You probably hear people say ‘I eat clean’ and you might wonder what in the world they mean by that. And like everything else, it can mean a lot of things to different people. For me it means WFPB, eating foods as close to nature as possible. The only processing is the preparation I do in my kitchen.
When you hear someone say they are clean, my first thought is drug free, no longer in the clutches of their addiction. And eating processed foods is an addiction. The food conglomerates spend billions of dollars to ensure you will come back by producing a craving for what we are pre-wired to consume, the tastiest and highest caloric food we can find!
Clean isn’t just about your gut either. Your mind and soul need the refreshing as well. Each morning, I fill myself with truths from the Bible and cleanse my heart and mind with prayer. It’s a ritual that has sustained me all my life and allowed me to start each day without baggage despite how many failings I had the day before. There isn’t a better feeling than to be unburdened from guilt or shame.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. If you think eating clean is too hard, you’re giving yourself permission to ignore the dangers of processed food. Why not cut out processed foods and only allow yourself that favorite treat once a month. I guarantee you it will eventually not be your favorite any longer. I was certain that would never happen.
I love red vines; they are my go-to candy. I was at a meeting recently and a Costco sized bucket of red vines was sitting just outside the meeting room for all to enjoy. I put one in my mouth and bit down expecting absolute nirvana. Instead, I couldn’t find a garbage can fast enough to spit the foul thing out of my mouth. I still can’t believe the transformation of my taste buds. I now crave plants and notice attributes I never knew existed under all the oil and salt we used to add. I can’t wait each morning for my oatmeal piled high with flaxseeds, wheat-germ and berries. It’s crazy!
“So, let’s do it – full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out.” (Hebrews 10:22 TM)
“If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.” (Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma)
“Processed meat is blamed for the deaths of more than eight hundred thousand people every year. Worldwide, that’s four times more people than who die from illicit drug use.” (Michael Greger, M.D. – How Not to Die)
Yours for a Joyful Journey,
Joyice
Taste buds do change. I honestly don’t think people believe me but both with sweets and salt mine have. Very freeing not to be a slave to them (for the most part) 😉
Lois, you need to come see how much the garlic cutting you gave us has grown!! It’s great because we don’t seem to ever have too much garlic or too many onions around here. Thanks again for the shout out and the share!
There’s nothing more nourishing than growing and eating whole plant foods. It is such a mutually beneficial relationship. I grow up to 13 herbs and vegetables in containers on my small patio. Last year as I cared for them (giving them the best possible conditions to thrive) I talked to them, appreciated them, and thanked them each time they offered themselves for a meal for me and my family. It felt like a beautiful cycle of life. Now that I’ve switched to a whole food, plant based diet, the appreciation for plants has deepened even more. I’m grateful to be studying to become a plant based health coach!
Oh, I can say Amen to that sentiment. We had some Swiss Chard out of our little garden yesterday and it tasted amazing. Isn’t it great how much you can do with just a little space? Our neighbors brought us just picked Asparagus last week wrapped up like a bouquet. It was both beautiful and the best asparagus we ever ate.
Thank you for sharing and for your decision to be a plant-based health coach! I hope your influence goes far and wide!!