A friend bought to my attention that the information I share regarding the process of my transition to eating natural and organic foods was extremely helpful and that I should document the wealth of information that I have learned through the years.  What a great idea! Why didn’t I think of that? 🙂

I intend to provide as much information as I possibly can in this series “Making the transition – (Eat well, Live well, Be Well)” .  I hope that the information I provide will help make the transition easier for those that are looking to make the change to a healthier lifestyle.

Why

The first question you must ask yourself and be honest about the answer is, “Why should I change what I eat?”  For me this question came in a more subtle way.  I can remember back to my childhood when my grandma used to have me pick flowers from her yard that she would use in her teas.  She saved everything and said it could be used later.  She would tell all her grandchildren what to eat and what not to eat but I didn’t really understand until I had my own child.  Once I decided I wanted to raise my own child, I started reading every book I could get my hand on.  This consisted mainly of what an expectant mother should eat, not eat and why.

This was only the beginning of my journey, little did I know at the time.  I was a junk food aholic, I still like my sweets but now they are either made by me or at the very least contain only natural and/or organic ingredients.  It was very hard in the beginning but I knew that I was not as healthy as I could be and that I wanted to provide my child with the best that I could.  I wanted to make sure that I was healthy for as long as I was alive.  Just because we age doens’t mean our bodies have to deteriorate!

Where To Start?

• The easiest way to start is to read the ingredient labels on EVERYTHING you buy.  Whether it’s something you eat, put on your body, cleanse your home with or will simply be around.  Does this seem a bit much?  It may at first but it will help you to become aware of how much poison you are subject to everyday without your knowledge.  You have a choice as to what you bring into your home and provide to your family, so having the knowledge about what you are buying allows you to take back your power.
• If you are unaware of and/or can not pronounce the name of an ingredient, look it up.  Thanks to the internet this is a quick and easy process.  However you do not want to just read one (1) site and take the word of the person who wrote the article, so be sure to do as much research as you can until you feel comfortable with your decision as to whether the ingredient is something you want bring into your home or not.
• Realize that nature has provided everything we need to survive and live a healthy life so there are many natural possibilites for each man-made synthetic ingredient you find.
• Realize that there are different levels of transitioning so don’t overwhelm yourself.  Start with what you can and progress as you go.
• Organic is always the best option but sometimes it is not possible to obtain organic ingreidients.  When this is the case look for natural, preservative free ingredients.
  • Some fruit and vegetables are prone to absorb more pesticides just because of how they are grown, for instance root vegetables (potatoes, radishes, garlic, onions, etc) are grown beneath the soil and therefore will absorb a great deal more pesticides than say an avocado.  However, some fruit like a grape, although grown above ground it has a thin skin and is also likely to absorb more pesticides than say a coconut.
• When possible grow your own fruit/vegetables.  Herbs are one of the easiest/fastest growing plants that you can start without a lot of growing space. Not only do that add amazing flavor to your dishes but they also provide you with lots of nutrients and/or natural medicine.
  • Always use either heirloom, organic or open-pollinated seeds (I save all of the seeds I obtain from the organic fruit/vegetables I am already purchasing to eat and I also save the seeds from the plants that I grow)

These are a few easy tips to keep in mind as you walk through the nature trail on the path to health 🙂

Look forward to more tips in Part 2 of this series brought to you by www.MyCoCreations.com.