50 Pounds Lost At 50 And Feeling Great! Janeann Is A 'Real Food' Success Story!

That's right... you read that correct, this woman is 50! Meet my gorgeous friend Janeann! When I saw Janeann this summer at my husband's band gig I was blown away by her exceptional changes. I just had to share her amazing "real food" story with our blog readers, and Janeann has generously agreed to give us the scoop! Oh yes! You can learn the secrets of her over 50 pound weight loss within five months in this very blog post! Whoo-hoo I am so excited!!! I know Janeann will inspire many others to make positive changes to their current food choices as they read what she has accomplished! The beautiful photo of Janeann above was taken on 6/3/14 in the exact same pants she wore on 1/3/14 when she said goodbye to her husband before he went overseas. Those pants were a size 18 and five months later she welcomed him home as a size 6-8! Wow! A super fun surprise for both of them! Can you imagine his face as she greeted him?!!!

Before/After   Look at the difference in her arms and the shape of her face!

Before we begin I want you to know a few important facts about Janeann to set the scene. She is a 'Director of Real Estate' for a local commercial real estate company, she works long hours, and lives over an hour from her office. We have heard many people use the excuse that because of their work, or a long commute, that they do not have time to prepare 'real food' and make changes that may include exercise. She did not let those realities stop her from reclaiming her good health. When you eat organic plants and whole foods, plus add some exercise... it can change your life... even busy working lives. Janeann was able to welcome her husband back after five months with a new improved vibrant self; while going to work at an office that adds an additional two hour commute to her day, raising two children, maintaining their home while on her own, and including a new daily exercise routine. So let's find out what food and methods worked for her quest towards great health, since there might just be some things that will resonate with you! 

Before/After    Janeann and her lovely daughter.

You look fabulous Janeann! What are the details of your transformation, and how do your doctors feel about your choice of a new food and health lifestyle?

"When I see my doctors they are thrilled at my changes. In fact my cardiologist called all his nurses into his office to see me. They were asking "me" how I did it! That was so cool! I am on no meds! 

I have been going to a holistic doctor, Dr. Wayne Bonlie. I did get sick and feel awful in the beginning though. During the first six weeks my body was detoxing from years of chemicalized processed foods. It was Dr. Bonlie who pushed me through that phase, promising that it would get better and not last. He told me to stick with what I was doing. I just love him, and the supplements that I get from him as well at the natural pharmacy in Hunt Valley, MD. that he sends me to. Since I stuck with the program, I am even back to shopping in the Juniors department! Gotta love that since I am 50! 

These are my body changes after less than six months."

Janeann, what was it that finally made you say enough!?

"It was not just one thing. It was my overall health. I had stomach issues and I wasn't sleeping. I got colonoscopy tests for suspected IBS and Crones symptoms. I had panic disorder for years and it had went away. I had stopped smoking to help with that problem over 6 years ago, and then the symptoms started reappearing. I wanted to try anything to avoid taking medication! I was also seeing photos other people had taken of me. I felt like this weight gain suddenly happened. I was always skinny, and had even been a model. I was 5'10 my whole life, I weighed 110 -120 pounds (except through pregnancies). Last year as I would walk into my office in the morning I saw the reflections of the windows, I thought, "Who is this?" I don't even know this person anymore."

Before/After

Totally relate. How many of us just cannot see the slow change in the mirror at home? Yes it was the reflections in stores, and photos that others had taken, that had given me another viewpoint of myself too. I then asked Janeann what information or people inspired her to change the actual quality of the food she ate as a reaction to her body and health issues? Her answer made me gasp!

"It was you! I saw you at band shows, I watched as your body and energy changed. I witnessed your huge weight loss, I saw your skin glowed, and your eyes looked clear. I started to ask you about what you were doing. I was interested, but not quite ready to make any changes yet. Although I did start reading your blog and reading about food and health from other blogs and sources. I also noticed that a few of my friends were paying attention to the food they were eating, and some were using weight loss apps on their smartphones."

I have to say that Janeann has always been a woman whom you can not miss when she walks into a room! Blonde, vivacious, and statuesque, she is the epitome of the tall cool woman. To see our dear smiling Janeann at band gigs with the puffiness of tell-tale inflammation showing on her face, I was concerned. I knew it all too well, and I continue to see it happen to many people our age. Learning not to say anything to people unless they ask me about food and health issues, I was hopeful when Janeann continued to come up to me at various gigs to ask good questions. Seeing Janeann's transformation months later into the striking beauty that she is meant to be was so exciting! I am so happy for her! I know how transformation feels! Finding out that I had some small part made me think, "Are you kidding me? Really? Okay then... I will keep this blog thing going!"

Before/After

What motivation keeps you continuing down this healthier path Janeann? 

"The motivation all started when my husband went overseas for a mission that was expected to take from 6 to 9 months total. This was in the beginning of 2014... specifically January 12th. I thought this was a good time to work on myself, and perhaps surprise him when he came home with a 'new and improved me.' These days I like the way my clothes fit, and how I look since I went from a size 18/20 down to a size 6 or 8 (depending on the manufacturer). I especially like the way I feel now too.

