Turning into Butterflies

Ten years ago if you would have told me that diet and lifestyle truly effects your mood, attention span, and health. I would have laughed at you. I was slowly spiraling down hill into an unhealthy me full of fast food restaurants and meat and potato meals. I was depressed and full of doom and gloom. On top of it, I was raising a little boy who was struggling on his own to understand a world that he was tuned into in overdrive.
I spent the first years of Wayne's life trying to figure out why his pat was going to be a harder path through life than most. Through this exploration, and many doctor trips we received diagnoses; however, this did not help him with his journey through the world.
Three years ago I met a wonderful man who helped us with this journey from an ugly larva where we not only participated in the Standard American Diet, but also lived the here and now life, into hopefully what will be a beautiful butterfly. The first major changes that Wayne and I made, seemed to make little difference to our health, but a ton of difference to our wallets. It was a simple change, we stopped eating out every night, and started to eat at home. We also completely eliminated all soft drinks. (We do indulge in these items occasionally, but it is very rare.)
After Morvin (the health angel in my life) and I got married, we eliminated meats with hormones or antibiotics. This is especially important to our growing kids. The hormones added to meat can effect us, and what little boy needs estrogen? What little girls need estrogen? Through the hormone free meat, my weight gain had slowed tremendously. Also, we noticed meats from restaurants and a change in taste of meat that has these additives. Slowly we start to see our health change. I also started taking vitamins and supplements so did Wayne.
Our current diet is one that is very close to a whole food diet. If we cannot read what is in our food we do not eat it. We do not purchase or consume foods that have high fructose corn syrup or any food with dyes. The dyes and high fructose corn syrup have been the biggest. It eliminates so much of that is on the grocery shelves for us to eat. However, it is also the greatest difference in how we feel. With this change, Wayne is on the A/B Honor Roll and more attentive in his day to day life. I have also noticed small changes, but still haven't lost the weight. Sometimes, Wayne does get food coloring, whether he is sneaking it or doing it deliberately, but he almost always is sorry that he did and will state that he made a mistake.
We are no where near a beautiful butterfly on our health. However, our metamorphosis has us sticking out some wings and learning to fly away from the Standard American Diet. Our next step is to tackle the Rainbow, and introduce new colors into our diet from the wealth of fruits and vegetables that are out in the world. Our goal is to get to the "healthiest best." We want 7 helpings of fruits or vegetables with 14 different fruits and veggies a day. We are no looking into the food pyramids and what will make a balanced diet. Along with this we are reintroducing our Sunday hikes, and the gym 2-3 nights a week.
Through this all I have learned, that it is not changing your diet that is going to help make a healthy you, it is a change of mindset and a change of ideas that helps changes to diet and lifestyle stay. So instead of making big diet changes and calling it a diet, find one small habit you want to change and start there! Stay tuned to our metamorphosis along with some of our favorite, healthier foods!