Day One...

Hi... It is Day One.  After a tremendous amount of experimentation, investigation and pondering, I have decided to go full-force with my planned lifestyle changes.  Please understand I have honestly tried so many different treatments, therapies... etc… over the past few years.  This time I am going to track my progress and write about my progress with the different concepts/products that I try.  My aim is to improve not only my health, but my overall well-being.  Life has not been kind at times and this has left my body a little out of whack.  I am working hard to loose weight and like most people have not found the exact combination of foods and exercise to reach my personal goals.  Allergies have plagued me since I was 12 years old.  Also, I have food issues.  I am gluten and dairy intolerant, so my diet has been limited for a few years now.  I am also a veggie or vegan dependent upon which definition you choose to subscribe.  While I have made some progress over the past few years, there is still a lot to work towards.  

To let you know a little bit about me, I am 46 years old.  I could say 46 years young as I do not feel any different now than I did when I was much younger.  Originally I am from the US, but I currently live in the UK.  Due to my work, I did live in Dubai for a couple of years, which I found rather interesting to say the least.  Currently I work as an Educational Consultant, an On-line Teacher and a Photographer.  Photography and art are key parts of who I am and help keep me sane in this ever-changing world.  I have trained as a Yoga Teacher and will be returning back to Yoga as part of my lifestyle changes.  (Sometimes the twists of life takes us away from the things we know are good for us and we have to make a direct effort to return to them.) 

I am a very open-minded person and have Buddhist tendencies in my philosophy and view of life.  This fits well in with my plans as a key part of Buddhism is to question everything in order to find your own answers.  My path of change will be rather organic in nature, meaning that it will start at a certain point and as I move along the path it will grow or change.  

OK… the Starting Point:

What I am aiming for:  finding more peace within myself, learning to stay within the present, better physical condition and heath, and learning about myself as well as the interactions and interconnectedness of people and places.  I do believe that we are where we are supposed to be at any given time.  It is just that sometimes we do not see the reason.

What I am starting with:  meditation, Shamanism, kindness and compassion, moving towards a fully raw food diet (raw foods, juicing and smoothies, dehydrated foods, recipes), detoxing/fasting, organic products, massage, yoga and walking.  

What I will do on here:  Each day (I will strive for each day) I will write about what I have explored during the day – the good and the bad… the strange and the normal (if there really is a normal).  Please remember these are just my experiences, your experiences may be quite different.  I will respect your opinions as I hope you will mine.   

Ok… A heads-up for tomorrow:   On the raw food front, I bought a dehydrator and made strawberry smoothies (recipe to follow).   I will elaborate more tomorrow when I see the results of the dried fruit.