I don't find this lifestyle hard at all, it just takes personal motivation, willpower, and dedication. Instead of grabbing a processed food item, it only takes a bit more time to make a healthier food choice from scratch. I started this change by downloading a book called Super Shred: The Big Results Diet by Dr. Ian Smith. This was a good kickstart program as it promised that if you followed the plan you could lose up to 20 pounds in 4 weeks!! I liked that idea and I also did the The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet by Dr. Mark Hyman which eliminates grains, dairy, caffeine, and sugar. I experimented and did these routines a couple of times to see how I felt, and boy did I start seeing results on the scale and how my clothes fit... or didn't fit. I find the whole process of changing my lifestyle much easier now, as I have created good habits while shopping, and when making my own food. For example I now use unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy. Now when creating meals I enjoy finding new healthy ingredients and tastier spices. My husband and I used to eat out all the time and now on those times that we do dine out I try to make better menu selections, and I especially like the farm to table restaurants like 'Woodberry Kitchen.' I really try to avoid the things that got me into this mess like eating the bread and butter, and ordering pasta.

Before/After     The puffiness of inflammation is gone.

Do you find changing up the quality of food difficult? What other changes have you made in food choices?

"No it is not difficult, it just takes a little extra effort. For example, I now read labels, including the organic ones, and I try to buy organic as much as possible. From May to October I buy most of my produce from the local farm stands, which are prevalent where I live. Another HUGE change for me is that I no longer drink soda. I used to drink a lot of diet soda even though I hated the taste, as I believed the "low calorie" story they sold us. I just got used to that awful taste since I thought it was better in some way. I also used to believe in Splenda for the "low calorie" story as well. In the past I was up to 3 - 4 Splendas at a time! Turns out the Splenda actually made me crave more cookies and sweets! So now it's no soda, no Splenda, no fast foods, no processed foods, and no to pre-made juices and smoothies from the store. One of my daily routines is that I make my smoothies at home in my Vitamix, and I make things from scratch now like tomato sauce. Through educating myself I now make different food choices."

Left/before. Right/at Janeann's surprise 50th birthday party.
 I have a feeling SHE surprised everyone with how great she looked!

What does your daily food routine look like, and do you make green juice or green smoothies?

"I have never made a green juice, although I do make green smoothies every morning. The smoothies and the Vitamix! I love them both! I put everything in there including seasonal local fruits and vegetables. I particularly like items such as kale, cucumbers, beets, spinach, Swiss chard, squash, red peppers, yellow peppers, almond milk, organic blueberries, raspberries, and peaches. Most of the time the berries are frozen. I also always add turmeric, ginger root, flax seed, 1 tsp cinnamon, and even sometimes avocados, and Greek yogurt.

Through out the day I only drink water. I may have some organic green tea sweetened with coconut palm sugar, monkfruit, or stevia. For breakfast I always have my green smoothie, or occasionally steel cut oats. For snacks I have fruits, almonds, cashews, edamame, homemade hummus, and chopped veggies. For dinner I eat veggies, or a salad with a small amount of fish, meat, turkey, pork, or chicken. Many times I use my organic sandwich thins, fresh grated parmesean cheese, and my home made tomato sauce which I cook in the crock pot.

At work Janeann puts together a quick watermelon, chicken, chopped veggie salad.

For work almost every day, I bring my own lunch ingredients, and I try to prep on Sunday for the entire work week. I put together bags of individual items that I can then combine during the week to make myself fresh food at the office. I will put into the refrigerator at my office: a bag of cucumber slices, a bag of greens, a bag of peppers, a bag of various other chopped veggies, and a bag of rotisserie chicken (great when you are in a hurry and don't want the mess. BJ's sells organic ones for $5.99 each!). This way I can make myself a salad or a sandwich at work everyday. I also ate a lot of turkey-bacon sandwiches this summer, and will cook a big batch to put in ziplock baggies to use throughout the work week.

What are some of your favorite foods to eat now? 

"Beets, avocados, brown rice, mashed cauliflower, farro, salads with watermelon, steelcut oats, fish (which I never used to eat at all), and organic chicken. I make a delicious quinoa salad, and avocado dressing. I now enjoy eating whole grains. In the past I ate a lot of red meat. Now it is rare that I do eat beef, but if I do, it is organic grass fed and I will cook it with twice the amount of organic ground turkey, or chicken to make it all taste yummy. I also cook this in big batches with onions and mushrooms and put it in small baggies to use in lettuce wraps."

Before /After

Do you make these healthier organic foods for everyone in your family? What do your friends think about your new lifestyle?

"I continue to make my healthy organic foods for my husband and myself, although my children often want the old style food. I just make it homemade and organic as much as possible. The people in my house may not be as into whole foods and plants as I am, but it does not stop me from working the new lifestyle. Most of my friends do want to know what I am doing food-wise. If someone asks me I tell them about real food. If they do not do anything to help themselves to change, I figure it is just not their time yet. Just like when I saw you and read your blog at first. It took awhile for me to react and embrace changing myself. Those of my friends who have actually tried to change their food choices are starting to feel good."

Janeann shows us her mac face plus her new toned arms!

Janeann can you recommend any other doctors, books, websites, or ideas, that you found helpful in your health journey with us?

