30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Days 22 - 30

Day 30 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for the A's received on BOTH group presentations!! It was touch and go for a few weeks! FYI - I don't like group work.

Day 29 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for being 1 day closer to the Fall semester end!! YES! Time for holiday break.

Day 28 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for a rest day. No retail hell, no line dancing ... just school work and rest. It's the little things that make all the difference.

Day 27 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for my line dance class!! Not only does it keep me in shape it allows us all to have fun while enjoying fitness!! These ladies always put in work!! #WeWillWorkout!!

Day 26 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for 2 specific things: 1) when the clock struck 7 damn 30 at work! Yes suh ... I couldn't wait to go home because a sista was still hurting from the line dance party the night before in 4" heels

AND 2) my #LeoKing♌👑 who had planned a dinner date sooooooo my bed was met a bit later than desired. It was worth it though. He's such a sweetie.

Day 25 of #30DaysofThankfulness - today I'm thankful, grateful for lavender epsom salt! After working all day and thing line dancing all night it was a MUST! It is a straight blessing from the MOST HIGH!

Day 24 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for leftovers!! The vegan mac n cheese, dressing & cranberry sauce mixed all together gave me 'fat ass' LIFE!! A raw vegan 15 day challenge is a must!! Detoxing is in order!!

Day 23 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for Monica Monet (my vegan guru), Jackie Lane & Monica's sister Sandra for my first vegan day of thanks and it was awesome! The food, friends, family and fellowship. Thank you ladies so much.

Day 22 of #30DaysofThankfulness - thankful for the Venti White Chocolate Mocha made with almond milk no whip or foam from Starbucks. That is all!!

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Days 20 & 21

Day 21 of #30DaysofThankfulness - today I am thankful for water! PLAIN OLE H2O! There is nothing better when you are thirsty as hell to quench a thirst! My throat was so damn dry earlier that I almost choked! Took that bottle STRAIGHT TO THE HEAD ... ya heard me?!?! Water ... Blessings!!

Day 20 of #30DaysofThankfulness - I was thankful for my Monday evening #linedanceaerobics class! They keep me going. I have been doing this for a full year now and I know as the year ends and the holidays roll in fitness participation will drop. Life is happening all around us but I always remain thankful and give 100% (if not more) to the few that make an effort to attend. I'm so appreciative of those ladies. #IWillWorkout #WeWILLWorkout #linedanceaerobics #FitnessandFun

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Day 19

Day 19 of #30daysofThankfulness - Yesterday I was thankful for change. So often we follow what we're taught as a child through the time we left the nest. We also maintain traditions that can often lead us to and leave us in bad places without even thinking how much happier we'd be if we let them go. We don't have to keep those ways of life just because our parents and/or grandparents partook of them. We can think for ourselves and do what works for us in our lives now not what may or may not have worked for others. #ChangeisGood

Speaking of tradition, please look after your loved ones as the holidays approach, especially those "STRONG" ones!! Holidays are known to cause deeper depressive states in those suffering from depression and depression in some who don't. Remember just because something is tradition doesn't make it right. You're not obligated to celebrate ANYTHING!! #WordsofWisdom

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Day 18

Day 18 of #30DaysofThankfulness - Today I am thankful for #SoDelicious and their many non-dairy products! As a new vegan it has been hard finding desserts that fit in to the categories of what I can eat besides my vegan friend Monica's homemade vegan pies. Today, I had vegan ice cream!

It was made with coconut milk and reminded me of an almond joy or mounds! I picked up some yogurt as well, can't wait to try that next! I enjoy coconut and I am truly loving the #VeganLifestyle!

30 Days of Thankfulness -Days 13 through 16

Day 16 of #30daysofThankfulness - today I'm thankful for #buschronicles! Being a public transit user I see and hear a LOT of things. Sometimes I wish I could take pictures or record video but then I think about how rude that is so I just share it through my descriptive creativity. I am good at that! As my fellow riders entertain me I am able to share the shenanigans and entertain you all ... so y'all should be thankful for them too!! LOL

Day 15 of #30daysofThankfulness - I was thankful for the relationships I have with the mother's of my grandchildren, Ashlee and Misty. Ash and I have always had a great relationship from day one and my oldest grand will be 8 years old December 4th. Misty and I, the mother of the M&M grands, had one helluva rocky relationship for years but ALL praises to the Most High for change! I think that's why the last granddaughter looks just like me. Thank you ladies for being the best mothers you can be to my baby girls!

