~ but I did scribble down as much as I could.  The benefit of eating greens is so all-encompassing, I don’t really know where to start.  Needless to say ~ it’s been a change for the better for us, and while I used to be a little lax about it, I’ve gotten pretty hard-core in the past few weeks.

It’s not hard to find information about Green Smoothies and their benefits. I literally just googled it (just to be sure!), and pages and pages of links pop up (some to books and authors I’ve read and others to the abundant resources in existence regarding Green Smoothies).  For me, it’s about more than losing weight, having clearer skin or higher energy levels.  Green Smoothies offer a way to make sure that I am getting the daily benefits of leafy greens and fruits in my diet.   Greens are an incredibly rich source of minerals and are often regarded as the most concentrated form of nutrition.  The darker they are, the more nutritional punch they pack.  Additionally, greens carry elements (phytonutrients) that help protect our body’s cells from damage, and our eyes from degeneration.  At the top of the list of greens’ health benefits is Vitamin K, which, among other qualities, has been shown to help reduce inflammation throughout the body (in my case, when inflammation is part of MS, this is not just a good thing, it’s a great one).  Additionally, greens help regulate our digestive system, and help to maintain a pH balance in our blood (helping our body to stay alkaline instead of acidic ~ this is a whole ‘nother topic for a whole ‘nother day!).

In the past few weeks, as the inevitable conclusion loomed larger on the horizon, I spent a lot of time thinking through what decisions I wanted to make, could commit to making, and which things I wasn’t interested in.  I would lie in bed at night, wide awake as the moonlight spilled in through the window and Lucy and the man snurffled away, and visualize how my ‘new’ life was going to take shape.  It may sound strange, but it was a great comfort to me even to control my life mentally, as everything around me felt out of my control.

Additionally, the man and I talked through different options, what we each believed in, and how we thought it would fit into our life.  There were so many things to consider, and sometimes I had a hard time finding perspective, because I was afraid.  I like to fancy myself an optimist, but in real life, I definitely have my ‘glass half empty’ moments.

Because multiple sclerosis is characterized by ‘flares,’ which, in the simplest explanation, are spots of inflammation, controlling inflammation throughout my body is now a priority.  Funny the things you just don’t really think about until … well, until you do. In that vein, the man and I have committed first and foremost to two dietary steps that we feel will help to control inflammation ~ Green Smoothies, and eliminating gluten from our diet.  Luckily for me, going gluten-free is pretty trendy right now (and I have an amazingly supportive man).  We can chat more about that tomorrow.  Until then, go get your Green Smoothie on!  They taste good ~ I promise!

snap shots

Back in August, before I fell off the map, the man and I took part in one of the coolest things I’ve done in awhile.

Diner En Blanc

We dressed in white, brought all our white accoutrement with us (yes, including tables and chairs and dishes and silverware and … well, you get the point) and enjoyed dinner al fresco with new friends in one of the coolest spots in Philly (to me ~ but I’m a sucker for the Ben Franklin Parkway …. and Logan Square situates you smack dab between the Philadelphia Art Museum and City Hall … gorgeous).

The restaurant generously catered for us, and we were lucky enough to have awesome dining neighbors, who shared smoked Cornish hen and lobster salad.  We shared some French sparkling rose’, so it almost equalled out (we were the big winners … the Cornish hen was ridic).

Had I had my shiznit together, I would have talked a lot about it … but I didn’t, and life has been trucking by, faster than I’ve been prepared for it.

Here’s the thing.  In July, both my mother and I (to a lesser degree) had huge health diagnosis’.  And even though I would like to be half the woman my mother is – she who soldiers on with a smile, great attitude and tons of energy to spare – I, woefully, fall far short.  It’s been tough ~ not necessarily due to my own health, but getting my brain securely around the truth about my mother’s health. Difficult, heart-breaking, scary, unknown, overwhelming, surreal … those are some of the words I can muster up in the moment.

