Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Chaaanges

I watched Food, Inc. quite a while ago, early last year I think.  For a little while after that, I did go meatless a few times a week, sprung for the occasional organic produce but only if it wasn’t A LOT more than the regular.  In short, my habits didn’t change all that much.

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About a month ago, I watched Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead.  That guy went hard core with a juice fast.  I knew I would never do that but I do enjoy making green smoothies almost every day.  One of the things that jumped out to me in that documentary was that he mentioned he had chronic urticaria.  I just glazed over.  I didn’t know what that was.  Then a bit later, he starts talking about a rash & hives and how they’re gone.  That’s when I sat up straight.  I went back in the video to the part where he mentioned the chronic urticaria.  Hives.  It’s a fancy word for rashes and hives.  It’s also often nocturnal.  Hell on wheels, impossible to sleep.  I have that.  He started talking about how a host of autoimmune diseases can be reversed or at least stopped where they are by a change in diet.  No one ever told me that.  I have an iGa deficiency in my blood that I inherited from my mother.  This deficiency makes you more likely to develop autoimmune diseases.  

Mine started at the age of 24.  I had my first outbreak of hives that lasted three solid months.  Head to toe.  Pure torture.  At 25, I found my first patch of skin that didn’t tan in the summer like the rest of me. Those patches have steadily increased to include my arms, legs, and face. It's called Vitiligo.  Thankfully, I’ve always been fair and freckled so mostly you can tell in the summer.  I am careful to pile on the sunscreen so that the parts that do tan, don’t get darker.  Hey, pale is the new tan.  At 26, I had my first surgery for endometriosis.  At 27, I had my second.  At 30, they did a full abdominal surgery to remove two large cysts and my left ovary.  At about 34, my doctor told me I was hypothyroid.  All of these are autoimmune diseases and some of them can actually be reversed or helped by diet????  After watching Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead, I consciously increased my veggies and decreased by dairy a smidge.  I don’t drink a lot of milk but I do like my greek yogurt and any kind of cheese.   

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This past Friday, I watched Forks Over Knives and Food Matters – both fantastic.  I know this is going to sound bad.  I saw Food, Inc.  Thought it was very informative, disturbing, extremely well done.  After watching, these two though, the impacts to MY health and well-being were very clear to me.  I feel totally selfish in saying that.  Like I shouldn’t have been able to change for the animals??  I haven’t had meat or dairy in five days now.  I feel great.  I’m not hungry.  Even though I’m pms-ing big time, I’m not willing to run people over for chips or chocolate.  It’s like the further you get from something the less you need it or crave it.  I can go ages without having McDonald’s.  Then in a pinch, I have it and it’s like it unleashes the beast within that wants it all the time. 

So I’m trying this out.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not going to say that I’m vegan.  I’m not even going to say that I’m a vegetarian.  I don’t think for one second that I won’t be at a restaurant one day thinking that the lobster & brie grilled cheese sounds better than the vegetarian or vegan option.  But for right now, I am trying it out.  So far it’s going pretty great.  I’m learning about different products that I didn’t know existed.  For example, I had no idea there was almond milk yogurt.  Now I’m excited to find some.  I’m in love with Almond Breeze.  Love.  Did I mention I love Almond Breeze?  I’ve only tried Original, Unsweetened Original, and Unsweetened Vanilla.  Even if I were to bring dairy back in, I think Almond Breeze is here to stay. 

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I ordered the Engine 2 Diet book on the Kindle.  He was featured in Forks Over Knives and I thought it was a really cool story and he was preparing some great looking food.  On Saturday, I made the Sweet Potato Lasagna and it is so amazing and makes an absolute ton.  I actually ended up getting a 9 x 13 as well as an 8 x 8 out of it.  I’m going to freeze a couple pieces for a week and then eat them and see how they fare.  If they are still great then I will still make the whole batch and if it’s not fantastic, I’ll half the recipe next time.  Everyone I’ve pinned to the ground and force fed offered it to has loved it. 

I have a couple other recipes I tried and loved but I'll save those for the next post since this is too long already.  And I still haven't talked about TV.

The quick & dirty:

**My least favorite season of Biggest Loser ever.  So glad that it's over.  I only watched the last 15 minutes of the finale to see the at home winner and the winner.  I won't spill because it's still Tuesday night and some may not have watched yet.  
**I love The Killing.  I'm dying to know who killed Rosie.
**I can't believe the season finale of The Good Wife!!!  Oh Kalinda!  Dang, she's exciting.
**Amazing Race -- so sad to see Kentucky go!!  I don't even know who to cheer for.  I want just Rachel of Rachel & Dave to win.  Hahahaha -- I want her to take her money and run far away from him.  I hate when there's only unlikeable teams left!!  This happened last year when the Snowboarders went home.   


And finally, as always -- thanks for the support everyone!


Anyone got any favorite meatless dishes??  Please share!