Now, more than 20 years and thousands of bottles of diet pop later, I am giving it up for good. I gave it up the previous two years for Lent but I always snuck back to the nasty habit of drinking it again by summertime. This year – it’s going to be gone for good! I’ve substituted just water and occasionally hot tea or homemade iced tea. No heavy sugar fruit juices (I’ve never liked apple or orange juice) and I’ve tried a few of the “low sugar” fruit drinks but really I just don’t care for them. I prefer to eat my calories rather than drink them!

My headaches this past week have been horrible. I, too, avoid gluten (due to anemia that only clears up after I cut out gluten – took me years to figure that one out!) but again, I start sneaking it back in and next think you know I’m eating a baguette while driving home only to find I’m completely winded walking from the car to the house.

So, no more pop and no more gluten. I don’t fully appreciate how great I feel when I do adhere to this…and then go off the wagon and feel like crap for weeks while I try to crawl back on the wagon.

Good luck to you – it’s not easy to start new habits, but we have willpower!

Fairly soon I intend to attempt making my own kombucha mushroom and, if successful, will then make my own kombucha. I’ve tried it, unsweetened mind you, and it tasted fine and was fizzy enough to make a good soda substitute. And it works to provide probiotics if you’re dairy-sensitive.

Now you can start a food blog and show us all the yummy things you come up with. After all, this is how we foodbloggers cook, for the most part. Little, if any, processed stuff. I never buy breakfast cereal–my husband grabs one or two hard boiled eggs on the way out the door to nosh at his desk, and I like to keep homemade granola on-hand (sweetened with agave nectar for me, but honey & maple syrup also work).

I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t really know how to make a meal with processed food products. Other than boxed mac & cheese, what is there?

We try to make our meals from basic, fresh ingredients– tastes better, healthier, and frugal.

To keep from foraging, esp. when something unexpected comes up and you can’t prepare what you have planned, keep homemade frozen or partially prepared foods on hand or remember very basic recipies that can be quickly made with a few ingredients ex. an egg frittata.

I am interested in trying Nourishing Traditions as well – found it for a really great price on Jessica’s Biscuit/ecookbooks, as well as all the other books everyone mentioned:

http://www.ecookbooks.com/show.....traditions

Not only was your stuff great, but many great comments.

Totally moderation. I’m not a huge splenda fan, but I’m guessing it’s better than some of the alternatives, but too much of even splenda can’t be good, so, I’ll shoot for balance too.

I loved the energy comment. Don’t be tricked by low quality grains. There is a difference between red and white wheat;)

Tea was a nice alternative to coke for me, along with good ol’ H2O.

Thanks for the great share!