My intro

I've been 'threatening" to start a blog for quite a while, but like most people I had to have the right motivation.  Now that I find myself job hunting again and I just finished my current session of school, I decided that now is as good a time as any.

I'm a registered nurse and have been studying about nutrition and healthy lifestyles for a number of years.  Three years ago, after watching a lecture given by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, I decided to do a total lifestyle makeover.  All the white sugar in my house went in the trash.  I gave away a big jug of vegetable oil.  I got rid of all the processed food in my cabinets and refrigerator and I re-introduced myself to fresh fruits and vegetables.

In the beginning it was pretty tough.  I had a thing for Godiva chocolates, brownies, and Edy's ice cream. What kept me going...kept me honest was reminding myself that my mother had been a diabetic that also "survived" a stroke, and was obese.  I have a brother who is also diabetic and on dialysis.  My older brother has had multiple open heart surgeries and heart attackes.  My paternal grandfather died of a heart attack before the age of 50.  My father died of a heart attack.  I've been fortunate that I've never had a weight problem, but I had some really bad eating/food habits that I knew were leading me on the same path as family members before me.  Something HAD to change.

Dr. Perricone teaches that we truly are what we eat right down to the cell level.  He talks about inflammation and how it is at the root of the majority of our health problems.  I was diagnoses with lupus and hypothyroidism over 25 years ago.  Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to attack itself.  I've been lucky in that my symptoms have always been pretty mild, but I knew that could change especially if I didn't start making some major changes.

It has been a bumpy road as I made my way through changing my life.  I've had successes...like no longer having to take medication for my thyroid.  I've had set-backs like losing my hair to alopecia areata in 2007 (totally stress related).  Overall I know I'm better mentally and physically for my efforts.

While my original motivation was not following in my ancestors health footsteps, my new motivators are my two granddaughters.  My mother missed out on so many things with my children because she made the choice to not take care of her health.  I want to be around and set a good health examples for my children and grandchildren.

I will be writing about my health, lifestyle changes, blips in the road, and posting an occasional recipe.  This will also be personal therapy as I journey through the second half of my life.