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Holistic Living
Loving Yourself One Bite at a Time
by Christine Gonzalez, Pharm D
Staying positive when times get tough and surrounding yourself with healthy relationships are forms of primary nourishment that we all need. But how about what’s at the end of your fork? Not surprisingly, there is a mutually supporting relationship between the food we eat and the way we feel about ourselves. People often try to use food to fill voids from a lack of primary nourishment on an emotional level. It is essential to take care of your mind, body, and spirit as the foundational source of self-love. Food as a reflection of self-love can vacillate between both ends of the spectrum. At one extreme are those with eating disorders who use food as a weapon to send messages of hate to their bodies. On the other side are those who make it a priority to ingest a moderate amount of the best quality food, sending messages of love to their bodies. Many people find themselves somewhere in the middle. To reach the positive end of the spectrum requires overcoming several obstacles, such as emotional eating, lack of access to quality food, and misinformation from the media and public organizations. The best way to feed yourself love is to make sure you are nourished on a primary level and to develop a healthy relationship with food.
How many times have you found yourself in a downward spiral of self-loathing? It is tempting to reach for that pint of ice cream or chocolate cake for a moment of solace. You may feel better for awhile from the surge in your blood glucose and its physiological effects. But the subsequent sugar crash may leave you feeling worse off than when you started. Then comes more self-loathing and the cycle repeats. While most people enjoy giving in to the occasional craving, it may indicate emotional eating when it becomes part of your regular coping mechanism for stress, sadness, or anger. An effective way to break this cycle is to allow yourself to experience the emotion without using food to alleviate the intensity. The next time you want to eat something sweet to dull the pain from a negative experience, remember that emotional eating is only a temporary fix and you will probably not feel better in the long-run. Have a list of things you can do when you feel lured and keep it convenient for easy reference. This may be an opportunity to use deep breathing or meditation to calm and recenter yourself. You can also try drinking more water to deter the craving or do a brisk physical activity to stimulate endorphins. But always give yourself compassion even if you do succumb to occasional episodes of emotional eating.
On the other hand, what are you supposed to do when you want to eat better quality food but have limited access to it? With most people touting organic food as superior, it is still a luxury in some parts of the country. However, due to the increase in demand, small and large food sellers alike are responding by stocking more organic items on the shelves. Being able to decipher the different PLU labels on produce is essential. Conventionally grown produce has a four-digit PLU that begins with three or four. Organically grown produce has a five-digit PLU that begins with nine. Genetically modified produce has a five-digit PLU that begins with eight. Also keep in mind that many packaged foods are now available organic. These are usually easier to come by than fresh produce. And don’t forget about your local or regional farmer. Even if they haven’t attained the official organic certification (this process can take three years or longer), they may still practice pesticide-free, sustainable farming methods. Farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA), in which you buy shares of a crop for the growing season, are gaining popularity across the country. Organizations like LocalHarvest (www.localharvest.org) provide directories for such resources in your area. So while you may need to put some effort into finding better quality food at first, rest assured that this should continue to get easier with time.
Of course, you still need to be your own food detective, as we can’t always trust what we’re told. Nutrition is a politically influenced science with many special interest groups spinning information to boost profits. Your best bet is to keep it simple. Quality food should be as close to its original form with minimal processing and unnecessary additives. A good rule of thumb is to approach with caution anything that is mass produced, contains artificial ingredients, is genetically modified, or boasts outrageous health claims. Try to make a habit of reading food labels to make sure you understand what you are putting into your body. While the government has been pressured to make changes, lobbyists for big food companies are still fighting harder than ever to bring their products to your plate. I often rely on the old saying that “garbage in equals garbage out.” So if you want to feel and perform your best, you must eat the best quality food you can. Organizations such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest (www.cspinet.org) provide many resources to help guide your decisions.
As you continue to find ways to develop and support a healthy level of self-love, making sure your mind, body, and spirit are nourished on a primary level serves as an integral foundation. When it comes to eating as a reflection of self-love, you may encounter some obstacles. But by regaining control over emotional eating, increasing your access to quality food, and learning how to interpret the information presented to you about food, you ultimately become empowered to make educated choices and feed your body the best quality food. Be mindful that it is a process to overcome these hurdles. By making small and sustainable steps to improve the quality of food you put into your body, you are giving yourself one of the greatest gifts. One bite at a time, you are telling your body that you are loved.
Christine Gonzalez is a Certified Health Coach, Integrative Pharmacist, writer, and public speaker who helps people around the country make lasting changes in their lives so they can be happier, healthier, and more balanced. She supports and empowers people with a holistic approach and aims to bridge the gap between conventional and alternative medicine. For more information about her Nourishing Balanced Energy program, visit www.christinegonzalez.com.