Hello! My name is Monique. I lead a healthy lifestyle. I read product labels and buy organic food. I am very "aware" of the products my family uses and the food my family eats. Blindly buying something off the shelf is a thing of the past.

I was diagnosed on October 27th, 2006, with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). This was the worst day of my life, but as I look back, it was also a new beginning. God opened my eyes to a new way of life - a healthier way of life for me and my family. I am very grateful to have been awakened to the power of nutrition and thoughtful ways to treat the planet we live on.

I am also proud to teach my children how to live a healthy lifestyle and to be respectful of plants and animals. With the chemical-free cleaners I now make, my kids can clean with me. They love it! They also enjoy the garden in the summer and cooking with me. We use Green BEAN Delivery, a fruit and vegetable delivery system, that we get weekly. The kids love it. When the big, green boxes of organic fruits and vegetables arrive each week, the kids can't wait to go through them. By having this delivery system, I don't feel pressured to grocery shop weekly and we seem to always have organic fruits and vegetables available. From this, I have learned that my daughter loves fresh broccoli and my son loves pears. The kids like to sit in the kitchen after school to snack on everything as I stand at the island and cut up the fruits and vegetables. We have even gotten some things I've never heard of, such as a pummelo. Who's ever heard of a pummelo?!

I started this website as a way to tell everyone about LAM, my health, and the healthy things I have learned from my journey. That was the previous version. This current version will focus more on the positive side. I will make the LAM info a small part still, but I am getting a lot of people asking me about the healthy things I am doing more often. Most are moms wanting a better way of doing things with kids around, but some are just people wanting a healthier way to live. They are tired of feeling bad and not knowing why. They are tired of the constant scare of processed foods and warnings about using so many chemicals. I think it is important for everyone to at least be knowledgeable about what they are putting in and on their bodies, and what it does to them. For example, I had no idea that artificial colors were made from coal tar. This was a definite eye-opener for me. I no longer trust that all food is safe for me. That is up to me to decide. I can't imagine coal tar being good for me. It is my job, my responsibility, to know what is in the food I feed my family. I read ingredient labels now and study the items I come across.

I am also working on staying positive. I am learning so much daily and truly believe that a positive attitude is the answer to health and longevity. I follow only a few rules in my new life and it is very easy. I take a few supplements daily, exercise, drink water and buy whole foods with minimal processing. I am not always perfect but I don't dwell on that. I try my best and that's the best I can do. Here's to a long and healthy life!

Love to you all,
Monique Coles