Our daughter Olivia was diagnosed with high functioning autism at two and a half years of age. Immediately, we were advised to put her on the gluten free/casein free diet. It was quite a challenge because the only foods she wanted to eat were made up, of course, of milk and wheat.

At the time, we lived in a small town that did not have these specialty replacement foods readily available. We heard about Earth Fare and traveled more than an hour each way when we could to stock up on some of her favorites. The variety was wonderful. We could not believe there were so many options and that they were reasonably priced!

We started to see some significant progress but found ourselves giving in from time to time to let her have some of her favorites that were not on the diet, especially at school parties and holidays – the times when it was the hardest to keep the “old” foods away from her.

Recently, she was also diagnosed with celiac disease so we have to be 100% gluten free these days and I honestly don’t know how we would do it without Earth Fare! She loves going to the store and picking out her own food and snacks and I love knowing that they will help to keep her healthy and happy.

You can share YOUR story with Earth Fare’s readers (and win a $50 gift card for yourself) by clicking here.
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More stories like this one:

Tiffany’s Calling It Off!
Snicker’s Story: Healthy pet, healthy person!
Misty’s Story: Jimi Meets Vegetables

New Year’s Day always brings a few traditions along with it – champagne at midnight, greens and black-eyed peas for lunch, the start of a new calendar, and – of course – New Year’s Resolutions.

It seems like the same resolutions are the most popular every year. Lose Weight. Exercise More. Eat Healthier. Resolutions are always easy to make, but tough to stick to – that’s why they keep coming around each January!

Setting blanket statements like these is often a recipe for disappointment.

For example, say you want to lose weight this year – is that as detailed as you’re going to get? By declaring your resolution with such an undefined goal, you are setting yourself for one of two scenarios:

1. You’ll lose a pound or two after your holiday eating dies down and you’ll pat yourself on the back for a job well done – but you need to ask yourself. Is that really what you meant when you said you wanted to lose weight?

2. You’ll lose weight, but without setting a very specific goal, you won’t get to feel that definite sense of accomplishment when the scale dips below your target number.

Either way, you will have an easier time reaching a set goal than a blanket statement.

This philosophy is true for all of the common New Year’s Resolutions.  If you want to exercise more, give yourself a goal for the number of times you want to exercise each week. Start out by exercising two times a week for three weeks in a row. When you achieve that goal, reward yourself with a new pair of running shoes and set a new goal. By the end of the year, you’ll be amazed at your new workout routine.

The same goes for eating healthier. Make a list of healthy ingredients that you would like to work in your diet, and start slowly. Try a new recipe twice a week, then three times a week, until you have checked off every healthy ingredient on your list! And each time you upgrade – like from processed cheese dip to homemade guacamole – you get to rid your pantry of one more unhealthy ingredient.

Whatever your resolutions are this year, we want to help you keep them. Sign up for our weekly emails to save money on healthy foods, and stay tuned to our blog for more tips and success stories.

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What will your resolution be for 2012? Tell us below!

A few years ago, my oldest daughter was diagnosed as Autistic. As part of her treatment she was put on a Gluten Free, Casein Free diet and was restricted even more after food allergy testing was done. The whole family started the diet with her, along with increasing the amount of time we spent outdoors exercising and playing. This, along with the excellent treatment she has received from her DAN! Doctor, has helped Erin grow, gain weight after weighing 32 pounds until the age of 8, rebuild her immune system, become healthier and happier.

Besides a few quirks that she will always have, Erin is now a straight A student in mainstream 3rd grade classroom, an All Star Softball player, active in church, and is vocal about her Autism and how important it is to eat healthy.

As she was recovering and getting healthier, I was getting sicker. I had gone from being a very active person, constantly doing activities with my family and working as a paramedic to not being able to get out of the bed. Migraines, fatigue, extreme weakness and pain had become a part of every day life. I had been to doctor after doctor and still didn’t have an answer as to what was wrong and why I wasn’t getting well.

After 2 years of this, my husband made an appointment for me with Erin’s doctor. After one visit and 2 tests, he was finally able to diagnose me with Lyme Disease.

Regular exercise, an all-organic gf-cf diet, a lot of natural supplements and vitamins and some prescription medicines have me well on the way to recovery.

It’s amazing just how much changing how you eat can improve your health and how you feel! I know how important it is to live healthier, not just with exercise but how you eat and what foods you eat, especially how the foods are raised and processed.

