So much for those daily posts about the Bell's Palsy! I am very grateful, and lucky, that it was not a prolonged case. Although, I do believe that the acupuncture really did help restore things more quickly than the course may have run on its own. It might have been partly because I was able to take 20 minutes each morning, after dropping the kids off at school, to just sit and relax and meditate. I just kept visualizing little electrical pulses emanating from my ear out into the nerves of my face. I was 'back to normal' within 4 weeks from my initial onset! I must say I'm much more diligent about getting a possible ear infection checked out sooner rather than later now!
On another note - I feel I'm back on the search for 'me' again. I've read a few books lately, and I have decided to embark on a journey for a healthier lifestyle... and I don't just mean keeping track of what I eat (how many calories and how much fat or sugar) and exercising more. I mean full-on lifestyle change (including the husband and kids)... we're talking the 'ultimate' lifestyle change... the big "V"... going vegan. I know some people may see 'vegan' and think "Oh, no... not one of those people!" Sure there are plenty of PETA videos to raise awareness about animal cruelty - which is, of course, horrific. But, I realize that there are responsible farmers out there that treat their animals as well as they possibly can, given the nature of their business. And, I'm in no way "for" animal cruelty in any way. But, I'm not taking the vegan point of view for the animals specifically. I'm not going to search out and buy vegan shoes or clothing, but I'm not going to search out a leather jacket any time soon either!
My perspective is coming from the health and environmental side of the equation. I've read The China Study and Veganist and I really think it's just a better way to live! I also have The Kind Diet on my summer reading list. I think our bodies were meant to process whole foods and not other animals or animal proteins. So, I'm doing my best to turn our kitchen into a vegan kitchen, and trying to be as vegan as possible when we go out to eat (vegetarian at a 'minimum' when we're out.) If anything, it is forcing me to read ingredient lists on the things I buy before I buy them - and I've put a number of 'favorites' back on the shelf because they weren't vegan (along with all the other things that they have that were probably bad anyway!) I'm certainly not going to 'preach' to anyone that they should follow this same path - but if anyone asks why I've decided that, I'll let them know what I've learned.
Now, the prospect of changing our kitchen (and my kids) to vegan is a tough one... and is going to take some time. We're still working on it! So, I'm going to try to use this blog to share our opinions on recipes, products, and just general ideas on how to get kids (especially) to change their palate from mac and cheese and chicken nuggets to healthier fare. The extra hard part I've noticed is that a lot of the 'meat substitutes' like Quorn, Morningstar, and Boca aren't vegan - they still use eggs and milk as a binder. I know Boca has vegan choices - they're just a little harder to come by! There are a few that have been a 'hit' in our house so far, and I'll be sure to share those!!
So, on to the 'show'... and thanks for reading :)
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