rawK on
I've been on a healthy eating quest for a couple of years. I've suffered with an overgrowth of Candida for what seems like a lifetime. And in all actuality, it likely has been a lifetime. In the two years that I've known my health problems were all related to the yeast syndrome, I've been reading about nutrition, a lot.
I'm not thankful for this "yeast beast" I've been struggling with. I wish like hell I didn't have to be suffering with it – going on and off the diet – having it come back after pregnancies, but I am. I will say that I'm thankful I know what it is. I'm thankful I used this opportunity to learn about food and health and how the two relate so closely to each other. I took a bad thing and am finding a way to put a positive spin on it and change my family's lives.
My Mom doesn't have a good relationship with food and hasn't all of her life. I don't blame her for my health in any way. You can only do so much when you don't understand food and health. But growing up with a Mom who often had a Pepsi in one hand and a 3 musketeer in the other no doubt rubbed off on me to some degree.
Knowing my own experience with watching my Mom's relationship with food, and not being "schooled" in how important food is, I now know the depth of my responsibility as a Mom raising my own children. All of my children were born with Thrush mouths and had all suffered with yeast infections as babies.
With my first two I didn't know anything about it. I didn't realize how bad it can get if left unchecked. Thankfully I now know and will help my baby get into balance before it gets out of control. But because of my babies being exposed to yeast, and then eating a very unhealthy (but very typical!) American diet, it has grown into a problem that's affecting their health.
I'm armed with tons of knowledge, and the faith that God wants you well (and does heal people), and the determination of not only ridding them of this imbalance in their bodies, but more importantly teaching them WHY and HOW to eat right, from this point forward.
One of the things I'm incorporating into our way of living is eating more raw foods.
Specifically raw vegetables, greens, nuts (not the canned, roasted, salted variety), and so forth. I'm not againts eating meat. Or cooked foods. But getting more raw into our diets is only a positive thing. I'm looking forward to making flax seed crackers, too.
It's an adventure… this eating thing. I won't say that it isn't overwhelming at times, especially getting the Candida under control, but I'm already seeing much progress with my 5 year old. He is eating whole wheat bread (not that white "whole wheat" bread, but he real deal stuff. And by the way, my husband is drinking green smoothies, eating whole wheat bread!), mashed up fruit or raw honey in place of jelly, raw/plain veggies, homemade trail mix, green smoothies, homemade veggie soups and so forth.
For the most part, he'll eat whatever I make him and he's growing a taste for it. Would he still rather have a shake than a green smoothie? yes. Would he rather have white bread and jelly? yes. If I'm being honest, I'm still in that place too. It will take time. And time I've got.
I'm responsible for setting up their eating habits. I'm responsible for their health. I'm responsible for their knowledge about food and health. It's daunting and overwhelming and exciting at the same time.
Over the coming weeks/months, and likely years, I'm going to share more about this journey. I'll share what has worked, what hasn't, what worked for awhile and so on.
I'm incredibly excited about starting my baby's relationship with food off on the right foot, I have to tell you. I'll get to see first hand what eating right can do for a person, because I'll have his health to judge againts my older two.
And hopefully my 2 year old will eventually come around. He's a huge challenge. Has been for a year. And his food choices have been showing up in his health more and more, recently. He is a real, big challenge… but I'm his Mom and I have to be up for the challenge even if I don't really want to be.
Here's to good health!
Have you changed your family's eating lifestyle? If so, how did it go?
I use
Vita Mix Blender – the blender I use every day.
Green Smoothies – recipes children and adults will love.
Go raw – raw food recipes for kids.
I want
Excalibur (if you know of a good cheap one, please tell me!)
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Comments on rawK on
We've been trying to eat "raw" foods more lately too. My husband and I actually just had this very conversation tonight as I was prepping 8 vegetarian meals to put in our freezer ("Fix, Freeze, Feast" is such a useful cookbook). We were talking about how we want to be sure to eat right and to make good food the "norm" in our house. After all, eating healthful foods just makes you feel better all around, don't you think?
P.S. Clever title.
I think you are inspirational. I am looking forward to reading about your journey and picking up new tips.
He does also still drink 2 cokes…every day…that habit probably isn't going anywhere! We all had to make a big change when our kids were diagnosed with egg and peanut allergies. Totally cutting eggs out of our lives was tough…mostly for me the cook, but now we don't miss it. Wow, OK – I have a head cold and am really groggy and it is showing in the rambling length of this comment – so sorry. But bravo to you for breaking out of the eating atmosphere you were raised in. 
Due to the way I grew up, I have always eaten quite healthy. My husband grew up more traditionally and when we married, making the switch from white to whole wheat (especially in bread and pasta) was very hard for him. Very hard, but now he prefers things this way and would never go back. I also had a heck of a time getting him to not want to add sugar or salt to his raw fruit and veggies. And just living with a lot less salt in general. To be honest, I am not sure if he has fully embraced this change anymore but he does at least refrain from these things in front of our kids so I guess that is pretty good
I think I'm pretty lucky, because Evie will eat just about anything! She actually prefers raw carrots or broccoli or an apple to ice cream or cookies. And I've yet to get her to eat toast with jelly! Now, we'll see how it goes with the baby when he's born!
I have just recently even started to think about what I put in my mouth…. I know that sounds crazy but it is true…. it is like I have this vague idea about eating right on the outer fringes of my mind…. it is slowly working it's way to the front. I am so excited to read about your journey and hope it helps pull some of my vague thoughts up front and centre.
I definitely have this same problem. I've been amazed at how much a healthy diet can improve things. I suffered from chronic yeast infections for a while as well as thrush infections the first 3 months of nursing (although, oddly Levi never actually got thrush…just me). Over time, I've stumbled upon certain culprits…sugar being a biggie. I've also found that, for me, oral birth control pills create monster infections that just won't go away. Although, my diet is by no means perfect, I'm slowly but surely working on improving it. Thanks for all of your suggestions!
I've been on a mission to make my family's food options healthier. When my husband and I first married, we rarely bought fruits or vegetables, because they always seemed to go bad in the fridge. I decided to stop wasting money on them and quit buying them. Fast forward 5.5 or 6 years and add a kid or two. Now, every meal is a choice. Every time we plan our meals, I am thinking about how *that* meal fits into our bigger picture of eating that week. I have a 2 and 3 year old, so eating well and balanced doesn't always go without a flaw, but it is so worth it to know that I am setting the expectations for real food, good food in our house before they are old enough to be out and about in the world where they have SO many choices and most of them are less than stellar.