I am so thankful that we have an Earth Fare store close to us now. It makes the difficult task of shopping for groceries that are not only organic, but are specific to the diet that is so important to my daughters continued growth and health as well as my own, so much easier and a much better experience!

You can share your story with Earth Fare’s readers by clicking here.

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More stories like this:

Your Health: Keeping Healthy Food in the Family with Mary

Your Health: Making a Fresh Start with Kathryn

Your Health: Turning Health Around with Jamison

Mia’s Story (In Her Words):

I have been a vegetarian all my life thanks to my wonderful parents.

My mom grew up eating whatever she wanted in a foreign country and wasn’t very healthy. When she came to the US, she made sure we had our veggies and fruits and that the food we ate didn’t have preservatives like BHT, BHA, and Sodium Benzoate. My dad also had a big part in the health\vegetarianism issue. He is a vegetarian since birth.

We were very glad to find out that a health foods store, EARTH FARE, had opened in our area. Now we can get healthy foods at our convenience. Thanks to my mom and dad, and Earth Fare, for encouraging me to eat and live a healthy life, I am now a heathy and active 13 year old!

Thanks, Mama and Daddy. Thanks EARTH FARE! 

Christen’s Story (in her own words):

Before	After

I was 225 pounds of misarable on August 8, 2008 standing in front of a crowded church at my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding.

On January 11, 2010, I began seeing an accupuncturist who recomended a diet to naturally manage my PCOS (poloycystic ovarian syndrome).  In a nutshell, the diet consisted of no dairy, no gluten, low sugar, low carb…sounds horrible, huh?  Well, the first week, it was.  I went from fast food and diet drinks to healthy, natural foods and no caffiene except teas.

The next week I felt like I was 15 years old again!!!!

Since January 11, 2010, I have lost 35 pounds and a total of 75 pounds since August 8, 2008!  I feel wonderful and I look better for sure!!

I will never go back to fast food again!! Best of luck to everyone who has had problems with their weight. You can do it!!

 Success on the Health Journey

Hope’s Story (in her own words):

Growing up, I never knew any better. Twinkies were awesome! But I loved my mom’s homemade bread more!!

I am 29 years old. I have 3 beautiful children. And my mother, at age 67, died a year-and-a-half ago from multiple health issues. She was too young. And many of the health issues she had could have been held off, or even completely eliminated simply by changing her eating habits.

My reason for choosing a better eating lifestyle for me and for my family?? I want to live!! I want to live longer than my mom. Should something else happen to me? Fine. I accept that. But, I can avoid things like Adult-onset Diabetes, Heart Disease and other problems.

I love my mother. And, I know she did what she knew was best for me. But, my family and I are learning so much right now about the foods we eat, and I am teaching my children everything I learn.

Step-by-step, we are getting there. We grind our own wheat, and make bread every week. We make food from scratch as often as we can. We love fresh fruits and veggies, and have recently learned how delicious Organic produce is. The list continues as does our attempt to live better, healthier lives.

My children won’t know much about how fun their grandmother was, with the exception of my stories. But hopefully, my great-grandchildren will know me while we bake bread together and enjoy a walk in the park!!

Marinda’s Story (in her own words):

It’s hard to believe that my 4 year-old son (now 5) helped the WHOLE family become a lot more healthy. He is very active and has a huge personality.

When I took him to his 4 year physical, I mentioned to the pediatrician that he is very hyper at times, takes me a while to calm him down and doesn’t sleep well at night. He said that it was his diet and he said to cut out 3 important factors: (1) MSG, (2) caffeine and (3) artifical colors. I immediately went home and cleaned out the pantry.

I have really noticed a difference since then and he even seems more mature. So, now when he wants something and I say no, honey it has “colors” in it. He is fine with it because I have told him that is is not healthy for him.

He has adjusted so well and I am so glad I asked the doctor about it….because not only is he healthier, but I have included the WHOLE family in our new way of thinking and have went another step to knock out high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), nitrites, etc and try to buy organic when I can to weed out even more “junk” in my ongoing quest. I am really happy to know I can make a major difference in the health of my families lives.

Were you dejected after reading our post about holiday weight gain?  If so, do not despair!  We want everyone to stay on their health journeys through the holidays, so that is what this post is all about: Top 10 Tips for staying healthy during the holidays!  Ready?  Jot these down and you won’t be another holiday weight-gain statistic! 