So, a person definitely loses time when focused so singularly on something so utterly important.

On top of all that, football season started.  And football season came with baggage this year.  First, the baggage of what it means to be a Penn Stater.  Second, the baggage of living with a man whose team won the Super Bowl last year.  I totally understand that some people may read this and think … wait a second.  She is prioritizing football right up there with health issues.

No.  And yes.  No, nothing in my life is even close to being a priority like my mother. I am not going to wax lyrical, but seriously – if you have had a moment in your life like this, then you can understand the level of importance and also intensity.  Aka, unmatched. Buuuuut ….. Yes, football is a priority in my and the man’s life.  That’s who we are, that’s what we do … it’s a part of why our relationship works so well.  Mutual interests and understanding.

Additionally, Miss Lucy and I listened to part of a very interesting program on NPR a few weeks ago, and it cranked up the cogs in my brain.  Essentially (and I really wish I’d written this stuff down at the time) the program was focusing on social media, and society’s new ‘obsession’ (for lack of the correct word) with appearances.

What I mean by this is that instead of people working on who they are as people, inherently, on the inside …. we, as a society, are more concerned with how we appear to be.  Just stop and think about it for a minute.

Every picture, every status update, every blog post.  We present to the viewing virtual world the person we want to be ~ the person we want people to think we are.

Listening to the program made me stop dead and really examine what I do, and why I do it.  I had an internal battle.  “Well, of course I only share the good stuff … that’s what I’m supposed to do … focus on the positive, enjoy the good parts of my life, etc etc etc …” These were some of my thoughts.  Then I really began to mull it over… who did I want to be? What kind of impression does my writing leave of me … as a person?

Could I keep blogging?  Or was it all a charade?

Seriously.  I’m a huge overthinker.  But …. something about this line of thought really struck a chord with me.  Awhile ago, I got completely bent out of shape reading a generic criticism on twitter ~ but the criticism said pretty much what NPR said, just in a much snarkier way.

Hey, look at how great my life is ~ hey, look at the awesome things I cook ~ hey, look at my adorable dog/cat/hamster/child ~ hey, look at the cool places I go to with my super cool boyfriend/fiance/husband/soul mate ~ hey, check out my awesome perfect amazing everything  … blah blah blah.  Trust me, no one wants to see a status/tweet/instagram/blog post about the fact that I stepped in dog do-do this evening when I took Lucy out for a potty break.   It’s not cool or perfect or quirky or fun that my puppy has a sensitive digestive system and the man and I deal with her stinky ‘perfume’ and soft poos on a daily basis.  It’s slightly depressing and comes across as ‘please give me some sympathy’ if I posted pictures of my three-day IV line this summer when I had to inject myself with meds every afternoon.  But those are truths ~ those of part of my life.  And I would rather be vulnerable on here, but honest … instead of insincere and a projection of what I think I should be.

I want to always be working on who I am on the inside, who I am inherently (and trust me, there is a lot that could use some polishing … or to begin, some heavy sanding, because it could be a two (or more??) step process…).  I have a wicked temper, and I know that I don’t hide my emotions very well (I actually consciously think about this at work when I know my face looks like I-can-not-believe-you-are-saying-this-to-me and my whole body tenses … I am not proud of those moments). I also don’t want to blog because I need to ‘say’ something  … because I want to ‘project’ something about who I should/want to be or … crazy thought, am.  I want to blog the truth of my existence.

When I started this, I was learning to cook.  I’ve gotten okay in the intermittant months from them to now.  I truly enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing something for a group of people.  I think some of it boils down to what made me love the stage (quick recap, I have a degree in theatre).  I love the satisfaction of making something and receiving kudos because people enjoy it.  That’s not the most flattering thing about me ~ but it’s honest.  And I decided ~ when I opened up this blog and recommitted to it ~ that if I did nothing else, I was going to be myself.  You guys have seen that lovely quote “Better to be a first-rate version of yourself than a second-rate version of someone else.”  I think that includes a second-rate version of who you think you should be.