"Because of my commitment to research I found that I rarely watch television. I am a big reader and as I stated, "Supershred" by Dr. Ian Smith was a big kickstart early in my transition, and his method of eating certain foods at certain times resonated with me. Eating that way made me feel good and lose the weight, and although I don't eat that way all the time now, it did help me change my patterns to eat better. I also joined the 'Shredder Nation' and enjoy reading the information and the comments of their online community. I have turned four other people onto Dr. Smith's food shredding techniques. And Dr. Mark Hyman's 10 Day Detox was great as are all of his health, food, and cookbooks. Plus your blog 'The Queen's Table' was a big help, I went to it often to read your advice.

And for 5 months, the 'My Fitness Pal' app also helped me to track every bite of food that went into my body. It's a food diary which was great in seeing exactly how many calories I was consuming everyday. I tried to keep my calorie count between 1,200 - 1,500. I also used a Zumba fitness app, and DVD's including Dr. Ian Smith's 'Burn 27' and Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs DVD Workout for exercise. I also worked with a personal trainer for a couple of months. The trainer came to my house and gave me tips on how to do modified exercises using my own weight, some small handheld dumb bells, and an exercise ball. I also did a circuit of workouts including wall push ups, squats, lunges, burpees, modified jumping jacks, and sit-ups on a medicine ball with my feet on the wall. Even my husband has commented that my arms are starting to be toned now!

Janeann the night I first saw her changes at a Hectic Red gig.

Since I have not been good at adding exercise, my readers and myself would like to know what are your daily routines Janeann?

"My job requires me to be sitting in an office. So I try to get up 3 times a day to move! I go up and down flights of steps in my building, or just simply walk around the parking lot... another trick is to park far away from your destination. Whenever I take a bathroom break I take that time to do some wall push-ups. Just stand with your feet shoulder width apart and stand out from the wall. Do them slowly, pushing against and from the wall in front of you. I am up to about 120 a day. I will also step away from my desk and do squats with my hands on my hips. When I am out walking, I do little arm circles 100 front and back. I now have definition in my arms, shoulders, and back. It required no special equipment or trips to a gym. So it can be done."

You are already motivating me to get moving! I have tried those wall push ups Janeann! I think I can do those! So now what things are you still hoping to improve upon Janeann?

"I would like to do more exercise and weight training. I try to walk and jog everyday. I also was highly motivated to move because of my Fitbit Wireless Activity Tracker which is a wireless, wearable activity tracker that measures data such as the number of steps walked, quality of sleep, and other personal metrics. I aim for 15,000 steps, or 7 miles a day. I do this by walking with a friend every morning. We also started using the Couch to 5K app so we can learn to run and perhaps one day even do a marathon. I usually do 4 to 5 miles every morning before work. I am hoping to do better when eating around my husband but, I still have bites of his food just for a taste. I can honestly say that if I take a sip of his soda it tastes vile!! Never thought I would say that."

Before December 2013         After is June 2014 with husband back home!

What would your personal recommendation be to anyone considering to finally make changes to the quality of their own food and health lifestyle?

"Pick or make a plan that you feel would work best for you. I do not mean anything like Jenny Craig or Weight-Watchers with points and pre-packaged foods. What I mean is follow one of the doctors whose eating plan or book mainly says 'eat real food.' Watch your alcohol consumption. No soda. No concentrated orange juice. Drink water. Read and do your own research. Have someone with whom you can ask questions for support. If not a friend or holistic doctor, perhaps an online community, or a blog with similar interests."

Wow! Janeann at 50! So impressed girlfriend!

What are some of your favorite results from making these changes to your lifestyle Janeann?

"Besides looking and feeling better... I am sleeping better! I really enjoy the walks every day too. The added bonus from not watching TV is reading more books, and that is awesome. I like to reward myself after a good workout. Not with dessert or wine like the old days, but now my reward is a nice warm bath with regular (CHEAP) epsom salts mixed with Dr Teals fragrant Epsom Salt. It's really important to have some quality downtime after so much work and exercise during the day."

The Oriole Bird approves!

Have you inspired anyone within your life circle to make positive changes as a result of seeing your success?

"At work I have been asked to supply the everyday office snacks. Instead of the old candies, chips, cookies, etc., I try to stock our shelves with a variety of other products such as protein bars, wasabi peas, and bowls of fresh nuts. My best friend Frank has also changed his own food lifestyle and has lost 25 pounds! A few others have started on new food journeys as well. It's amazing and I love it! Now we can talk "food" together!"

Janeann & hubby after her successful plan to 
surprise him with a new and improved healthy
wife when he came back home from overseas!!!
Sweet!!!!

Wow! That is our first 'Queens Table Blog' success story! Can you believe it??? Whew! That amazes me! You are so awesome Janeann! Thank you so very much for sharing what worked for you! Being one of the nicest ladies I have ever met out at Ben's band gigs, I think Janeann is a great ambassador for changing what you eat. Janeann kindheartedly also sent me all of those before and after photos to encourage you that change is still possible at 50! It's obvious that Janeann has been truly beautiful inside and out, no matter her weight. Now that she has more vitality and energy Janeann will be more able to accomplish the things she wants for her life. You can too!

