March: Clean Eating

So once again, it is 4 am and I am blogging away. This is become quite a trend. Seems anytime my little ones wake up in the middle of the night I cannot get back to sleep. So I started blogging, makes pretty good use of my time, I think.  My french press is my best friend at this hour. It is the fastest and quietest way to my hazelnut coffee. So off we go with the next blog post.

It is March and I am a few days behind on guiding you through a progression to a clean diet. I promise to make a full graph of every month in the near future. For now, here is the next step. It is time to think outside the box. This is a giant step towards better eating habits. For this whole month, start cutting back on anything that comes in a box.

So most of your pantry and fridge is going to start looking pretty healthy at this point. There are exceptions to each month's rules, of course. The idea here is to cut back and eventually cut out additives, preservatives, and overly processed foods. I'll still buy a box of rice, or cereal, or even pasta. But there will be a serious minimum of ingredients.

In future months, sugar and gluten will get cut out as well. For now, we will take a step in the right direction. Do you need a few tips for cutting back or switching gears on your shopping habits? Buy natural peanut butter like Adams Peanut Butter instead of JIF. When looking at canned food, pick ones with low sodium , or fruit packed in it's juice versus syrup. And ultimately, go on your own quest and research the good, the bad, and the downright dangerous. This article by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has a great list of food additives and whether or not they should be consumed.

I am not one to spout off advice without due diligence in research. Nor do I believe and follow a single website for its claims. Research defined is, the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. 

So you may find listening to me on this subject certain contradictions to popular cleaning eating beliefs. That is because... I've done my research.

For example, I am perfectly content having fluoride in my toothpaste. On the other hand, I could do without food dyes and MSG in my food. And believe it or not, hold on now. I am just fine with GMO's. Yep, GMO's I said it. Go ahead and crucify me to the organic Gods. 

In the meantime, I will follow up this blog with a few others going into more detail about additives, preservatives, and what they do to your body. Also, tips on how to make the transition.