As
you can imagine, the topic of food comes up a lot in client sessions. Over or
under indulgence in food are extremes that many of us use to cope when we are
stressed or unhappy. Unfortunately, over time this strategy results in health problems,
sometimes life-threatening ones. Although challenging, especially in our “super-size-me culture”, it is important to find
balance and peace of mind in our relationship with food.
If
you were hoping to read about how to eat for optimal physical and mental
health, you can check out my post The Power of the Gut-Brain Connection . There you will find
plenty of ways to improve your physical and mental health through food.
Today,
I want to share my thoughts about food and mood from a different perspective. It
is a cold February Sunday in Connecticut, and I was inspired by the many references
made to pork shoulder in an engaging and thought-provoking novel I finished
recently, Kitchens
of the Great Midwest (J. Ryan
Stradal). I wanted to try pork shoulder because it is especially suited to how
I like to cook on Winter Sundays- I get a stew or soup going by mid-day and
enjoy the smell and anticipation of the meal to come.
If
you are familiar with pork shoulder you know it is NOT a low-fat meat and
likely has never been used in the same sentence with the word “healthy”. Cooking an indulgence like this is where “balance” comes in. Healthy eating
most days and meals of the week leaves room for most us for an occasional treat.
This kind
of pleasure is incredibly worthwhile on many levels. First, food fully engages
our senses. Good smells, tastes, textures and new flavor combinations are
fantastic for our mood and can even reduce anxiety. Food is often visually
appealing, and taking in the color and shapes of a beautiful dish is wonderfully
calming for our busy brains.
Cooking
for ourselves and others is a healing act of self-care and love.
I can
still remember the sweet smell of vanilla-laced sugar cookies baking as I
worked side by side with my grandmother, who thrilled me as an eight-year-old
when she gave me an apron “like hers”. I loved it even more when she had me roll out the dough or
sprinkle colored sugar on the cookies. This nurturing childhood memory has
become a lovely piece of my decades long narrative around family and food.
I try
to continue the tradition of sharing love by enjoying conversation with family
and friends by preparing and sharing a fragrant, tasty meal whenever possible.
It’s a fantastic respite that
slows the passage of time and restores me from the demands of busy work
days.
If
you don’t have good memories connecting
food and love, I enthusiastically encourage you to take some baby steps towards
creating some. The abundance of online recipes, complete with video
demonstrations, make it easy to learn how to cook or, for accomplished cooks,
to learn new skills and recipes. If you live alone or your family migrates to
their own corners to eat, or eats at different times, shake things up and
invite someone to join you. Try meals from different cultures and you may
discover a love of a spice or an herb that is new to you and a recipe to add to your regular rotation.
Here’s to finding more
satisfaction and connection through food. Now if you don’t mind, I am going to
excuse myself to join my husband to break bread and try Peruvian
Pork Stew with Chilies, Lime and Apples.
Be
well,
Laura
photo by Joanie Simon, food blogger
