Word of Wisdom and our Raw/Fresh Food Journey

Here is how our new life began..
  April 1st, 2009 I went to an aerobics luncheon. There was an awesome friend of mine there, talking about how she had been on the "Raw" or Fresh Food Diet. Well, she had been talking about it for months on and off, and I thought, "that is SO weird, who can eat like that!" But that day for some reason was different. As she talked I started to feel like it was something that I maybe needed to try. After all, I believed in the scriptures and sorta remembered what the Word of Wisdom was all about. I did not really know where to begin, except that I needed to pray about it, because I knew from experience that I was entitled to my own revelation! As is everyone else!
  After praying and reading many scriptures, and including a whole outline of what I felt the Word of Wisdom was saying, I felt this was a good choice for me in my circumstances.
 My circumstances had been; for the last 8 months I have been told I had " rheumatoid arthritis" symptoms that just came on suddenly one sunny day last September and has been with me since. For the last 6 months I had been prescribed prednisone "with no other alternatives" even though all my blood tests came back negative...(?)
Well, slowly I have been weening myself off the drug and when food came as an answer to me, I really felt it would help.
I had always thought that losing a little weight would help too and I have been active in the past 2 years, going to Stake Aerobics (which includes 2 hrs. M/W/F of stretching, light wts., running, aerobic dancing, core training, tae-bo, and Yoga. The kids come with and it is so great!) So in January I began to run again on T-Th and from then until April I lost 10 lbs. I was proud of that, I had worked hard... But not gotten any better.
Once the decision was made that I needed to change my life completely, in the foods area, I got online to see what this whole "raw food" world was about. Pretty much just a bunch of people calling the Word of Wisdom something "modern." As I read, it just kept making sense for me, especially as I read about people "healing" through eating healthy, and I kept thinking, "Maybe that is where those "treasures of knowledge" come from. :)
So here is what I don't eat anymore, (but I don't care if others do, to each his own) meat, dairy, anything that has been cooked or processed, and eat organic as much as possible. So now people have started asking me, what do you eat? So I say, "fruits,vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains." And for some reason people cannot fathom this insane idea... Eat what? Healthy foods? ALL the time? Well, yes, and there are actually a lot of yummy things to make too! However, I think I am getting to the point where I don't really want to spend a lot of time on fixing foods and just want simpler things.
My kids are getting use to it and are good sports most of the time. Now they eat "fruit" snacks, instead of fruit-snacks and they even have a "little kids fridge" full of healthy snacks so they always know where they can go. I have felt for a long time I needed to get rid of the goldfish and pretzels, but did not know what else to do. Fortunately for them, they are young and will hopefully grow up eating a healthy diet.
Well, I have now, after about 1 and a 1/2 months eating ALL healthy foods, lost inches everywhere, 16 more lbs. feel good inside and feel better about myself.
I feel more in tune with the spirit, as our body and mind do work together! Also, with a lot of help from the Lord and many prayers and fasts from dear friends and family, I have now been drug free for 6 days and will stay that way. While I am still stiff and sore each morning, I truly feel the hand of the Lord in my life each day as He helps me to continue to exercise and eat right. I know that all things come from our Father in Heaven, and that I cannot heal myself, but through the Atonement I may be healed, if it be His will. I have faith and hope and though the winds of trial may blow hard, I will stand strong with my Savior Jesus Christ!