Meyer Lemon

A couple of days ago I went to Costco (as I do quite often) and in the produce section noticed they had Meyer Lemons.  I recognized the name and remembered hearing something amazing about them.  I still have no clue as to what that amazing thing was, but knew I must try them.  So into the basket they went.

When I got home and looked at the lemons, the first thing I noticed was their gorgeous color, deep yellow with a hint of orange.  The second thing I noticed was how full and plump they were.   I pulled out my cutting board and knife and sliced into one.  The skin was nice and thick. The inside was bright, juicy, and fragrant.  I reached into the cupboard for a glass and filled it with ice.  After removing the seeds from the lemon halves, I squeezed each half into the glass.  I then opened a bottle of Perrier Sparkling Mineral Water and poured the liquid into the glass over the lemon juice.  After a quick stir, I took my first drink.  Cold, crisp, fizzy, lemony, and tart.  Delightful!!

Whatever it was that I heard about these wonderful lemons in the past does not matter because now I have my own "amazing" thought of Meyer Lemons. 

Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is such a simple meal to make, yet it is so nutritious. I love meals like this that are so healthy and filling, yet super easy from start to finish.  Of course I have added a few extra ingredients to mine for a little extra flavor and nutrition.  You can either cook this in a pot on the stove or put the ingredients in the slow cooker and have it ready when you get home from a busy day.  Try it out and see what you think!

1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic
16 ounces dry split peas, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked ham, diced

In a large pot, saute the onions and carrots in olive oil until soft.  Add the garlic and saute for a minute more while stirring.   Add in the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Once the soup begins to boil cover and turn the heat down to low.  Let simmer for about an hour or until the peas are soft.  Make sure you stir it every so often so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  If the soup thickens too much add a little more water until you reach the desired consistency.  Enjoy!

Follow up appointment

This morning, while visiting other blogs and catching up on the news of my fellow bloggers, it occurred to me that I have not followed up on the February 1st visit to my Rheumatologist.  In my post, Just Get Moving, I had shared with you that due to returning back to my bad eating habits, I was in a great deal of physical pain.  My doctor was not at all on board with my view of treating my RA through diet and wanted me to inject myself weekly with an RA treatment.  I absolutely did not want to add another medication with the many side effects, so we made a deal that I would eat right and return to him on February 1st to show the results.  Of course, any challenge is quite motivating to me, so once again I completely overhauled my diet. 

I am very pleased to say that I am pain free once again.  My doctor was absolutely in shock and thanked me for showing him that nutrition can make a huge difference in healing.  It is quite a challenge to eat for healing and sometimes I fail.  As long as I remain true to eating correctly the majority of the time, I feel great. 

There is one thing that is so very important in nutritional healing where RA is concerned.  People talk to me about the changes they have made and yet they do not notice a big difference.  The problem is that they make a few dietary changes, but still hang on to some of the old eating habits.  It has to be all or nothing.  If you truly desire healing you can not just dip your toe into the water and expect results.  You must jump in all the way.  For instance, let's say that you switch to whole grains and make a fantastic oatmeal cookie recipe that has whole wheat flour for added fiber, plus cinnamon and ginger that are anti-inflammatory.  Those are wonderful choices!  However, if you use shortening or margarine in the same recipe you are sabotaging your efforts because those are both very inflammatory. 

Look through your cupboards, pantry, refrigerator.  What do you see?  If it is processed, full of omega 6 fats, white flour, white sugar, or if you simply cannot pronounce or recognize the ingredients on the label....don't eat it.  Eating whole foods that nourish and strengthen your body can be delicious.  God created our bodies and gave us the food to nourish it.  Man has processed and changed the food so much that our bodies are breaking down.  If you want to make changes and feel alone and need encouragement, please feel free to contact me.  I am definitely not an expert but I am on a lifelong journey to wellness. 

I am closing this post with a quote I have used before from Kevin R. Stone, MD, "The way you live directly affects your joints.  The healthier your lifestyle, the healthier your joints."