As mentioned in my first blog post, my mother was highly concerned with how my dietary needs would be met, after taking out an important staple like meat. She harped with our doctor to look for things I could take or do in order to keep up my healthy balance.

For a while, I was taking the brand name supplements, also throwing in some extra Vitamin C for good measure. It seemed like it was working until ‘that day…’

See ‘that day,‘ consisted of my latest shift at the campus cafeteria. It was a slow and boring shift but easy money. However, although I was sleeping enough prior before getting up, walking around etc. I still felt very tired. Almost as if I imagined myself falling down and never waking up. 

After consulting with the nearest doctor, I was told I was borderline anemic and I needed to start working on my iron and B12 levels. 

Great and gross…Iron water smells like blood if you don’t mix it right.

So I tried out iron pills and continued to have huge bowls of dark greens during lunch and dinner, or just as an evening meal. 

In the morning, I’d have bright red grapefruit, and bright orange cantaloupe after a bowl of cereal or scrambled eggs. Nothing but bright red tomatoes or a bowl of dark red beets. Very blue blueberries or bright orange carrots as a snack – I could go on! 

Do you see what I’m doing here? All of these colors are not just to tie a fancy abstract writing piece but to show how Mother Nature signals the ‘good stuff’ depending on the color. For instance, according to Fruits & Veggies, More Matters, the more colorful your diet, the more phytonutrients, or antioxidants you consume.

Here is a post for the different nutrients found in the above foods I mentioned (beta-carotene, lycopene etc.) and more!

On the bright side, the majority of these things taste good so keep using pure supplements (try to stay away from synthetic oils) and colorful foods. 

Happy Nomming!