Holiday Illness

Ever notice how many people on or near the Holidays become ill? Is this a coincidence? I think not!

I believe the lack of vitamin D (from less daylight) and the foods we consume in the Winter and on Holidays are the culprit. We think we can have a piece of pie knowing it's an allergen or harmful (especially to people with an illness) and yet we eat it anyway because we don't want to insult the host and/or because we think, "One piece can't hurt."

The Holidays often bring about the thoughts of yummy foods and we want to eat what every one else is enjoying.

This notion is false. When we eat foods we aren't suppose to or consume too much sugar it's toxic to our bodies. Heck any sugar is toxic and causes inflammation - even in a healthy body.

How do we remedy this?

First deal with the inflammation - drink water with lemon (simple and most affordable way to treat inflammation).

Secondly the sugar causes an overgrowth of candida in our system. To treat this consume black walnut hulls (found at a vitamin store) and take grapefruit seed extract.

To speed the process of removing the candida overgrowth and reducing inflammation hit the gym, exercise, do yoga, stretch, walk and get your heart rate up (in addition take a vitamin D supplement or get sunlight).

Your mind will become more clear after removing the candida overgrowth and pain will subside after treating inflammation.

Next Holiday season offer to bring a dessert and or dishes that are healthier for you to consume to avoid this problem. 

Rant about the world

I don't know what bothers me more - the unseen pain and torture people face with disease or watching ppl innocently eat and live in society until they are diseased. How doesn't our society know what foods are poisonous and should be avoided? Or do we know and boldly eat and welcome the circumstances (thinking this won't happen to me). As a victim of such tragedy in the US I hate it - though I question would I have stopped if I never became ill? I notify my family of such chronic conditions and possible injuries which could plague their bodies from such toxic foods but they laugh off my knowledge even when I show them logical information proving I am right.

How loud should I scream, what must I say, how do I prove the pain behind what lies behind the pharmacist counters, on our grocery shelves and in our vitamin stores? Why don't we question where things come from? Why are we becoming sick and why are there no cures, yet there's a new iPhone ready for purchase before 2 years?

Things like aloe, medical marijuana, rain water, raw milk, etc. are illegal in our country? Why? What are they trying to stop us from doing? Naturally curing ourselves with our unwanted side effects? Should we seek out a medical professional for testing, drugs and advice? What does this provide? Round about ideas to help soothe our minds including antidepressants therapists and pain relievers yet no cure. I too fell victim to this state.

BUT I AM NOW AWAKE

The more studies I read the more I become confused - I always listen to my body (my one true doctor for advice).

There are numerous atrocities in the world but why does this one bother me more than anything else? Because I suffered for years and followed Eastern medicine and was a prisoner in my own home, a prisoner to drugs the doctors and their teachings and so are numerous of others like me. Who would think that by going to a doctor would I be tortured?

Who is to blame for all of this?

Is it not I? Or we? And why do we still ignore what we know or do we not know or do we not believe? Why aren't those who know acting - or are they - but no one is listening?

Look at my body (my scars can't lie), my medical records, my documented list of 14 daily medications I use to take and the stem cell transplant I went through.

Nothing helped me more than stopping the medications, not seeing the doctors, seeking out alternative remedies, remaining positive and staying physically active.

How to Defeat Multiple Sclerosis Without Disease Modifying Drugs

Disease modifying therapies, which contain interferon, have been widely used to treat multiple sclerosis. However, recent studies have scientifically proven that they do not lessen disability. So what does that mean about the other treatments that are available? Are they safe and effective? What are they doing to your body when you take them?

I am disappointed with the scientific field, for producing false hope in individuals with MS. The disease modifying drugs which contain Betaseron have been used since 1993 and are now known to not prevent disability. So people have been using these drugs for about 20 years and are only now becoming aware of the fact they may not work? That just pisses me off.

Here's a link about interferon based drugs being ineffective against disability.

I remember trying Avonex and the flu like symptoms that came with it were unbelievable. My body obviously knew to reject it. I only took it for a few weeks because I had 2 relapses while I was on it.

Shortly thereafter, I tried Rebif...I was told the side effects were more tolerable, and they were...I used it for almost 7 weeks. During that time I had 3 relapses. I turned to my neurologist Dr. Lava while I was in the hospital and said, "The Rebif is making me sicker isn't it?"

"It appears it is making you worse," he replied.

