Feeding Frenzy

I never gave much thought to the food I ate. Whether I cooked a quick meal at home, or grabbed something from the drive through, eating was something I did because I had to.

After I had my second son I found myself almost 2 years later laying on my bed and weeping because I had not kicked the last 15 lbs of my baby weight. A friend of mine told me to join Weight Watchers online. I joined their Flex Points plan and did everything from my computer. I lost 20 lbs in 5 months and I was so happy and I felt so healthy. I had a new perspective on food. Weight Watchers taught me how to read labels so I would specifically look for foods that were low in calories and fat and high in fiber. That is how they calculated the points value in every food.

I also learned about using spices and gourmet oils as well as artificial sweeteners to flavor my food and satisfy my sweet tooth. I learned to toss vegetables into anything I cooked and to try new colorful produce and introduce a whole variety of foods and flavors into my diet.

I became a walking information booth for food. I would tell my co-workers how they could cut their caloric intake by drinking Crystal Light instead of Soda. Or how baking chicken in the oven tasted just as good as fried chicken. When co-workers discussed going to a fast food place for lunch, I would look up the nutritional value of the items we were craving online. After calculating the points value I would opt for a salad versus the chicken sandwich.

I did really well on Weight Watchers and maintained my weight for 2 more years. I then got pregnant with my 3rd son so I stopped the program but still found myelf very curious about food.

As I was taught I watched the calories, fat content and fiber. That is all I really paid attention to. Once in a while I would look at the sodium content and if it exceeded half my daily requirement I would try and avoid it.

My oldest son started having behavior issues and I was told by several people that food dyes could be playing a significant role in his behavior. When the doctor told me he had depression I had another friend who also battles depression, tell me that Monosodium Glutamate or more widley known as MSG is like poison to people's brains and that I need to watch out for that stuff. I also became very aware of something a lot of my food had in common: Partially hydrogentated oils - this stuff is really bad for your arteries - and it is in virtually everything!

I found myself reading ingredients on everything and the more I read the more upset I became. All this time I have been feeding myself and my family brands I trusted, brands that advertise good wholesome ingredients, and yet they are poisening us with their chemicals and by bleaching out the grains that are good for us and replacing them with sugars, oils and preservatives - things that are slowly killing our bodies.

I felt I needed to share my discoveries and document them some where so I started this blog. It is a work in progress but I am excited to begin this journey as I go back to the foods that we are meant to eat and learn how to shop for foods in their natural state. Here I will share with you what to watch for in your food. I will expose the foods that are bad and suggest how to replace them. I hope to find ways to reduce the cost of going organic and natural and show you how to restock your pantry with things you can feel good about feeding to your family.

I have a bounty of recipes I have tried and my whole family loves. I can't wait to post some of them here and see what you think!

Please feel free to comment on your experiences with the foods we are exposed to. I want to know what you think of the ingredients in your food. I challenge you to go to your pantry and pull out a box or a can and read what is on it. I bet you have no idea what half of the things are on that ingredients label! Well, that is why I am here! I will do all the work for you - and believe me it won't be pretty!! It will make you think twice before you lift that fork to your lips!