Healthy Changes, Day 1

Today is Day 1 of transitioning into a healthier lifestyle.  H & I made a pact to join Earth Fare's new campaign for the company, Together We Will, and follow their "Boot List" which consists of banning unhealthy ingredients, including:

• high fructose corn syrup
• artificial fats or artificial trans fats
• artificial colors
• artificial flavors
• artificial preservatives
• artificial sweeteners
• bleached or bromated flour
• antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones in meat or dairy.  

Since we are going to be doing this, it seemed like a good time to do some other things we'd been talking about for a while:  cutting out soda and fast food for good, making healthier meals and cutting out all alcohol (& caffeine for me) for a solid month or longer.  I'm also taking the opportunity to try out a plan that should make it easier to enjoy eating healthfully.

Using recipes from the Clean Program will make it easier to make healthy choices (& I'll be letting you know if they are any good!).  It isn't a cleanse in the colonics/prune juice diet style, but more of a restricted diet.  The idea behind it is to cut out all known allergen-causing food to help the digestive system, immune system, liver, etc. take a break from all the junk I've been eating and start functioning properly.  I don't think I have any food allergies, but I've certainly been feeling run-down lately so I decided it wouldn't hurt to see how these things change on the plan.  Cutting out dairy and pasta will be my biggest challenges.  I do so love cheese, especially on top of a nice angel hair pasta.   Here's a list of what is restricted and why:  Why Not?

Because of his extreme attachment to his morning oatmeal with milk and honey, Henry is not taking part in this program except for a few meals that look appealing.  However, he is fully supportive and intrigued to see how it goes for me and how I respond to some of the more odd health foods in the list - Dulse flakes, for example, a "sea vegetable" made from seaweed and smells of fish flakes.  Bleeeck.  I may be holding my nose to get some of this down, but you will get full & honest report!

I'm also adding back in daily exercise.  I'd been doing pretty well with this until we went out of town at the end of last month and then I got out of the habit.  As a result I've been feeling stiff and achy and not sleeping well, so it's time to get back out there and do at least a daily yoga routine if not a walk around the park in addition.  So, it's time for Sun Salutations and a few miles walk!  I'll check in tomorrow and give an update.