What does the food I eat do for me? Health or disease?

This has been my meditation lately and my question for myself.

 

(I am down weight wise 115 pounds which is not important, it is just a number but it does mean one thing, I have a lot more free time as I am not eating all the time, but doing other things like meditating on things like this, lol)

 

I recently read something somewhere (not sure where) this premise or idea:

We are either eating for health and to nourish our bodies or we are eating for our disease.

 

Think about it? If you pondered each bite that went into your mouth and ask this question, what would the answer be?

Is this piece of fudge, fad laden chips (or sugar and salt laden baked chips) or sugar candy going to feed and nourish my body with great nutrients or feed the high blood pressure, the diabetes, the coronary artery disease (etc etc)?

Does the sweetness of good and nutritious things full of wonderful body healing antioxidants, vitamins and minerals say in a piece of fruit, fresh vegetables (that aren’t cooked to death or laden with fatty sauces and butter) or lean protein sources lead to my long life, my vitality, my body’s happiness and weight control?

Am I eating to nourish my Life and my body or am I eating what will cause my body’s disease?

What would your answer be?

It takes awhile possibly to start tasting the mouth coating greasiness of fried foods (that somehow tastes disgusting to me now honestly) when the mouth has become accustomed to eating this way. I know because I was that person. I loved fried foods, fatty Poor Boys full of grease soaked fried seafood! (I live in New Orleans after all!) I recently tasted a bite of fried food and I hated it! (It was 15 months since I had dared to try it) I couldn’t take another bite! I am not complacent though. I have been on the weight loss/weight gain dance for a long time, like most of my life, and I know I would “get over” that initial grease repulsion if I slip back into my bad habits and the weight would pile back on again! Same with sugary, over salted foods. I had to wean myself off of some of them or quit cold turkey like a bad habit. It wasn’t easy. No one said this was easy but I have found out, if I look around and read out within the human world around me hundreds and thousands (even) of people are contending with this each and every day!

 

I don’t want to go back there.

So, I ask myself eat day in my mindful eating way, what do I do?

Do I eat for nutrition and to nourish my life and body or am I eating my disease?

I think, for me, the choice is easy…….. Just for today, it is health I crave like water in the desert………..

The 20 things I can instead thinking of food or eating too much. (or perhaps thinking OMG I am too hungry!) Joining the human race….

1. Walk (always the best thing)!
2. Write here..
3. Plan meals – healthy meals
4. Shop for these healthy nutritious meals and snacks – especially in fresh food markets!
5. Write long and meaningful letters to loved ones (real handwritten ones would be cool or of course e-mails) or send cards to those I care about
6. Do volunteer work, rewarding, changes the world a little bit to a better place, meaningful and helpful (and is good for the heart and soul)
7. Listen to music, write music, be someone’s muse, orchestrate music, learn and instrument, organize long IPod (or other mp3) uploads for when I do #1.
8. Paint, draw, (I am an artist), use collage to (cut out magazine images/words and glue to poster board) show my journal of my journey kind of list a visual diary. Color in color books, anything creative, you don’t have to be an artist (I am one).
9. Journal (here, in writing on my patio, at a park or in my backyard)
10. Commune with nature
11. Go the pool and swim (easy on the joints, great for weight loss – wonderful on the muscles and good for the heart).
12. Go fishing if you like that or camping if that is your thing or hiking anywhere (see #1)
13. Go to the park and just hang out.
14. Read (anything) – like this blog maybe? Read a good good book, get involved in reading and/or listen to audiobooks. do it outside if you can. I have and E-reader and love it! Download books
15. Movies (I LOVE them but do avoid the sitting in front of the TV all day trap)
16. Be involved in a support group in person or online – again being supportive gets my nose out of my navel (and helps me in the process).
17. Be involved in an interest group. Hunt through your area’s “Meetup” groups (see http://www.meetup.com to find some). If you like gaming, it’s there, if you like discussing books, movies, culture, board games, playing cards, it’s probably there and go! IF there are none where you are, start one! Weight loss support groups are super cool.
18. Sewing, crafts, woodworking, leather work or any other hobbies that truly interest you.
19. Clean, anything, spring clean, wash laundry, make beds but make sure you open the windows and get fresh air all preferably while listening to music you love.
20. Organize your world. A cluttered home is a cluttered mind/body and soul. Get rid of things you haven’t used for a year and donate it. (Again good for the heart and soul those less fortunate than you!)
21. LEARN something/anything new! Take a class, join a discussion group where you learn things, go to lectures (they are usually free) at a University or a library,  read Wikipedia, subscribe to education RSS feeds/blogs or newsletters. Helps the mind grow, it’s interesting and learning is a wonderful thing!
22. Watch the news, keep up with current events and be part of the world and your community. Reconnect, it’s so important to be connected with others. Stop the isolation!