Intro to Green

Green is my favorite color.  And when I say favorite color, I mean FAVORITE color.  You come into my home and all you see is green.  Green frog knickknacks, green couch pillows, green couch throws, green towels, green bedding, green clothing.   When I go shopping, I always turn to purchase green things.   It is the most relaxing color and dare I say it, I look good in green.

So why would it take me so long to realize that I should eat green.  If I love green on the outside, then wouldn't my body love green on the inside? 

My love of green has increased over the years, but my love of junk food has been there since childhood.  I remember having to drink milk - YUCK - and all I remember from childhood is how we had to eat our veggies and fruit at the dinner table.  I always wanted junk food, so badly that when I began making my own money from babysitting and then a job at Burger King the majority of my money started going toward candy, soda, fast food.

And this love of junk food didn't change even though I raised 3 children.  I was drinking a six pack of Pepsi a day and candy bars by the handful.   My choice of candy would change periodically but you can never go wrong with a Reeses.

This brings us to Feb 14, 2008 at 9 pm pt.   Yep, I remember the exact moment my life began its new journey.  The moment my autonomic nervous system went out of whack.   Upon retrospect, my body had been troubled for years but I always assumed it was blood sugar issues and the only people who knew I struggled were my kids.  On this date, at this time, the problems were no longer occasional and minor but were constant and horrible.  I became basically bedridden and couch ridden.  I could no longer clean my house, walk to the mailbox, or basically do anything - even taking a shower became very difficult.   After 3 months of the local doctors not knowing what it was or what to do, I sent myself to the Mayo Clinic.  They diagnosed me with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) which is a form of dysautonomia.   After medication and a year of physical therapy, I was able to walk a mile in an hour using my walker.

Gradually I've improved and throughout the last nearly 5 years, I've worked here and there on my diet.  I've eliminated Pepsi only to start backup.  I've eaten healthy only to binge again on junk food.  I call Pepsi my gateway drug as when I'm drinking Pepsi, my body has cravings for junk food.  Junk and Pepsi go hand in hand.  But when I drink alot of water, my body tends to crave healthy food.

So here we are........back to green.  I've decided to change my focus and approach to food.   I'm embarking on a new journey of juicing and healthy eating living.   Tonight it starts..5 days of green juicing and you get to come along with me.  (aren't you lucky?)