Thank you for stopping by my new blog, Genuine. I chose genuine as the name of my blog, (with the help of my daughter) because to me it means true, right, and pure. As a Christian woman that’s what I want to be. True in my faith, right in my convictions and pure in my walk with Christ.
I hope you find the things I say helpful in your life as they have been helpful to me. I hope my journey as a wife, mom of 2 teens, and our trip to the land of 80/20 no processed food, mostly sugar free and getting rid of as many toxins in our home and life as I can manage without too much of an argument from the kids is useful to you. (sorry for the run on sentence) I hope to learn much more from you as well.
A few years ago, my dad started declining quickly. He was a 30 year type 2 diabetic who took his meds and did’t change much else. His health didn’t last long. I had spent a few weeks with my parents the summer he was loosing parts of his leg. When I got home, I went off the deep end and started tossing out the crap from my kitchen. I spent 5 hours one afternoon in the grocery store just reading labels. I was shocked that there was high fructose corn syrup in my dill pickles and bread. I hated the fact that most of the food I fed my most precious ones, was full of ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce. I just didn’t understand. I had been reading blog after blog and post after post about how bad that was. How it affects our bodies and how it can lead to type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Boy was I on a soapbox after reading that.
Since then, I have been able to rein myself in and get my husband Jeffrey on board as well. (He wasn’t too happy at first about me spending $5 or more on a loaf of bread or a half gallon of milk.). I still read labels on everything, and there are tons of other ingredients and chemicals that I cut back way low or have cut out completely. I learned from stacymakescents not to toss out everything all at once, because it cost money. It’s super hard though, when you find that what you have in your cabinets can actually harm you and your family.
I also learned from another blog, which I can’t remember where I got it from, but to live life at an 80/20 status. Eat healthy, clean foods 80% of the time and accept that 20% of the time may be a wash. It was those two things that calmed me down and helped me look at things in a realistic manner. I really don’t want to waste money, because frugal living is important to me as well as good healthy food and cleaners. The great thing is, I love to cook, try new things and tweak them to fit our needs.
Now, I know that there are some who won’t agree on even the 80/20 and that’s okay. It was just one of those things that gave me peace, because let’s be honest, tossing out everything, shopping completely organic, non-gmo and local can be more costly than hitting Walmart in the big town up the highway. I have learned to go with 1 or 2 or 5 things at a time instead of all at once.
Living this was is a process and I’ve started a bit late in the lives of my teens. It would have been much easier if they were 2 again, but they are almost grown and out on their own. Me never buying Kraft Mac and Cheese almost killed them. lol. However, on occasion I buy Annies, or Trader Joes mac and cheese as a treat. I hope that my changes can still make a difference for them as they move out on their own.
I know I have a lot to learn about a clean life style and blogging, but I hope you will join me on this journey. I hope I can encourage you in your journey as well.
♥Sabrina
keystothegenuinelife.com 