DEM VANN GIRLS, MY VANN CLAN

Day 14 of #30DaysofThankfulness - I was thankful for STRENGTH! I think of how far I have come, all that I have gone through, all that I continue to go through and wonder how I made it through. The strength of a woman is something special!

Day 13 of #30daysofThankfulness - I was thankful for TRUTH! No matter how much it hurts sometimes truth is all you have and it's the ONLY way.

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Days 10 to 12

Day 12 of #30daysofThankfulness - today I am thankful for aging gracefully, with youthfulness! I had Nana's girl this weekend and LORD knows keeping up with her takes all of my ENERGY!! #hopscotch #parkplay #NanasGirl #DemVannGirls #DayshaMichelle #LovemyGrands

NANAS GIRL AND I HEADED TO THE PARK

Day 11 of #30DaysofThankfulness - I was thankful for grandparenthood! There's nothing like these three #DEMVANNGIRLS to me!!

#DAYSHAMICHELLE #MIJAELCHAYLEA #MIKAELACHANIYA #LOVEMYGRANDS

Day 10 of #30daysofThankfulness - I was thankful for the art of and my love for dance as a form of stress relief and happiness. In just a moment, whatever is ailing me, line dance takes the stress away!! Here's an oldie but goodie from my days with the Pepper Steppers. Enjoy!!

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Day 9

November 9, Day 9 of #30DaysofThankfulness - today I'm thankful for alone time, plain and simple. It is needed every now and again to clear the mind. No phone calls, minimal text & social media engagement, just simply a little time with oneself. I think I need a week of it.

30 Days of Thankfulness 2017 - Day 8

November 8, Day 8 of #30daysofThankfulness - I am thankful for the love of and fellowship I have with my line dance family. Although I am no longer a member of any particular group, my previous line dance family always embraces me no matter how long I have been away. It is always like I never left.

Why don't doctors support veganism?

I had a doctors appointment a few weeks ago. It was a follow-up visit to my physical a few weeks before. It was an overall great visit. She praised my weight loss, down 30+ lbs since last years physical. She was excited to see that my "bad" cholesterol level, that was extremely elevated from the 2016 physical, had dropped SEVERAL points and back within normal range. She had pretty much given me a clean bill of health UNTIL I said advised her that my successes are ALL due to the VEGAN LIFE!

You'd have thought I had said I lost the weight doing crack by the look on her face!! As soon as I mentioned vegan she began asking about my protein intake. I told her I thought I was getting enough but sometimes I am a little fatigued. She then says "I need you to eat fish for the amino acids that plants can't give. At least twice a month. I'd prefer 1-2 times weekly". So I then ask her if there is a natural supplement for amino acids as I did not and had not planned on eating any fish. She tells me "not that I know of".

Clearly she could NOT be serious!! So I call on my vegan guru, the one who inspired me to try the vegan life, my friend Monica Monet! She advised she takes one and gave me the info. I then looked up my own supplements and found a vegan amino acid on Amazon. I am a PRIME member so this was right up my alley. The capsules were plantcaps which is what I was told to look for. I'll keep you posted on how it works for me and if I feel any different.

Her response truly made me think. Medical professionals are not trained to cure but to treat. This keeps big pharma rolling in the big bucks and them as well. No she didn't recommend my taking medicines but the thought of eating animals made me feel like it would only be a matter of time. I will begin looking into physicians with knowledge of plant based diets who know and understand how to properly treat us vegans without recommending eating animals of any kind. I am still stunned by her response. Veganism may have saved my life! I see changes in other health issues since going this route and I don't see me leaving this lifestyle ANY TIME SOON!