A Whole Year Ago

It was almost exactly a year ago that Jared and I embarked on our Raw Food journey.  We managed to eat almost completely raw for 6 months (I indulged in Raw milk, and the occasional cooked pasta or porridge, but I'd give us a 90% pass rate).  Then I got pregnant. Me with morning sickness + raw food does not = love. It wasn't that I didn't still love the food, but I didn't love the hours of preparation, and actually, nothing sounded good, ever.  So, I quit.  Then we moved out of "the room" in my mom's basement and into our own little basement suite, where we basically camped for a few months - we didn't have a toaster, let alone all the tools needed for any type of food preparation.  I have all the excuses in the world, but let it suffice that while the first part of 2011 was the Wiebe family's healthiest, the last part was definitely not.

But let's be honest, raw food has been great for our family.  I wish I had before and after pictures.  Jared lost 50 pounds, without even trying.  He looks great and feels great, even if his sister, Renee, did have to bring in all of his suits so it didn't look like he was a little kid wearing his daddy's clothes.  I felt fantastic.  The boys, for the most part enjoyed it.  We got to try new recipes every day. I got to spend tons of time in the kitchen with my mother, which was great for many reasons.  While buying everything fresh and raw is expensive, we didn't buy anything processed or prepackaged, which is an easy habit to get into.  It made us much more aware of what we eat and what it does to our bodies, and much less willing to compromise on food that isn't good for us. I'm not a die hard raw foodist by any means, but I sure do see the benefits of eating a primarily plant based, freshly prepared, uncooked diet. 

So, now that a new year is upon us, we've moved into a more permanent abode, and I've got my energy and appetite back, I'm motivated!  I'd like to not take forever to lose the inevitable weight I will gain throughout this pregnancy, and I figure the habits I build now will help that happen.  Plus, while I'm not immune to the risks of diabetes, Jared's family medical history is littered with it, and anything we can do to keep that dreaded beast away from us, I'm willing to do.  So far, so good. I'm not sticking to raw foods exclusively. I'm intrigued by the Paleo diet, the Weston A. Price philosophy, and other ways of eating, but I am determined to make better food decisions for my family this year.

Tonight, as I type, the rich smell of dehydrating fruit fills the room.  I love it!  My mom gave me a brand new 9 tray Excalibur Dehydrator for Christmas.  Can you hear the quiver of excitement in my voice?  Well, it's there, I promise!  Let the fruit leather, pizza crusts, flax crackers, granola, kale chips, and maybe even a little beef jerky (gasp!) fill my cupboards.  The green smoothies that I couldn't eat for a few months (but that Jared has faithfully made for himself every morning for breakfast for the past year) are being Vitamix-ed again.  We even bought a food processor to make our food preparations easier. 

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, I'll be in my kitchen.  Come on over, I'll make you a smoothie.  Here's to another year of better health than last year, to all of us, in whatever way we find it!