I never tried Tysarbi because the rebound effect frightened me. I was relapsing often, and I was scared that if I went on Tysarbi and then had to stop taking it, I could get sicker. The thought of developing more lesions when I already had about 30, scared the shit out of me. What could those lesions do to me? To be honest I wasn't scared of the PML. I wanted the MS symptoms to stop and when this drug first came out there was no information about the JC virus. I figured if I died from PML I wouldn't suffer anymore. However the fear of suffering the rebound effect was enough to make me never try it.

I had used Copaxone for years and I must admit...I felt as though it did help. After years of taking it, I couldn't handle the side effects any longer. I got sick of injecting myself, the welts were horrible, the cost of the drug is astronomical, the side effects felt terrible and I was still getting relapses.

Medical research has shown Copaxone has medical benefits in slowing down the number of relapses for MS, but they don't understand why.

Did you know the main ingredients in Copaxone are 4 amino acids? They are: glutamic acid, lysine, alanine and tyrosine.

Why inject yourself with an over priced drug with severe side effects, when you can buy these amino acids at most vitamin stores or online, take them orally, save money, and most importantly be safe and feel good? This is why I advocate protein in forms of chicken and whey, and have suggested taking amino acids in previous post titled, A Secret to Defeating MS.

You must be thinking why didn't my doctor, who I trust, tell me this?

He didn't tell you this because he went to medical college for Western medicine. He is not an Eastern medicine doctor which studied homoeopathic remedies in college. In fact, he can't tell you this without risking a lawsuit because his insurance only protects him from the school of thought he got a degree in.

I recently saw my gynecologist because my periods have been irregular and I wanted to make sure everything was okay with my lady parts. He tried to prescribe my progesterone. I said, "I told you doctor I will only use natural remedies. I will start eating yams and use a natural cream made from yams, but I will not take your prescription."

He replied, "I am not licensed to prescribe a natural remedy, my insurance won't protect me."

I thanked him for his honesty and realized that the next time I need a doctor I will seek out a homeopathic one.

In my post yesterday (Latest Research has "Cured" Mice from MS) I discussed the newest scientific research which indicates that beta-amyloid cells are responsible for "curing" mice with MS. There is a connection between glutamine (glutamic acid) and beta amyloid cells. Here's a link which discusses this connection.

So your probably wondering why Copaxone has such severe side effects?

Most side effects are caused by a glutamine overdose or an allergy to glutamine. It depends on the side effect you are experiencing...you could even be having an allergic reaction to the inactive ingredient Mannitol.

How can you avoid these painful injections and unwanted side effects?

Take glutamine, which is the what glutamaic acid is derived from. If you take the glutamine in the form of a vitamin, you will have the flexibility of ingesting the amino acid orally, and taking the amount your body can tolerate without side effects.

I also want to point out this link from The New York Times which states, "At the same time, they acknowledge certain weaknesses of their own study, in particular the problem that people who take no medicine are also likely to be among those who are the least ill and therefore least likely to become disabled in any case."

I find the above paragraph very amusing...because I haven't taken an MS therapy drug in years! I had an EDSS score of 5.5 while I was using drug modifying therapies and over 40 lesions. Now I take NOTHING and I am free of MS symptoms. I do believe people like myself would benefit from not taking the medicine because they are not putting toxic, foreign substances into their body.
I know the vitamins I have suggested cost money and you may be receiving disability and have trouble affording them...but you really need to, in order to make a full recovery. Here's a link to my previous post, Vitamins that Fight Disease.

Vitamins are not magic pills! You must adopt a healthy life style as I have mentioned in my previous posts in order to repair the damage from multiple sclerosis. This will not happen overnight because it takes time to remove the impurities, toxins and free radicals in your body.

Do I think you should stop taking your disease modifying drug....

I cannot answer that for you.

However, I have informed you of how I approach this disease, what I do, and shown you the medical research so you can make the best decision for you.

If you feel what you are taking is not working for you, then why continue?

A previous post titled, How I Defeated Multiple Sclerosis.

How I Defeated Multiple Sclerosis

I have been told numerous occasions I need to tell my story because people need to know the truth about how to this fight and defeat disease. I am living proof that a cure does exist! I once believed, that at my current age of 33, I'd be in a wheelchair, a nursing home, respite care or dead because the multiple sclerosis was crippling and destroying my mind and body. Instead, I'm thriving, full of life, attending college, making art and attending the gym almost daily.