 Janeann with my husband Ben at a Hectic Red gig this summer.

Since we each are different in what, or who, motivates us to change our old SAD (Standard American Diet) food lifestyle, I feel it is important to share other peoples' methods besides my own. Healthy change is about getting off of the toxic processed foods, and adding more nutrient dense organic plants and foods. I am all in for sharing what works. When I find out that this blog has encouraged another person to improve their health, there really is no words to describe how that feels... It does my heart good, and this is what keeps me blogging about the power of organic whole plants. Whatever our age... younger or older... we have the personal power to make the important changes that affect our well being. 

Once upon a time... at a Hectic Red show I saw this striking hot rockin' woman in the crowd with fabulous long hair. Sort of like Janeann, although this lady was very slender. Could it be? I kept trying to get a view of her face... and then I saw her! It WAS Janeann!!! I went running up and grabbed her! We both looked at each other in joy! OMG! OMG! She did it! The energy of a moment like that feels magical! I want you to feel that shining positive enthusiasm for your personal accomplishments too! Feeling great is so contagious!

Janeann may have gotten the idea for a 'food change' from me, but I know in reality she did all the work. Going forward she may now influence many others to reconsider what they have been eating and doing too! Take care of yourself, so the ones that you love, can enjoy YOU much longer. I am happy that we can help each other change our old patterns, and pay it forward to help someone else's life. Be an inspiration. Show by example what works and no words will be needed. Others will eventually come to you with their questions. Then like our friend Janeann you can share the love and the knowledge! Hey! If you started your journey to greater health by reading this blog please let us know! You could be a future featured success story that may inspire others to get healthier! In the meantime go hug a Vitamix blender and make fresh local organic greens your new best friend! 

Be happy. Be healthy. Be peace.

Check out the related books and products below that helped fuel Janeann's success!

The Thug Kitchen And The WTF Cookbooks: Real Food For Real People Like You!

I am back from my Troll Cave! Yes, I am back at the ole' chopping block! Not on it I hope! Now that I have returned I want to start my blog posting with a few fun cookbooks that we should have in our crazy plant powered arsenal! Let's have a bit-o-fun! First up is the Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck! Total madness. But we are not done yet folks! As an added bonus you can buy yourself and your friends What the F*@# Should I Make for Dinner? WTF do you think of that? It's what you always wanted, right? These imaginative authors know how to get your attention, that's for sure. Just so you know... My sweet little self does not use that impure profanity in life... except when I stub my toe... and when the computer goes whack-a-mole.... Okay okay... you got me... I f*cking hate facebook that f*ing useless spy machine makes me so damn ... Alright now... calm down there is really good food to be eaten. Ahhhh, I just need an avocado intervention, thank you very much.

Yes, we can laugh and giggle when we read those off color words in relation to a recipe. It's unexpected fun. Hilarity will ensue, and gosh-gee-willikers everyone, we cannot get too serious about ourselves in the kitchen. After all we are just doing what comes naturally, not rocket science experiments. I know some of you say 'WTF!' when that uncooperative wayward piece of veggie material spins off the butcher block and rolls onto the floor under the refrigerator. Don't get all fancy pants on me. We are talkin' what is real. Real cookbooks, for real food people, eating real food. You are real? Oh you're not? I see, you're just the google spy-der catching my words for permanent storage into the massive database they are building in Utah with all the citizens' personal data. Well in any case these two unconventional cookbooks and their websites are really worth your time to discover and enjoy dear hungry spy-der. So did you hear the one about the drink that is a big-ass hug? Looks comfy. I think you can dig it. Take these cookbooks back to your punk-ass lair. You will learn to brunch like an effing' boss! Not sure what the hell to do with a eggplant? Thug Kitchen breaks it down for you my dear. Read that sh*t. They will let you know when it's peach season bitches. Now stop that spying on me m-effer' or I will eat you for protein!

Whoa sweet baby watermelons! That was fun! I am surely adding these highly entertaining cookbooks to my holiday list. Hell yeah! These fine upstanding cookbooks would make great holiday gifts for all the plant eaters, and non-plant eaters in your life! Feed me Seymour! This could be the sneaky way to get the unknowing 'junk foodies' into the "Good Stuff!" You know... and get them off of the chemicalized cr*p they eat everyday. We know this sh*t ain't hard! Anyone can chop vegetables... even me with my dull knife. These cookbooks are the damn truth, plus the food looks so delicious I want it in my belly now! C'mon get these swell cookbooks for your gifts, share the real food love with a smile, and then eat some m-f*ing greens people. Your immunity to colds will go up, and you just might lose that fog that the overlords want your mind lost in everyday. I have more energy now than when I was buried in the industrialized toxic fake food dump a few years ago... and my wellness factor has skyrocketed. Gotta love that!

Below is the official trailer for the Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck. I wish I made this video cuz it is so stinking creative! Just regular faces you would see on a F*ing TV commercial getting real about food habits. Everything is true and you know it! A must watch! Although do it without the kids in the room since there is explicit language.




Now go to the 'Thug Kitchen's badass recipe page. More than amusing, it's a world of food inspiration! And who doesn't like their comedy with a side of kick-ass-graphics? Just go there and do some real learning about real life and plants. Sign up. You will thank me. 

