Sunday, May 27, 2012

Just. Do. It.

After two years of being 83% good at this lifestyle I live I am finally about to go through a 30 day detox to get myself to the next level on this journey. I've known all along that this was the direction I was begrudgingly dragging myself towards at the speed of snail...but alas- I made it here. Each day will consist of a 'green smoothie', raw nuts and seeds, fruits and veggies and one serving of meat at dinner. That. Is. All. No processed foods, no dairy, no stop at the gas station for a peanut butter snickers(a.k.a.- foodgasm). Its good girl gluten-free Ginger for an entire 30 days.

The goal of this is to get my system balanced. You see- eating foods that are not clean just slowly lead to misery in the world
Of folks like me. I don't profess or promise in any way that I will maintain the strictness of this detox for the rest of my life. I do hope to keep it as my 'home base' and just venture off here and there from time to time. After all- what's life without chocolate every once in a while???

So at this very moment- I am sitting in my poofy pink chair a few feet from Cason who is sprawled out on the bed watch 'The Office'. Its my plan to entice him out for breakfast and to find somewhere cool and shaded to just be lazy with for a while.. #lifeisgood. - The GFG

Monday, May 21, 2012

Scary Stories n' Such...

I am currently reading 'Wheat Belly' by William Davis - and it might very well be the
scariest story I've ever read - AND. THAT'S. SAYIN'. SOMETHIN. As I turn each
page and read more I become angrier about the cloud of ignorance that has been placed
over consumers. We don't eat REAL wheat. We eat a genetically modified 'Franken-wheat'
that is so altered that its breaking down people like me and destroying MY quality of
life. Its in EVERYTHING that comes in a box, bag or can. Items you would never
even think of are saturated with this science fiction food that causes a plethora of health
issues in our world. The hilarity of it is the FDA is patting themselves on the back for
helping to end world hunger with this 'wheat' that grows at an un-natural rate. HELLO!
You've merely swapped world hunger for world wide disease. #youSUCK

And, YES, I am aware that not all people are gluten intolerant on the level that I am-BUT
take a look around you. Just because others don't experience depression, pain, inflammation
and hair loss - they DO have issues with 'Franken-wheat'. Fifty years ago before we
started eating this crap women and men didn't have to get up for a morning workout
and hit the gym in the evening to be at a healthy body weight. They worked for sure
but not as many hours as we do now. The difference is the quality of food they ate
far surpassed the slop we get handed from a bag in a drive-thru window. One in three
people in our current society are obese. Whose to say the other two are actually
healthy and un-affected by this science project gone horribly wrong? Perhaps their
symptoms are just masked or less severe. The food and lifestyle of my home are about
to DRASTICALLY change. I don't plan make Gamer Boy live on Tofu and seeds
but he will see a big differences in the items that land on his snack shelf and what
he has put in front of him for dinner. He may not like it very much - but I am his
Mom - not his friend. Its my job to give him the best of me and that includes
the very best fuel for his body. Sorry today's little blip wasn't very shiny...not
all things in life can be. Butterflies, glitter and better days to come. May you
all have a 'Franken-wheat' free day. - The GFG

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Not Alone In This Walk....

First of all - an update on the 'awareness experiment'. It is AWESOME!! Eating just 'enough' is
the way to do it y'all. No more feeling grody n' junk after meals and losing all the energy you
have towards other events in your day! Its now part of the 'Ginger lifestyle'. :)

Now....on another note - Neal Boortz(aka the Talkmaster of talk radio whom I NOW follow
on twitter. Incase you didn't know...you can follow me if you choose @tabbitweets)talked
yesterday for almost a half hour about his battle with gluten intolerance and how living this
lifestyle has improved his mental clarity and over all quality and outlook on life. While it
saddens me that he has to live the way I do..it also reminds me that I am not alone in this
battle. I woke up this morning wondering what sort of gluten free breakfast he may be having
and how relieving it is to know that there is at least one other human being out there that
understands the 'crazy' that descends upon me when I get 'glutenized'. He mentioned
a book called 'Wheat Belly' by William Davis. I'd already been offered this book by my
dear friend David and accidentally forgot to bring it home. I will be borrowing it ASAP
to soak up what knowledge it has to offer me.(FYI-if David offered it - ITS GOOD. He
is like Yoda. Seriously y'all.)

