Hello!! Welcome to my blog. My name is Al and I live on Maui with my husband Zach. I am 25 years old, and began my health journey about 5 years ago. This blog is to document everything I’ve learned on improving my health.
Like many others, I grew up in the 90s’/early 2000s’ when health wasn’t exactly a popular trend. I remember the familiar sounds at my elementary school lunch table: the crinkle of tin foil being unwrapped from Hostess Ding Dongs, kids bartering with one another trading Chips Ahoy cookies for Oreos, the thump of carrots being tossed into the trash can. Okay maybe the last one is an exaggeration, but the first two I distinctly remember.
Over the years, as Diabetes was on the rise and obesity became common, people began to care more about what they put into their bodies. By the time I was in high school, my family was eating much healthier, but I knew I still had a ways to go.
*Keep in mind, I wasn’t constantly fed junk. My mom made home-cooked meals every night, and we got a decent amount of fruits and vegetables. However, our snacks and a big chunk of our lunches were processed, and I couldn’t pronounce most of the ingredients.
I didn’t really take control of my health until I started cooking for myself in college. I did some research, and began reading the backs of labels; quickly eliminating anything with trans fats (hydrogenated oils) or high fructose corn syrup.
By my second year of college I had transferred to a school on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Fresh fruits were abundant, and since I was poor, produce was the cheapest food to buy. I started centering my breakfasts around fruits and my lunches and dinners around fresh vegetables. I was feeling good, and had more energy than ever before.
After I moved to San Diego and got married, I began cooking homemade meals every night. Grocery shopping and cooking for two really helped me make the best food choices for Zach and I. We started eating less meat and cheese. Zach switched from whole milk to soy milk. We stopped eating eggs. We learned how to cook amazing crispy tofu and roast the best sweet potato fries. Now we eat 100% plant based at home! We love how we feel and are so proud of the changes we’ve made.
I found out information that changed my life and how I feel. I hope to spread that information to you so that you can make small changes that will change everything.
For more health tips and recipes, follow me on Instagram @healthbyal
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