International No Diet Day. I\u2019ve been trying to cut out sugar, other carbs, and meat. I became a vegetarian when I was sixteen but slipped in my early twenties and flip flopped for years. (I know a lot of vegetarians who, like me, adore bacon.) My diet has changed drastically in the past 30 years\u2014most things I used to eat and loved no longer sit well with me. Used to be nothing was as heavenly as a hot cup of coffee. But caffeine made my stomach ache and the lack of it made my head ache (I\u2019m not even safe with decaf). I stopped drinking coffee 27 years ago because I didn\u2019t want to be knocked around by an abusive substance. Some of my no-no foods one would think were healthy, such as brown rice, lentils, beans, and certain vegetables. I understand carrots are loaded with sugar; my A1C lingers in the pre-diabetic range, and I used eat bags of carrots a week. Just kick me in the teeth, why don\u2019t you? I love other root vegetables too, but alas, the glycemic index, it\u2019s a killer! I love bread and cheese but can no longer stomach wheat or dairy. What is the point of life if ice cream makes you ill?<\/p>\n
A plant-based diet is pretty much healthy for most people, not to mention the planet. I\u2019m about 90% vegetarian and feel better for it, except I sometimes slip. The funny thing is, slipping for me is having carrots or roast beets on my salad, or a thick slice of exceptional whole grain bread bursting with nuts and seeds, or olives, tomatoes, and artisanal cheese. It\u2019s not like I gorge on donuts (gut bombs) or drink soda (yuck) or get a bucket of fried chicken for take-out (well, not frequently anyway). I\u2019ve been listening to an audio book series featuring French Canadians, and whenever there\u2019s a meal scene, I drool and lament: a hunk of baguette smothered in brie and a glass of red wine to wash it down; pain au chocolate with a steaming cup of coffee, frothy with fresh cream; yogurt drizzled in honey and topped with fresh berries. Where is the mercy?<\/p>\n
Speaking of mercy, it\u2019s also National Day of Prayer (deliberately juxtaposed to Cinco de Maya celebrations?), and so my prayer today is this:<\/p>\n
Now I sit me down to eat, I pray thee Lord my food to keep. If I should die from what I munch, I pray thee Lord, just let my last meal be a bowl of chocolate-cherry ice cream.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"