My name is Amy, I am 50 years old, the mother of 3, divorced, 289 lbs, a Veteran of the US Air Force, and I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! I have to make some drastic changes in my life and I have started this blog to document my journey.
I am wondering if what I eat (the Standard American Diet or SAD) is what is making me sick and tired...and fat for that matter. I suffer from depression, anxiety, IBS, hypothyroidism, chronic pain, allergies, migraines, sleep apnea, fatigue, morbid obesity, and I'm going through menopause! Yeah, it's not fun being me.
Modern Medicine has no answers for me, only pharmaceuticals. All of the doctor's I have seen for my many illnesses have all assured me that what I eat has no effect on anything (except my weight but their answer to that is low fat or no fat versions of what I already eat). The Government agrees, in fact the USDA recommendations mirror the medical establishment. Eat more low fat meat and dairy, you need milk for strong bones, you can't get enough protein from plants.
I've been taking that advice for most of my life. I've eaten low fat, or no fat processed food, sugar, refined and processed stuff that no longer has any taste or nutrition so they add chemicals to give it flavor and color and isolated vitamins and minerals. Is this why I am so sick and tired?
I'm going to try following some other advice and see if it makes a difference. I know it's not going to be easy. This isn't my first rodeo, as they say; and I've never stuck with it. But I'm miserable and I have to try again. "If at first you don't succeed..." and all that.
I have another challenge as well. I'm broke! My job covers the bare necessities for myself and my kids but no extra. I would love to by all of the beautiful organic food at Whole Foods, but it's not possible on my income. But I'm going to give it a shot, do what I can, and see what happens.