I am who I am who I am.  And I want to try my darnedest to stay true to that.

On a lighter note…

The man and I are super in love with green juice.  Jump on that band-wagon.  It’s the bomb-diggity.

We are taking our very first vacay together next week and I am so excited I can barely concentrate.  We are hopping on a plane to Jackson Hole, WY and there are so many things we want to do, I don’t know how we are going to fit it in, or what will make the cut.

What I’m sure of? A romantic dinner with the man at the Snake River Grill (the chef was a James Beard Award nominee, the menu and wine list are ridic, and I’m super duper psyched …. my wallet is not, but just this once, I am going to ignore her protestations!).  I don’t know that I am going to be very productive until then, but I will try!  Lucy and I have a half marathon we’re training for (okay, okay, I’m the only one running ~ but Lucy keeps me company!) and work is a crazy busy machine as we approach year end.

Ah.  Life.  She’s a corker.

twenty twenty twenty four hours

First. And this is very important.

I need more than 24 hours in a day to get everything done.

Truth.

Second. Life has been flying by.  Legit.

Our favorite green juice from the last ten days:

1 bag arugula (we got ours from TJs)

3 pears

5 carrots

4 stalks of celery

1 in. fresh ginger

In actual fact, it was probably the best green juice I’ve made since we started juicing.  Yummers.

So here’s the thing.  The man and I have been valiantly trying to stick to a diet/cleanse etc as closely as we can.  It has been a learning experience every step of the way.  Today – and this is completely true- I was craving a green veggie juice instead of my usual Starbucks.  That hasn’t always been the case.

I have been doing a lot of reading ~ about nutrition, about cleanses, about green smoothies.  It’s fascinating what information is consistent throughout, and what information seems subjective based on the author’s intention.

Aaaand… we’ve also noticed the difference between days when we eat leafy greens, & the ones we don’t.  (Un)fortunately, it’s pretty significant.

We are infinitely more conscious of what we are eating, how much we are eating, and the nutritional content of what we’re eating.  In fact, we came up with our own homemade alternative to Trader Joe’s Bird’s nests.

Veggie Pancakes

2 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded carrots

2 small potatoes, shredded

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp flour (or gluten-free flour, my new flour of choice)

1.  Make sure you mix everything well.

2.  Make sure you drain it well ( spent a lot of time squeezing everything and thinking of how much juice I was wasting!)

3.  Shape into patties.  Grill on sandwich press until golden brown with crispy edges.

4.  Enjoy.  (Preferably with soy sauce -we prefer low sodium because strangely, it has a better flavor- or curry dipping sauce … it’s worth it ;))

 

Just one of the many things we are learning to cook in a new way.  Hope you enjoy  … we do!

it isn’t always easy being green

Tuesday Green Juice

2 cups romaine

2 cups spinach

1 pkg freshly cut mango (from TJs)