Onto your wacky infomercial Bonus material: It's the WTF website, more juicy words and tough lovin' food fun from Zach Golden. Follow the word prompts to the recipes. It is quite an unusual inventive little game. This site is for both meat eaters and veggie people. Although I recommend you flesh eaters only do that once a week, since there is a whole lot of badness going down with that sh*t. Don't even get me started in that direction. Oh my! I have got a fever! It is taking me over!

The f*cking energy in this post is exploding! We need to rock! Do yourself a f*cking favor and watch this kick ass music video about the numbing and dumbing down of America. Do you really want to OD on celebrity crap-ola, fake news, and info on useless meaningless lies. Hell yes the damn fake food-like stuff is one of their weapons of mass destruction. Sugar kills, and creates massive disease. Fake sugar products rot the brain. Turn off the f*cking TV, stop playing those idiotic games on F*cking facebook, and learn some real shit that can help us all. The corporate food paradigm is bullshit and killing people everyday. Get these handy dandy cookbooks, and make some real food from real plants. Fight the f*cking system and live! F*ck sports drinks and defy stupidity. Drink a damn organic green smoothie everyday! Get some organic food and grow it in your yard! Eat your spinach just like grandma, and rock your face off to the video below with out running out of breath.

 

So green bitches, I made it easy for you to buy these cookbooks by linking to the two cookbooks below at Amazon where you can read the freaking five star reviews. Get it. Got it. Good. And yes I will get 2 measly little cents from that company if you buy them from my links. Not enough money to buy fresh f*cking flax seeds though. Damn the man.

Honestly my sweet things I plan on owning these two recipe books for use in my kitchen. I also own up to my wheatgrass cravings m-effers... Cause I am that kinda gal. If I did not have grand-fraggles who would take their scissors and crayons to them... I would leave these cookbooks on the coffee table for all those people who need to get off that mindless industrialized take-out food crack. Word from the momma to my son. If you need some science to back up the fact that your convenience food is killing you just listen to this video sh*t below. A four minute video on how the right foods help people live longer. Throw that fake toxic food crap "To the ground!"




A note to my bloggy followers: Since I am back to posting on this blog after my short disappearance while creating our classical wedding music website (which you can go check out right now here... I mean it! I worked hard making that sh*t! Chopping the broccoli is easier!) I wanted to let you know that I am now working at putting together our first 'Queens Table' success story! Really exciting, lots of before and after photos! Look for that upcoming and inspiring post soon! Now I am learning some new tricks from you! 

So my dear friends this was another f*ing side of the Queen you don't get to hear from too often. Well neither do I! I kinda enjoyed myself! Ha! I think I got it out of my system for awhile. Some people get offended by the language in the cookbook not seeing it is all done in fun. Just like in our society a lot of people concentrate on the meaningless details of meaningless activities and do not see the big overall picture. The real point of this 'Thug Kitchen Cookbook' is to get people to eat real food that actually gives their bodies nutrient dense goodness, and have a good laugh. Anyway get on with 'your bad self' and check these cookbooks out! Buy them for those friends and family with a sense of humor, and a need for good whole food recipes. Save your sweet ass family from boxed food hell! Maybe they just might make you some great real food one day! We can hope. Or I'm afraid it's just the damn zombie apocalypse for real people.

Be happy, Be healthy, Be peace.

Eat To Live Cookbook Is Now Available from Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Our Food Hero!

Oh yes super friends, Joel Fuhrman M.D. is our hero! So you can be sure that we are ordering his new Eat to Live Cookbook: 200 Delicious Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Reversing Disease, and Lifelong Health! This is from the man who has changed the way we eat, helped us to reverse disease, and lose 76 pounds! We are very excited to try out these recipes based on the Nutritarian 'Eat To Live' lifestyle that gets you healthier from eating nutrient dense foods! These meals are doctor approved!
I have been trying to save the recipes I like from Dr. Fuhrman's email newsletter on my computer for the past two years. It will certainly be far more convenient having some of them here in one easy volume! If you educate yourself with good food documentaries Joel Fuhrman M.D. is always in them. He is the man! This is going to be a great cookbook for those at the beginning of transition wondering which foods to eat now.



Check out the video above which contains Dr. Joel Fuhrman talking about the new 'Eat To Live Cookbook' and making one of the recipes for eggplant. Looks delicious! What a great substitute for that old unhealthy cheesy white flour filled unhealthy lasagna of our food past. Dig in, and get your copy today! Remember you can always check out the food, supplements  and superfood sections within ''My Amazon Store' tab above if certain key ingredients for the recipes are not available in your area. Below are links to the new cookbook as well as other medical books about nutrition from Dr. Joel Fuhrman. They should all be on your bookshelf!

The Story Of Cheese... And Salt... Sugar... and Fat... Oh My!