I'm sure you must be wondering how this is possible? When considering that multiple sclerosis is a debilitating neurological disease which becomes progressive over time. Multiple sclerosis is a terminal illness, with a prognosis of pain, paralysis and eventually death.

Not to mention my disease was on a rapidly progressive course which was beginning to cripple me and the preventative treatments and medications showed no effect. I was on 14 different daily medications to help treat my different symptoms and manage the pain. I felt lost, hopeless and was considering placing my children in foster care because I was hospitalized every 2-6 weeks for an exacerbation.

I felt lost, scared and alone...

I was getting worse and the prescriptions I was taking was numbing my mind and not helping.

Yet I still continued to go to the doctors and complain about my symptoms and the pain. The only thing they would do was offer more drugs and the side effects had left me incapacitated.

I was scared of not taking the prescriptions I was on because I couldn't imagine what my pain would be like if I was off of them.

I finally found the courage to stop every prescription I was taking, including the multiple sclerosis drug modifying therapy, which is suppose to be the only option to help stop this horrifying disease from progressing. Here's a link as to why the MS drugs don't slow disability.

I felt as though nothing was working and I had to change what I was doing.

Stopping the morphine was frightening and painful....but I thought if I could stop taking an addictive narcotic, I could stop taking everything else.

It wasn't easy dealing with, the withdrawal....and all of the pain....

But I did.

After that, I began to stop the medications...one by one...weaning off of them....

It was strange....after I stopped the taking tegretol (which is an anti-seizure drug used to treat pain)....

I woke up!!!

It was like I had been sleeping for many years. I could think more clearly, my thoughts sped up and I began to regain my energy and range of emotions.

I then began to take short brisk walks around my neighborhood everyday.

Then I joined my local YMCA and started doing cardio five days a week. Two weeks later I added strength training.

I could literally feel the neuropathy leave my body and my brain fog disappeared!

The numbness which was once in my legs, went to feet, then to my toes...until I felt completely normal.

My incontinence went away!

My limp was gone!

I started to get my life back!

I could go grocery shopping and carry the bags, do my laundry, cook dinner, play ball with my son, go visit friends and family....and RUN! The sun never felt so warm on face, the air never tasted so crisp, my heart never beat so hard, I could jump, and skip and live life everyday.

I don't fear tomorrow as I once did...I used to be scared of going to sleep and waking to temporary paralysis, blindness or pain.

I am not claiming there are magic pills you can take to feel better. I work on being healthy daily through diet and exercise...and its not easy to maintain...but its possible. Here's another link to someone else who was cured through diet and exercise.

Today, I can't wait for tomorrow....and I will begin at the gym...running and weight lifting....using the legs I once thought I would lose.

A must read post of mine titled, Latest Scientific Reasearch Has "Cured" Mice from Multiple Sclerosis.

Here's a link to a previous post of mine, How Exercise Fights Multiple Sclerosis

Another link of mine, A Secret to Defeating Multiple Sclerosis

A post of mine titled, How to Defeat Multiple Sclerosis Without Disease Modifying Drugs

There are numerous of other posts in my blog which describes which vitamins to take, how to cook quick healthy meals and foods to avoid.


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A Quick Healthier Alternative to Fast Food

There are times I'm out longer than expected and I find myself hungry and looking for healthier food choices. Other times I crave chocolate and I need to satisfy this overwhelming desire. There are also times, like yesterday, where I felt weak because my blood sugar was low and I needed to eat something quickly.

There are so many unhealthy fast food choices, that it becomes confusing as to what to choose when you aren't home and have other constraints, such as: time limitations, hunger, and or low blood sugar.

Fruit and yogurt are excellent ways to get a quick sugar uptake and are the healthiest choice to make.

However, there are times when a piece of fruit will not satisfy my hunger, I'm limited on time and I need a healthy alternative.

The only healthy food I have always found, even at gas stations, are protein bars. Protein bars are typically healthy, but not always. Sometimes they are loaded with soy isolate and gluten.

You have to read the allergy and ingredient information to find out what is exactly in them because different flavors contain different allergy contents.

Another problem, is they can also be high in calories and or taste awful.

Met Rx protein bars are found in most gas stations and some are even gluten free.