(1) Create a plan ahead of time!   Sit down and create a schedule that will allow you to maintain your weight and healthy lifestyle.  Schedule work-outs around the days you know you will be busy with family and friends.

(2) Keep moving!  If it’s not possible to fit in your normal work-out routines: fit in half of it, turn on some music while you clean to get you dancin’,  park your car far away, go for a walk with family and friends.  Remember that it’s better to do half of your regular work-out instead of nothing at all!

(3) Indulge once-a-day!  During all the holiday parties and dinners, limit yourself to one small cookie or dessert.  Tell yourself this before so you have a plan!

(4) Don’t show up to that holiday party on an empty stomach!  Eat a piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, or some veggies before the big holiday dinner or party so you are not starving and ravenous.

(5) Smaller plates please!  If there are appetizers, eat them off a smaller plate so that you will not overeat before the dinner.

(6) Own your choices!  Avoid heavy gravy, dressings, and high-calorie condiments; and try to drink lower-calorie alcoholic drinks (light beer and wine).  If it is a potluck, why not take a veggie tray or something healthier so you know you will have a good choice? 

(7) Saying “no” is okay.  If someone keeps serving you food, it is okay to politely say no.

(8) Focus on socializing!  Take the focus off all the food and desserts and focus on the family and friends.  After all, that’s what the holidays are about! 

(9)  Pack a healthy snack while you shop!  Stick a healthy choice in your bag, so that you are not tempted to make unhealthy, fast food choices.

(10) Relax, enjoy and remember there is a tomorrow.  Enjoy the important parts of the holidays and when it comes to the food, remember that you do not have to eat everything in front of you – there is a tomorrow.

Wade (Earth Fare’s Produce Director) always tells me, “Go big, or go home!”  This week, I am going home with my head hung low…my health journey has been full of road blocks – barriers that keep me from, as Wade would shout, “Going BIG, BIG, BIG!”

Step one: Get active.  I am slipping, slipping, slipping.  And, justifying every minute of it…It’s too cold.  It’s too dark.  I don’t have a treadmill (and I am too baby to run outside).  I’m too busy!    I need some tips…Anyone?  Anyone?

On a good note: I have a  physical scheduled for October 23^rd (Jack is making me).   My last physical was 12 years ago (I hate doctors).  I will report back on the results, and we can track my progress right here…stay tuned!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

-Ronald

This is my first blog post ever. Yes, ever!

As some of you are aware of, I have started a health journey (those of you who know me are probably sceptical right now). But, stop with the cynicism! I am committed.

Why? My drive to get healthy is my 16-month-old daughter. Her name is Sydney. As a humble parent, I must admit, she is the cutest little girl in the whole world – see picture below (disagree? well, then, show me someone cuter)!

At 41 years of age, I have finally come to realize that in order to see my daugther grow old (yes, I plan to walk her down the aisle), I would need to up my health game. I would need to start taking care of myself – not for me, but for her.

But honestly, I did not even know what health meant. So, thanks to Wikipedia (I am really starting to love this thing called technology), I learned that health is the condition of being sound in body, mind and spirit; free of physical disease or pain.

I feel pretty healthy in the mind and spirit (although, my boss, Jack, might disagree with me on the mind part). So, my area of attack is the body. And, when I say attack, I mean attack. Step one: healthy body. It started with my first run. Huffing, puffing, sweating – I thought I was going to have a heart attack or fall off the treadmill. Seriously. Those marathoners make it look so easy. But, take it from a guy with a gut, running – not so easy! I have been running now for 6 weeks, indoors on a treadmill or outdoors on my dirt road through the mountains. Guess what? I can run two miles without stopping…I don’t quite feel like a marathoner, but I could certainly hold my own in a 5K.

Step two: Food makeover! I completely changed my diet. No more mid-afternoon breaks at the local gas station for fried bologna sandwiches. No more lunches at Rocky’s Fried Chicken Shack (I still really miss gravy though)!

Six week result check-in: Well, I have lost 8 pound and feel better than when I was 20.

I am excited about this journey. Why? Because I have seen results. The challenge? Staying on this healthy path so that I can indeed walk my daughter down the aisle. But, I need your help! Feel free to post any tips that you think might help me! I need:

1.) Exercise tips
2.) Nutritional tips
3.) Understanding product labels tips

Thanks to all the team members who’ve given advice already.

- Ronald