Dusting Off the Blog...

Hi friends. I have not posted in this blog for a long, long time and for good reason. I've had much to walk through in life in 2014/2015, with responsibilities leaving me little time to keep this up. I am happy to see a return to more normalcy in my family and exciting things on the horizon, as the Lord tarries. Feel free to browse the blog. I plan to do a few different things here, from time to time, but currently, it will be used mostly as a journal to record my adventure of 2016.  I share it publicly because I figured why not let myself be accountable 'out loud' and so that I can hopefully inspire you from the pictures and recipes of my meals with how fun, varied, simple and tasty plant strong eating can be.

I'll let you in on a little secret. In a few weeks, I'll be leaving my thirties behind and entering my forties. As a present to myself for my 40th birthday, I decided that I am going to eat only plants for the entire year that I am 40. What a present, you may exclaim with incredulous looks (as some of my friends and family have looked as I've shared the plans for this adventure with them the past few months). I know. A few years ago, I could not have imagined this myself. But after eating at least 75% plants for the past 7 years, I am ready. I love veggies. I really do. When I go through a buffet line at a potluck, I am happiest to find the veggies. So, I see the past 7 years of being 'forced' to eat this way because I was dealing with serious disease (and I should have been anyway, to prevent those diseases in the first place and to take care of my body, God's temple, with thanksgiving for His gift), as preparation for 2016. I am ready. I am excited. I'm going to take the plunge and I see it as a grand adventure, not a hardship.

If you, my friend, happen to take me out to lunch or invite me to your house in 2016, please do not freak out or worry what you will feed me. If you would like to know, please feel free to ask and I'd be happy to share with you. If you would like to simply serve what you plan to serve, I will certainly not be offended. I will just bring along my own little meal and happily fellowship with you. Social life does not need to be around food for me to feel complete.

In 2016, as I walk this journey, I plan to record my meals here. I will try very hard to do it every day. I really want to. BUT I will start out once and see how it goes. I know it will require dedication. If you want to pop in here now and then, I would welcome you gladly. I hope that you find inspiration on your own journey to eating for health.

I do not plan to be elaborate most of the time. Responsibility will prevent that.

And, in case you wonder if I will be feasting on vegan junk in 2016, the answer is NOT CONSISTENTLY. "Oreos" are vegan, I'm told. (Vegan simply means the absence of animal products). I do plan to try to eat the majority of my meals as nutrient dense (check out Dr. Fuhrman's explanation of this if you care to here.) I plan to eat a few treats along the way, but I'm hoping to keep things as low sugar, low oil, as possible. The way I do that currently is by allowing one treat a week that is not necessarily no oil, no sugar, but within reason (to me).

So hop along for the ride. It's going to be a great adventure. I just know it. And if you should decide to join me for part or all of this journey in your own life, please do! I would love that.

~To health,
Marcia

PS
So why are you doing this, you may ask? I guess if I were to answer that, I'd say:

1. Plants were the first things God invited Adam and Eve to eat. So, I figure why not give that gift to myself. He knew it when He created them that plants are the building blocks of good health and disease prevention.
2. Discipline. We live in a world full of terrible food-like substances that people all around us enjoy in large quantities. I once was a food addict (to these food-like substances) and I have sobered in the past seven years as I see what 33 years of abusing my body with food had done to me. It took faith and repentance and much reliance on God (even now!) to walk away from that abusive lifestyle into the freedom and good health that God had waiting for me, which I enjoy today. Even so, I am still faced with decisions every day (most days in my own house, those decisions are easy because of how my larder is stocked), and I figured that a decision I make for a whole year will be good discipline for me.
3. I would like to give my body the cleansing and nourishing benefit of plants at a level I have not known up until now. I look forward to seeing what changes take place in my health in 2016. I'm sure it will be good.
     I expect that I will take pleasure in giving my husband's wallet a greater rest as my grocery bill decreases. It is much cheaper to eat a sensible, whole food, plant based diet than any other diet there is (if you are talking buying meat/cheese, or paying the doctor eventually).