Gluten Free, Organic and Grandma...

  I'm slowly getting the hang of a gluten free menu. The taste not so much, but we're working on that. I can see that if this is going to be his diet I will be doing more cooking than normal. Gone are the rushed morning where he would eat a bagel or dry cereal in the car. This is probably all for the best because I should always make time to sit down and eat a real breakfast with Mason. The frustrating part is that he usually doesn't even want whatever I've taken the time to make him. (Gluten free or not)
  Along this journey I've taken the time to read the ingredients in almost every food I currently have or have picked out in the grocery store. This has been a real eye opener! It has made me realize something I knew but ignored for convince and taste sake. Let's be real, 90% of food in the aisles of grocery stores are so packed with chemicals/acids and other unnatural ingredients it's no wonder so many people are unhealthy. By sticking to the the outsides of the store while shopping you're basically shopping in the produce, meat, dairy and bread sections. I've also been so disgusted with my findings in all this food research that I have been making the change to more organic choices. Especially milk! If you're a milk drinker or your child is I can not stress enough to buy organic! I feel like I've been serving Mason a little bit of poison with each glass before switching to organic. (Ok I may be exaggerating a tad, but not much).  Produce and meat are the next big chemical/steriod holders. It does take more time and it does cost a little more, but in the end you can't put a cost of your family's health.
   I often think of my grandma. She will soon be 89 and is in basically perfect health. Yeah she's a little slow and a little forgetful but she's almost 89! She's never had cancer, allergies etc (knock on wood, i feel like I'm possibly jinxing her).
  Now a days not too many people make it through their life with this good of health. So, what has made her so fortunate? I believe our family can thank genetics for some, but I also think it's something else in particular with her. For most of her life she's had a garden and canned a lot of food. They also use to raise their own beef. She's always been active and a hard worker. Another thing I take into consideration is that there wasn't a McDonalds and Starbucks at every corner offering to serve her a helping of processed foods and chemicals since she was a child. I think she has basically ate natural organic foods without really thinking about it for the majority of her life because that's all there was.
  Yes, you may think I've gone to the extreme on this subject so let me clarify a little. I drink Starbucks more than I should. I still eat things that I know are not the best choice and I used to take Mason to fast food chains. My grandma shops at regular grocery stores and eats things that are not organic or all natural. I just think in comparison we have a lot more unhealthy choices than she did. I also think if everyone could eat homegrown natural food like when Gram's was growing up more people might be as fortunate to have better health like her.
   I can only pray that when I'm 89 I'm doing as well as she is....
   Until then, Mason will continue Gluten Free because his rash has gone away everywhere except one spot on his leg. I will continue to make the transition to organic a little at a time, but I know for now Starbucks will continue to be my guilty pleasure...