Our Relationship with Food
Our relationship with food is complicated.
We need it to live. But it can also be abused, addictive, and an object of obsession. I try to eat well. As the years go by, I notice that my body can no longer tolerate many of the foods I used to enjoy – most dairy products, pizza, beer – oh, how I miss beer.
Food Cravings
Of course, some things are worth suffering for. Tater tots covered in cheese are my guilty pleasure. But sadly, about 10 years ago, I developed some sort of allergy or reaction to lobster. Even a tiny amount will have me up all night with debilitating stomach pains. This is devastating for me as a lifelong New Englander, but I’ve come to accept it.
Then, there are the cravings that come in the perimenopausal years. It’s hard to explain, but it’s different from your standard run-of-the-mill PMS. It’s a violent desperation of sorts. It has the power to drive me to the ends of the earth for salty, cheese-covered potatoes in all shapes and sizes.
PMS and Food Choices
This January, PMS week fell during my first business trip in years. It was the type of trip that meant I would be in a hotel conference room for 8-10 hours. And that meant an assortment of food. This particular hotel had an affinity for pretzels with cheese sauce, nachos, and cookies. My efforts to resist were futile. Upon returning home, I was so bloated that the thought of wearing pants physically hurt. I knew what I needed – a green smoothie and a trip to the farmer’s market.
The Herbalist
And then, I remembered that my dear friend and herbalist, Tori, was offering a cooking class, and I knew it was how I wanted to spend my Saturday. Tori is the type of person who truly views food as nourishment and medicine. This class reminded me of the beauty of bringing together fresh ingredients to create a beautiful meal. Even better is the joy of when we can do it in community.
During this workshop, I was reminded of the importance of eating for the season. For example, as winter in New England dries us out, we want to add moisture and warmth. Incorporating various herbs is also essential as we navigate this season of darkness.
A few nuggets of wisdom that I took away…
Use fresh ginger to reduce inflammation and support digestion. Also, peel it with a spoon – this is life-changing for someone who has avoided ginger because it is a pain in the ass to peel.
Nettle can tame histamine reactions and also have an un-bloating effect. Another game changer, as I do my best to support my husband with a low histamine diet and myself in not being bloated all the time.
Turmeric is a fantastic anti-inflammatory, and I learned that black pepper activates turmeric. So yeah. Add these two ingredients whenever you can. I’ve even made a turmeric bone broth gravy to have with my tater tots. Healthy poutine, anyone?
Kava, which was a new one for me, can support a healthy nervous system. We made a beautiful mocktail to take advantage of its benefits. And, a fun ingredient to support skin and body systems is blue spirulina. It doesn’t have the same fishy ocean taste as the green stuff, and it can make your smoothies and mocktails a fun color – like blue curacao without the alcohol and sugar.
Standard American Diet
All and all, this day reminded me of the bounty that real food can offer. It’s easy and convenient to fall victim to the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) which can leave us feeling depressed and depleted. I say this not from a place of judgement. Because I do believe in moderation and being gentle with ourselves when we give into convenience and cravings.
Food Community
But I also believe strongly in the power of working with unspoiled, unprocessed food whenever possible. I believe in sitting down for a good meal and sharing it in community with others. And I truly, truly believe that we all need a Tori in our lives. We need someone who has the education and tools to support us in sustainment and health through the medicine of the earth rather than the excess of late-stage capitalism.
As always, I welcome you to share your views on food – how it can be medicinal, how it can be addictive, how it can be nurturing, and how it can be toxic. Contact me, and let’s support each other.
Watch this short video to dive deeper into Our Relationship With Food.
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