Easing Into Health: a 30 day Fuhrman inspired challenge

My mom just celebrated her one year anniversary of eating a nutritarian diet.  It is a huge accomplishment and one I just don't think I'm ready for yet.  As this past year progressed every time I saw her I'd ask "how is it going? how are you feeling?" and I was (not so secretly) hoping she would have something to complain about.  I just didn't want this really intense lifestyle change to be working as well as the good Dr. Fuhrman claims it does because it seems so. frickin. intense. First of all, you may have noticed I referred to this diet as a lifestyle change, and it sure is.   I like to call it "vegan on crack", but I'm not sure my sarcasm reads on the internet.  :)  My mother was making ridiculous claims like increased and sustained energy! Better skin and hair! Less pain from arthritis and a chronic neck injury!  Lots! Of! Good! Things!  But no cheese.  Let me back up...the idea behind this way of eating is that our bodies are suffering from a severe lack of micronutrients, those found in the healthiest of healthy foods.  Think leafy greens, beans, other vegetables, fruits and seeds.  We find ourselves time and again staring into the abyss of the pantry, thinking "I'm starving" and Dr. Fuhrman claims that this is a "toxic" hunger because we are so deficient in the micronutrients that we need to thrive.  We are hungry for nutrient dense foods.  We could eat all of the potato chips, pizza and cupcakes that our little (not so little?) stomachs can handle, and still we'd feel a fundamental hunger for the most important nutrients.
Recently I was treated to this article from Dr. Furhman's website via my (well meaning) mother about the ten best and worst foods for health.  It got me thinking that while still pretty restrictive, it sounded manageable.  I've very easily talked myself out of going "full Fuhrman" quite a few times because I'm nursing and I don't want to do anything to interfere with my milk supply.  It's an excuse, plain and simple, but one I'm comfortable making.


Without further adieu the ten BEST foods are:

• Green Leafy Vegetables (e.g. kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, lettuce)
• Non Leafy Cruciferous Vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage)
• Berries
• Beans
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Seeds (e.g. flax, chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin)
• Nuts (e.g. walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, almonds, cashews)
• Tomatoes
• Pomegranates

And, sad face, the ten WORST foods are:

• Full-fat Dairy (e.g. cheese, ice cream, butter, whole milk)
• Trans Fat Containing Foods (e.g. stick margarine, shortening, fast foods, commercial baked goods)
• Doughnuts
• Sausage, Hot Dogs, and Luncheon Meats
• Smoked Meat, Barbecued Meat and Conventionally-Raised Red Meat
• Fried Foods including Potato Chips and French Fries
• Highly-salted Foods
• Soda
• Refined White Sugar
• Refined White Flour

Starting next week I plan on making this commitment to myself and I'm going to follow this list of ten best and worst foods for a full 30-days.  I've...got to mister! (name that Jim Carrey movie)  I hope I lose weight.  I hope I feel more energetic.  Frankly, it'll be pretty hard for me to feel less energetic.  I hope I don't miss cheese as much as I think I will.  I'm kind of weeping into my cheese plate at the moment, if you'll excuse me...

xoxo, Maura