The Great American Diet!
The great American diet! Yum! Nothing says type 2 diabetes and cancer more than convenience foods.
Pictured above are the groceries of two different friends of mine, people I actually know and know on a pretty close level. Yes! GASP! "The Organic Girl in the City" associates with the likes of these two! The way I see it Jesus hung out with the sinners so it's whatever! I kid! I kid! However, I hope some of my healthy ways will rub off on these two ladies!
The photo on the left a friend sent me after going grocery shopping, we'll call her "Christina". At the time Christina didn't have access to a car or live close enough to a store to go on her own. She had been anticipating her room mate taking her grocery shopping for quite some time. She was ecstatic about her grocery finds. I received the photo and my first though was, is this a joke?
Let's break this down for a minute, you know I'm an advocate for a healthy lifestyle, did she think it was going to be a celebratory moment over the chemicals she had laid out on the counter? That I was going to congratulate her on her pseudo food finds? My response to her was exactly this, "Where is the produce and ingredients to cook meals with?" She was dumbfounded... her response to me was, "the cookies are for someone else."
She actually believed what she had there was sustainable food. Usually I would have got on my soap box (kinda like I'm doing now) and preached about every individual item, and told her what she could have purchased instead. I was so in shock over some one's excitement for processed chemical food like products. I just told her, "you know I'm going to write a blog about this right?" At the time I don't think she understood.
Shortly after the photo on the left was taken, Christina unfortunately fell on a bad situation and ended up staying with me for about 3 months. I think it was culture shock for her, she had never even stepped foot inside my house until that day. I'm not saying I'm perfect, there are definitely some no no items in my pantry. I mean let's get real, I'm still human! The first night she was at my house, I made a meal with fresh ingredients from scratch! She went on and on about how good it was, I said, "Thank you, I know! This is what real food tastes like!" Just Christina living here made her realize the importance of healthy eating. She started buying real groceries, at times she would even buy ingredients and ask me to cook certain things for her! Christina no longer lives here, however she calls frequently to ask how to make things, or questions about the gym etc. She now understands what a GMO (genetically modified organism)is, and why it is important to consume whole foods regularly. Christina even asked for a smoothie maker for Christmas, I like to believe it was my influence!
The picture on the right. Sigh! Oh that photo! While visiting another friend of mine, we'll call her "Dixie" I snapped this photo. Dixie, fell on some bad circumstances and had to move back in with her parents. I already knew Dixie was one of the most unhealthy people I had ever met. Junk food is HIGHLY addictive, In fact high fructose corn syrup is more addictive than cocaine. You have to want to change your lifestyle. Giving up processed "food" is like giving up smoking, drinking, drugs, and over eating. They really should make an AA type meeting for people specifically with processed food addiction.
Dixie opens her pantry for a snack and I say, "oh my gosh, can I take a picture of this?" No one can be around me for any length of time without hearing my spill on healthy eating. Not because I'm a snob or I think I'm better than anyone, but because I have lived the junk food life. I made the change to the healthy lifestyle, pretty much cold turkey.. I don't eat meat so.. I gave it up pretty much.... warm salad... Okay that analogy doesn't work but you catch my drift here, and for the record, clean healthy eating becomes much easier as you go along as well as makes your body feel great! When I made the switch I had more energy, I felt great, and my skin started to glow! It is amazing what your body can do for you when you're good to your body.
Back to Dixie, as harsh as it is for me to say these words to a person, I would often tell Dixie, who has had some major health issues in the past, if she continued to eat like she was, she would most likely end up with cancer. Dixie's argument to me was always, "there is no history of cancer in my family though." She was right there WAS no history of cancer in her family. I would explain to her that there is a first time for everything and it could pop up anywhere in anyone. She had, had major health problems in the past, so I tried to level with her and explain, she of all people should take care of her body before she regrets it later, her body was already fragile. I should also mention Dixie is under 30 years old, so is Christina actually.
As I said, there was no cancer in Dixie's family, however Dixie's mother is obese, with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, a bundle branch block in her heart, and sleep apnea. If that alone is not a wake up call, you're pretty much doomed. Recently Dixie's Mother was also diagnosed with uterine cancer.
I actually know someone in my organic lifestyle circuit who was diagnosed with stage 2 uterine cancer, and cured it herself with the help of a natural doctor. We'll call her Susan. I do not have all the details, but I do know cancer can NOT live in an alkaline body, a vegan diet makes your body alkaline. Susan is a Mom of 3 daughters, she's a fighter, she went completely vegan, gave up sugar, used essential oils, took recommended supplements, saw the natural doctor and has been cancer free for over a year. I hear you now, "I could never give up, meat, dairy, or sugar." That's what's wrong with America, Americans just want a pill for their quick fix so they can continue to eat crap, and not change. That's a sad way to live guys, I have news this is why the pharmaceutical companies rule our country, why we have so many health problems, and why once you've "cured" your cancer with chemotherapy or radiation, It's coming back somewhere else in your body. You have to change your life, or lose your life.. It's your call.
Like my friend "Tami" with 5 kids and stage 4 colon cancer. She had an extremely inspiring positive attitude fighting it off. Of course she did everything on the chemical route, per doctors orders. I can imagine being diagnosed with cancer is extremely frightening, so you just do what you're told by the physicians. Tami fought off her cancer, thankfully she is alive yet has to carry a colostomy bag. A small price to pay for your life. I had the privilege of visiting with Tami last week, I asked her if she had changed her diet any she replied, "no! I eat whatever I want." just like that, like it was no big deal. My heart aches for these poor uneducated souls. I didn't say much about it as hard as it was however, If she doesn't change her diet, that cancer will come back somewhere else in her body.
When I first told Dixie about Susan, the woman who cured her uterine cancer on the natural route, it was long before her mother's diagnoses. She didn't believe me, which is pretty standard for most people brainwashed by the media. Of course after her mothers diagnoses somehow I become the one with all the magical answers. It is very sad to say this, but I was very reluctant to re-tell Dixie, Susan's story. I felt like it would be a waste of breath and time for me to go over it. Also given her Mom's track record, I knew she would never give up junk food even if it did cost her her life, leaving behind her two daughters and two beautiful grandchildren.
I have gone over the vegan diet thing some with Dixie, and told her other things Susan did, as well as known foods that halt the growth of cancer cells. Despite minimal changes in diet, no Dixie's Mom has not made any major changes to her lifestyle. She is under going surgery and all I can do is pray, it goes well, with the obesity and heart conditions going under is very risky.
Dixie has made few changes in her diet, I am sure it is difficult when you live in a home with a plethora of junk food always available. She has made some changes, frequently asks me for help, and genuinely tries, so I wont give up hope on her.
I know there are many out there saying, "everything causes cancer, might as well eat what I want." While this may be true, for me personally I want to prolong my health as long as possible. I also want to feel great as long as I am living. The food choices you make drastically change the way your body feels, looks, and the way your brain functions even. Think before you purchase, think before you eat. It could be life changing. Change your life or lose your life.
