Day 18- Getting Extreme

Many would call this an “extreme diet.”

“With a western diet, this guarantees there are going to be about ½ million people this year in this country who will have to have the front half of their body divided, their heart exposed, then veins will be taken from their leg, then sewed on their heart. Some people would call that extreme.”
-Dr. Cal Essylstein in Forks over Knives

When I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, I was struck by the complacency of the people interviewed. I saw myself in them, heard my own excuses. When Joe asked people with serious health complications or who were extremely overweight questions like “what if eating vegetables would add 20 years to your life?” “What if you could feel better, be healthier, have energy, and get rid of your diabetes/heart disease/high blood pressure?” And nearly every person interviewed said, “nah, I need this burger too much.” Or “I don't like vegetables, but I love bacon.” Or “I want to enjoy the time I have and have fun.” I heard my own voice, saw my lips move, felt my heart break when looking at the big picture.

Are we enjoying the time that we have? Feeling exhausted all the time, knocked out by migraines, taking medications and then other medications to manage the side effects of the first one, giving ourselves shots, drowning in coffee to force ourselves through the day?

Many ask, “what do you eat?” as they picture me sadly forking piles of iceberg lettuce. If you've checked out any of the recipes, you know I'm eating just fine.

I had a little bit of gluten today. I don't even know in what form it was. Yes, it's difficult to follow this diet perfectly and everywhere. Sometimes it is necessary to bend just a bit. When dining out with my mom, I found a vegetable bean soup that was vegan, dairy free, but not gluten free. I examined it and did not see any noodles floating around. Where did they even squeeze in the gluten and why? Deciding not to drag my mom out of the restaurant and feeling very hungry for lunch at 2pm, I bent just a touch. I'm glad I didn't make myself crazy. However, if there were white starchy noodles floating around, I would have left. Noodles and bread are a huge trigger to lose my mind and quit my diet, so that's where I know I need to stay rigid. Is this a relative of that Balance I've been seeking?

But (expletive), why does it have to be so hard to find something to eat in a restaurant? Even the veggies in my salad looked fake and had no taste. The red peppers were from a jar, the guacamole was squeezed out of a bottle, the dressing tasted like chemicals, the tomatoes were more pink than red. Why is it so difficult to find real food?

I had planned to write about the need to be silly sometimes and not take ourselves so seriously. But- I'm being really honest with you here- the more I learn, the angrier I'm getting and then I dig in to learn even more. I don't feel like being silly. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Distract ourselves and “drink the kool aid” literally? Not think about the chicks in the garbage, how normal it is for experimental chemicals to be in our food? “Just smile, be nice, and eat it anyways, why do you have to be so picky?” Half the people stopped reading already, not wanting to hear it. I want to scream.

Someone tell me I'm not alone and crazy here.