They say misery loves company- guess I am no exception to this well worn statement!
Hope you all have a shiny and happy day. - The GFG

Saturday, May 12, 2012

The Hunger Game

So I've been reading about different lifestyles and if you know me you are fully aware that I'm always trying to lose the last 15 pounds....hence the 'hour and a half glass' figure that I rock. Don't get me wrong- I don't berate or dislike myself. I'd just prefer to enhance it to just an hour glass figure:)

I'm interested in leaving the 'dieting' realm behind and learning more about how other cultures maintain healthy body weights and lifestyles. In a rather 'racey' novel I'm currently reading(no, I won't give the title. My grandmother wouldn't like that) there is a pattern or behavior that has intrigued me greatly.
For the sake of keeping things on PG level lets just say that the character in this novel is constantly aware of how much and how often she eats. She choses her meals with the constant awareness that she may need to immediatley 'run a mile or climb a mountain' right after she lowers her fork or spoon. It kinda makes ya think twice about the extra helping or second cocktail, eh?

So I started my own experiment today. For the next three days I will eat as if after each meal I will need to stand up and immediatley 'run a mile or climb a rock wall'. I think its an exciting awareness adventure. The character speaks of how clear her mind becomes and how focused she is able to be by eating when she is hungry, in small amounts and only enough to sustain her for increments of four hours. I plan to document this lil' experiment of mine. #scientificginger

Well now...time to stop talkin' bout it and get to it! Back with details. Laters y'all! - The GFG

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Twu' Wuv...

There aren't many moments that have found me speechless in this life. I've always got some thought cultivating in tiny bubbles ready to pop and release some sort of comment or snipet into the air and onto anyone around me. Yesterday evening found this six foot tall red head wordlessly in awe as I watched my beloved friends Paul and Nancy become husband and wife. The love those two have radiates off them and permiates the air like the sweet heated scent of cotton candy at a fairground on a warm summer evening.

I stood in a trance- humbled, amazed and appreciative to have been asked to be a part of their ceremony. It was a gorgeous evening on the beach. The wedding party and guests kept to an intimate number -every detail attended with love from their friends and family. I smiled with pride as I watched Cason in 'full metal photographer' mode as he moved with expertise and grace to capture those precious moments for our cherished friends. As I sit here replaying the events of this weekend I feel bathed and saturated with the knowledge that true love is not just something I've read about...it exists and shines in the hearts, minds and souls of Paul and Nancy and many of the other AMAZING people in my life. And ya' know what? - I don't just read about it anymore. I wake up each day and live out the pages of my very own love story. I will say y'all - its GOOD :) - The GFG

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The View From Where I Sit...

I grew up 'poor' if you measure the amount of money that did(or did not) flow into
our household over the years. Our mother worked herself to the bone in a textile mill and gave us everything she could so I am by NO means selling her efforts short. It was just an accepted fact that meat was not a staple at every dinner, clothes were handed down, utilities weren't something we took for granted and we often managed on far less than other households. Yet, riddle me this if you will - kids FLOCKED to hang out with me and my siblings. Our friends had an unspoken understanding to pack a lunch and drink from their own homes and bring it along. They knew to ask our mother(forever dubbed as 'Miss Hazel') for a cold glass of water or tea(since that is what we could afford to keep) instead of milk or sodas and they always managed to find some clothes that 'didn't fit' anymore to give to me and Tonya. After all, there was no use in lettin' those clothes go to waste now was there? #tactfulfriendsforsho'

Gradually through the years I've had the true fortune of making and maintaining some
amazing friendships. I am now approaching my 34th trip around the sun and I am amazed
at how many amazing people saturate my daily life. I have too many to name them all
but there are some that just SHINE :) My longest and dearest friend in the world is
Karrie. Through all my dark and light times she has stood by me like a sentinel. I love
her so much that even I(the word nerd red head)cannot find the words to describe it.
She and I have road this rollercoaster of life right along side each other and no matter
what decisions we each have made along the path(good, bad and really stupid)we are
always there for each other to laugh, cry, celebrate or pre-meditate our next steps.
I hope you read this Karrie - I puffyheartLOVE you for life :)

Through the friendships I've made I've never gone hungry, homeless or cried alone.
I've had constant and overwhelming support. I have no idea how I wound up so
incredibly fortunate. I've never had a single thing to offer my friends but my love,
support and time. Never the less - THEY. STICK. AROUND. For all of you amazing
people that are my friends and are reading this(you know who you are) - YOU. FREAKING.
ROCK. I love you all and thank the universe for allowing me to cross paths with
you. So, if you ever need a glass of water, a couch to crash on or a red head to
just sit and listen to your story - I am readily and at your disposal - ALWAYS. - The GFG