Since this blog is all about cookies,

I hesitate to move too far away from the

subject of decorating sugar cookies with glaze icing.

But sometimes radical things in your life warrant

taking a side trail from time to time.

For those of you that are not interested in anything but my "cookie life".....

I'll just let you know right now that you

probably won't want to read any further in this post. ;)

I've felt a strong need to share some huge changes that

I've incorporated into my life for the last year.

I can honestly say that I'm not the same person as before.

Yes, it involved physical change......

but it also VERY MUCH involved an emotional and spiritual change.

You see, I've struggled with overeating and
being overweight most of my life.

When I was young.....I was chubby.

I got married fairly thin after starving myself for months.

Then I had five babies in 6 1/2 years.

Ummm.....just like so many other women....

that significantly increased my post-pregnancy weight.

I had success with some Christian weight loss programs

in the last 20 years
.....BUT.......

one thing I never quite mastered was eating healthy.

I learned how to eat within the context of hunger & fullness,

but I still consumed far too much junk food.

Fast forward to March 2011........

My son had been going to a chiropractor for some issues....

and the doctor was very successful in helping him.

Dr. Todd Frisch specializes in treating the whole body for wellness.

When I saw what he did for Kyle.....mainly in diet changes,

I decided I would inquire for myself since I was suffering

from the ill effects of menopause, severe arthritis, weight gain,

headaches, and overall feeling very ILL all the time. :(

Dr Frisch put me on his SHAPE protocol that involves a very

restricted diet that eliminates refined sugar and carbohydrates.

This was a DRAMATIC change for me.

I was petrified about letting go of all the foods

that I had clung to for over 40 years.

Seriously.....I LIVED on carbs & sugar!

And suddenly those two "food groups" were no longer in my diet.

Talk about scary....

But with much prayer and yielding of my will to God,

I learned to live without refined carbohydrates......

and lost 65 lbs in 9 months.

Not only is my body leaner, it is also MUCH healthier.
Now that I eat only whole foods instead of processed ones,
I feel like I'm 20 years old again!
Who would have thought that during my 50th year of life,
I would feel better than I had in 30 years.
My body feels young and energetic.
I'm not tired all the time.
I have clear thinking.
My daily headaches are gone.
My arthritis seems none existent.
I feel like a NEW woman!

Beyond the physical changes of my body,
my emotional state is much more stable.
Menopause was doing a number on me......
but now I feel balanced and content.

Finally I understand what taking care of my body really means.
I realize that what I eat matters a lot.

Since releasing my weight,
I do my best to eat only whole foods....not processed ones.
I eat lots and lots of fruits & veggies.....
adding in some nuts, seeds, meat & dairy.


What I try to keep to a minimum is carbohydrates....
in particular bread, pasta, potatoes, and
most grains (especially wheat).
I read a book called Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD.
Talk about an eye-opening book!

I decided to eliminate most grains from my eating
because when I ate them (particularly wheat),
I felt awful.....bad headache, "foggy brain", no creativity,
in ability to think straight.....and had an overall YUCK feeling.

And being grain-free has worked wonders for me.
I function so much better without grains.

I'm having the time of my life!


Maybe it's just me,
but more and more.....I'm finding others that have made the same discovery.
You'll find many of them through some of my favorite sites:

Wheat Belly Blog
Elana's Pantry
Deliciously Organic 
Comfy Belly

Ironically, I decorate sugar cookies. haha
Hmmm.....and they have refined white wheat flour in them.
So guess what??.....I rarely eat my own cookies.
It's kind of weird.....but it works for me.

So how do I reconcile this?
Sweet treats were made for very special occasions.
And that is where decorated cookies come in.
It's not something you consume on a regular basis.....
it something saved for a rare special occasion.
Plus they are pieces of art...
again, only meant for special occasions.

Since all of this has radically changed me,
I decided to share with you here.....
because eating gluten/grain free is a big part of me now.
I'm passionate about it.....just like decorating cookies.
And I'd like to share recipes and information
from time to time to help others that are
following the same path.

I promise to stick with decorating cookies
most of the time.....
but don't be surprised if I throw in a
grain-free curve ball from time to time. :)

Take a look at my new Grain Free Sugar Cookie Recipe!

I'd love to hear from you too.
What changes have you made that have improved
your health and allowed you to live a fuller life?