I eat one of these protein bars not more than once a week. Although this is a healthier alternative to fast food, it is not as nutritious as a home cooked meal, fruits or vegetables, which are the best things to eat.

These bars I am suggesting, have small amounts of soy. Most other protein bars have soy isolate as their main ingredient.

The really wonderful thing about these protein bars is I no longer eat candy bars or junk food! They help satisfy my chocolate craving I have from time to time.

Below is picture of a Met Rx protein bar, chocolate roasted peanut flavor, which is gluten free. Click on image below to read the ingredients and nutritional information.

I'm partial to this brand because of the Metamyosyn blend of protein, which is the first ingredient. However, there are unhealthy ingredients such as a preservatives, lecithan (soy) and corn syrup.

The healthiest protein bar, without preservatives, additives, soy or refined sugars are Raw Protein Bars. Unfortunately, these bars are uncommon, so they have to be purchased and made ahead of time, so they can be carried with you.

Supreme Protein Bars and Pure Protein Bars are two other types of fairly common, healthier alternatives for protein bars.

I am not promoting these protein bars for the best nutrition, I am simply providing a quick alternative to fast food and junk food because we live in a highly demanding, time constrained world.

I hope this information provides useful ideas to eat and live healthy.

Here's a link from a previous post of mine, Healthy, Time Saving Ideas for Food, which provides information to eat completely healthy.

Here's another post of mine, which describes essential nutritional information, A Secret to Defeating MS.

Conquering Dietary Problems

No doctor had ever recommended I try a healthy diet and exercise, instead they mentioned I needed to lose weight (at one point when I was heavy), but never advised how to do this.

I took their advice and lost weight, probably not the healthiest way because I wasn't eating much. Granted what I did eat was healthy, but it wasn't a balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

I've read we should eat a low fat diet...but I don't get what that means. Don't we need healthy fats in our diet? I supplement with fish oil and flaxseed oil everyday to make sure I get enough omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Also because there's evidence which suggests that these fats help repair meylin and reduce inflammation (see this link here).

The other thing I find disturbing is no one states what a high fat or low fat diet means and how many grams of fat we should be consuming daily. Personally I consume 20 - 30% fat a day from my recommended caloric intake.

Do you know what your caloric intake should be? Its based on your height, body weight, age, sex and how active you are in a day.

Here's an excellent link which calculates your caloric intake for you.

Knowing how many calories I need a day to maintain my weight, helps me if I want to lose weight because I would consume less then I need. For example, if I figured out I need 1770 calories a day to maintain my weight, and if I wanted to lose a pound (which is 3200 calories) a week, I would eat 457 less calories a day, which is 1313 calories a day. Eating 457 calories less a day would mean a losing a pound a week for anyone.

However, figuring out my caloric intake is only one part of the equation because I need to have a balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

To do this you can visit this link which is brilliant. It figures out the math for you, to the ratios you want. The zone diet is what I recommend, on that site. However, I consume 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 30% fats. I prefer higher protein because I weight lift and because the of amino acids in protein.

Then I'd think one gram of protein is equal to 4 calories, so I'd divide 4 into 520 (which is 40% of my total calories) to figure out how many grams of protein I should be eating, which is 130 grams of protein a day.  

I would then do the same math I used to calculate for carbohydrates, at 4 calories per gram.

Then fats, at 10 calories per gram. So 30% of 1313 calories is 390 calories, which equals 39 grams of total fat for the day.

Example:                                    
                           Ratio        Total Calories            Calories per Gram        Consume a Day
          proteins -   40%          1313  = 520 /                 4 calories =                130 grams
 carbohydrates -   30%          1313 = 390 /                  4 calories =                 98 grams
                  fats -   30%          1313 = 390 /                 10 calories =                39 grams                
                                    

I really hope this doesn't seem confusing and you're not overwhelmed by the math or frightened at the thought of keeping track of how many calories, fats, carbs and protein to consume.

In the beginning I wrote everything down in a notebook. I kept track not only of the numbers, but what I was eating. Its important to see what you are eating. However, I now don't find it necessary to write everything down like I use to because I know what to eat after writing it out like I use to.

Remember, having a balanced diet is essential to being energetic, healthy and happy. 

Here's a link to my post, A Secret to Defeating MS

Here's a link to my post for, Healthy, Time Saving Ideas for Food 

Healthy, Time Saving Ideas for Food

In a previous post, I wrote about how to fight multiple sclerosis with a well balanced, wholesome diet. However, in today's fast paced lifestyle this can seem to be an impossible feat. So I'm going to discuss how to spend about one hour a week, cooking and preparing the foods you will eat throughout the week.

