What do you want to be when you grow up?

Ahh the question of our youth....What do you want to be when you grow up? That is something that I have constantly tossed around in my head. Are you ready to get to know me a little more? Here goes......

As a teenager all I wanted to do was dance.  I loved Ballet, I loved the way it made me feel and I loved performing.  However; six knee surgeries later, Ballet was not something that was going to be in my future...that was a whole painful period of my life but also one that I have really grown from.  After coming to the realization that Ballet was not in my future and college was closely approaching I had to make a decision on what and who I saw myself becoming one day.  I started out with photography and was accepted to a few schools as an art student.  Then I began to reflect, do I really WANT to be photographer or is it just a hobby?  I decided it was a love of mine but not something I wanted to spend a college tuition on.  So moving onto education.

I thought I could teach elementary age kiddos!  About a month into the program I observed an elementary classroom and that was the end of that.  I applaud teachers for all they have to do!  I just couldn't see myself having to deal with all the different behaviors and things a teacher has to get to in one day. I myself was home-schooled 3rd grade through 8th grade so this was a different experience for me. THEN, I thought hmmm maybe I can put my love for art and my interest in teaching together! So I changed majors once again to Art Education.  The draws where, being able to teach art and also sending the students back to their teachers after 40 or so minutes! Kind of like being a grandparent!  I loved the Art program I was in and loved working with the little ones! Older students ...not for me.  Getting asked to the prom everyday is a bit embarrassing and awkward! Then it was time for me to graduate and get out in the "real world".  What they do not tell you in the "real world" is good luck finding an art teacher job because there are not too many openings!  I went on a couple of interviews, but no dice.  I had one person tell me right before on of my interviews, "We are going to hire the student teacher we had, but we would still like to interview you,"  WHAT! AHHHH! 

In the meantime, I have been working with students on the Autism Spectrum. Working with these children has taught me more than I could ever imagine! I have loved every child I have worked with and each has taught me something wonderful about them and myself.  I truly believe things happen for a reason and that I was meant to work with these children.  I decided I should go back to school for my masters in special education.  However; the more I was in the program the more I felt it wasn't the right fit for me.  I love working with students with learning disabilities but everything that comes with being a special education teacher didn't seem like it would be something I could always do, burnout would eventually happen.  I was then off to change my major once again! On to literacy? Sure why not! 

In graduate school I have proved to myself two things, one you are capable of getting a 4.0 and two, education is not your field.  WAIT HOLD ON! Did you just say what I think you said?! Yes you read that right folks.  After much soul searching I finally understand who I am suppose to be and who I have always been.  By this blog you can probably guess what one of my interests are, food and all it has to offer and not offer us.  I recently read a book about clearing your mind and just doing what makes you happy. Well what makes me happy is finding the best ways to nourish myself, whether it be food, exercise, art, etc... I do not regret for one minute going to graduate school, because if I hadn't, I don't think I would have come to this realization and I still would be wondering what it is that really makes me happy and motivated.

Once I came to this realization, so many things started lighting my path.  I started doing research for a nutrition school, and found the School for Integrative Nutrition. I asked one of my fellow Ballet dancers (who knows a lot about nutrition) if she knew anything about the school and found out her husband is an ambassador for the school!  I talked to him and did a webinar through the school and realized this is for me! Without a doubt this time! So it is my goal that in September I will be enrolled in the school and on my way to becoming a health and wellness coach! :-) I couldn't be more excited and happy that I finally get it, I finally know what I WILL be when I grow up! I have had many things happen since I have opened myself up to this realization, many of which some might call coincidences, but; I do not believe in coincidences.  I believe once your intention is out there and you are completely aware and open then the rest will fall into place. Which is probably why I haven't gotten an art job yet, because I wasn't completely sure of myself. 