Did you watch the entire video above? So how did you like that piece of information? Lots-o-cheese got shoved into our lives for a different reason than you thought. Put's a new spin on why some of the processed foods are lurking on your supermarket shelves. Cheese became an "ingredient" because the government had caves full of cheese leftover from the dairy industry creating "fat free" milk. So just when you thought you were avoiding fat by drinking fat free milk the dairy industry sold you on the idea you must be eating more cheese! There are many curious stories surrounding the sick sad world of modern industrialized food. The CEO's do not eat their own food. Many of them get their food from organic farms. If you start to watch food documentaries, and read a few food books, you will sadly learn the truth about what you really are putting into your body, as well as the bodies of those you love. Knowledge is power...and to have power over your old eating habits, you need information you can use about the true story behind the "food stuffs" at your local supermarket. Eating does not only involve your mouth, tongue, and stomach. It involves your mind. Mind over matter. Mind over cheese. Is it possible to change our minds about what a friend calls "The gift from the Gods and food heaven" Cheeeeeeeeeeese?

Cheese is such a little thing in life. Or is it? Think about how many foods you have been eating since you were a child with cheese included. Hey, would you like extra cheese on that pizza? I am survivor of eating those cheese stuffed pretzels, peanut butter cheese crackers, cheese steaks, cheese fries, cheese dips, grilled cheese sandwiches, ham and cheese, cheese puffs, cheese omelets, and the list goes on and on. So cheese is not a little thing after all... It was and is, a big freakin' part of our modern lives! The average person now eats 33 pounds of cheese a year. Geezzz Cheeeeeeeese!

Most people look at me now, living my nutrient dense plant eating lifestyle, and say, "I cannot do that... I cannot give up cheese!" Well let me be honest... cheese was the very very last item to go of my unhealthy favorite foods. Little cans of dripping cheese for nachos was my go to comfort food of choice every week for years. Even when I finally gave up the canned cheese to get off processed foods, I then switched to "organic" mozzarella and provolone for a few months. Still I was loving the cheese, as this was during my transition and learning time, and that is okay. Not only did the eventual knowledge of what I was really eating change my mind, but my new and improved taste buds eventually rejected anything oily. So it was my taste buds that decided there would be no more cheese for me. This was a natural outcome of actually tasting and experiencing real food. When I first went into transition, I would often take the time to ask myself to really experience on all levels what I was putting in my mouth. What was the actual taste? What was the texture? What did I like about it? Those little questions worked every time. Try it yourself! Really experience the taste and the texture rolling around in your mouth and on your tongue. Talk to yourself! haha! Ask your self those questions. You might be surprised. I tried this with fast food chicken nuggets last year. Never ate them again. No problem.

For me cheese started to taste like oily rubber. It was tasteless. A big chewy blobby gob. Liquid cheese became an oooey-gooey oily smear. This was no longer food to me. Now imagine this chewy blob going down through your body. Oh my! Let's not even go into the awful things it does to your intestinal pipes. Surely I don't have to tell you about what it does to your arteries. Let's take a handful of that ooey gooey glob and shove it in a pipe. I definitely think it will stop the flow of whatever wants to move through the pipe. Now that's the picture to keep in your head, as you eat cheese. Your friendly giant corporations and your corporate government would like you to clog all the pipes in your body. This result helps their friend big Pharma. Win, Win, for them. Not so nice for you.

Salt, sugar, fat, Oh My! These ingredients may each be different, but the results are about the same...they are dangerous to your health! Yet you will find them eagerly waiting for you in just about every processed food at the supermarket, and in an over abundance. You are, or were, addicted to this stuff. Yes, that's the trick of it, and that's the corporate plan for you, and your friends. "They" have got to get those chemical laden foodstuffs to last for months or even years on the store shelves. And they have got to get you to buy that old stuff! So "they" just add any of the fat, sugar, salt, combinations they scientifically know you desire, to that cardboard food fakery, and people really do believe it tastes great. The industry calls it the "Bliss Point." Yes food is the drug, and don't bother thinking abut the cumulative effect from doing this everyday for years and years to your body. This magical food is a wonderful convenience too. You have no time to cook, or think... Right?  Well, they count on that. Just grab and go, and believe us that it's safe. They have been convincing you of this idea all your life.

This insider information can be found in a new book titled "Salt, Sugar, Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us" which shares how the food industry leaders have been intoxicating you into a life of unhealthy eating. Ingredients are maximized to addict you to these foods, and get you to be a 'heavy user' of the commodity. The book is written by The New York Times Investigative Reporter and Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Moss.  It was Michael who made the informative video above about the story of cheese. I love that cheesy video! 

Are donuts and pizza what grew on trees hundreds of years ago? Oh modern packaged foods, why do people think you are the only thing to eat? Alas so many people strangely believe food comes in a box, can, or a bag, and that product which has been on shelves in warehouses for months is better than the real thing. This belief in fake food stuffs has been systematically done over generations. Look at the old ads above. A good documentary to watch about this subject is "Hungry For Change."



Yes I realize there are those who see my new healthy lifestyle choices as extreme or odd. How did we get to the point where people think that the real food that grows on trees, or up from the ground, is the weirdo stuff? Marketing 101 folks. Look...there is an entire aisle in the food store dedicated to soda. Soda is pure empty calories, and diet soda is actually dangerous. In every food store across the nation there are cases upon cases of soda... a mixture of sugar water, high fructose corn syrup...chemicals that rot the brain and cause disease. Watch any sporting event and what do you see? Soda and Beer commercials. Ironically those are the products I literally grew up surrounded by, as my father was a beer and soda distributor. I played among the boxes in the warehouse as a child. We always had a large supply of soda in every flavor at our house, including blue soda. I loved it. As a teen I thought the color was cool and the taste was sweet. Good...right? What did I know, I only learned what I lived. It took informing and arming myself with the truth about the food industrial complex to get unhooked from the monster. This new book talks about a famous company that in its quest to rapidly increase profits would like us to drink more soda than water. No, it's not really to make your life more beautiful, or give the world a hug. It's your money for nothing, money for sickness in a bottle. I am the weirdo for saying that.

