why is my life bohemian?

For the part year since Noah was born I have become so much more passionate about organic food and holistic health. Now I was pretty into it beforehand, so that's really saying something. There's not much else that has been as life-changing for me (birth of child and marriage to husband not included) as the realisation that each and every one of us needs to take responsibility and control of our own well-being.


Now don't worry, nothing irritates me more that a holier-than-thou preacher so you won't be getting any of that from me, but I do think it is important for everyone to realise just how much what you eat (and especially what you don't eat) affects every part of your health. I could never emphasise enough just how important it is to skip conventional produce, pay that little bit extra and go organic. How we need to eat vegetables, greens, fruits and wholegrains everyday to fuel our body and immune system. How we seem to have forgotten that food is our medicine, and we can't expect to be healthy and have the ability to fight disease if we don't give our bodies the tools they need to do it. And let me tell you right now, a six-week old apple from Coles or a Woolies frozen meal is just not going to cut it.


There. I said it. I'm jumping off my soapbox now and I don't plan to hop back on any time soon. I don't know about you, but it can be pretty hard for me to find time to cook from scratch Every. Single. Day. What works in this household is a whole lotta planning and a few ground rules: A ban on (most) processed foods. Cooking every meal myself (with the exception of Friday nights which will forever remain take-away domain). Buying organic. Green smoothies. There are other things - bigger lifestyle changes - that I have adopted on the way and are constantly evolving: More vegetarian meals. Limiting dairy (click here for some interesting links if you're curious why). Growing some of our own produce. It really never ends. There is always something new to improve on, and that is why I find it all so satisfying to learn about and so important to spread the word. Ignoring the elephant in the supermarket aisle ain't helping anyone.


Is there a name for this kind of way of thinking? Not that I know of. How do I define myself? I don't. I had a conversation with a friend recently discussing food and nutrition, wondering which would be the best diet to follow for optimal health. Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw... And you know, I think they all have their place, but there are parts of every diet that has nutritional pitfalls as well as benefits. I feel that defining my lifestyle is extremely limiting, but more importantly, it places too much pressure. Life is to be enjoyed, and food is one of the best ways to do it. All I can do is aim to make conscious decisions every day and don't stress too much when life gets in the way. There is always tomorrow, and it is never too late to make it right.