Happy Thanksgiving

Long gone are the days of waking up in a Cumberland Homestead farmhouse on Thanksgiving Day, Mamaw in the kitchen before dawn prepping and cooking every heavenly morsel we looked forward to all year. The aroma of freshly percolated coffee and oven baked turkey, a strange and uniquely comforting emanation, rousing me from my sleepy slumber. I would tiptoe down the stairs, careful not to wake anyone, eager to share some alone time with my grandmother, watching in awe as she worked. I’m incredibly thankful to have that.

Thanksgiving looks a whole lot different these days, scaled down and simple, no huge family gatherings, no coffee, no turkey—it’s all about the sides—and Mamaw’s homemade chocolate pie. I’m more thankful in this moment than I’ve ever been, remembering the past and honoring this time of year that will forever evoke memories of a small homestead filled to overflowing with warmth, laughter and the unconditional love of family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Journey to Health—Day 318

With a mere 47 days left until the one year milestone of my journey to a better me, I can say with all honesty, I am happy with my overall health and well being. My weight loss stagnated back in September, and that's okay, because although losing more than forty pounds was a bonus, this journey for me was not about losing weight—it was about ending the cycle of emotional eating and poor mental health. I am its prisoner no more. I can testify that what kind of food you put in your body has a direct impact on every aspect of your health—physical, emotional, mental and especially spiritual.

Breakfast Bowl

The food we buy from the grocery store is no longer food, hasn't been for a long time. I became a fanatic label reader this year and nearly everything that I used to consume with voracity contains bioengineered food ingredients aka genetically modified organisms (GMO's). Stripped of nutrition and loaded with glyphosate, eating these processed foods affects the body on a cellular level and can lead to: toxicity, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, immuno-suppression, cancer, autism, reproductive disorders and digestive problems just to name a few. Don't be fooled by the 'NON-GMO Verified' labels you see on food. Do your research. Sadly, fresh fruits and vegetables are among the highest genetically modified foods we consume, made to look and stay fresh from harvest to supermarket, modified to have no seeds, or to have the perfect shape/size,  and often heavily laden with pesticides (grapes and strawberries are the worst). Unless you are growing your own, or buying from a trusted local source, you are consuming GMO's—death by a thousand cuts.  

All that being said, I have tried to do my best. The cost of food skyrocketing this year has lead to skipping meals, and making meals as cheaply as possible, which sometimes equated to dinner choices that were not always as healthy. I can honestly say that I would rather skip a meal than eat crap—my body has a visceral reaction to processed carbohydrates now. I'd rather suck down a tablespoon of sea moss and have a warm cup of water than eat a big bowl of spaghetti or a slice of cake.  

Speaking of sea moss... 

Yes, I have broken down and tried all kinds of healthy supplements and superfoods du jour—plant based protein shakes, chia/hemp seeds, beetroot powder, ashwaganda root powder, turmeric balls, Bragg's apple cider vinegar with 'the mother' and yes just recently, sea moss. Some of these were pretty pricy experiments and my credit card feels the pain, but most if not all of them were worth it! If you want to be healthy it's gonna cost you, but let me tell you, I'd rather pay for sea moss than blood pressure and anxiety meds.

Anyway, this was more long-winded than I had intended. I hope you all are well. Do your best, make good choices, be kind, be grateful and remember, all we have is Now. 

Peace.