 

Oh I can hear the naysayers now. Don't say I can't eat soda, diet soda, cheese, and my salty n' sugary snax (also owned by the same soda companies). For goodness sakes, how will I live? "No, I cannot. I will not. It is not possible." 

Transitioning off of processed foods is a continual process of letting go of the old ways, it is not all or nothing, done at one time. Don't give up on 'you getting healthier' for a false idea of 'what you think' the restrictions will be. Use my 'Substitution' and 'Avoid' pages to get started, and help you to move away from addictive processed food stuffs. How about saying, "I cannot live being fat and sick everyday," or "I cannot live sticking myself with an insulin needle," or "I cannot live taking copious pills everyday to live," or "I cannot live having my chest cut open by a surgeon," or "I cannot live with the huge doctor and hospital bills I will have to pay from eating cheap junk everyday," or "I can not live... if I am dead..."

We do need to change our 'mindset' about sugar, salt and fats. These are the ingredients that damage all parts of our bodies, cause disease, and eventually kill people. After my cancer diagnosis Dr. Furhman told me no more dairy, sugar, salt, oil, or meat products. I had serious disease, and I have to get serious with what I eat. It was not hard for me, because I had already been transitioning off of these addictive foods for months. Perhaps if I had gotten my breast cancer diagnosis months before, it may have seemed like a devastating thought to not eat cheese anymore from that point on. Fortunately I had already replaced the old salty and sweet snacks with many new options, and that list keeps growing! Since I already knew and experienced far tastier foods, I had no problem with his statement. One out of three people will get a cancer diagnosis, perhaps it would be good for you to consider making changes now before you endure a medical crisis. So hang in there! Just give yourself time to try the new things to eat that are the healthier options. Try something new each week, and get rid of something old each week. I have been there and done this, over time it gets easier. The first week or two may be difficult. Just get yourself a bunch of new options to put in your pantry and refrigerator. Eventually you will actually be craving the new whole foods too. Instead of processed foods being 70% of our diet, how about making them just 20% instead. Does that seem doable?

Less cheese is a start. I use nutritional yeast and hemp seeds on my veggie filled naan pizzas now instead of the old style cheese. We love it! For my hubby's part, he now mostly eats goat cheese with crackers when he feels a need for cheese. This seems to be a better alternative for those in transition, as it's drier and not oily like processed cheese foods. Dairy from cows contains too much fat, hormones, antibiotics, and possibly GMO's from the feed they ingest. Dairy creates inflammation in the body. Since the body has to deal with the inflammation, the body does not have the time to do the work of keeping you well by fighting off other things...it's too busy with cheeeeese.

Anyway after 14 months if I eat any products with fat or oil in them. I can now feel the oil coating my mouth. You know, it's that same feeling you get in your mouth after you've eaten some greasy fast food fries, especially if they were cold. As the body becomes clean, I have found that it will let you know the dirty low down naturally! Certainly makes it easy to get yourself to eat even cleaner. I had to recently stop eating my favorite lentil chips, because I can now feel the oil.

Sugar and salt and fats! Oh my! So how is your food future looking? Do you think it is time for you to stop the corporate madness, and your addiction to their fake foods? Knowledge is truly your power. Read about how they got you hooked, and give up the conditioning. Watch some food documentaries. Begin cutting back, and then eventually eliminating, and replacing these unhealthy choices. Start substituting alternatives each week for your family, till you have only the healthy choices in the house. It works. I was in the grocery store with my four year old grand daughter recently. I pointed out the display of big Honeycrisp apples. She walked right over, picked one up, and took a big bite out of it! Right there in the store! THAT is exactly how a child is supposed to react to seeing healthy real food! I loved it!

Being that this blog is for people in various stages of transitioning from the regular supermarket processed foods, I will not leave you with a broken heart about your processed snack love-life. You will still find on my recipe page a naan pizza that uses organic cheese. On my shopping list page I included a list of package foods at the bottom of the post that we have used. There are organic non-GMO chips and crackers you can eat on occasion, or during your transitioning phase. For example I happen to like Garden of Eatin blue sprouted chips, Seedlander crackers, and Mary's flax crackers when I need some crunch. For sweet snax I like Kind brand bars, Kits Organic Fruit and Nut bars, and Go Raw's mini Carrot Cake Super Cookies. So your packaged snack life is not over! But it is not a pass to gorge on this stuff either. When you visit your local organic snack aisle be sure to read the back labels of even the organic processed foods. Look out for the sugar, salt, oils, fats, chemicals, soy, carrageenan, and msg. The least amount of ingredients the better. Big corporations are behind many national organic labels. Make sure it has the green USDA organic label and hopefully says Non-GMO as well. Always be aware of what you are putting in as the fuel for your wonderful body. This is what gets you around in life, you would not run your car on soda and fat.

