Happiness is Eating Well
Healthy, happy people create an environment where they can eat well.
There is a list of things that people need to do to survive and one of the keys is nourishment. What that looks like has cultural implications that go far beyond the keto, paleo and low carb diets that have been popularized today.
In older Chinese culture, it was historically beneficial to nourish our bodies to the point of excess. A oversized person meant wealth, abundance and happiness. In other cultures the exact opposite is valued. So what does it mean to be well nourished? What does it mean to eat well?
Here are three ways to start eating well
Eat Enough (how much you eat) - audit how much you are eating. Is it too much? is it too little? How do you feel in response?
Eat Real Food (what you eat) - audit whether you eat real food. Are we eating real food or are we eating food like products? How much effort goes into processing the food made available before you eat it?
I enjoy Michael Pollan’s simplicity in this approach. “Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants”.
Eat in an environment that allows you to thrive (how you eat) - Explore your emotional attachments to food. Where do you consume your food? Where is your mental state when you are consuming it? Is it rushed? is it relaxed?
Eating well strengthens the positive relationship between our body image, how we see ourselves in the world (external) and how we feel (internal). How we eat, what we eat and how often we eat reflects how we treat ourselves and how we see ourselves.
The pursuit of a happier, healthier life includes stewarding our nourishment will responsibility, joy and freedom. We practice self respect and self care.
So be mindful. Start small. Take interest. Have compassion (towards yourself). Find support. And start eating well.