Personally I find that Sunday's are a good day for me to cook and prepare my food. For example, I have 4 pounds of chicken baking in the oven while I'm writing this post.

I buy a large package of  boneless, skinless chicken breasts and trim off all of the excess fat (this doesn't have to be perfect).

Take a large baking pan and use whatever spices you like on the bottom of the pan. I use different combinations of spices depending on the mood I am in. Some ideas are chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder (I always use this, yum), curry, basil, oregano Italian mix, cumin, ginger and pepper.

Place the chicken on top of the spices you put down and sprinkle some more on top.

Another way to add flavor is to add your favorite salsa onto the chicken before baking it.

While the chicken is baking I make brown Jasmine rice. You can choose any flavor of rice you'd like, however its best that its a brown rice because its made of complex carbohydrates. I use 3 cups of dry rice and half an onion, chopped into larger pieces. I put it on the stove and let it cook for 45 minutes, while the chicken is baking in the oven.

Remember everything tastes better with a little garlic and onion.

However, avoid using oils and butter. A diet that's lower in fat is healthiest for your heart and immune system.

While the chicken and rice is cooking, I make my salads for the week in a large Tupperware container. I toss together greens (I prefer romaine lettuce and spinach), sesame seeds, tomatoes, peppers and fresh dill. I wait to add the dressing until I eat it, so it doesn't get soggy and gross. Make sure the dressing you choose is free of preservatives and soy. Olive oil and vinegar, with Italian herbs makes a great wholesome dressing.

I then get out smaller containers to divide the salad into, I usually make 12 containers of salad.

Another option if you don't like salad is to make a vegetable soup. To do this get a large pot, chop and add your favorite vegetables, garlic and onion, and add some vegetable or chicken broth. Cover and let it cook until the vegetables are soft (about 15 minutes). Personally, I have to add a little salt to the soup, otherwise its too bland and I won't eat it.

Then divide the vegetables into about a dozen Tupperware containers.

I prefer to divide out my meals into containers because its easier to take food with me when I leave my house. If I don't do this, I get hungry when I'm out, and am likely to eat unhealthy food. I take food with me everywhere I go; college, work, friend's or family's house. I do this so I'm not tempted to eat anything unhealthy.

When the chicken and rice is done cooking and has cooled, I then cut it up and put them into smaller containers.

As far as breakfast, I make eggs and oats every morning. However, I use only one egg and 4 egg whites. Its better to have all egg whites, but personally the taste isn't very enjoyable to me so I have the one yolk which helps the taste. I don't use any oil or butter in the pan, when I cook my eggs. I simply use a non-stick pan and cook my eggs directly in it.

Oats are wonderful food, they can be easily transported in a sandwich bag and you can add just about anything to them for flavor, such as; berries, bananas, jelly, jam, milk (coconut milk is divine), almonds, walnuts and pecans. Oats are also great for lunch or a even snack if you'd like.

Now you have plenty of healthy, good, food for the week and have no reason to eat and get food else where. The last thing that's essential is a an insulated lunch box and cooler packs to transport your food with you everywhere you go.

I know most people don't and won't cook like me. They don't have a medical problem such as multiple sclerosis to worry about and so don't understand why I can't splurge, like they can. Don't get me wrong...I'm not perfect. I usually treat myself twice a week, to something I normally wouldn't eat, like a gluten free pumpkin muffin or chocolate frozen yogurt. However, I still NEVER eat at a fast food restaurant (I will go into what to Never eat in a future post).

I know these foods I'm naming aren't exactly what most people eat and they may be foreign to you. However, the more you eat them the more your tastes buds will adjust and you will crave the foods you once ate less and less.

If you eat for taste, its a temporary joy and you will not be healthy. However, if you eat to live healthy, you will have a happy future.

Check out my post here, to learn how to defeat MS with food, like I did.

Here's a link which describes my body transformation from 250 lbs to 150 lbs!

Being Fat - And Getting Healthy

I use to be a large woman. In fact, I was obese 11 years ago, when I weighed close to 250 pounds! I battled weight issues as a child, but when I was 13...I went on my first diet, and entered the world of being thin. I noticed that when I lost the extra weight, society and my peers treated me differently. In fact, I gained instant respect, was talked to as a human, and realized how guys found me attractive. Years later, I learned how valuable a healthy diet can be when you become struck down with an illness...

