Why the New Diet?

    Hello! My name is Anna. I'm married with 2 kids. I have bad skin, my husband is over weight, my son can't concentrate in school, we're all lazy, and sick all the time. There, now that that awkwardness is over with, we feel like we've known each other for years. Seriously though, that pretty much sounds like an average family now-a-days. And that's a only a few of our problems. Meet our family:

We're pretty cute, even with all our issues =)

   About a year ago, I went to see my aunt, who is very health-conscious. I've had headaches all my life. I would have 3-4 headaches a week, and sometimes a migraine every week too, vomiting and all. I just figured it was how I was, and something I'd have to live with. I also had stomach issues, and sometimes wondered if I had IBS. My aunt suggested I try going gluten-free, so I did. The first month, I cheated a couple times, but then I started to notice I'd feel pretty crummy when I did. Then after several weeks, I realized I couldn't remember the last time I had a headache or stomach trouble. To think it had been a food allergy to gluten all these years, and I never even suspected. Why? I ate gluten every day, so it's not like it came and went, and I could see a pattern.
   It got me thinking. What else are we eating that makes us feel bad? I used to think as long as I ate a variety of foods, I was eating pretty healthy. How many of you have looked at your ingredients lists? How many things on there can you even pronounce? My parents always say that people just didn't get sick back in the day. Back when people grew their own vegetables, meat, dairy, had chickens for eggs, and didn't spray everything with chemicals and hormones. I honestly believe the reason cancer and other diseases are so rampant is because we are poisoning our bodies with chemicals and crap, and we don't eat enough nutritious foods to keep our bodies healthy and our immune systems fully functional.
   I also believe people think they are eating properly because they believe the lies that these food companies are telling them, and don't bother to do any research. People, your sugar-loaded granola bar isn't healthy, I'm sorry. Did you know that when you eat sugar, it lowers your immune system by up to 75% for up to 6 hours? And if you don't think you eat much sugar, look at your ingredient labels. Ketchup, salad dressing, sauces, so many things you wouldn't believe have added sugar (among other things).
   So now that I've gone on a rant, the purpose of this blog is to share our family's journey to clean eating, show you what changes we experience, and to give you tips, recipes, information, and encouragement. If my family, one who loves to eat, is lazy and unmotivated, and basically has no self-control when it comes to dessert, can do it, so can you!