Explore and Experience
Learn to enjoy and appreciate familiar and new foods.
We all have our druthers. You know…
“Would you druther have this or that?”
All it would take is a quick call to any member of my family to learn all about my picky-eater habits. For most of my life we have had divided plates at family gatherings out of their loving pity for my nothing-can-touch (don’t forget to eat one thing at a time) ways. But before you go shaking your head and calling me a lost cause, give your funny habits a think. Are you a “every meal has a perfect drink” kind of person or is “salty needs a sweet” more your thing?
If you were asked to keep a food journal (basically just jotting down anything you eat or drink) would it reveal things you truly enjoy or just items you eat and drink? I am finding that more often than not, I eat what is handy or requires the least thought instead of what I would actually prefer. Instead of paying attention to taste and how I feel after a meal, I eat on autopilot.
This is literally the opposite of mindful nutrition.
I’m going to clue you in on a little known fact:
livableYOU was a dream born of necessity. You see, over and over again I sat across from people of all walks of life and heard so many different versions of basically the same thing, “I want to do better. I know what ‘they’ say I’m supposed to do. I just don’t see how to get from here to there.” All the while I was thinking and living the same thing in my own way! livableYOU was created to be the bridge between here and there – or at least the bridge that’s being built from here to there. Neither I nor any of our Board members have everything figured out. You won’t find a concise three-step plan or easy button here. Instead, you will find that we are in this together. So, when I’m writing to you, I’m also writing to me. I need to hear this.
Life is about learning. To stop learning is to stop living.
This doesn’t require that each of us get multiple degrees creating an alphabet soup following our names. Rather, we simply need to look to explore, experience and enjoy. This can be applied to any part of life, but today we’ll focus on a nutritional aspect.
When was the last time you actually paid attention to what you were eating?
Not the calorie count or carb count, but the food. The taste, texture, color, smell. My youngest daughter prayed over our food the other night and in the midst of her prayer she said, “thanks for making our food taste good instead of all of it just tasting muky.” I was floored.
We read The BFG by Roald Dahl a while back and it introduced “snozzcumbers”. If you’re not familiar, these are nasty smelling and tasting fruits that the BFG eats instead of “human beans”. This funny side story is a nod to our contempt for the variety and pleasure found in our food choices.
If creation was fashioned in a pragmatic manner, we would just need something to keep us alive – no need for the extravagance of pleasant flavors, smells and colors. Yet, while praying over crackers and cheese sticks, my sweet 5-year-old reminded me to take note of how well fed we truly are. To explore, experience and enjoy food while learning to nurture my body well.
This can be done in so many ways – both big and small:
You can snag the strange fruit or veggie that is on sale at the grocery store and give it a try. I actually learned what pomegranates taste like by doing this…$0.25 and delicious!
Explore the foods you’re eating on a daily basis. Stop popping things in your mouth and chewing just well enough to gulp it down. Take time to look at what you’re eating and even notice it’s smell (caution…even good stuff can smell a little wonky). Chew slowly and enjoy the flavor – or notice if the flavor is actually less enjoyable than you thought.
Pick one night a week and try something new. You could always have your ‘safe-zone’ food around for your back up (here’s looking at you my classic peanut butter sandwich).
Let others include you in their favorite foods. A sweet friend introduced our family to a Columbian staple this past summer– arepas – and they instantly became a regular request.
Experiencing and exploring how you nurture your body does not have to be fancy or difficult.
Just trying a new way to fix something (like Roasted Veggies) will open your palate to a new world of possibilities. Actions as simple as trying a spice you’ve never tasted can help you find new favorites. Building these broader options provides a more solid foundation for your health. Then, when you find that your go-to foods are not getting you where you want to go, you have a confidence in your ability to decide if you should celebrate the variety you already know or breakout of old habits in favor of new choices that benefit you – body, mind and spirit. There is a good chance that with time and practiced curiosity you will find new druthers while also stepping into better wellness one bite (or sip) at a time!
written by Kelli Keller, D.O.