1 Granny Smith apple

Several large carrots

1 peach

~~~~~~~

The first day of everything -for me at least- includes some jitters, some nervous energy and a lot of uncertainty.  I’m just that kind of person ~ new stuff is a little bit overwhelming and intimidating.  I must confess that I’ve psyched myself out of things in the past being a nervous Nellie, so I consider it a huge accomplishment that I’ve begun trying new things all by myself.  Yesterday was the start of my week-long early morning yoga class as well as the first official day of our cleanse, and I think I was just buzzing with excitement and nerves all day.

Today, I felt a little more mellow.  Thankfully!

I was a complete glutton and went to two yoga classes today ~ my early morning ‘stay’cation and my most favorite Tuesday hot vinyasa (which I miss almost never ~ it is my complete and total favorite class ever).  Ironically, we focused on the same thing during both classes.  Sun salutations or vinyasa (pick your terminology!), and really being aware of each movement.  I enjoy classes that bring everything back to the basics ~ it helps to refocus and I always find new ways to better be in each posture. And it’s always great to have two different teachers, because each gives you a new view and new things to try.

This morning’s meditation was on the idea of stillness.  Yoga is practiced not only for the physical benefits, but also to achieve a dynamic stillness.  That is, like a spinning top, to be able to be connected and involved in action and movement, but to have stillness of mind and spirit.  A top, spinning perfectly, appears still, but is actually perfectly controlled movement.

As my instructor said, most of us are not perfectly balanced spinning tops; we’re the tops skittering across the floor and wobbling from side to side.  But practicing yoga and allowing that meditation to influence our daily life experience is one way to try to get our tops as balanced as possible.

I sort of love that imagery.  The idea of dynamic stillness is perfectly illustrated to me by the idea of a spinning top.

Tonight, my instructor talked about having a teacher to help guide you to open your door of self-discovery, which I believe is one of the most important parts of yoga.  I’ve taken a handful of classes with different instructors, and as I said before, Tuesday night is hands down my favorite. Everything about class on Tuesday works for me ~ the philosophy, the pace, the series of movements … I can’t rave enough.  And I believe because my instructor inherently makes sense to me, it makes yoga that much more enjoyable.  Heart heart heart.  Seriously.

Last night, I couldn’t wait to curl up and get to bed.  Tonight is a little different ~ despite two yoga classes, a hike with Lucy and day two of our elimination diet/cleanse, I’m not totally exhausted.

Could progress be being made?  🙂

it’s what you make of it

Monday Morning Green Juice

4 cups baby spinach

4 peaches

watermelon (we used the trimmings from a whole melon the man had cubed up and packed for lunches)

~~~~~~~~~

One of the (many) things I’ve been learning as I read more and more about green juicing and nutrition, is that when you get right down to it, it’s completely about what works for you.

I realize that I’m not breaking new ground by stating this.

But I need to state it, because it’s my baseline for how all this is working in our lives, and it’s important for me to remember it, when things get a little challenging.

A week ago Friday, I left work and went straight to the supermarket.  I bought two nice steaks, some asparagus, some portobello mushrooms and avocado.  I called the man, and told him we were going to drink the nice bottle of wine sitting on our wine rack (a Thanksgiving present from my boss the first year I was with the company and a very nice bottle of vino).  We’d been ‘saving’ it for a special occasion, but I wasn’t sure anymore what that occasion would be ~ and I was coming to the conclusion that I was going to have to make some changes to directly benefit my health. This was my ‘indulgent good-bye’ meal, if you will.

We had a very nice dinner, and years from now, I will look back and say I drank one of the nicest bottles of wine I’d ever owned while watching the London Olympics opening ceremonies.  It’ll make for a good story.

The following Monday (only a week ago) we somewhat awkwardly began our quest to change our diet and lifestyle.  It felt very challenging. and it didn’t help that we didn’t have a huge knowledge base, and were using bits and pieces of incomplete information to outline our meals.  Luckily (as I mentioned before) my boss’s wife is hugely knowledgeable, and I had two very good conversations with her last week, and she shared a ton of really valuable and *more importantly* useful information.

The man and I decided we needed to do a full seven day cleanse/elimination diet (which commenced today) and which we based on recommendations from my boss’s wife.  After last week, we learned two things.  First, the juicing made a difference, even though we did it without any real initial understanding.  And second, if we were going to do this seriously, we needed to commit to the plan, and learn from our bodies as we progressed through.

So here we are at the start.  We are one day in, and I have successfully made it to the evening and am not hungry (whoopee!).  We had spinach salad with cold salmon and sunflower seeds for lunch with an avocado as a snack, and for dinner, we juiced again (a mish mosh of greens and fruit ~ spinach, romaine, watermelon, peach, carrot), plus had some raw nuts and another avocado (mine from lunch was inedible, so I was glad to have a real one for din din).  It is sort of crazy how satisfying the juices are, and being so conscious about eating has made me very aware how specific foods affect me.

