Kids Class

I just wanted to share a few thoughts after our kids class.

I remember that feeling of standing in the grocery store after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and looking at my cart and feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and well, somewhat panicked.

Then I remember the feeling after attending a GreenSoothieGirl lecture with two friends and we all drove over to a nearby grocery store together and excitedly starting loading up our carts with spinach, kale (which I had never heard of!), strawberries, agave nectar, and mangoes. I felt like I had a plan. I wanted to add green smoothies to our diet and I had seen how to do it and I knew what I needed to buy and what to do--and I didn't feel alone. I wasn't overwhelmed, I was excited. I wasn't worried about changing everything in our family's diet--I was just excited about the idea that my kids could get 8-16 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

We saw so many improvements from that one simple habit that I later wanted to do more. But I just did that one new habit all summer. In Robyn's twelve step program she suggests adding a new habit a month. This summer with three busy kids home all day one new habit for three months was all I could manage. It wasn't until this last month that I started to make some more serious dietary changes, because I felt very specifically impressed to. Just as we talked about last night, every body is different. I felt like I was led to eliminating dairy and sugar from our family's diet. I did this because of very specific health problems that my family was facing. Every body may not be the same or need that step or need it right away. Seeing Bronwyn's eczema improve in a few weeks (after seven years of battling it) and seeing Skyler settle down to sleep two hours earlier--I know that I was inspired to make those specific changes for my family. I have also been praying specifically to know how to keep my family well during the cold/flu season. I am hoping that these changes now, before we get hit, will help shore up our family's immune systems.

I looked around last night and because I am lucky enough to know you all personally I know how amazing and talented and in tune each one of you is. I know that you want to make positive changes for your family and will be led, as I was, to what specific things your family needs at the right times. I love this quote by Sister Beck: “The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important ability that can be acquired in this life." I have been praying and studying the Word of Wisdom for a year and half now and feel that I have been given a piece here and a piece here. Slowly and surely. I shared last night that the seed of an idea to eliminate dairy from our diet was planted a year and a half ago. In that year and a half I was able to learn about other options and foods that I could use as a substitute so that I would be ready (a month) ago to make those changes. Perhaps if I would have had Cali as a resource then I would have been on a "fast track" plan:). But I didn't know a "real" somebody who was making changes those specific changes. That is why I am so excited to have a group of friends learning together. Last night it was fun to hear that Holli had tried the Raw Tomato soup, or see Rachel's school lunch pictures, or hear about Lynett's creative new use of raw foods. It was fun this week to have Heather forward me raw eggplant recipes (because I told her I had an abundance of eggplant) or flip through "Clean" recipe magazines and cookbooks at Sara D's house. . . and to plan and hope with Sarah J that our kids won't be sick this whole winter and try some essential oils that Kristina was introduced to. . . and to learn that Donna was an engineer for Blendtec--our new favorite kitchen tool. . . and to talk with Brooke about what realistic lasting changes we can implement with our family that will be long term.

The following thoughts are from Robyn Openshaw's book 12 Steps to Whole Foods (which I love and am excited to hear they are going to start carrying at Good Earth and she is giving a free lecture/demo there the first week in October):

"The thing I hear most often teaching nutrition classes or counseling people is 'I'm overwhelmed--where do I start? Tell me what to eat!'

You can't eat an elephant in one sitting. . .and because I want you to have a successful experience, I suggested you don't try to do everything at once. The premise of this book is that you can tackle one new nutrition habit a month towards replacing refined food with whole-food, plant-based meals that are at least 60% raw. Find your favorite recipes within that chapter and habit and get in the zone of mastering that one simple thing. If one chapter a month is too many, slow down and take it at your own pace. If you do just the first month of this program and keep that habit for life, you're far, far ahead of 98% of Americans!

. . .

The ideas is not to tackle the project of 'getting healthy' all at once in January [or September:)]. Too many people have tried and failed, fallen off the wagon, gotten discouraged and quit. My goal. . . is to help you take baby steps. But although they're slowly paced steps, they're actually very significant steps that will add years to your life--and life to your years.

. . .My experience is that every minute you spend in the kitchen preparing whole-plant foods (60%-80% raw) will yield two minutes of energy.

. . .Your expenditures of time and commitment learning about nutrition and preparing foods should be considered at investment in your family's future--not a chore."


I keep thinking about the two thoughts that Cali shared at the end:

Control means we are failing to inspire.

The root word of worry is 'strangle'.

Those thoughts may have just rocked my world:).

. . .and inspired me to be thoughtful about ways to inspire my family.