Home Sweet *Healthy* Home

Home sweet home.

I've been here for a couple of weeks now after spending a month in Maine. Being away from home for awhile gives a new perspective on home. Almost every time I go on a trip, I try to incorporate my favorite things I discover or enjoy back into my "normal" life. One of those things is a fresher, healthier diet.

I went gluten free on the trip. Doing so made me feel better and I dropped a few pounds. I ate more fresh veggies, salads and local foods in Maine, which I'm trying to do now that I'm back home. It's been expensive, but worth it. My priorities with food are:
1. Healthy (i.e. FRESH, not processed)
2. Local (I'm trying to eat foods grown/produced as close to home as possible)
3. Organic (Please--we're subjected to enough chemicals daily, must we ingest it with our food?)

Healthy is easy...fresh foods, not processed. It means more cooking and prep work for me, but I don't mind. It's a labor of love--a way to honor my own body, and to honor my family.

Local is challenging, but possible. It's a way to reduce our carbon footprint on the Earth (less shipping). I've enjoyed shopping at the Mississippi Farmer's Market at the fairgrounds, and last Thursday, I went to the new Livingston Market at the end of Hwy. 463. It's wonderful, and easy to find great organic produce, as well as treats like black bean hummus, polenta and local honey.

I actually bought a share of a grassfed cow which is currently grazing on chemical-free grass just a couple of miles up the road of my  house. This fall, I'll have steaks, roasts, ground beef and more in my freezer. If you've never tasted grassfed beef, you're missing out! It's actually higher in Omega-3's than salmon!

Finally, organic. No pesticides. No fertilizers. Yet, it's way more expensive in the grocery stores. But at the farmer's markets, the price is right and the farmers I've met are wonderful!

There are no true "farm-to-table" restaurants in Mississippi, but plenty of local restauranteurs are making the effort to purchase from local farmers and the results are amazing! I wish they could all take a cue from Christina Sidoti of Paolina's Way, the number four farm-to-table restaurant in North America. I had the pleasure of eating in Christina's beautiful restaurant in Camden the night before we left Maine. The restaurant has its own farm. I was a little concerned at first, because their specialties are wood fired pizza, pastas and breads.

Since my diet is now gluten-free, that didn't leave many options. But Christina told me they could make a gluten-free pizza crust, and I can testify that the results were fabulous!

I'm slowly getting back to reality...working, writing, yoga, bookclub...it hasn't been that hard (except for the HEAT!). A month is a long time to be away, so it's good to see friends and family again. Larry did a great job holding things together here, but he was ready for me to get home! His turn to relax comes next...I'm thinking kayaking and relaxing at a friend's lakehouse is in our near future.

I'm still hula hooping--in the privacy of my backyard. It really is a wonderful way to whittle your waistline! If you want a real workout, both of my children are working hard to earn a living while helping others achieve their fitness goals. Nicole is teaching "Yoga Meets Dance" every Tuesday evening at 7:15pm at Joyflow Yoga in Ridgeland. Just $10 for a fun, invigorating class...no dance or yoga experience necessary. Drop ins are welcomed!

Joe is a personal trainer at the Courthouse on Lakeland, and he can put together a plan to suit your fitness needs. Give him a call at 601-383-2545 to schedule an appointment. You do NOT have to be a member of the Courthouse to train there with Joe.

I challenge you all to honor yourselves by eating healthy, especially now when so many wonderful fruits and veggies are available in abundance--and beat the heat by exercising indoors with either Nicole or Joe.

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan