The Beginning

IT ALL BEGAN WITH A GLASS OF WATER

As many of you know, my friend Bailey and Daniel began a challenge a couple weeks back. It was a practice of self-discipline, a way to better one’s life through restraint. What was this strenuous task? For 31 days, the only liquid they could consume was water. No coffee, alcohol, coke (for those of you outside of Texas, “pop” or “soda), juice, milk, zip, zilch, nada. Just that stuff that makes up about 60% of our bodies and covers about 70% of our planet. I guess that water is a semi important element.

The two are now roughly halfway through their H₂O endeavors and to say that they are reaping the benefits, might be considered an understatement. In Bailey’s blog she claims that she has more energy, is more productive, sleeps better, craves sugar less, has noticed an elevation in her mood, is able to make better/clearer decisions, and is more focused and self aware. Not to mention that home girl has lost 4.4 pounds in 16 days!

Oh water, earth's magical concoction.

I have been tempted throughout Bailey and Daniel’s journey to jump on the bandwagon, but I’m going to be honest, it is my addiction to coffee that holds me back. I am self taught in the realm of nutrition, and I will make the argument that I know more than your average bear about what is healthy and why. I do my best to adhere to the guidelines of what modern science and thousands of years of human practice declares as healthy. But a study could come out claiming that coffee will make you grow a third nipple, and I simply will not give up on my morning cup of joe. Gross? Don’t care.

ENTER JENNY

Yesterday, Bailey declared that operation 31 Days Without has become too easy, so she has added to the challenge (this is where I come in). For the next 31 days, on top of her water fast, Bailey and I will be eating only real foods. If you are thinking, “Real food? What other kind of food is there?”, then I’m sorry to say that you might be a victim of our society’s obscured view on how to fuel our bodies with pseudo-foods. The list of Bailey’s stipulations are on her blog at http://thirtyonedayswithout.blogspot.com/. However, I will be making a few adjustments to my list:

· All vegetables and fruits are fair game (including root veggies).

· I will be eating breads, pastas, and all forms of complex carbs, but if the ingredients read “enriched” anything, then sorry Charlie, my stomach ain’t the home for you.

· Some prepackaged foods are ok (i.e. select cereals, yogurt, etc.), but again I turn to the ingredients. If I can’t pronounce a word or don’t know what it is, then it is off limits. Damn, I’m not sure how I will live without my daily dose of “azodicarbonamide”.

· I will allow myself sugar. I do not eat much of it, but I can’t deny that everyone needs an occasional sugar fix. Put me in a place of deprivation and just wait to see how quickly the pendulum swings the other way. As long as the sugar is unbleached, is in the form of honey or guava, is not an “artificial sweetener", and is used sparingly, I have zero qualms.

Other than that, Bailey and I are on the same page. We’re basically following the gist of the “eating clean” lifestyle.

WHY CALL IT “BACK TO THE BASICS OF HEALTH”?

As members of the animal kingdom, feeding ourselves is one of our basic instinctive drives. It is apart of the Four F’s joined by fighting, fleeing, and reproducing. I’ll let you take a second to think of how the fourth “F” comes into play…. Ok then. Eating is a basic daily activity that we must engage in to survive (uh, duh). Food is our energy input and the quality of that food has a direct correlation with our energy output. Optimal quality energy in, optimal quality energy out, optimal quality life. We are, in so many ways, what we eat.

Food is also the best basic form of preventative medicine we have. If you really want that processed, chemically altered, carcinogenic meal, then fine. Have a cup of cancer on the side. But I choose the path less health risk, and more, albeit at times, challenging but in everyway, rewarding. Nothing worth having, comes easy. Choice is another basic right we have as individuals and I choose the best life for me.

So here I am. Here’s to 31 days of breaking harmful, bad habits. Here’s to 31 days of quality.