Dieting for Health

             Time for an update on dieting for health. Ever since I got the cancer diagnosis, I became more motivated to participate in my own healthcare. The main and really the biggest step I could take was a look at my diet. In November while recuperating from a mastectomy, I had the good fortune of staying with my friend Peggy and her husband who had recently become vegans. I had already been reading about veganism and health, but in their home I could experience it. Peggy is a great cook no matter what’s she making, so she had quickly mastered tasty dishes for a vegan diet. I enjoyed the eating first of all. But a wondrous side effect took place – I felt better. This was directly after my surgery so I was really looking for ways to feel even just a tad better.

            That marked the beginning of my vegan journey. I’m not nearly as good a cook as Peg, and I’m only cooking for one, so it’s a challenge to make dishes with lots of preparation. Just not interested. I have taken advantage of making smoothies, though, in my nifty, awesome blender (a Ninja) and I put all kinds of stuff in them. A healthy green mix of kale, chard, arugula, lettuce; chunks of tofu; a cup of frozen blueberries; banana; an apple cut up; green juice; soy milk; cucumbers; squash; cilantro; and the list goes on. I don’t put all of those in one smoothie, but probably three or four solid items plus the liquids.

            With the Standard American Diet we’re all bound to get generous dosages of illness, including heart and vessel disease, cancer, various chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases more than we’re genetically disposed to, arthritis, and all kinds of crappy stuff. It isn’t necessary. Besides, you don’t have to be a complete vegan to conquer illness until it more naturally shows up many decades later in your precious lives.

            If you’ve had cancer, and everyone who has dreadfully fears a recurrence, then check out Kristin Carr’s manifesto, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips. She is an awesome statement of how to be proactive when faced with a deadly form of cancer – with no treatment known. She is still writing books and researching more ways to help herself nine years after diagnosis. And don’t worry, she goes to the regular physicians (who can think outside the box) as well as holistic practitioners. No wacko crystals for her! Her website is  http://www.crazysexycancer.com. And she’s on Facebook.

            Lots of people’s illnesses are described as chronic now. Even HIV. I know people who might have two or three chronic illnesses, and I definitely believe they can be helped by getting off the Standard American Diet and onto greener pastures of grazing. It's already been proven.

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            Feel better! Go green!