Having fresh fruit, and a small handful of unsalted nuts everyday is a healthier alternative to cheesy puffs. Instead of cheese, use salsa or hummus with your chips. Instead of chips use celery and carrots for dipping. Need ice cream? Freeze a ripe banana for 24 hours, mash it up, and add berries or nuts. You can be sure that I will be eating a vibrant colorful helping of fresh high nutrient organic plants, enjoying fresh green smoothies, and green juices too. That's deliciousness for real. No chemicals. No extra salt, sugar, or fat needed. Natural sweetness! I hope you consider giving up the excess salt, sugar and fat in your life, and getting out of the unhealthy corporate paradigm! Eat real whole foods most of the time, be healthy, and glow. If we are what we eat, ...I'd rather be a peach than a blob of sugary, salty, fat, any day! 

OMG I Chatted With Dr. Joel Fuhrman!

I feel like a ditz today, although my husband said I sounded like a normal intelligent person last night. A mutual friend called yesterday evening, and passed his cell phone to Dr Joel Fuhrman so we could have a quick chat! OMG OMG OMG! I knew this phone call was a possibility if they both had time during a recent trip out west. I had a couple of questions in my head all ready to go. Did I ask those questions? No. Why? Honestly I became a freaking nervous wreck inside! When Dr. Joel Fuhrman asked me what I put in my fresh made juice I stammered out a few items, and forgot the simple everyday answers like celery and cucumber! My mind would go white...yes completely blank...then I would try to recover some bits and pieces of my brain matter to spew forth thoughts in some reasonable sentence. Really? Really! I'm the juice Queen for goodness sake! What's happening to me?!!!???

I have been in the presence of rock stars, I have worked for celebrities, and most of my clients when I was a mural and faux artist were doctors. I saw all of them as human and had no trouble speaking to any of them. What happened last night??? To me Dr. Joel Fuhrman is bigger than a rock star! He is the real definition of hero, because he changes the lives of people for the better everyday. He is serious about his work and his mission in life, believes in research and results, and brings the message to the people clearly in his books and DVD's. Some of you may know I was a documentary junkie when I started down my own healthy food journey, and Dr. Fuhrman is in nearly all the top food documentaries! When I watched Fat Sick & Nearly Dead  for the first time I could not have imagined that I would one day be speaking to the actual doctor in that film! This is the doctor Sir Paul McCartney called to speak with and invited to come back stage at his big NYC concert. Hey, I am one degree of separation from the Beatles here! (Although that is not the first time.)

Wow! The Universe is a beautiful and surprising place, where we can manifest the most wondrous things! So here I was in awe of the man I was speaking with, because his work affects the lives of people around the world!!! Yes, I was suddenly gobsmacked! My mind was in overdrive trying to remember the simplest answers to his questions about my situation. Geez I actually almost forgot to tell him I had had a breast cancer diagnosis 6 months ago. All in all, I guess I did not want to sound like an idiot, or a patient that was not doing the correct protocol for my condition. 

I am grateful to my friend giving me the hook up. I am grateful for a busy man such as Dr. Fuhrman to take the time to have a conversation with me. In my new 'healthy food world' this event is a biggie, and perhaps only those of you who read this blog would really understand why I am so excited today! Dr. Fuhrman ended our conversation by saying perhaps we will meet in person when he comes to town! I told him I would bug the heck out of my friend to make that happen! I thanked him for all his work, and let him know how much I really appreciated his efforts. I surely do!

I have been a phone consultation patient at Dr. Fuhrman Medical Associates, and had a consultation with Dr. Benson in Princeton, N.J. after my cancer diagnosis. Dr. Fuhrman does not see patients in person any longer, because of his traveling schedule, research work, and book writing. For the patients of his practice, he does an 'Ask The Doctor' forum Q&A, where you can interact with him online for a few months. That is how I got my cancer protocol, by talking with Dr. Fuhrman via the forum. Although last night's chat was not an official doctor call, he let me know I was doing great, and reemphasized a few things I should be sure to do everyday. My husband promises me I did not sound like a complete fool and I did fine while speaking to him. So I will let you know when that future in-person event occurs between us for sure! 

I have learned my lesson and I will write down all my questions on paper beforehand, therefore having them ready to go in the future! I dedicate this exhilarating song called "Question 67 and 68" to Dr Joel Fuhrman who inspires the excellence in nutrition that reverses disease in the body. This song also speaks to making people happy! That is what happens after those long sad days of constant illness...you get the right information to change your life, and are so happy to feel fully alive again! 

Here is something cool that I must share with you! 'Chicago Transit Authority' played in my high school gym at the same time this footage below was shot of that group. The view of the band onstage is nearly the same as I remember it after I scrambled down off the bleachers, and took my place cross-legged on the floor directly in front of the stage. I was not messing around with that opportunity! I also remember bringing a thermos of lemonade to drink during the concert. Although that was not what many of those around me were doing! haha! Yes, this is another moment in time I am grateful to have experienced! The video below is silent before the song begins. It is not the "Outer Limits" controlling your sound!