Well, most know me as being the quintessential “health nut” for most of my life. Stemming from a surgery that went terribly wrong when I was eight years old to then being diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes that was like a death sentence and a 24 hour illness like no other that is a never-ending roller coaster ride that twists and turns, goes up & down, and plays with your physical/emotional body like a cork screw.

Due to my misfortune in health, I became a vigilant advocate for a “cure” (wishful thinking as the cure has to cost as much as the pharmaceutical companies profit off this dreadful disease) so, I learned early on that the only way was to cope, accept and learn about every possible way to combat the wrath, curtail the repercussions, and maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit trying to balance and maintain the stress and nerves as much as possible.

I set forth on a Pollyanna path that I was one day going to be responsible for curing what ailed me. I really had high hopes. I started voraciously reading, researching, experimenting, seeing specialists and learning as much as I could about diet, exercise, nutrition and wholesome living. It has not been easy for most of my life as I had some near death encounters, pro-longed sicknesses, and many emergencies/hospitalizations/surgeries but somehow made it through.

I have had failures, but also many successes regarding the many disciplined, researched, and pro-active measures I riskily took for the mission of just wanting to be “normal” like everyone else and not have to constantly think, pay attention, and take care of my health around the clock… I am proud to say that I have bypassed many of the prime diabetic related complications after 37 years, retained many effects of aging and am on ½ the dosage of insulin that I was first prescribed so I believe my due diligence has not been in vain and have some benefits to show for my perseverance and small fortune paid for trying to feel good.

This disease has given me strength, character and an intense human understanding that I probably would not have developed so strongly had I not suffered – for this, I am grateful!

Now, comes another chapter in my life of being diagnosed with a rare blood disease with Multiple Myeloma for which there is not a good survival rate.  I am continuing on my natural regime with organic whole foods, less meat, vitamins, minerals, nutrition supplements, triple vegetable and fruit juicing and high antioxidant protein/green smoothies. The only things that I am doing differently now, is upping the anty on everything!

I have added Protandim, more coconut oil, more asparagus, alkaline water, cat’s claw, botswella, curcumin, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid and eating a “whole lemon” (antioxidant properties) every day to my already full nutritional regime. These specific natural products are shown to inhibit the light chains that are rising in my blood and causing the Amyloid proteins to build-up in my blood and bone marrow at an alarming rate. I have NOT given-up my daily grind.   I have to have some remote pleasure and drinking only one cup of Organic, low acid coffee made with alkaline water is benign and also has some antioxidant and memory retaining value.  My meals have changed only because I cannot chew, taste and swallow much anymore due the major symptom of tongue/mouth/neck swelling and numbness.

Words cannot explain the torture I go through each day, just trying to eat and digest a meal and just simply talk. I have had to switch-up recipes and make them soft and palatable in order for me to swallow and digest. I cannot drink smoothies all day so I am making and experimenting with my favorite foods and altering them to accommodate my problems to the best of my ability.

I would like to share a typical breakfast, lunch and dinner that can be made easily with a good quality high powered food processor or mega blender like Vita Mix or the Ninja Mega Kitchen machines. I am experimenting with many foods right now to preserve the whole food nutrients. I do cook some veggies thoroughly when I want fiber and taste that I love. I realize that because I cannot eat/digest raw foods anymore, I have to either make, purees, pates, sauces smoothies or juices out of them so I can retain the benefits from these organic gifts from God.

A favorite breakfast of mine lately has been making an  Organic Pumpkin Ginger Spice Cake/Muffins with a coconut/yougurt/cream cheese topping accompanied with a high protein Spirulina/Chlorella Green Shake.

I love pate and am supposed to eat organic calf’s liver to feed my deteriorating liver so I have come up with a very tasty Organic Calf’s Liver Pate with whole herbs and vegetables that is mouth watering. I like to eat it spread on light quinoa crackers with beets, cucumber and tomatoes on the days that I take the steroids (I can eat a little better on these days because the inflammation is not as bad). For lunch, I usually have a green drink consisting of kale, spinach, swiss chard, cucumber, ½ a lemon, parsley and dulse.

Meatloaf is one of my favorite meals! I made a flavorful, mock Organic Vegan Black Bean and Portabello Meatloaf last night and surpassed my expectations! The color, texture and taste were spot on! My neighbor, a die hard carnivore, tasted the loaf and thought it was indeed, ground beef! He could not believe it when I revealed the truth! I served this mockery with a baked sweet potato and green beans. I prepared a carrot/celery/apple juice for my usual after-dinner drink.

As I proceed on this healing journey, I will be experimenting and sharing some of my good stuff! My trusty professional camera is on the breaking point so I cannot guarantee that the photos will be exceptional, however, they will showcase what a girl with limited ability can do under so much duress, pain and suffering.

My intent is to inform, inspire and motivate others to take care of their bodies that God created like gold pristine temples, not just empty gas tanks run on chemical/junk food/fast food fuel. Stay tuned for a Bone Marrow Soup recipe that I will be making next week after I travel to acquire organic lamb & beef bones. Even though I have cancer and have to triple-up on maximum nutrition, I hope that anyone who reads my blogs will appreciate my efforts to try to teach, inform, experiment and inspire others who are in a similar predicament or who just desire to start getting on a better health track.

Hope you enjoy the recipes! Click on the photos to obtain the recipes or scroll down the page on the blogroll and see them located in the “recipe” category. Au Revoir & Bon Appetite – until after my second round of chemo on Tuesday…
Take care and God bless.  :-)