I went on my  first diet when I was 13, which was an unhealthy diet. I lived on salad, and nothing else. I lost weight rapidly, felt extremely tired, but loved the positive attention I received from looking slim. The strange thing I realized at this point was people didn't consider me a joke anymore. I wasn't the "fat girl" anymore and I was no longer teased and ridiculed. I gained respect and many "new friends." Some people who didn't want to be seen talking to me...now did. Although, I found these so called friends of mine exciting at first, I quickly realized our friendship was based on my outward appearance, and not who I was as a person.

During my first pregnancy, I noticed the weight pile on. I had food pushed in front of my face, and literally into my mouth by my husband. People would tell me to eat more because I was eating for two. I know now, that is not true! I should of only been consuming 500 more calories a day. 

After the birth of my son, I was disgusted with how I looked. I weighed approximately 220 pounds and attempted to lose weight. However, Jimmy argued and fought with me about this....telling me, "I was losing weight to look good for other men."

I didn't realize at the time, he was controlling me. I was young, only 20 years old and didn't know better. Instead, I didn't argue back, and continued to live as a large woman, although I couldn't stand how I looked or felt. I thought I was fat, ugly and grotesque.

After my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, I lost a dramatic amount of weight...100 pounds! For several months I went on a diet which consisted of fruits, vegetables and chicken. I knew I had to lose the weight because shortly after my diagnosis I had trouble walking and became scared at the thought of using a wheelchair. I realized when I went on Canadian crutches that it was hard for me to move my body because of the extra weight I carried. I thought, if I couldn't lift a one-hundred pound weight right now...How am I carrying all that weight on my body? I couldn't imagine having further and more difficult times walking and carrying an extra 100 pound load around. This is when, why, and how I began my diet... and lost the weight.

Shortly after becoming thin, my husband began accusing me that I was cheating on him! He asked, "Why would you lose weight? I like you just the way you are! So who are you losing it for?"

He didn't care or realize the extent of my illness. In fact, he never went to any of my doctor's appointments with me. He was being selfish and hurtful. I realized at this point he only cared about himself. I knew I had to lose the weight...and I'm glad to this day I did. It was only two months later, when I filed for a divorce. 

Ever since I was 23...I never let myself go, as I once did. I had begun to implement a lifelong healthy nutrition, which I've fined tuned and changed over the years, to what I do now. I basically eat food, which are from the produce, meat, and dairy sections of a grocery store, as well as, rice, beans, nuts and natural oils. I don't consume any red meat, gluten, processed oils, fried food, processed boxed foods, and or preservatives. I prepare my food one day a week...for the rest of the week. I don't cook everyday because its time consuming. I plan what I'm going to eat ahead of time and stay far away from fast food, which is loaded with fillers and preservatives.

Eating healthy is not only a way to look good, but it helps mentally everyday with how you see yourself. If you eat nutritious good foods, you feel positive, light on your feet and good about yourself. When we make poor food choices we feel negative, guilty, heavy, weighed down and have a poor image of ourselves. 

I know that through eating right, I have helped my body and mind in every way possible. I see myself in a positive way, I feel great and it has helped my disease from progressing. When you eat healthy it helps maintain proper vitamins and nutrients necessary to our bodies and our cells to heal properly. Our brain needs good fats to heal, protein to work, and carbohydrates to process the protein. I've always believed in a high protein diet, coupled with vegetables, fruit, rice and potatoes.   

I'm not saying to never have a snack, but there are healthier snack choices (which I will specifically get into, in a later post). Also you may want to wean yourself off of junk food because there is a mental and physical addiction to it. Our body craves what we've been eating, and our mind finds comfort in it. So slowly getting rid of processed foods takes time...I recommend beginning with all sugary beverages, especially soda....and diet soda. Soda is extremely high in preservatives and is in no way healthy! Most people don't want to drink water, however, its the healthiest thing to drink.

I wish I began a healthy lifestyle years before I did. I didn't realize, how much better I'd look and feel. 

If you have questions about what you are drinking and or eating, and aren't sure whether its healthy or not, feel free to post a comment and ask me.

I will be getting into nutrition further on later posts, as well as what I consume and why.