🎾 The Ping-Pong of the Plate
When I decided to clean up my act and eat what I believed was good for me, I didn’t exactly leap into a kale smoothie with glee.
It felt more like a tennis match in my mind.
On one side: the angelic voice saying,
“Eat live food, love your liver!”
And on the other: a gremlin in glitter shouting,
“More chocolate and croissants! Life’s too short!”
It was Jiminy Cricket vs. Cookie Monster in a never-ending smackdown.
But nestled between “I should” and “I just want this one little thing,” was the tiniest whisper of a voice saying:
“What if food was love—not punishment?”
That question, quietly tucked under the noise of cravings and conflict, began to guide everything that followed.
🧠 Lessons from Detox (and Delivery)
Years ago, when I was a nurse, our psychiatric unit was right next to a drug detox center. I learned something profound there:
Even if your think you are ready, your body still needs time to catch up.
That wisdom stayed with me when I began to shift my eating—choosing live food, raw and unprocessed, nothing from a factory masquerading as a meal.
Then, life tossed in a plot twist.
👶🏻 Two Kids, One Mortgage, and a Co-Op
I was pregnant with my second child, we had just bought our first home, and—just months before giving birth—my husband lost his job and, with it, his motivation.
There was no income except for unemployment, which barely touched our mortgage. But instead of panicking, I stocked the freezer with homemade meals, deep-breathed like it was my job, and whispered:
“There is a solution, even if I can't see it yet.”
Then—two miracles happened.
🌿 First, three friends and I started an organic food co-op. With just a small distributor order and a whole lot of vision, we fed our families. Within a year? We were serving 500 families.
🔮 Second, I gave birth and began to breathe even more deeply. Six months later, doors opened unexpectedly as a psychic. I began earning more than I had as a nurse, working fewer hours, and spending real time with my children.
It all began with small, daily steps—and a belief that I could change, one bite, one breath, and one brave choice at a time.
🛠 Five Steps for a Soul-Fueled Clean-Up (with a wink)
1. Believe in solutions—even if they wear invisibility cloaks.
Like a game of hide-and-seek, they’re there. Even if they’re not waving a sign, “Hey! I’m behind the almond milk!”
2. Don’t let others rent space in your mind with bad advice.
When people handed me their “you-should” lists, I smiled and said,
“Thanks, but my GPS runs on soul talk and mustard greens.”
3. Replace. Don’t just remove.
Nature abhors a vacuum—and so does your snack cabinet. If you ditch the coffee but don’t add in something soothing, hello again, sugar cravings. Replace with intention.
4. Get weird with your taste buds.
My taste buds did a personality makeover. Bitter foods I used to avoid (hello, arugula and mustard greens) suddenly became cravings. Sugar had numbed my taste—but the clarity returned. Slowly, sweetly.
5. Use your calendar like a kind friend.
Each week, I’d cut back a little.
One teaspoon of sugar in tea minus a ¾… then ½… and done!
🌱 Real Life with a Dash of Humor
When my mom offered me a bundle of aluminum cookware, I told her:
“No thanks. I do what Grandma did—before toxic products widened the profit for those desiring to build manufacturing empires.”
Why?
Because I’d rather have a day of leisure than be stuck in bed with a health issue I could’ve avoided.
Plus, I like to feel I’m driving this life—not stuck in the trunk.
🔮 Soulful Wrap-Up
This newsletter isn’t really about broccoli. Or even sugar.
It’s about the sacred dance between our body and our soul.
Our bodies are the stage, but our soul is the playwright, the director, the spotlight operator.
She wants you lit up, fully present, and feeling good in your skin.
And while we can’t control everything—pollution, stress, DNA—
we can make one decision today that whispers:
“Dear Soul, you matter.”
🌟 One Step, One Swap, One Soulful Nudge
Pick one thing in your kitchen that makes you feel heavy.
Now swap it with something that makes you feel light, joyful, or whole.
Still not sure what to choose?
Close your eyes.
Breathe.
And ask:
“What would the best version of me want today?”
Then start there.
This journey wasn’t just about broccoli.
It was about belief.
About treating food like the love letter it could be.
Our body is the stage—but the soul?
She’s the playwright, director, and spotlight operator.
She wants you lit up.
Yes, the world has toxins.
Yes, we’ve got ancestral patterns and stress and stories.
But you, dear one, can still choose what fills your plate—
and what fills your heart.
Because how you treat your body
is how you tell your soul:
…“I’m listening. I’m here. I’m worth it.”
So go ahead—bless the meal, savor each bite.
Let nourishment be your love language.
Because every small choice you make in kindness to yourself?
That’s a revolution in disguise.
With big smiles and a happy heart,
Here’s to choosing love—one bite at a time!
💛 Always cheering you on,
Nancy 🌟