19 June 2013

studio view : six and a story

uprooted : 8x10 available

Uprooted is a reflection of the times in our life when hardships feel overwhelming and all that we have found secure is removed. In those times, our long-held roots feel naked and exposed and we must learn how to begin anew.

Each print is sent with love and light for those times when you feel uprooted, you are not alone.
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The uprooting winds blew in around six years ago. I was pregnant with my oldest and I remember one afternoon when I got light-headed and had to sit down. That feeling was not unusual and in that moment I made a choice that I would begin to listen to my body and figure out how to give it what it needs. 

My very first venture into listening and trying to eat healthier foods was to use a stick blender to make a green smoothie. Granted it wasn't the smoothest attempt but it worked and even though I had lots of fruit with my spinach, the fiber balanced out how my body processed it. For the first time, I understood how it felt not to have crashes and shakes. The irritability I normally felt was not present.  I was excited for this new season in my life. Of course this led to buying a powerful blender which we still use all the time. Chunky greens was fine at first but if this was going to last I needed to enjoy the process. 

The thing about listening to your body, after spending years of ignoring it, is that it tends to speak up constantly when it realizes you are giving it your full attention, or at least that is how I saw it.  I began to research how to not just help my own health issues but that of my family. You can spend a lifetime reading about what to feed your body (they all think they know the best way for you) and how to go about do that. But as time went on I got overwhelmed by the different options and plum tuckered out by all the work but will little passion to do it all.  So I relaxed on the "rules" of what came in my kitchen and more importantly what I chose to consume myself. 

Last year, I got the big wake up call. For years I have been fighting with the idea that I needed to get my fair share of the goodies that were around the house but last year I began to react to something and it was not clearing up. I sought the help of a local woman who I trusted and she gave me some direction but it still didn't clear up. I was consumed with fear. 

The thing is my reaction was in the shape of a heart. My body was shouting out for me to stop and listen to my intuition and start loving myself. My intuition guided me to stop eating gluten. It was hard, really hard but for the first time I was able to let go of  what other people could eat and begin to listen to what I needed to not eat. Not because the latest fad diet but because my body was telling me it couldn't handle it. I found ways to cook differently or to buy alternatives in the store. That is not the end of the story however. 

Right now, I'm feel completely uprooted. I look at the amazing food people are able to create with whole food. My body is giving me clear messages that I need to step up yet again to let go of part of my old diet so it can thrive not just survive. But I just don't know how. I have been in this mindset that I can't eat this and I can't eat that. It's time I let go of focusing solely on what I can't have and find the joy in eating again by finding what I can eat. When I feel lost and need direction I head to my stack of magazines. Here's what happens: 


Honestly, this scares me a bit but I'm open to finding joy in my kitchen and dining room again. So, here is to  enjoying the process again. To release my focus on the can't haves and ease into the goodnight in the morning -this is so good and my body agrees. 

This summer, my intention is to have a culinary adventure.