Part of transformation is in education. We must know what it is that we are looking to achieve so that we have a benchmark. My ultimate goal for physical, is to become more healthy and have more energy, live longer, and be a light for inspiration in others. Today I met a lady friend that I really wanted to take alongside this journey with me, but I was too nervous to ask. I guess that’s part of this transformation for me as well but I think that building trust with someone is more important. I think tomorrow I will slowly integrate it into our conversation.
When I started researching, I found this woman named Mimi Kirk. She is a 72 year old vegan who looks like she’s in her thirties, no joke. Her energy is amazing and she even mentions that she doesn’t really exercise, mostly because she doesn’t like to. She has been a vegan for over forty years (which also goes to show its never too late to start something new). I included a quick clip here and left her website down below. She is so inspirational! Her skin looks magnificent and glowing as well as elastic. Her husband is in his fifties and she is able to keep up with him, I just cant get over it. After reading about her one day, the next morning I actually met a vegan mother of three. She told me about her up’s and downs when traveling and I really felt like something in the universe was pushing me towards really researching this more.
I also had been urged by my friend to watch this documentary called Forks over Knives. My same friend went on a wholefoods diet and went from a size 12 to a size 4 for her wedding. I was so fascinated by her results, I did more in depth research.
Lastly, the kicker was that I had two members of my family dying of cancer. After reading about the China Study in the documentary(which I included the article hyperlinked here), I really thought this is worth a shot. My grandmother was diagnosed of cancer when she was 25. She later died in her early forties after many years of chemotherapy, my grandfather selling everything he owned to pay for her hospital bills. Then at the age of 25, I was told I had breast tumors. I was so scared when watching my children sleep that there was this possibility, that I just KNEW I had to do something different. At that time I was ACTIVE duty military working about 45 hours a week, finishing up my bachelors degree, going through a divorce, and scurrying to get my house out of foreclosure. My stress level was so high, I was drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, and I literally put myself in the hospital in the ER room with an anxiety attack. I was up at 3 am every morning, and going to bed at midnight that next day.
The definition of insanity is “Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results”.
In order to get different results, I had to do something different and I refused to be just ANOTHER number or statistic. My two little lives depend on me everyday, my energy, my spirituality, and my steadfastness.
The China study really amazed me. It talked about the difference in how the country eats comparatively to the United States, especially when it came to meat as well as processed foods. Anything taken from its original form is considered processed. Everywhere I look here I see ALL YOU CAN EAT buffets of all sorts. Breakfast, Chinese, pizza, fish, etc. It doesn’t say ALL YOU SHOULD EAT.
I love a juicy cheeseburger. But I have to say that after reading, watching documentaries, and really educating myself on this topic, meat is by far one of the MOST carcinogenic products out there. Many people become vegetarians or vegans based upon animal cruelty and it is absolutely rightful to do so. We must always test things out so I am determined to go into the farms as the people in the documentaries did to see the hard cold facts. A study showed of rats eating meats were THREE TIMES more likely to produce malignant tumors than those that didn’t.
Forks over Knives talked about dairy farms with milking cows and how they are injected to produce milk 10x more than the amount that they should. Their nipples are suctioned onto the milking machines and are constantly being sucked out with no break. After awhile the cows nipples become so raw, bloody, and we just keep milking them and squirting it into the product, that we now buy and drink from the grocery store. I guess having breast-fed all three of my kids, the thought of this just nauseates me.
Meanwhile, all facts put aside about meat and dairy, my last reason for this physical transformation is being irritated with the fitness industry. It is so infiltrated with these products of protein shakes, supplements, pills, and other alternatives to help build and maintain a youthful appearance, at a HUGE cost. I really considered doing one of the fitness programs out there that required you to supplement one of your meals with this shake, but at about $100 per month. I knew there just had to be a better way financially, but also by not putting anything into my body that is artificial. I truly feel like if we just listen to what our body is telling us, naturally by giving It what it needs, you can maintain a healthy state of being. There are nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in our food that is necessary for survival or else we would be dead. Different foods provide different functions that aid in cleansing the body, that we are about to discover.
http://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fitness-industry-report
As a scientist, we want to start with a hypothesis, and try to disprove it. Well, if we tried to PROVE it first, we could be biased and only selectively look at the facts that are relevant to what we are trying to prove. So, being the scientist that I want to try to claim that I am (No, not really, just a curious lady on a mission), I want to see if one can actually achieve a sculpted body with a high level of healthiness being a vegetarian. I want to research out how to get the right amounts of protein that my body needs staying away from meat products and stay on course with a whole foods diet. I am going o work out 3-4 times per week as recommended and change the way that I eat. I will do my best to keep a log of my food journal for you all, as well as take pictures to show the changes. Now, I should remind you, that as I intake fruits and vegetables more in a juicing form and share my favortite recipes with you, my skin, hair, and nails are all going to see a huge difference.
Going natural here doesn’t stop for me. I am going to take this a step further and allow my hair to grow naturally its hair color that GOD gave me with (WHAT?!). yep, I just said that. I have been dying my hair for years now as many woman have and these harsh chemicals have not done me any justice(so I hear). I also am going to yet, take it another step further, to change my skin and find ways to cleanse and naturally allow my beauty of what God has given me to shine through. Makeup is like a mask and can hide many flaws. Have you ever seen the BEFORE And AFTER pics of celebrities. Im sorry but I refuse to have my future husband be deceived. What you get is what you see. Not that I will stop wearing makeup forever, but I really want to achieve soft, youthful, healthy glowing skin. I don’t want to cover up blotchy red skin with saggy eyes. I want to be youthful, bright, and vibrant!
Well, this blog was a really long one. I will try to keep it short and sweet next time so that it’s a quicker read so if your on the go, it will be convenient and be literally, FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Much love to you and wish me luck!!!! Ill share everything thatI have learned.
Down below I have included a couple books and videos that I am using as guides to help me understand my body, and what to feed it.
http://youngonrawfood.com
