You Are What You Eat!

“I cannot remember the books I have read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I will not apologize for the trite title of this Blog post.  It may be old fashioned, but it is and always has been one of the great truths in life.  You are what you eat.  Period.  The food we eat creates our blood and our cells and also feeds our thoughts.  In that case, also true would be, ‘You are what you think.’  Lao Tzu said, “Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, habits become your character and your character becomes your destiny.”  

So, what does food have to do with happiness?  Everything!  We live in a busy, often times frantic world and convenience is at the forefront of most people’s lives.  Unfortunately, convenience foods are at the forefront of so much of the

 dis-ease in our culture.  Packaged food-like substances, frozen pizza, drive-thru dinner, salty, fatty, sugary CRAP!  Is it any wonder that we, as a nation are so sick and overweight?  Not to mention the fact that 1 in 10 people report depression.  Diet and lifestyle are the foundation of a happy life!  Diet and lifestyle are the foundation of everything!

So many people think that a diet full of organic foods is expensive.  Yes, organic foods usually cost more than processed, packaged, artificial, chemical laden junk foods, non-organically grown produce and factory farm raised meat and fish.  But, do you want to know what is really expensive?  Cancer.  Heart Disease.  Diabetes.  DOCTORS!  Medications.    These are so often the ultimate costs of a poor diet and lifestyle.  Unfortunately, this has become the American Way.  Eat and do whatever you want now, and fix it later with medications, surgeries and therapy.

There is another way!  Pay a little more now or pay a lot more later.  When we take the time to shop and cook fresh, real food, we know exactly what  we are eating.  We can manage the amount of salt that goes in, choose fresh greens instead of something from a package, and allowing our children to help cook is a gift to everyone.  So many adults don’t know how to cook!  And, when children cook with their parents they are much more likely to eat what is being served without a fuss.  

For people who think they just don’t have time to cook every day, Don’t!  I always teach my clients to cook once and eat two or three times.  Put a couple of servings in the freezer.  If you do this often enough you will find that you have lots of home cooked meals to choose from in a pinch!

For families who use food stamps, many Farmer’s Markets these days are accepting E.B.T. and S.N.A.P. cards!  This is great news!  Helping folks to eat healthy on any budget.  Typically you tell the cashier at the Farmer’s Market how much you want to spend on your S.N.A.P. or E.B.T. card, then they swipe that amount and often give you twice the amount in tokens!  In other words, if you have swiped $10 on your card you will often receive $20 in tokens to spend on healthy foods at the market!  That is a great deal.  

Join Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).  This is a wonderful way to get a variety of organic fruits and vegetables, and support local farmers.

It comes down to this:  Eat Real Food.  Cook at home as often as possible.  Move your body every day.  Watch your thoughts.  Quiet your mind whenever possible.  Find community and become a part of.  Volunteer…  somewhere, someone needs some help.  Adopt some kind of spiritual practice, even if it as simple as saying Thank you!

In gratitude…