What Matters Most

With my precious baby boy

When you get a wake-up call that threatens to turn your life upside down in quite frightening ways, you realize all the more what really matters.

You find yourself making choices that you wouldn't have made before, because your well-being depends on a new way of life now.

I can't assume that everyone who finds themselves in such a situation would feel or act the same way, but that's exactly what I've been experiencing lately.

Without going into to much detail so I don't bog you down, I've had to change my entire diet along with a bunch of eating habits. This wasn't a New Year's resolution--in fact, I hadn't made any. Yet, it was a necessary move if I wanted to stay alive.

I am grateful that the changes aren't just going to help me survive, they are actually going to help make my life much better, as I've chucked quite a few foods I used to have on a regular basis, if not everyday.

You might think, Oh, but you can go slow. Cold turkey's not necessary, but see, I just can't touch those foods anymore. The moment I have them, even in small amounts, my body reacts in ways I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Besides, it's not like I gave up healthy foods; what I've crossed off my list are items that aren't good for anyone to make a habit of eating or consuming anyway despite any pros there may be for ingesting them.

So goodbye, caffeine... Goodbye, refined sugars.

Since my list of foods from the past has dwindled considerably, now the only other option left to me if I want to get and stay better is to eat healthy foods in order to have a balanced diet.

We take something good for granted, and only start to realize how much of a blessing it was once we no longer have it, or something changes that we no longer have the same access to what we once had... even if only temporarily.

And now, all the more do I want to reserve my energy and attention for the things and beings that uplift me. Arguments and negativity in various forms only drain my time and precious energy. You really feel how sucked you are of your strength when you've gotten so sensitive due to these changes, that you want to devote what you do have to things that make you smile, in turn raising your energy.

The good news is, the changes I've made have been helping a great deal. While I still am in the process of stabilizing and getting used to this new way of eating, I am feeling much better than I did in the past few weeks, when my body started to signal to me its need for nutrients rather than empty calories.

I don't want to sound preachy, but I just have to say that in my experience, it's true: what you eat does matter. What you put into your body does make a difference. It took more than three decades for me to get that, but I think the lesson's finally sinking in. :)

So... how has your 2011 been so far? Here's to a really blessed (and more conscious already it seems!) year for those who want it!

Love,

~Lea