♥Hi Friends!
Food has come to mean something completely different to me than it once did. My mother says that as a child I use to get really nervous if I thought there wasn’t going to be enough for myself of what was being served at the table. Not in a “third-world-country-I-never-eat” kind of way. But a “completely-selfish-I-love-food-and-have-no-self-control-and-someone-is-going-to-eat-my-food” kind of way. We all know someone like that. Maybe it’s you. Or like me, it’s you and some of your children! And I think therein lies a huge societal problem.
I carried that attitude long in to my adulthood. And what’s interesting is that there was never a shortage of something to eat around me. For most Americans we have way more food than we need. (Especially the toxic kind.) It was simply an addiction to UNHEALTHY food that created that reaction. An addiction I apparently had from a very young age. But food should be about enjoyment, and not addictive enjoyment, but “I-feel-totally-awesome-and-my-SPIRIT–BODY-and-MIND-are-HEALING-as-we-speak” kind of enjoyment. The latter transcends the addictive PHYSICAL reaction food gives us and makes it an amazing whole body experience. It’s a feeling that truly satisfies and far outlasts the reaction from an addiction.
What is an addiction? The ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) defines it as follow: “Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors…” People! It is truly a SPIRIT, BODY and MIND problem! And what else does addiction do to us? Boyd K. Packer in his address “Revelation in a Changing World”, characterizes it this way: “Addiction has the capacity to disconnect the human will and nullify moral agency.” Ahhhhhhhh! I don’t like that! And, just like drugs, alcohol, pornography, or anything that impairs our agency and dulls our senses to the Spirit, depending on what kind, food is an addictive substance.
The way I look at it, food can do one of three things. So, every time you go to put something in your mouth, ask yourself this question: “Will this food ♦HEAL, ♦do nothing to (but give me calories), or ♦create disease in, my SPIRIT, BODY or MIND.” And then listen to what your SPIRIT and MIND tell your BODY! Depending on where you are in your HEALING journey, that answer will change. Sometimes it’s okay to eat that maple bacon doughnut, or piece of pepperoni pizza. But, take responsibility for your choices, and recognize that you are either making a withdrawal from, or depositing in to, your “SPIRITUAL/PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH Bank Account”. And more withdrawals than deposits create a deficit that affect your quality of life now and later on. Whatever your choices are, they should be just that, choice. Not the reaction to an addiction.
Last week as I was out doing some last minute shopping for the 4th of July, I saw a woman who was heavy enough that she required use of one of those motorized chairs available at the grocery stores. Sadly, this is a common sight now. My heart hurt for her, and I like I do often, I started thinking about all those in our society who don’t understand food addiction, that is a way of life for the vast majority of our population. Through our food addictions, most of us have already relinquished control to the consequences that come with that choice. According to the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” “610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year…Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.” And, “The American Cancer Society” estimates 312,150 men and 277,280 women will die from cancer this year. Almost all of these deaths is preventable! Food can either kill us or HEAL us. When we make the right kinds of choices, food is medicine. And although I’m not trying to incite fear, that to me is something to get riled up about!
But, take heart and don’t stress. Remember “how to eat an elephant” and choose to make the changes necessary to take back your agency and change your attitude with food! There is always hope in HEALING!
♥Love you!
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It’s that time of year I find myself eating more fruit, and craving something cool and refreshing. In fact, it’s normal for your body to react that way in the warmer months. My #5 loves to make this recipe that she and I perfected. And I love the twang the yogurt adds.
YOGURT BERRY SMOOTHIE OR POPSICLES
- 1 handful of spinach or kale if adventurous
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 ½ cups frozen strawberries
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 sliced and frozen banana*
- 1 cup goat milk yogurt** or SO Delicious Dairy Free Cultured Coconut Milk Unsweetened***
- 2 cups nut milk of choice
- squirt of raw honey, or more to taste
Place ingredients in Vitamix in order listed and process for 45 seconds. Enjoy! Or, you can put them in popsicle molds and freeze.
*Depending on how liquid the yogurt is, you may not need to use a frozen banana.
**I get my Drake Family Farms Grade A Goat Milk Yogurt from ‘WHOLE FOODS’ in Salt Lake City. Call your local ‘WHOLE FOODS’ or health foods store and see if they know where you can get goat’s milk yogurt. I’ve also found a Redwood Hill Farm goat’s milk yogurt at ‘NATURAL GROCER’. You can also use a high quality, organic cow’s milk yogurt, if other options aren’t available.
***Although called milk this is pretty much yogurt and is available at many grocery stores.
Wow! Look at all that antioxidant berry heaven!!!
