What is Eyecandypopper about?

I wish the image on the home page would show better, because no, this blog is not about counting calories! haha

With so many new followers from all over the world (thank you!), I feel that it’s time for an update on what this blog is about and why I created it.

I know I may sound a bit intense sometimes, but that’s only because I care so much about the planet and all its inhabitants, including vegetation, animals and of course us, humans!

I created this blog as a way to collect all this precious information as an easy way for you (and me) to follow along the news that affect us, to encourage each and every one of us to make some changes in our daily lives for the better. Having said that, I know that it is not always easy to change old habits and go against what seems to be the “normal” way of living, especially in the Westernized world. If you’re reading this blog, chances are that you have an interest in eating healthier, or improving on your healthy habits. I share all the information I find, whether it’s directly for eating or things that are indirectly linked to eating, like pollution and how farm animals are being raised. Everything is related to a healthy living. But what I must remind you is to take it easy. Don’t try to overhaul your entire life in one day. Not even one week. Not even one month. You’ll feel so overwhelmed (as I still do sometimes) and might fall off the ‘healthy living wagon’…

I do not want to discourage you. On the contrary, although I may not necessarily personally know each one of you, I’m here to encourage you and motivate you to make healthy changes. How and when you want these changes to happen is for you and you alone to know. Change doesn’t happen all at once. One step at a time. Maybe you need to stop smoking first. Maybe you need to drink less coffee (or no coffee). Maybe you just need to learn to enjoy vegetables. Maybe you need to learn how to cook.

Some of my friends tell me “yeah, but it’s easy for you, you’re so healthy and you can cook”. I would like to think it was that easy, but it wasn’t. It didn’t happen overnight, in fact I didn’t know how to cook until my early twenties and it took a few years to change my living habits, and even then, I am still, and always will be, learning and adjusting to the best of my capacities, to improve. This is a journey.

So when you read an article about something and you think it’s too big of a change for you, that you’re not ready to make that commitment yet, that’s ok. You can still read the article and put that knowledge in the back of your mind, for future use. Come back to it later when you’re ready. The point is to always move forward and make one change at a time, and then keep adding to it. Before you know it, you’ll be living a much healthier lifestyle (you and your family of course, because we usually share the love).

As an example, if you drink soda, first of all you need to understand why it’s bad for you (that’s when my articles come in handy), no one said you need to give it all up in one day. There are options, like first of all reducing your consumption, then switching to a healthier organic version, and then eventually you won’t crave it anymore. Maybe you’re addicted to refined sugar in all its forms, and will need to have perseverance to reduce your consumption but also find creative ways to make your own treats using alternative options to white refined sugar (my recipes can be a lot of help because I don’t use a lot of that stuff!). Or you might’ve heard about juicing but it scares you because you don’t know anything about it. Maybe you can find a local café or restaurant who serves (ideally organic) freshly made vegetable juices, and try that first. Read or watch videos/movies about it (like my post on juicing). Next thing you know, you’ll run to the store and buy a juicer. I’ve only been juicing for about a year and a half, and it took some time and determination at first, but now, although it still takes some determination, it’s much easier because I look forward to my yummy fresh vegetable juice in the morning.

If you want to try one of my recipes but don’t have the exact ingredients to make it, don’t worry about it, improvise, use what you have, or even better: try something new! Make it your goal to try a new food every so often. Maybe buy a new fresh vegetable you’ve never tried before, or buy a new flour you’ve never used before. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box and visit your local organic farmers (they love to have visitors!), chat with them, learn where your food comes from. The point is, don’t be afraid to try something new. 🙂 Save some time every day to cook with your family. TV, Facebook and other social medias can wait, you won’t miss anything.

You might like to eat all organic but don’t know if you can afford it at the moment? One step at a time! Go for the most important ones first (like the Dirty Dozen list, and animal products). If you buy less processed foods, you should save some money too and your waistline will be grateful. You’d like to go to bed at 10pm every night but end-up going at 1am? Just do it slowly. Get your body used to the change. Try to go at midnight for a few weeks instead of 1am, then go at 11pm, then… you get the idea. One (or two) step at a time. It’ll be ok.

Being healthy is a lifestyle and a choice we make on a daily basis. Stop counting calories, carbs, fat, proteins, etc. Count nutrients instead. Not every calorie is created equal. Go for real food that will fuel your body with nutrients, minerals and vitamins, not empty calories that will bog your system down with foreign substances.

Always learn and move forward, in your own time. (Obviously, don’t take forever either, haha) It may not be easy at first but I guarantee you it will become easier and easier as you go. We can do this together!

A friend of mine who lives in New Zealand (who I don’t talk to often enough unfortunately), once gave me this quote, I’m not even sure who wrote it, but I find it amazingly inspiring and I would like to share it with you, to encourage you on your healthy journey:

“The first steps you take on any journey won’t get you where you want to go. But without those first steps and the many more that follow, you would always be standing where you are, looking towards the future and wondering what it would really be like to see your world the way you always dreamed it would be.

One of the greatest lessons in life is the one you learn about moving forward and taking steps to reach your goals. Life rewards those who are willing to be involved in it and take chances. Take your chance and those first few steps because a better life is just waiting for you.”

What do you want to change TODAY? What changes have you made already in your healthier lifestyle?