100,000
The odometer on my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe celebrated 100,000 miles recently!
If you are unaware, my car’s engine was rebuilt this fall so it has a mere 4,000 miles on it, but this is still a fun milestone. I am holding out hope that this car has another 100,000 miles++ in it so I can pass it along to Toby someday. TOBY! Yes, I am thinking long-term here. YIKES! He will be 13 this summer, learning to drive in two short years! I know that time will be here before we know it. Thank goodness we have a couple of years because I am most certainly not ready! YIKES!!!
Do you ever feel like you have reached 100,000 miles in your life? Maybe you feel physically worn out and tired. Restless nights coupled with the aches of gradual aging creep up on us. Maybe it’s not your body, but your mind that is overwhelmed and you wonder how your brain could possibly process any more input. I remember when I was in my early Twenties and I would chuckle at the thought of “feeling” old, clearly lacking the understanding of the natural aging process. Well, I am there, and I know many of you are as well. If you are not, just know that aging is unavoidable. How you care for your body in the meantime will determine your success in restful nights of sleep and less pain through this process.
Healthy eating has been my mantra these past few years as I continue this journey of cancer-free living. I have a cupboard filled with whole food, plant-based cookbooks and recipes. A few of my favorites are:
The Essential Alkaline Diet Cookbook
Deliciously Ella Cookbooks
In addition to these specific cookbooks (which I read through in nerd-like fashion, like a regular book, and mark pages of recipes I want to try with little tabs), I also have a Pinterest board with plenty of recipes. Trying new recipes can be fun (and sometimes a little expensive if they don’t turn out). I have learned a lot about flavors and whole foods I had never heard of before. This knowledge is valuable when traveling and eating at restaurants, as they tend to find creative ways to use plants, even more than I do. I realize that my diet is a bit extreme compared to the Standard American Diet, however, I would encourage you to incorporate at least one plant-based meal each week (even if that is a salad). Then, gradually increase to a more frequent whole food, plant-based meal plan. I do believe that moderation is key and a drastic change is not necessarily the answer for every person, however, considering the state of health (or lack thereof) in the U.S. it might be worth taking steps now to get ahead of disease that may be lurking in the distance.
I honestly believe (and so does my Oncologist) that my diet has been instrumental in the outcome I have achieved while going through two cancer diagnoses and treatment. My latest CT scan and my blood tests have all come back completely clear! Praise God! I still experience a bit of anxiety heading into these tests but as they continue coming back clear I am better able to relax and trust even more that I am healed.
That being said, I hope you know you are loved! Because you are loved, you then get to pass that love on to others, and it goes on… Treat others with kindness even through your struggles. Let His love carry you through and lead you into health.
Cheers to the next 100,000 miles in this life. May they be good, restful, pain-free, and purposeful.
