"diet" is not a bad word

Definition of "diet": the usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal)

or a prescribed selection of foods

I started my new diet, or rather my new eating lifestyle, on November 1.  To spare you details, I'll just tell you that my stomach is doing great.  I have felt better the last two weeks than I have in the last 3½ years.  I'm still on Prednisone- should be dropping to 5mg today after seeing the lung doc, and then I'll be coming off of them completely in two or three weeks, praise the Lord! 

As an added bonus to the enormous health benefits of my diet, I have lost 5 pounds.  Yay!

Anyway, it's easier to specify what I'm NOT eating rather than what I DO eat, so here goes the no-longer-eating list:

Sugar

High fructose corn syrup

White flour

"White" pasta

White rice

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial flavors/colors

Preservatives (eliminates most bagged, boxed and canned items)

Hydrogenated oils (like margarine, etc)

Sodas

Pork

Shellfish

Fried food (duh)

Cow's milk (except cottage cheese, plain yogurt, and real butter)

Anything that contains any of the above items in any amount

I eat a ton of fresh fruits and vegatables.  I snack on almonds a lot.  We eat chicken and a variety of fish, but we are going to start adding lamb and possibly goat meat to our diet if I can find some.  Beef is acceptable, but it is a little hard on my stomach, so we minimize that.  I also discovered that white potatoes aggrevate me, so we're dropping those too for the most part.  I'm also supposed to be buying everything organic so that I'm not consuming pesticides and other chemicals.  All meat is supposed to be grass-fed or range or cage-free, etc.

I have a new love for goat's milk.  It's expensive (~$4 per half gallon), but it's really good and easy on the stomach!  I also like the Ezekiel 4:9 bread made by Food for Life.  I like it better than "normal" bread - you should try it.  It's in the freezer section.  So much healthier than the bread you find on the shelf.  Also, I use Sweetleaf (Stevia leaves) instead of sugar.  It's not an artifical sweetener.

Kroger has many of the things I need to eat, but my new favorite place is Whole Foods.  I could spend all day in there.  Of course I've always loved grocery shopping....

Anyway, my GI doc is going to check inflammation levels, I assume with bloodwork, on Jan 11 at my visit. If the inflammation is under control, then we agreed that I don't have to start Cimzia injections.

I have prayed for healing for a long time and I believe with all my heart that the Lord is going to heal me. Perhaps he already has. :) Regardless, I will no longer abuse my body with food because it is God's temple and I am to take good care of it.

roadkill

I am always traumatized by roadkill. Seeing a dead opossum can make me tear up. Sad, I know, but that is how deep my love of animals goes. So, the other night on my way home, I saw a cat that had been hit by a car and was lying in the middle of the road crying. I immediately started boo-hooing. Fortunately, a van next to me intentionally changed lanes and ran over it to kill it. The incident completely ruined my evening. I could not stop thinking about the suffering of the poor kitty. Of course my mind spiraled into a whirlwind of thought about how unfair this life is and how much injustice and undeserved suffering goes on. I began thinking about abused animals, and even worse, abused children and abused elderly people. I thought about sickness and disease. And I thought about how God did not create this Earth to see all of this happen.

The trouble is that we live in a fallen world. The presence of sin is the root cause of all things “bad.” (Do not misunderstand me and think that I’m saying your sin directly causes personal suffering in your life. It is a broad generalization.) I love my life on this Earth, but the Lord knows that I anxiously await His kingdom. I do not want any more animals to be dead or suffering on the side of the road. I do not want to hear about anymore miscarriages. I do not want to watch the news and see Satan smiling at the evil going on minute by minute. I don’t want to hear about another victim of cancer.

We need to be good to each other. We need to act like Jesus. Truly, act like Jesus. LOVE people. Take care of the least, the last and the lost. Quit being so selfish with your money- it doesn’t belong to you anyway- it is the Lord’s. Quit worrying about yourself so much- when you focus on other people, your problems become smaller and smaller.

And that reminds me. About Christmas (since it’s coming up so quickly)… for Heaven’s sakes, it is about Christ, not about presents for you or anyone else. The thought of millions of people frantically “Christmas shopping” this year makes me sick to my stomach. And I’m talking about the people who stress to the max about what to buy people or worse, stress about what people are going to buy for THEM. Oh my goodness, this world is so messed up. Why do we do this enormous money-exchange every year? I’ll buy this for you and you buy this for me? If you don’t get me what I want, then I’m going to hold a grudge and be bitter the rest of my life. You know it happens and it’s disgusting. There are people who don’t even own a Bible. What we need to be doing at Christmas is just spending quality time with our families, who we love, and then spend our money on the people who actually need things like food, clothing and/or shelter. (Note: contrary to popular belief, an Ipod is NOT a need) If you want some new clothes that bad, save up some cash and shop after Christmas when everything is like 50% off.

Maybe I should stop looking at roadkill.

p.s. I do not want (and certainly do not need) anything for Christmas. My house is overflowing in excess as it is.