The Past is So Often Not Pretty

Like many people who seek the secret to health, I've had some successes and a great lot of misses. In past moments of alternately chasing health and ignoring it completely, I've eaten: SAD, lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegan, junk-food-falafel-only vegan, Taco Bell-and-Jagermeister vegan, organic raw vegan, 85% raw, macrobiotic, espresso and cigarettes, French fat fallacy, all-cheese-all- the-time, the coffee-carrot-pretzel diet. Among others.

Trying my hardest to be healthy, I spent 10 years as a run-down vegetarian and 5+ years as an exceptionally unhealthy vegan. Even when my diet was well-planned, totally organic, and very healthy (at least on paper- depending on what paper you happen to be reading), my skin was dull, shiny and broken out. My hair was like straw and my nails were brittle. I bruised easily. I cried easily. I was fat, tired and depressed. I had a short affair with Wellbutrin before I discovered first running and then acupuncture. The combination of those two life-changing things gave me the energy to keep looking for a way of eating that works for my body and mind.

My life changed and I enjoyed much better mental and physical health following the comparatively fantastic Weston A. Price style. And then I had a life-changing experiment with paleo / primal eating that left me feeling better than anything has before or since. My skin cleared up, my hair got a little shiny, I felt clear-headed and happy, and I stopped being so tired. I seemed to lose weight and gain muscle effortlessly.

Then life went on. Somewhere along the line these past six months, I have become reacquainted with my old friends Almond Croissant and Lemon Scone. I see them far too frequently.

The goal of my home cooking experiment is to see how food affects my physical and mental health through these next four weeks. Because I want to be able to track that, I won't be doing any additional exercise or skincare beyond what I normally do. I look forward to 30 days of clean eating (though you can have my coffee when you pry it from my cold, dead hands). I would love to have you join me and share what you are eating and how you are feeling in the comments.