The Importance of Connecting With Your Food

Have you ever thought about how you connect with the food you eat? Do you know what I even mean by that? Lately I've been thinking about that 'missing link' per say between people being intuitive about eating, and I feel that there are two aspects that are important with developing a healthy relationship with food and your body...connecting with your body, but also connecting with your food.

Last summer my husband and I went to Puerto Rico for a little vacation. And our vacations lately have been more travel than vacation. We usually fly to one part of the country, spend a few nights there, and then explore another part of the country making sure to hit 3-4 locations in our 1 week. We did this for our honeymoon to California and then for this trip to Puerto Rico, and then earlier this year when we went to Spain.

But all that to say, when we were traveling I was watching the locals and how they were around food. I learned a lot just by watching the people, and I'd say the most outstanding thing I noticed was how free everyone was around food. Food was celebratory, not just on someone's birthday but with every meal. There were always people throwing a party, enjoying each other's company, taking time to prepare the food and then taking time to enjoy it...something I feel we lack a lot of here in the U.S.

I noticed this on our trip to Spain as well. People were sitting down and spending 30 minutes sipping wine before spending another 1-2 hours around the table savoring the food. Food was a big deal to them, not because it was something they had to think about all the time or something they had to worry about with the calorie count. It was a big deal to them because it was part of their culture, part of their connection to the world and to other people.

I've been mulling about this concept of connecting with the food we eat since those two trips. And I know if I traveled more I'd see the same thing with other cultures and other people. So what's the deal with us in the states? Why do we have such an unhealthy relationship with food as a culture?

I'd argue that the reason we have a higher prevalence of eating disorders in Western countries than non-Western is because we have lost the importance of connecting with our food. 

When we connect with the food we eat, it's inevitable that we're going to eat more mindfully, more intuitively, and more healthfully for our bodies.

 So let's talk about a couple of easy ways you can be more mindful of connecting with your food. 

Shop your local farmer's market.

This is something I've always dreamed of doing but never made a habit. Not really sure why, we have a lot of farmer's markets up here in NY, but it was something I had to intentionally just start doing. Like any change in your routine, you just start doing something until it becomes your norm. Shopping locally isn't quite my norm yet, but I'm working on it. I do notice, when I walk around at a farmer's market, talk to the people who were apart of growing the food that I'm going to eat that week, and thinking about the process by which the food was grown, I have a better appreciation for that food! Not to mention, farmer's market foods are going to be fresher, typically organic, and therefore more nutritious...and so much tastier! 

Sign up for a local meat share subscription.

Along those same lines, I recently signed up for a local meat share programs through a company that serves New York and the New England area delivering fresh, organic, grass fed and free range products to my doorstep each month. I found that prices at conventional grocery stores just were too expensive for our budget and I wanted to be apart of supporting local farmers who raise their meat ethically and safe for us, the customers, and for their workers (and the animals :) ). I found that in this other way of supporting local farmers and eating meat that I feel good about eating I have a greater connection to it and enjoy it more and eat more mindfully.

If you're in the NY/New England area I highly recommend Walden Local Farms, and if not another option is Butcher Box. 

Take time to prepare your food and time eating.

Something that's quick to go when I'm busy is actually taking time to prepare a meal. I resort to Trader Joe's frozen meals or breakfast for dinner. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I highly encourage people to have quick meals on hand for those times when you need something healthy in a quick pinch, there's a lot that we miss by just putting something in the microwave and hitting start.When I can, even on days I work, I like to make preparing a meal an enjoyable experience and one that, believe it or not, takes time. I will find a recipe that sounds challenging but doable, pour myself a glass of wine, put my apron on, and enjoy the process. Smelling what I'm making, stirring the flavors together, and waiting in anticipation for the meal to be done is so special and helps me to appreciate what we're going to be eating so much more!

Along those same lines, spending time actually eating the food is so powerful and can take you from a place of mindless eating to mind-full eating. When I'm talking with the clients I coach, I encourage them to spend time at the table before they start eating to pray or pause even just for a few seconds before eating, take a few breaths, and prepare their bodies and their minds for the food they're about to eat. Pausing before eating and then eating slowly helps you to notice the tastes of the food better, enjoy the food, and recognize when you're full and satisfied. I hope you now see the importance of connecting with your food and are encouraged to put some of these practices into action in your own life! This one mindset change has made all the difference with my relationship with food and my body. 

Your turn!

Let me know how you connect with what you're eating....do you practice any of these things? What do you want to try out for yourself to connect with food better?