so many incredibly smart speakers, i learned stuff, i felt motivated by some, i had fun seeing friends, i enjoyed the vegan lunch provided by whole foods.
By the way, thanks to the power of social media & twitter the vegetarian planned lunch was changed to vegan after I and a couple of others asked about it on twitter! Yaaayya.
Anyway - really two people impacted me the most and i would have felt satisfied at that....
Robyn O'Brian - talked about "The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It." - I know this stuff, but listening to the time line of when our govt started introducing hormones and shit into our food, and thinking about what it means, i really do wonder if this is the root of my getting cancer. When i first became vegetarian, which is right around when the hormone adding started - i didn't know as much about food as i do now, i didn't cook, i thought tofu & soy milk were the it food, the protein replacement. Plus i still ate a ton of dairy. Maybe more as it also became my primary protein. Dairy & Soy - the MOST hormone modified foods. I'm not gonna dwell, or regret, or bemoan. But it is shocking. And I will continue with more determination my path of mindful eating & smart healthy choices (check out my other blog about cooking from the local organic produce delivery Vegan Greenling)
The other speaker that i adored was Gilbert Tuhabonye - if you live in austin, and especially if you are a runner you probably know of him. Founder of the running training group The Gazelles. Google him & his story of survival & running to live - it's AMAZING, he's really inspiring, and i knew his story before this. but it was the first few minutes of his talk that just blew me away, it was all i needed. His motto is "run with joy" - and when he came out he led with that vibe and the joy radiated from him. I believe him. And i feel that. And i want that. I want to appreicate that always.
sometimes it really is the tragedies that make that immense joy so possible, i'm grateful for that.
I had osteosarcoma when I was 14 and I often think about how food could have been the cause. We grew up in the Cheez-Whiz/Vienna Sausage/Kool-Aid Nation of the 70s & 80s (no food in the food!). I became vegetarian after my surgeries in 1987 and have made it a priority to educate myself, be constantly aware and conscious of what goes in my body, and pass the torch to my daughter. REALLY grateful that there's a committed movement across the globe for people to go back to the food basics. I think (and hope) we'll see a shift towards better health as a result.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to watch Robyn's and Gilbert's presentations when they're posted. Thank you for sharing.
-jr
Nanette,
ReplyDeleteEven though I am not a vegan and not nearly as fastidious as you are with your diet, reading your post is a good reminder to be conscious of what IS in the food I buy.
Just from reading a few of your Greenling blog posts, I've been choosing healthier options lately. More organic food items, less meat and dairy and my body has been thanking me for it.
Not sure you will ever know WHY you got cancer. I am, however, thankful you are looking healthy these days. You would not believe how many folks have mentioned they like your short hairstyle (even if it is involuntary). I like it too. :)
look at you, you hotness!
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