Making Hard
Changes With a Smile
Many friends and clients ask, “How can I change the way my
family eats after feeding them the same way for so many years?” My answer is always: “Go slow, introduce
fruits and vegetables gradually, and do the best you can at that given
moment.” At the end of the day, changing
the way your family eats is not an easy task!
Here is one friend’s story.
In high school Tricia lit up the hallways with her warm
heart and genuine smile. Ask anyone
from Huntington High School’s class of ‘93, “Who is the most genuinely happy
person you know?” Their answer would likely
be Tricia Russo.
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| Blake Woodworth on left Tricia Miller on right learning about hemp seeds |
Now, Tricia Miller (formerly Russo) is igniting that love
and happiness in her kitchen. With her newfound passion for giving her family
good quality food, Tricia shared with me her journey for changing the way she
feeds herself and family.
Tricia’s path to change began with her sister’s
recommendation to watch, “Forks Over
Knives” by Lee Fulkerson and “Hungry
for Change” by James Colquhoun and Laurentine Bosch. After watching these films and attending one
of my Taste and Talks, Patricia
gained a clear understanding of what it means to feed her family good quality,
organic, whole foods. “My desire for change was that I became aware
of what Americans are actually eating.”
A year ago Tricia prepared many refined foods and was not clear on why buying organic
and GMO free was so important. “We ate more white flours. For example,
pasta, pancakes and we ate any kind of whole wheat bread. I tried baking with
whole wheat thinking it was the best and we ate less veggies and fruits. I
thought we needed to have a starch with our dinner and/or all meals.”
What
I love about Tricia’s story is that she did not do a complete overhaul. She substituted her everyday foods for
healthier versions and added in fruits and vegetables. Here are some of the changes she has made:
1.)
She substituted her pancake mix with Bob’s Red Mill, made with organic brown rice
flour and other whole grain flour, and for other quick breakfast options she
uses Vans
products.
3.)
More fruits and vegetables have been incorporated into the family’s
day. Breakfast includes a green smoothie
and dinner always has a green vegetable.
5.)
Oreos and other foods with artificial sweeteners, coloring and
flavors have been removed from the cupboards.
Tricia and her kids worked together to find healthy substitutes.
My favorite part of Tricia’s
story is how she involves her children.
She has involved them in reading labels and understanding why fruits and
vegetables are so important for the body and why it is important to buy
organic. Her kids don’t always eat what
is presented but she continues to expose and educate her family on the
importance of eating good quality whole foods.
“Getting the kids to drink
green juice and eat green veggies started with TEARS but I
was persistent!!” Everyday for a month her son Alex ate one
crumb of broccoli. Eventually she got
him to take one bite and now he eats it without a fuss!
Tricia
admits she spends more on food since having gone organic and incorporating coconut
products to replace some of the dairy in her home. But Tricia and her husband think the changes
are worth it. She continues to shop at
Stop and Shop but is more aware of reading labels and seeking out organic
produce and meats. Tricia shops the
perimeter of the food store and when she goes into the middle it is for the
natural section only. She is a able to
save by buying some organic products at BJ’s.
I
would like to say a special thanks to Tricia for opening up to me about her
family’s journey to a healthier lifestyle.
I hope Tricia’s honesty and evident determination inspires others who
are on this path. I know she has
inspired me!
This is the first of many
stories I hope to share with you. Making
changes to how we live is not an easy task.
If you are interested in sharing your story, please let me know!
Love deeply and eat mindfully,
Kim Gilroy – kimgilroyinsideout.com
