You are What You Eat. . . and More

This is so true!


Food-artist Joshua gets creative with chickpeas and baby carrots.

I believe that watching what we put into our mouths at our house has been one of the greatest factors in us being able to stay out of the doctors' offices.

For a few years, I went vegan. A vegan is someone who chooses not to eat any animal products (I didn't even eat eggs for awhile--that made it very challenging to bake!). So, the Fagalas ate a lot of tofu dishes and veggie dishes and delicious exotic grains like couscous and kamut. I lost weight that I didn't want and a little more. My skin glowed and I had tons of energy. I felt wonderful and always revert to this diet during times that illness does strike.

After a couple of years, though, the Lord led me to re-introduce organic meat into our diet. But I learned a lot about healthy eating during those vegan years that has stuck with me.

Make even one of these "simple" changes I learned during my vegan years and you should see improvements in your family's health right away:

* Cut out the dairy!
It is the prime culprit of sinus infections and ear infections and congestion. If you can't forsake the cheese, choose aged cheeses, like real parmesan or romano, or give goat milk-based feta a try.

*Replace cow milk with soy or rice milk.
I hear studies are linking soy with estrogen issues, so rice may be a safer option for many women. My favorite milk brands are Rice Dream Vanilla, Very Vanilla Silk and 8th Continent Vanilla. Soy milk is better for baking and gravies.

* Say no to sugar!!
This one is my hardest one. I have a mega-sweet tooth inherited from my daddy. Thanks, Daddy! :-) If this is hard for you, too, save your sweet treat for after dinner only and keep it small. I would say eat a piece of fruit when you're craving chocolate, but that never worked for me. Dessert is very emotional.

* Eat organic meat and eggs
I belong to a meat co-op where we order reasonably-priced chicken and turkey and beef every two months. Many stores are carrying healthier meats like Nolan Ryan's beef if you don't live near someone who coordinates a co-op.

* Supplements
We have a constant stash of vitamins, minerals and supplements (like BarleyLife) on hand at all times. We daily turn to our supplement cabinet the way many turn to their medicine cabinet.

* Exercise and Good Rest
I just started exercising. This does not come easy for me, so I work out on our Total Gym (a hand-me-down from my parents--Thanks Mama and Daddy!) before I ever leave my room in the morning. Good rest is easy--go to bed at a decent hour, especially if you have young children or have to get up early to go to work. People used to go to bed when the sun went down. I like to go to bed by 9 pm, and I feel so much better when I do.

Ok, that's enough for now. That's plenty to work on. But remember, try just one thing at a time until it is a habit, then work on another one.

Now, as for me. . . it's past my bedtime!