Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Journey to health through food.

It's been 9 years since we began a journey to understand how food impacts our health. I thought our journey would encourage others so I am sharing it today.

9 years ago when our 4th baby was born we decided that we would not immunise him. The other children's immunisations were ever completed due to different circumstances for instance our 2nd child had 5 ops in his first 18 months and on an already compromised immune system, we could not load more.


Shiitake mushroom, bacon and sage risotto


But when our littlest one was born we had investigated immunizations more thoroughly and made a quality decision not to do any. This then left us with the repsonsibility to make sure that our family's immune systems were strong to fight what the environment may throw at us.

A dear friend at the time, let's call her "Doc" introduced us to The Natural Way by Mary Anne Shearer. So for 2 years we followed her every word, did the food combining thing, ate raw, low or almost no animal protein and felt really good. Our health improved dramatically and our baby grew strong and healthy. Of all 4 children, he is the one who has been the healthiest. He has never had antibiotics and gets over a cold in a flash.

Like all things, there are grey times, and there was a time when we changed cities that things took a dip and we headed back to more conventional eating but kept up a lot of raw eating and organic food as far as we were able.




Chickens on the lay - 14 eggs this week.



Fast forward a few years ago when my Superman was diagnozed with Type 2 Diabetes and high cholestrol. We have been told many things about this "disease" from it being a lifestyle disease to it being a precursor to full blown diabetes.

Either way we sought the counsel of a dietician and she put him onto an eating plan of no wheat, no dairy, no beef, no pork, no sugar and a whole host of food supplements.

He ate like this for 3 months and went onto cholestrol medication and when have bloods taken again we found that his sugars were under control again and cholestrol lower. In 2008 - at the height of this time - we started our garden. I feel like this was when we truly started learning about food and health.


Fresh salad greens, buffalo mozzarella and basalmic reduction


Last year he started showing side effects from the cholestrol meds and we decided it was time to see if we could do without them again and after a weening off process we put him onto a natural product - Red Rice Yeast. At the same time we continued our self study of food, health and disease.

Please understand that I did not set out to purposefully study this - I truly believe the Our Loving Father in heaven led us on a journey starting 9 years ago and we are still being led by Him. But the time we decided to bring homegrown organic vegetables into our lifestyle, we seem to have taken leaps and bounds into new things. Like my herbal journey (even though I do not have time to post on that blog - I am still learning!).

I met with Johan Jacobs from Go Natural in December to learn from him too. If there is a story to be told, then Johan's is one to listen too! There were two immediate changes he recommended - water and grains. This was when we bought our distiller and mill and haven't looked back on those choices.


Baked breakfast oatmeal


I also bought the book "Nourishing Traditions" and continue to learn from that. And then most recently I stumbled onto GNOWFGLINS and the learning continues.


This year I have watched two family members struggle with the horrific disease of breast cancer which makes me even more determined to stay on this path with the Lord leading us all the way. A quote that hit home last year: "the multiple maladies caused by bad eating are taking a dire toll on our health - most tragically for our kids, who are predicted to be this country's [USA] first generation to ahve a shorter life expectancy than their parents." Barbara Kingsolver (Animal Vegetable Miracle)


So while this is a long post, and not really a HOW TO one, I do hope my testimony - however vague - will encourage others to "keep on keeping on" and to take those little steps each month, year or season to improve your health through the food you put into your body. For now our philosophy is simple - the closer to the way God made it the better or if I can quote a friend: "If it comes in a can or packet - don't eat it!"

3 comments:

Bobbi@SnoodleDoodles said...

Our journey started out when we started looking into immunizations as well. I have an unvaxed 6 year old who is the epitomy of health. I agree 100% with your statement "if it comes out of a can or bag don't eat it".....it's amazing how our lives have changed in 6.5 years and how much healthier we have become!

Thanks for sharing your journey!!

africanaussie said...

I have always enjoyed the recipes and thoughts you have posted on your blog, and it is nice to know the journey.

Unknown said...

We have not vaccinated any of our 3 children. My husband was never vaccinated either, so I am the only one in our family that has been. We strive to eat only natural foods but I have to admit this can be a huge struggle at times especially when others continue to buy our children packaged stuff.
I know I am doing the best I can do on any given day and that I strive to try harder each day.