I grew up eating fairly healthy. My mother always packed nutritious lunches for us, and we had balanced family dinners at the table every night. There were always lots of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. And as a child I can remember eating snacks of carrot sticks and string cheese. (I also remember going to the neighbor's house to eat chicken nuggets and french fries, and of course, Kool-Aid-- things that were never in our house.) We did have a "junk food" drawer when I was in high school, but those things weren't a daily part of my diet. I've never had any issues with food, nor have I had any eating disorders-- diagnosed or implied. I've always been pretty slim for my build. After fleeing the coop, I felt like I was pretty good about taking care of myself. (Of course, during college I gained a few extra pounds from drinking beer and eating late night pizza, but it wasn't anything to worry about.) Looking back, I realize the endless flow of Diet Coke, the three for $10 Lean Cuisines, and the occasional fast food runs were actually the opposite of healthy. Granted, it could be a lot worse. But it could also be a hell of a lot better.
It wasn't until I moved to Los Angeles that I began to look at my overall health and well-being differently. I started looking at food differently. I was raised as a carnivore. I loved cheeseburgers and BLTs and filet mignon. I ate a lot of dairy without even really realizing it. I probably had a meat protein at least twice a day. Then something happened. I went out to lunch at Joan's on Third and ordered a chicken salad sandwich. Within 24 hours my chin swelled up. And that's when it all began. I started looking into food allergies, and even began testing them on myself. I found that whenever I ate chicken, my face would react to it. I learned that my body was reacting to the hormones and antibiotics in the meat. So I cut out chicken first.
A few months later, I was at Philippe's and ordered a turkey french dip. I spent the entire night vomiting. (Gross, I know). That was when I stopped eating turkey. Next, was steak. I had filet mignon at a wedding and my stomach was so nauseas the entire night that I could hardly dance. That was the end of meat for me. I realize these three separate incidents were extreme reactions, but in each one, my body was physically rejecting animal proteins. So I gave up meat and became a vegetarian.
Now I'm a pseudo-vegan pescetarian. I don't eat chicken, beef, pork, lamb or any animals. I don't eat eggs. I avoid dairy as much as I can. The only time I eat anything with milk, butter or cheese is when I'm at a restaurant. Even then, I try to modify my order as much as I can. I rarely eat fish, but still can't fully give it up. I follow at least a 90-95% full vegan diet. (As healthy as I am, I do admit I have a weakness for french fries and chocolate.)
Health extends beyond what you're putting in your body. It also matters what you put on your body... and how you treat it. A few years ago I bought Two Faced Lip Injection Extreme lipgloss to make my lips look bigger for a wedding that I was attending. (Saying this out loud, reminds me of how ridiculously stupid that was. And also, hearing the name "Lip Injection Extreme" makes me want to cringe... or go back in time and smack myself.) After the wedding, my face broke out into an allergic reaction. I had this horrible, horrible rash all over my entire face and nothing but time healed it. I tried everything from hydrocortizone cream to aloe vera, but nothing seemed to work. That was when I decided to start paying attention to makeup and lotions and shampoos more. Chemicals are chemicals... whether they're in your food or on your face. As time passed, I shamelessly gravitated back to the beauty products I used to use. But I'm still sucker for organic or natural things. And I will only use natural, unscented bar soap.
I love finding new vegetarian recipes or learning about holistic healing methods or new natural products. And I love telling people about them. So that's why I'm starting this blog. Stay tuned...
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