The Road to Perfection is Long and Winding

Sitting here sipping an organic latte and feeling all is right in my world. I love these moments. My daughter is still here and she is still slumbering just down the hall - her presence a comfort to me. I love the early mornings here. The birds are my alarm and the cooler temps are so welcome and interestingly uplifting my mood and energy levels. In addition to these simple pleasures, the salad garden I planted about 3 weeks ago is starting to flourish and for the last two  mornings I have been able to harvest some soft fresh arugula and spinach leaves to have on my breakfast sandwich.

That's right. A breakfast sandwich. Two slices of toasted Helga's Sunflower and Red Quinoa bread (gluten-free of course!), smashed avocado, my baby garden greens, one sliced free range organic hard boiled egg, freshly ground pink Himalayan salt, cracked pepper and a few freshly picked basil leaves. I could eat this for any meal really - but is is a great breakfast or lunch.

I think back to my childhood breakfasts of  a slice of white toast with butter and jam or a bowl of some sugar coated cereal and shudder now. Not surprisingly, as a child, I was plagued  with ear infections and throat maladies and colds. All that sugar was depleting my immune system. We knew nothing about that back then. Just like we knew nothing about the dangers of smoking and I did that for a time as well. I have become a firm believer in the connection between nutrition and health. My own brother has reversed his lymphoma by going Vegan. 

However, I digress. Back to my breakfast. Not only is every bite delicious, but I swear I can feel myself get healthier with each swallow of this nutritious powerhouse. It just occurred to me that I could add some fresh tomato slices as well. Maybe tomorrow. My tomato harvest was not as abundant as I had hoped but there were a couple to pick each day, albeit on the small side. It was my first attempt in many years to grow my own tomatoes and between the unfamiliar climate and soil conditions, I suppose I should not be too self-critical.  At least I succeeded in keeping them alive and they actually produced some fruits! 

Knowing where my food has been grown and more importantly HOW it has been grown is becoming more and more important to me. I barely need to give my own veggies a rinse to knock off the dust and sometimes I just stand in the garden and give a tomato a rub on my sleeve and eat it standing in the sun knowing it is free of pesticides. I find myself in the grocery store observing all the flawless produce wondering how it ended up so unblemished.  I try to buy organic as much as possible, especially apples, as they are notoriously heavily sprayed for commercial consumption. The adage that an apple a day may keep the doctor away may be true for apples that are not doused in toxins, but sadly, the majority are.

It is a journey of healthy living that I have been on for many years now and I am far from perfecting the ideal. Old habits are hard to break. I do still indulge in less than healthy foods from time to time. I kid myself with organic potato chips and organic dark chocolate, justifying my indulgences with the fact they are what I call "healthy junk food". And for all intents and purposes, they are, but they are still unnecessary calories in the end. And then of course there is wine. More empty calories. The thought of giving it up crosses my mind constantly. So far, it remains a thought. Seems the road to perfection is paved with Golden Chardonnay coloured bricks lined with Burgundy and Merlot houses with Pink Chablis shutters. 

Maybe if and when I ever reach the great and powerful wizard he will tell me I was meant to enjoy that road and I will be able to assure him I did.

.....hmmm, maybe organic wine is the answer. ;-)