Confession time

First confession...it has been 2 years since we have had a family photo taken. My kids are bigger and a little bit more grown up than they are here.

From my posts, you probably picture that we live an organic kind of lifestyle. That my kids favorite foods are kale and quinoa. That my husband doesn't like to eat at Wendy's, Arby's or Chick-Fil-A.
Second confession. Ummm...no.
The truth is, my husband hates "healthy food," and my son, being my husband's mini-me echoes that sentiment. I have not up until recently been able to get my daughter to eat any vegetables. She has a special aversion to anything green, or any vegetable in general.
I have always tried to be healthy. A few years ago when I got the diagnosis of Hashimoto's, I really tried to clean things up for everyone. I have addictions too, and I didn't (and still don't) want the things I shouldn't eat hanging around my house. My family rebelled and refused to co-operate with me. It was a constant source of contention between me and everyone else. They just didn't get it.
So finally, I stopped trying to force the issue. I realized that my family is more important than forcing them to comply with the lifestyle I needed. So I did double duty. I still do sometimes. I bought all the healthy food, AND a lot of the typical-american-diet food. There are things I don't buy...like candy, processed cookies and snack food. It is still hard. The more I study, the harder it is to serve my family what I feel is poison. Yet they look at my food as poison as well. I have tried to clean up the choices I get for them.
Yet it's not all bad. Slowly over time, they are making better choices as well. They will drink green drinks as long as there is plenty of fruit. The kids prefer nut milk over dairy. Meat is not the main dish at every meal. They never will eat as healthy as I, but I am okay with that. After all, my relationship with them is very important to me...more important than what food we have hanging around the house.
It is still hard to eat what I know I should when food that I have addictive tendencies towards is there, or when I make it (did you know my cinnamon rolls are amazing?). Sometimes I am too tired to make 2 dinners and end up eating what everyone else is eating. Being sensitive to gluten can make this really hard.
So, the lesson I have learned: my relationship with my family is important. You (or I) can't change them. Change has to come from them. You can make subtle changes, and over time things will improve.
At the same time, don't give up. If you are in a similar situation, do what you can to take care of your needs. Learn and study and adjust your own personal lifestyle. Yes, you will have times where you give in and stop trying for a while. There will be times that you are extremely frustrated. But don't give up on your health. And don't let it ruin your relationships.