"What do you eat?" "Why?"

I get that question all the time. At work, at the grocery store when people are wondering what I do with all the veggies in my buggy, around family, at get togethers when I'm the only one passing on the cake, you get the picture. As you know, I have a huge interest in Holistic Health and I'm currently in school to be a Holistic Health Practitioner. (I'm mentioning this because it plays a big part in why I eat the way I do.) Over the last three years I've been dealing with some health problems and pain and could get NO answers from any of the Doctors or Specialists I went to. I've been stuck, X-rayed, CT scanned, and more but still with no clue as to what was causing my sickness. And let me say that knowing something is very wrong with your body and NEVER getting a straight answer is very stressful! I was in so much pain that I couldn't sleep and eventually that was causing my husband to lose sleep. Then one day after one of my Doctors said "I can't find anything wrong with you, it might just be muscular", I decided that I wouldn't get any further on that side of the road and took matters into my own hands. The first thing I did was switch to Organic. Then I started eating Gluten and Dairy free, and started taking probiotics and other digestive health supplements. I noticed a difference almost instantly every time I changed my diet. The only problem was that it didn't last. I might have been Gluten and Dairy Free, but I was loading up on G-Free Brownies and Dairy Free Ice Cream and skipping dinner so I could eat them. I though "Well, as long as I'm not eating the Gluten and Dairy I'll be fine." I was wrong! After talking to some professionals about natural health and doing LOTS of research on my own, I found out that it wasn't only what I was eating, but what I wasn't eating. I was overloading my system with sugar, rice, G-free bread, meat, and some veggies (always cooked) but I was getting almost no vitamins, no minerals, no nutrients!!! And believe me, taking a Multi Vitamin once a day does NOT count! And refined sugar....I won't go there just yet. Let me get farther in my schooling and I'll give you a rundown on exactly what it does to the body. It ain't pretty!
It would be way to much to mention everything I do or don't eat, so here are the basics. I've been eating a no Gluten, no Milk, LOTS of Veggies (especially RAW) diet since January 2010. I have meat occasionally and have a few servings of fresh organic fruit daily. I juice everyday, which is an excellent way to get more raw veggies. I eat almost no refined sugar. The only sugar I get is from fresh fruit or yogurt. I do splurge and have my "Nada Moo" ice cream and dark chocolate every now and then. I know many people would say that I'm missing out on all the "Good Stuff" but I couldn't disagree more. What I'm eating is the "Good Stuff". We've just gotten so off track with all the over processed market and fast food that we crave what we are used to. My tastes in food have changed so much. I'm eating things I used to hate, and I actually enjoy eating them! I'm feeling healthier than I've felt my entire life. I have energy and I'm pain free! Believe me, it's not always easy, but it's definitely worth it!