Processed Foods and Juicing

In the past couple of weeks, y’all, I have not been careful with my food choices. Yes, I’m still vegan, and yes, vegans can be and eat, just as unhealthy as some non-vegans. Here are some of the unhealthy vegan foods I’ve consumed. Keep in mind, these are pretty new to my regular vegan intake:

Pretzel sticks
Juice Drinks
Potato chips
Vegan/Gluten free Pizza
Vegan Burgers
Rice
Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
Rice and Bean Burritos from Taco Bell
French Fries
Tater Tots
Cereal w/ Almond Milk
Stauffer’s Animal Crackers

Not to say that these are super bad for you, but ingredient wise, no deal. And all of this wouldn’t have been a problem, till I started to feel it in my energy levels, my gut, even my psyche. All these processed, quick and easy, foods and snacks, have affected my health, in one way, or another.

My usual first step in getting this under control: Kim, just stop eating the things that make you feel different. A very surface level approach…

My best first step: Kim, WHY are you eating these things? Answer: I haven’t been cooking as much.

Question: Kim, why aren’t you cooking?
Answer: I’ve been working more and spending a lot of time studying (cause failing is not an option).

Question: Kim, how are you going to resolve this, and get back in that kitchen to cook?
Answer: I’ve got to make time to cook. Because it’s important to my health.

Question: What if you can’t make the time to cook?
Answer: I’ve got to cook simpler meals.

Question: Kim, how can you make the time to cook?
Answer: Make it a priority. Instead of taking a nap, cook. Cook first, relax later. Cook several meals in one day, on a day you’ll be at home most of the day, and eat off them for the week. Again, cook some simple stuff. Remember Kim, you actually enjoy cooking.

So yea, I gotta get all these processed foods out my system and out my kitchen.

In an effort to consume the rainbow, I started back juicing a couple weeks ago.

Being mindful that juicing can quickly increase my sugar intake, I only do it 2-3 times a week. Speaking of juicing…

Whitehaven got a new juice spot, y’all. It’s Black owned, and it’s less than 5 minutes from my house. Why am I so excited even when I know that I, myself, can juice? Cause juicing is work. You gotta cut up the stuff, and you gotta clean the juicer (and that’s a lot of work for a cup of juice). Doing all that work is tremendously worth it, but still, I don’t always feel like doing it.  So being able to stop at a spot and buy a juice…also, tremendously worth it. Buying a juice from a Black owned business in my very own neighborhood? Ultra-Mega-Tremendous Worthiness.

So, shout out to ElectroLyfe Juice Bar in the First Memphis Plaza. They also have salads, wraps and smoothies. During my first visit, one of the women also waiting on her order, spoke highly of the protein wrap. Her son ate one before a basketball game, and he told her that he wanted one before every game, from now on.

It’s a cute spot, music was vibin, real laid back, family friendly. A really good look for Whitehaven. A super good look for us folk tryna be a lil healthy out in these I Don’t Give a Freak About Yo Health  Cause It’s a Million Fast Food Joints on Elvis Presley streets.

Y’all go see them at 4466 Elvis Presley –  and tell em I sent ya❤