challenge

For those of you who signed up for the 28 day Nourishing Traditions Challenge, I wanted to let you know where I am at with it.  I said in the post “It will be interesting where this challenge takes us, and if there will be a point I draw a line and say, “nope, not ready for that.””  Well, that point hit at day 3! LOL.
 
I’ve read much on this movement and really do believe that it is important to try and eat foods in the most minimally processed state–but–I am only willing to go so far and spend so much of my life’s time doing it.   Day 3 talked about soaking grains–have not done it and not sure if I ever will, and I am willing to read on and continue to learn, but I know for me and my family, this level is just a bit too much. There are others that have been on this Real Foods journey much longer, so maybe for them that next step is not overwhelming.

I am all about baby steps, so the emails I am receiving from the challenge are throwing me.  The same email they tell you to change white grains to brown grains, they tell you that is not enough and that you need to start soaking your grains and making everything from scratch.  Sorry, but THAT overwhelms me!  It is a huge step for some people to just go from white bread to 100% wheat, or to change white pasta to whole grain pasta, so to expect people to be ok with “trade the white to wheat, grind your own wheat, soak your grains, make your bread homemade”…that is enough to make anyone give up and go buy a box of Twinkies, in my opinion!!

I guess what I am trying to say is if you signed up and are reading the emails, don’t freak out and give up on the idea of eating real foods.  It can look many different ways for many different people.   There are lots of people out there like me, who have made small steps to becoming more healthful and have had great success, without taking it to a level many of us won’t ever be.

I, personally, read the challenge and appreciate learning what others are doing and why, but I am careful.  I do not want to become consumed with feeling like I have to do everything they say in order to measure up and make a difference for my family.  I refuse to become a perfectionist about it all, and I rest in knowing that small changes here and there are enough.  If I allowed myself to become consumed, it could do my family more harm than good, by taking away from other, just as important, areas of nourishment for them–like emotional nourishment, for one.

Anyway, I had to communicate with you, my readers.  So many of you have sent such wonderful emails communicating your desire to eat healthier foods.  You have expressed excitement as you have tried new things, and you have expressed frustration when it seems overwhelming.  I hate to think that a link I shared would add to that frustration, especially when it seems to be going against what I am always saying…”one step at a time!”:)  So, if one of those steps involve removing yourself from the Nourishing Traditions Challenge email list, so you won’t get overwhelmed, by all means do what you need to do!!  If instead, it is intriguing to learn what the process is for some people, stay signed up and read on!

There is a Real Food movement going on and I’m happy to be moving with it.  My movement has been gradual, but I can’t tell you how great it has been to feel like the foods I have chosen to feed my family have been doing wonders for their health.

We have always been a family who were known for being sick…ALL THE TIME!  It felt like we lived at the dr.’s office (every two-three weeks at least, for years- no joke!)  Since deciding to eat Real Foods, that is no longer the case.  We have not been to the doctor since LAST MAY!!  We have had a cold here and stomach flu there, but usually only one of us gets it now(instead of the usual domino effect of illness that would happen when one would get sick–we’d all get it!) and it is over quickly.  I was the mom that got letters from the principal every year for each girl, telling me they had missed too much school.  Now the only school they have missed is when mommy falls for brilliant acting on my girls part:) That has happened twice recently, but momma’s not gonna fall for it again!  If they perk up after keeping them home a few hours, off to school they are gonna go!

A few months ago, I visited my pediatrician for a referral to an allergist to get my daughter checked for a suspected corn allergy.(never went to the allergist, symptoms disappeared when we stopped eating processed foods regularly)  When she saw us, she couldn’t believe how long it had been since we had been in, and was really surprised my daughter was off all inhalers for her asthma.  I loved it.  I feel like God has been so faithful in guiding me to some answers to my family’s health issues.

All that to say, I truly believe our eating habits are the reason why we are healthier.  I believe our immune systems are working as they should be, and our bodies are getting what they need through our foods.  We are by no means doing everything we could be doing, and I am at peace with that.  We are doing enough to make a difference in our health, so pressure is off to follow the movement perfectly.  I’ll be interested to see where this challenge takes us, and if there will be a point I draw a line and say, “nope  not ready for that.”

If all this healthy food talk is getting to you, just keep scrolling down and enjoy my posts on beauty or crafts or God🙂  If instead, it sparks some interest, click on the image above and sign up.  All you have to do is enter your name and email, and you will get posts sent to your email the next 28 days.