Healthy and Conscious

I have been reading a book that I bought at the Salt Lake Airport in anticipation of my flight to Denver for an entire week. Nearly every book in my house has been read more than once (if it's Twilight, about 6 times.. but who's counting??!!) and I have had enough. I bought a book with a title that might offend some of my blog readers (all 3 of you) but it's called "Skinny B$*&%z". I picked it up out of curiosity and read the back. It sparked my interest when it stated that the authors were bluntly honest about how to eat better and get healthy in the process. Little did I realize that this book was MUCH more than that. If you can stomach some of the inappropriate language of these women, you are able to learn a lot of useful information. I have to say the information intrigued me and really made me think. For example, they talk about the meat packing industry and the government's lack of effort to stop animal cruelty/abuse. They talk about the unhealthy hormones that animals are injected with such as growth hormones, or hormones that make cow's make more milk at unnatural rates, and how this crap ends up in our bodies when we consume animal products.

I have NEVER considered myself a "tree-hugger" or whatever you consider "those" people. I just have to say that I respect anyone who lives what they believe whether I agree with it or not (within moral reason). Being environmentally aware of your surroundings and standing up for it is neither right or wrong for me. While reading this book, I may not be fully adopting the recommendations of these cheeky (British slang folks!) women, their musings have really made me think even more about the kinds of food I consume on a daily basis and how I feel after eating the things that I do. So it comes down to this: I am trying to make better choices about what I eat. I have high cholesterol, therefore I need to consume foods that aren't going to make my cholesterol take even more flight. To start, I am trying to eat more fruit and vegetables, consuming less dairy meaning buying soy yogurt, soy milk, and soy cheese. I am also trying to eat less meat and not eat so many processed foods that contain tons of sodium, cholesterol, and yes people, my other enemy.....CARBS!

And just because I am buying SOY products doesn't mean that I am a "tree-hugger". Let's just say that I am choosing to do so for my own health. Soy doesn't contain ANY cholesterol and is a pure protein without hormones or some crap in it.

I am taking interest in buying more naturally made products that are better for me in general. I am perusing the different natural health food stores for the best deals on naturally made products that aren't necessarily organic. Thank goodness I have a wonderful and supportive husband who was already raised in a home with similar views on food!

So here begins a new point in my life: eating not only better foods, but trying to be conscious of what I am putting into this body of mine.