passion makes perfect
To my beautiful readers,
I often find it's helpful in this crazy world to take a step
back and think: what drives me to do what I do? Then I
remember why I have the passion to help others better their
health to prolong their lives, as it is so simple to do with the
right directions.
My motivation to enhance the lives of others' health has been instilled in me since the summer of 2002, right before my twelfth birthday. My mother announced to the family she had been diagnosed with type-two diabetes. She immediately changed her way of eating before her life became any more at risk.
My family of four never had dinner at the table together. It was common to have a bucket of KFC on the kitchen counter all night, and noticing it empty in the morning without seeing one another at all.
Our cabinets were overloaded with white starchy foods: pasta, hamburger helper, rice-a-roni, and sugary foods loaded with high-fructose corn syrups: sugar-filled cereals, spaghetti-O's, cookies, and candy, to name a few. If I dared open the refrigerator, overwhelming amounts of Coca-Cola, refined juices, and week-old take-out containers would stare back at me. My parents were raising walking heart attacks without even knowing it.
At 12 years old, I demanded change. I didn't have my family on board with me; they were living lives with jam-packed schedules and not much money- fast food was a simple solution. I began reading articles about the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup and hidden sugars in foods filling the kitchen shelves in my home.
Little by little, I made small changes to benefit my own health. I went to the grocery store weekly with my mother and each time we'd make simple changes together. We added whole grain breads and pasta in exchange for refined white starches, purchased fruits and vegetables, and replaced soda with sparkling water. The family was upset at first about the new “diet” but got used to it over time. Now it isn't a diet- it's a lifestyle.
Simple changes can save lives, and I'm thankful my motivation was able to save my mother's. This month's issue is focused on making small, realistic changes to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Michelle Burke
Michelle Burke, Editor
from the editor