Pink rubber gloves -- the new sexy

Emma was feeling much better today! I am thankful for that! We were even able to get her hair cut -- it is so cute. It is her first "tweener" haircut; I took her to my stylist for the first time. She looks so good! Getting her hair done put a little pep in her step. I could tell she felt great about herself and her new do because she was posing in the mirror. After we got her hair cut we went to pick up out Thanksgiving meal and someone asked her right way if she was 14 (remember she just turned 11, and she is about 5'5"). When she told the lady how old she was the lady said, "Holy model!" Emma was just shining.

I was getting in the holiday spirit today and made a new smoothie. It had cranberries, apples, kale, agave, a vanilla bean, and cinnamon. It was yummy and did the job getting me in the spirit to celebrate thankfulness. I didn't even mind doing the dishes by hand. It hasn't been too bad not having a dishwasher. I may feel differently by December 10th, but so far so good. I kinda like my bright pink rubber gloves. They are the new sexy.

October Recital

I love October! The leaves change, it gets a little cooler, and I turn a year older. My mom says this is the time of year when the trees quit practicing and put on their recital. I have been finding myself thinking back to a year ago. I felt so far from being "recital-worthy." I am AMAZED what a year can do!

This time last year I was discovering my first (of many) kidney stones. I was tired all of the time, felt like I wasn't able to concentrate, couldn't understand how I could exercise all of the time and not lose weight, and quite frankly, I was suffering from depression. It was beginning to feel like I was in a medical spiral downward and I couldn't see how to get out of it. Little did I know that about six months later I would hear about the benefits of a raw food diet on the evening news from a woman who had been suffering from cancer. That news segment would stick in my head. It would grow from being some extra tidbit of information filed somewhere in the back of my head, to a curiosity, to something interesting, to a research obsession, and finally to a lifestyle.

This time last year I was dreading my birthday -- the previous two years my body felt like it had aged 10 years in 365 days. I could not see how I could ever get back to "normal." That was one thing I was right about; there was no way for me to get back to the way I was, but there was a way for me to feel better than "normal." When I began my raw food diet the energy was the first thing I noticed, then my skin seemed to clear up and improve right before my eyes, and my mood seemed to shift and suddenly life was exciting and full of promise again. That was all in the first two weeks. However, I was still not convinced -- any fad diet can make you feel better, at least for a little while. The proof is in the pudding.

Funny how things work, isn't it? In this short year I feel like the clock has turned backwards for me. My medical difficulties have resolved. Fear and depression no longer have power over me, and I believe in myself. My food no longer makes me sick. I have lost 35 pounds. My skin has stayed clear and I continue to have an abundance of energy. I am excited about my birthday this year! Look out trees -- I might just show you up!

TGIF

I am so glad that today is Friday!  We don't have any real plans, in fact, Phillip (my four year old) is sick, but it will be nice to have some down time.  We rented a couple of movies, so we will just "veg-out" and watch movies.  

I have been full of energy today!  That is the number one benefit of eating raw for me.  My energy level has shot through the roof!  AND I AM HAPPY!  The boost of energy is helping me get so much stuff done; I am even cleaning my house.  I don't know about you, but in my house cleaning usually happens with a scowl on my face, and getting my kids to help usually only happens after a few tears, pouting, and a bit of yelling (possibly even a little bribery).  Today however, I was bouncing around here and singing while cleaning the toilet. Don't get me wrong, cleaning the toilet is not exactly my idea of a good time, but the task was manageable and I was even able to get Jake (my 12 year old) and Emma (my 10 year old) to help today, too!  I made them a super-berry shake this morning for breakfast and they have also been happy, helpful, and full of energy today!  The recipe for the shake:

A cup of mixed frozen berries (for us, it was blueberries, blackberries, rasberries, and brambleberries)

A cup of water

A tablespoon (give or take  little) of raw honey

a large handful of spinach

  ** Blend in the vita-mix, half a strawberry on the side of the glass, and add a straw.

The kids think they are getting special treatment because of the presentation and the name of the drink.  We all started off the day on a good foot!  Phillip is still not sure of the shake, but I will keep offering them to him.

first post

This is my first post.  I can't believe I am actually on here!  Just to tell you a little bit about me -- I am 35 years old.  Two years ago I had a complete thyroidectomy after 2 tumors were discovered.  A biopsy revealed that 1 of the tumors was probable cancer.  The surgery went well,  but shortly after surgery I began experiencing major complications.   Long story short, my parathyroid gland checked out and my body would no longer regulate calcium.  You cannot live without calcium.  Replacing my thyroid hormones turned out to be very easy, but regulating my calcium has been a long and arduous process.  The year after surgery I experienced major depression, exhaustion, numbness and severe muscle contractions in my arms and legs, and I got every virus or bug that was floating around.  Year two was riddled with more complications including 7 kidney stones and multiple kidney filtering problems.  That surgery changed my entire life.  I was too tired or too sick to exercise and the weight just piled on.  I was tired of this ruling my life!  I was tired of being a victim!  I was tired of being given one medication to help one thing and having that same medication mess up another part of my body!  That is when I happened to hear a local news story on a woman who began a raw diet after being diagnosed with breast cancer and having considerable health benefits from it.  I began researching everything I could find, and then I just went for it.  I was eating about 70% raw when I went to hear Angela Stokes speak.  It was very informative and motivating.  I have been nearly completely raw since then and cannot believe how much better I look and feel!  I started this blog to track my journey.  I hope you enjoy following it!  I can't wait to see what will happen next -- I think the best is yet to come!