Give Me A Little Green In My Drink

I have had many in my life influence me on my journey of self-discovery and growth. Today I want to share a few of those influencers and their impact on my life.

Many years ago, I read somewhere that Kristen Bell’s life was changed by the documentary Forks Over Knives. After reading this, being a HUGE fan of Veronica Mars, I had to see what she was talking about.

The idea of being a vegan was never one that I had entertained. After watching that documentary, I began seeking other similar sources of information. In my heart, I wanted to be a vegan!

For years I tried, I tried to eat healthily and then succumbed to temptation and cravings, falling off into a month-long binge of treats. And the cycle continued.

When the Wonder Woman movie came out in 2017, I wanted to look like Gal Gadot! Ok, I realize I will never look like her, but I wanted to be healthy and look strong and fit like her! I basically wanted to be my best me.

I typed a search online to see how she did it and found she was influenced by a nutritionist named Kimberly Snyder. I then purchased two of her books and was changed forever!

Her theories about food pairing were completely new to me. For those that do not know what food pairing is, she explained that our bodies produce different digestive enzymes for different food groups. When we eat food groups in a certain order, our body digests the food better. Mind blown!

Once again, I tried and tried but succumb to temptation and returned to my old lifestyle.

Somewhere in there, I also watched the documentary by Joe Cross called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. I bought the book and began making smoothies. Though my eating habits were not the best, as I sought convenience over anything else, smoothies continued by my side.

Now, let’s fast forward to January 2020. I spoke in a previous post about being diagnosed with Scleroderma at that time.

2020 was a rough year. It was brutal. Through all I experienced, on top of it, I saw years of my life dwindle away, not knowing how long I had left to live, let alone live a quality life, due to this auto-immune disease.

The doctors told me there was nothing I could do. No medicine I could take. No treatment to be done. Nothing. There was nothing I could do but let my time pass by as I watched my life be stolen from me.

My husband, Jamie, and I decided that was wrong! There was something we could do! We just didn’t know it yet.

A friend of mine, during one of our chats, shared a Youtube video with me. In this video, Dr. Brooke Goldner was speaking of her severe lupus, and how through the foods she ate, she cured herself! She used what is called hyper-nourishing to provide your body with what it needs to heal itself. I bought her book on Kindle and Jamie and I were hooked!

In our relationship, I was always the one with the cravings, the desire for food. Jamie didn’t care about food one way or another. He was up for anything, so we changed. We cut out foods, we ate tons of fruits and vegetables, we changed our life! We had the time; why not try, right?

He began having cravings, desiring food long gone, and yes, we had cheated for a few weeks and months. But overall, in 2020, we ate completely different than we ever had before!

In 2020, I learned a lot about myself. One of my most important lessons was tolerance. Tolerance, mercy, and grace shown to others and myself. I forgave the hurts others caused me and allowed myself to be human. I didn’t beat myself up over a few days or weeks of terrible eating, as long as I knew I would be true to myself and continue on the path of eating healthy.

This diet change has helped. I have been struggling with shortness of breath and am still receiving tests as to what is the cause. But my skin has improved dramatically! My hands are not swollen like they were, my joints do not ache, my skin is softer! 

In the summer of 2020, after hardly being on this diet change, I had a doctor tell me he would have to call in a specialist to do an IV for a procedure because he, though as experienced as he was, did not feel he could stick me. My skin had changed. It was hard. That scared me!

Now, after almost a year of mostly eating healthy, I can be stuck by needles with ease! That is an improvement!

There are a lot of different paths to health. I wanted to be a vegan, but I still eat meat occasionally. I wanted to be healthy and fit, and now I am thankful for the body I have. I just want more time with it!

Through the process, I have lost some weight. About 20-30 pounds in total. I have not been a stickler with the scale, always checking. I listen to my body and see how it feels.

If I could share the lessons I learned, it would be to eat what the earth provides; nature is key! But, don’t fret if you eat a little unhealthy here and there. Give yourself grace, and give yourself love. You have one body; as long as you take care of it, time will be your friend.

*Bonus: Here is the smoothie I have every day. It is quite filling, and I actually look forward to it!

We used to have a Vitamix given to us by a friend. It was an original Vita-Mix, at least a decade old. It was perfect! Totally helped us on our smoothie-making journey. Sad to say, it recently passed away.

We tried a regular blender, but that would not cut it. So, after doing research and looking at our budget, we purchased a Nutribullet Pro 900. It has been amazing! Pleases us just as well as the Vita-Mix did. The only problem is, we have to blend our smoothies in two batches per person because the cup is so small. It is worth it, though, to get the nutrients we desire and the right consistency. I don’t like chunks..lol.

Here is what we do each day:

Beginning Directions: *This is a bonus step. The Nutribullet Pro will cut up seeds, but I am extra sensitive to seeds being in my teeth, so I soak them first until a gel forms.*

• Soak 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 1 tbsp of chia seeds in a bowl with 1/2 cup water, set aside.

1st blender cup batch:  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 apple
• 1/2 banana
• 3 cups kale
• 1/2 Flaxseed/Chia seed mixture
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• Water to max line

Directions:

• Blend and pour into a large container.

2nd blender cup batch:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 apple
• 1/2 banana
• 3 cups other greens (we avoid spinach and chard because my husband is prone to kidney stones)
• 1/2 Flaxseed/Chia seed mixture
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• Water to max line

Directions:

• Blend and pour into the previous large container. 

That is for one person. We repeat the steps for the second person. So, yes, we go through a lot of fruits and vegetables.

This is my breakfast. Typically I follow it with a nice fruit smoothie as a snack, maybe some sweet potato pudding in the afternoon. Possibly some gluten free crackers. I am playing around with my diet, constantly trying to find what fits. It fills me, though, and I feel good!

I wish you nothing but joy on your quest for good health and pray your days are spent with wonder, knowledge, and grace. After all, you deserve it!

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