It's the Journey.

So you see the title of this blog is "The Journey to "Free" eating". Now, I know it may seem confusing but I'm not writing about how you can get good deals and eat for free (sorry to those of you who thought this was a savvy deal blog). I am a "Free" eater...meaning I have so many food allergies and sensitivities that I have to look for things that are "Free" of sneaky culprits like Gluten/wheat, corn, walnuts, sesame seeds, and the list goes on. I am hoping to make others like me feel that they aren't alone in their endless ingredient label reading battle. With food allergies and sensitivities, it is tedious, and even exhausting, to constantly feel like eating your next meal is a challenge. The moments of frustration leave you feeling defeated and you end up just not caring about whether or not your food is safe to eat. Yet, the consequences aren't worth giving up anymore and I know this from my own personal battle. Therefore, I want to share my stories, information, and recipes for all of you out there who want to eat "Free". 

In addition to food allergies, I recently found out that I have fibromyalgia. So, I choose to eat a certain way as to not aggravate my body even more. In this blog, I will give information about how certain foods can help with conditions like fibromyalgia, but I will also just give general information about how food can help anything from your blood sugar to your skin. What's on the inside counts and I know that sounds corny (no pun intended there), but it is true. I choose to eat organic because I like to be "Free" of GMOs, bad reactions to pesticides, and food additives.  I am not saying everyone should be restrictive and give up their favorite foods, but I am saying we need to be smarter in our food choices. Your diet affects your health, and your health affects your happiness. When you feel better inside and out your definitely more optimistic. So, I hope to put out some information that helps everyone feel better. Eating a healthy diet doesn't mean depriving yourself or punishing yourself. A diet means supporting your body and making sure you are giving your body what it needs in a well-balanced and nutrient-packed way. The most important way of supporting your body is by eliminating anything that causes severe and even-lifethreatening problems for you. I don't think of my elimination diet as 'depriving' or 'punishing' myself because I much prefer not stabbing myself with an Epi-pen to stop anaphylactic reactions. Suffering in pain and misery isn't worth it for any food.

Now, I want this blog to be not only informative, but supportive. There are moments of frustration, but in addition to that, there are moments of anger and sadness. Feelings of hesitation to go to parties, family get-togethers, and food-filled events in general create even more cycles of frustration, sadness, and even anger. I know what it's like to be frustrated or a slice of cheesecake. It sounds like a futile frustration, but honestly when everyone else around you can have something and you can't, it gets frustrating after awhile. This blog is for those who feel exactly the same cycles of emotions. Also, I hope it helps family and friends of those who have allergies. Severe things like anaphylaxis, visits to the Emergency Room, financial strife over costs of medications, and the cycle of emotions are scary not only for the person with allergies, but the family and friends of that person. Let this blog be a resource of information and comfort. 

Let the journey begin for all of you! Eating "Free" is a lifestyle change, but it also teaches you about yourself and gives you peace of mind that your body is safe from harm. If you already eat "Free" then I hope you can contribute to my mission with testimony about your continued journey. My bestest friend and I always say, "It's the Journey that counts", because that is exactly what life is and everything we experience counts. Every journey is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Yet, through it all you are given support by those around you. I want to support as many people as I can with this blog. You all have your own Journey and I think it is supposed to be incredible! Hopefully my words can give some support and create a network for more support! We can start or continue our Journey together!

Set yourself "Free" and live the Journey.

More to come, 

Mary :)