My Life Philosophy is Changing

Welcome to my country house high up on a hill.  We have a beautiful view out over our backyard and across the river valley and we enjoy watching the changing scenery with each season.  And while we occasionally complain that this house and property are not perfect, we have decided that we can be content here.

Here is my history- for years I have never been one to believe all the hype regarding organic foods and healthy living.  I grew up eating hot dogs and processed foods.  I drank diet soda by the gallon and I believed that everything in moderation was fine. In 2007 I was diagnosed with kidney stones, in 2008 I had 3 surgeries to deal with kidney stones....and after the second one I developed some odd symptoms.  It was as though I had the flu constantly, constant muscle pain, headaches, fatigue as well as many other complaints.  I visited doctor after doctor, I dealt with it on my own and finally in 2010 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  I started medications but nothing seemed to bring me back to where I was before.  In fact, I started having different issues.  The doctors changed and increased my medications until I basically was a shell of my former self suffering from several different complaints from joint pains to bowel issues.  In February 20100 after spending over $4000 in medical tests and doctor visits I was right back to where I started, with a fibromyalgia diagnoses and the only suggestion my internist had was to go on a medication that would cost me $150 a month out of my own pocket.  I refused to try more medications that had the very real potential to make me feel even worse or give me even more issues.  So I decided to make some radical changes.  No more medications, no more processed foods, no more artificial sweeteners, no more artificial ingredients.

I do not plan on preaching on the benefits of healthy living.  Not everyone wants to make radical changes, not everyone has the same ideas on what makes a healthy living.  What  I would like to do however, is to write about the changes I have decided to make and what I truly think of what I try and the changes I make.  I will be honest in why I like something or why I do not like it.  Obviously it is my opinion but I thought it might be helpful to others who are searching for the information I have already found.

So come on the journey with me-- as we make our garden larger; change the way I grocery shop, eat and  look at food and drink; as I can in season produce and look for ways to cut as much processed food from my diet as I can; and if these changes can make a difference in my life for the better.