Oh, our beloved apples!!

We  have successfully been on plan for a little over a month, and though some differences are subtle, others are blatant.  All in all, I think the plan is a good fit for our family, but it does require constant diligence!!

At the end of last week we decided to add apples back to our meal plan.  I wanted to wait another week, but I knew we were going to be somewhere that we had agreed to bring fruit, and apples would be among those.  So, I wanted the kids to go ahead and try them a day or two before.   The first day was not a problem.  2nd day was iffy.  By the 3rd day our daughter was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  It was crazy the transformation of her attitude, behavior, and ability to function!!!   I went ahead and gave her apples one more time just to see if maybe she was having a bad day, but it was awful.  Tears, rigidity of attitude, tantrums, meltdowns, misbehavior, hateful speech, and panic. She had no control. Scary!!!  I felt like the worst mom ever!  So, I promptly took apples out of her meal plan.  I am going to give her a week or so without them to let them clear her system.  Already yesterday (day 2 without again) was better.  After a while, I will test once more to confirm that it wasn't just "one of those weekends."  With her emotional issues, it is possible the 2 weren't connected, but it was a completely stress-free, FUN weekend, so I can't imagine that would have flared up her emotional stuff.   I may wait a few weeks, though, because we have a long weekend for president's day and that way it won't interfere with school.  She (and I!) will be heartbroken if apples are a trigger for her because she LOVES them.  Raw, cooked, juiced, slices with pb, cinnamon baked apples, natural applesauce, you name it!  I have heard, though, that it is often the favorites that kids crave that cause problems.  I will probably cry if I confirm that, but, at least I would know!!!  It is sad to think that one of the "good for you" foods could cause issues for her, but I am willing to do what it takes to help her feel better and more in control.  

I have always heard that "you are what you eat," but until we started this journey, I didn't really understand what an impact the fuel we give our bodies can have on our entire well-being.  I knew it could cause digestion problems and make you feel sluggish or "off" if you ate something wrong, but I had no idea the full extent of the problems it could cause.   The more I read and study and experience, the more frustrated I become with what the food industry has done to our food.   For most of us, we blindly accept that what is placed before us as options is okay for human consumption.  Though I know some of the regulatory agencies aren't strict enough on their guidelines, I never really realized how harmful some of the things they allow truly are, and I CERTAINLY never realized how aggressively dangerous chemicals and additives are marketed to children.  I knew that the fluorescent marshmallows and rainbow cereals were probably not ideal, but I had no idea how many hidden places chemicals and additives lurked.  Did you know that WHITE marshmallows contain blue food dye?  WHY??????  Or that orange peels sometimes have red food dye added to make them look more appealing?   It makes me realize how much we rely on looks and appearances to satiate all aspects of our lives.   I am disgusted that I, a mom who has always tried to keep my family healthy, was duped despite all the reading and research I do.  I can only imagine how ignorant our society is as a whole about these things.  I wonder how many of society's medical issues would be resolved if we could somehow move back towards natural foods and products.  How much of the insurance mess would be improved?  How many of us would have the much-coveted energy we seek through supplements, foods, and even coffee??

Forgive my rambling.  Today I am feeling quite frustrated and helpless and contemplative!  My prayer is that our struggles might help even one person have the courage to experiment with this themselves and improve the lives of their own sweet family!  :)