I eat everything yet I don’t feel energetic.
I eat only homemade meals most of the times yet I have some or the other stomach issues.
I am always conscious about eating healthy, yet I have body aches and pains.
I wake up on time, have soaked dry fruits, all meals on time, sleep on time, yet don’t feel fit and fine.
Do any of the above statements resonate with you? If yes, please go ahead and see if the following statements ring any bells too?
I eat apple in the morning because its seasonal and healthy.
I eat 5 almonds, 5 raisins and 2 walnuts because all of them are essential for my body and have good fats.
I eat my meals on time because its important to stick to the routine to stay healthy.
I sometimes eat my lunch/ dinner on fixed times even when I don’t feel hungry.
Even if I eat out, I make sure it’s at hygienic places only yet I get an upset stomach the very next day.
Do you see people around you who eat whatever they want, whenever they want, eat out a lot, eat at irregular times and yet do not suffer from any maladies?
These days I meet a lot of women who are very conscious of their food, kinds of vegetables and fruits they eat, seeds and nuts, the quantities they eat, the nutrition value of everything they are feeding to their families etc. They also go in details about the sourcing of the ingredients for their kitchen, organic, fresh, pure so on and so forth.
Amidst the feeling of admiration for these women, the most striking thing that I observed is that when it comes to food conversations, words like tasty, delicious, joy or satiation are completely missing.
When a baby is born, the first sensation he/she feels is of hunger and it really doesn’t matter at that moment who is the father /mother as far as the milk is provided. Hunger and sleep are the most basic instincts and they form the basis of experiencing emotions of joy, happiness, bliss and “Trupti” (translated to Satiation, but don’t know like other English words, if this one justifies the feeling)
When the food of plate comes in front of you, do you take the time to smell it?
Does your mouth salivate at the sight of your plate? Do you take the effort to have warm food on your plate instead of cold?
While you are eating, do you relish the taste? Does a particular dish remind you of anyone who cooked it for you, any childhood memory of that food?
If your answer is no to anyone or all, then your bond with your most basic instinct has broken and will need to be rebuilt.
Start with simple steps, some of which could be
- Cook a comfort meal from your childhood, take out time to have it. Recall the feelings you felt then, the smells, the sounds which surrounded that experience.
- If possible, eat your favourite meal in solitude, with no one else around, with no TV or phone.
- If you don’t like eating alone then have it with the family but focus on your own plate rather than bothering about the kids ‘s portion sizes.
- Ensure that you cook your own favourite dish at least in one meal, or at least once in 2 days. Do not sacrifice your satiation for others preferences.
- Include your favourite chutneys, pickles, buttermilk or other accompaniments in your plate because everything holds its place of importance.
- Try not to assess your food as per the nutritional value rather by its satiation level or preferably the level of joy.
- When you eat out, don’t sacrifice your likes for others around you. If you are worried about portion size or wastage of food, you can always ask them to give you lesser quantities.
- Include the 6 tastes of food on your plate – salt,sweet,sour,pungent,astringent,bitter. A typical example for the current weather is as follows
Daal /Sambhar/Rasam/Black Chana – Any lentils/legumes cooked with spices,tomato,tamarind,kokum,lemon etc
Rice/Wheat Roti/Millet Roti/ Ghee
Any leafy vegetables / chutney/pickle
Pumpkin/ carrot/peas/ cauliflower/ beetroot/ any seasonal vegetable
Jaggery/ dates/chikki/Laddoo
Are there days when you think of paani puri/samosa/jalebi /vada pav/bhajiya or other such snacks. Please go ahead and indulge once in a week early evening and skip dinner that day. These snacks also contain all the 6 tastes in one dish and spread joy in our mouth and hence our heart.
Do not ignore or suppress your food cravings all the time. It is equivalent to suppressing your basic urges or emotions which is never healthy for anyone. As far as you know how to balance it with the next meal or walk or workout, you will be happier and healthy when you eat out of love rather than just functionality.
So go ahead and bring some happiness in your plate this weekend. Wish you lip smacking meals followed by lazy slumbers with your loved ones or with your joyous self.