When I have a moment (like today, thinking about triple creme brie cheese and a fresh loaf of French bread) I remember that I made this choice in the first place, and I will only be as successful as I allow myself to be.  If I am not diligent and committed, then I’m self-defeating, and blame lies with me.  Which, on the positive side, gives me great control.  But it also requires me to find strength, motivation and conviction within myself, and that can be quite challenging at times.

As I sign off, I’m saying a little prayer that with each step forward and with each new day, the challenges become less daunting, and the rewards more sweet.

 

 

 

don’t be tellin’ me no porkie pies

I have to share.

A few months ago (it could have been longer … I’ve noticed that as I get older, time goes much faster,  and all of sudden huge chunks have slipped by without my notice) my mother and aunt surprised me with one of my favorite foods of all time.

The English Pork Pie.

They found an English shop and ordered all sorts of food goodies that I normally only enjoy while on the island of Britain itself.  Highly indulgent. Hugely decadent.  Indescribably delicious on every level.

My mother ~the saucy and industrious lady that she is ~ did a large order of pork pies, English bangers, black pudding (and I’m sure other things she has not shared because she loves a good surprise) and gave the man and I half a dozen.

We had our last two for breakfast this morning.  It tasted like England.

Each pie comes wrapped in paper, folded perfectly, and then labeled (in case you didn’t know which.would.be.insane, because you’re eating a pork pie in the United States of America and that in and of itself is not an every day event).  I have to take a moment and just ramble a little bit about the food I love when I visit the UK.  I have visited intermittently my entire life ~ I have picnicked in the Highlands of Scotland, and driven across the whole country with my mother at the wheel and my brother in the backseat learning every word to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” I love England, feel an affinity for it that is part of my very soul; un-articulatable, deeply inherent.  I love pork pies, I love English sausages, I love 99s (an ice cream treat that is simply a Cadbury’s Flake stuck into vanilla soft serve ice cream), I love Scotch eggs … I love it all.

I’m an American, please don’t mistake me ~ but that doesn’t change the roots of my mother and my father.  Both have deep ties to where they are from, and how that formed who they became as people.  My mother emigrated to the USA in the early ’70s, so she’s as British as as it gets over here, accent and all.  My father grew up in a very Italian community in the greater Pittsburgh area, and just as I am British, I am Italian.  It deeply and inherently influenced how I grew up, and who I became.  I wouldn’t trade my roots and my originals for anything.  And that’s saying something, because as we all learn at some point in our lives, family isn’t a fairy tale.

If you are not acquainted, pork pies are a luscious little concoction of hot water pastry wrapped around pork.  My favorite part?  Hard to say really, but probably the translucent pork jelly on the interior.  Flavor-packed and delicious (once you get over the idea of clear-colored pork jelly, the equivalent of which I have never seen in the USA),  it makes the whole pie.

Ah! Yummers!

Just writing about it makes me sad that they are no more.  But with our new green juicing, and the prospect of our Seven Day Cleanse (beginning tomorrow) that essentially restricts all wheat products and many meats (including pork) I know that we did the pies justice by indulgently enjoying them on a Sunday while watching LoTR.  (Yes, that’s right folks ~ this weekend was an LoTR viewing extravaganza!).

Beginning tomorrow, I’m hoping to document the man and my journey as we begin green juicing in true earnest, do a seven day (to start) elimination diet, and really focus on the meaning of healthy eating, what it means to me, and how it’s possible to transition from what is often referred to (in many of the books I’ve been reading of late) as the “Mainstream American Diet” to something … better?  One of the things we both learned this past week, as we flirted with eating a mainly raw diet, was that changing the food we ate and the manner in which we ate it did drastically and immediately affect our bodies and our health. That knowledge made it much easier to commit to what we’re embarking on tomorrow.

Unfortunately, little (and delicious) pork pies don’t really fit in.  But I wanted to share them anyway, because I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed every.single.solitary.bite.