Anyway! I will stop rambling on but I felt like this was an important blog because we all have our dreams, even the ones we are not aware of.  I have always been interested in nutrition and wellness but didn't think I could do anything about it, till I found the holistic approach to nutrition and found my place. Never be afraid to follow your dreams and see your true potential.  Are you happy? Are you living everyday fulfilled and wanting more? If not then you might not be doing what you were meant to do. Don't go and quit your job right yet though, just do some soul searching sista's and brotha's and unlock the potential you have inside you!  Trust me when you do, it will be amazing .....I cannot wait to see what happens next for me, everyday brings something new to research and another piece falls into place.  Make your dreams a reality!  For now I am going to continue working at the school and hopefully work at a health food store to save money for nutrition school and learn all I can on my own and see what kind of journey it will take me on.


OK that is all for now and I promise to be writing more.  I have been doing lots of research that I am excited about and also will be changing the title of my blog to match my URL ...gluten free palette.  I will explain that later though ;-)  Alright time to get off my butt and shovel!  

P.S. Are you the person you want to be? What did you want to be when you were a child?


Peace, Love, Eat Well, AND Live now!
                                                      Ashley

The Power of Green!

I have always loved the color Green.  I also have always had to paint my kitchen green in the places we have lived.  I looked up the meaning of the color green , and found this;

"GREEN – Heart Chakra (centre/left chest)

This uplifting, peaceful and serene ‘in between’ colour – neither warm and active nor cool and passive - is the healer and balancer of emotions, but also enhances creativity and focus. Green stimulates growth – be it mending broken bones or rejuvenating tissue – lowers blood pressure, alleviates sleeplessness and counteracts nervous disorders and muscle tension.

Green produces the image of stability and efficiency. We appear calm, controlled and at peace with the world. Green is also the colour of Mother Nature."

It makes a lot of since after reading this definition why I have always felt the need to paint my kitchen green.  When I am cooking I feel calm and creative and inspired to try new things. I also love eating green foods, except for boogers gross!( Just making sure you paying attention ;-) )

This leads me to one of my favorite green things to do in the kitchen, juicing.  Around this time of year, and working with children it is important for me to keep my body healthy.  I love to make green juice to keep my immune system thriving to fight off those pesky germs.  Plus it is really fun to go to work and watch the faces of pure shock that I am drinking something so green!  It is usually faces of ewww! but there is nothing ewwy about fresh green juice filled with organic vegetables that will jump start your immune system and make your head feel clear and give you lots of energy.  I have been juicing more and more lately, in fact just about everyday.  

So how do I do it? I eat a lot of vegetables every week, and I save the stems of things like, celery and broccoli and the end of carrots.  To make a truly green juice, you should only use green veggies and fruit, I like to add the ends of carrots but this does make the juice less green.  

My favorite things to add are;

2 handfuls of spinach

2 kale leaves

2 handfuls of romaine lettuce

1 green apple

1/2 cucumber ( I add a whole in the summer due to having them in my garden, but damn they are pricey this time of year! so a half it is)

1-2 celery stalks or your celery ends

Broccoli stems and carrot ends

What is even more amazing about green juice is how you feel afterward.  I have stopped drinking coffee this week, something I have done in the past and the caffeine withdrawals were intense! I had severe headaches and felt exhausted and I only drank 1 cup a day!  This time around I am supplementing my coffee by drinking  the green juice and some green tea in the afternoon.  Guess what! NO WITHDRAWALS! I have energy in the morning and no headache.  This morning I had a full glass of green juice for breakfast and ended up having a super productive day, wrote a paper, did laundry, chased my dog around the house, cleaned the house (including scrubbing the bathtub, which is something I never have energy for), read a few chapters in a book, now I am writing to all of you! after this it is time to make some dinner. Not to shabby.

Juice is powerful stuff and I do not mean the stuff at the grocery store. The juice at the grocery store is full of sugar because the fruit settles and gets all comfy and cozy in the nice little bottle, really the sugar content in these juices are the same as drinking a can of soda, you may think you are making a wise choice but its a no go.  You can save the juice you make for no more than 24 hours, I often like to supply myself for 2 days worth, I will juice and drink half that morning and then save half in a mason jar to have the next morning.  This is also something kids would love! Seeing the veggies turn into juice is pretty fantastic and better than giving your child a "can of soda" with their breakfast.

So there it is! I love GREEN and GREEN loves the body!

This mornings juice!

Peace, Love and JUICE!
                                 Ashley