Today I am cranky and overwhelmed by the amount of work being a Vegan is going to take. I am really unfamiliar with food in general. I have been eating the same kinds of food for a long time and as my life has gotten busier with kids and husband I have eaten more and more from the box. I always know when I’m not eating well balanced because it only takes me a few minutes to shop the produce department. My brain is soaking in so much new information I’m not sure where to even start. So many new vegetables, grains and beans to learn about, to cook, to taste. It’s going to take some time to locate foods in the grocery store as well. I don’t know where to get Umeboshi plums, Barley Mart or Kabocha squash. I’ll need a system of introducing some new foods a few at a time.
The way I eat is as much a hurdle as what I am eating. From years of eating convenience foods I have conditioned myself to snack while I prepare my food. I had conditioned my body to expect food within 15 minutes of preparing it. I eat while standing up, driving, talking, surfing the web and my favorite- watching TV. I realize this contributes to my unhealthy relationship to food. I eat unconsciously. It is actually very difficult for me to sit down at the table (especially by myself) and eat without watching or reading anything. And more so if it’s dessert. This is a big hurdle for me. It seems so simple. Sit down at the table and eat with no distractions. It’s really hard for me to do! Olivia and I tried to follow miss Silverstone's suggestion for how many times you should chew your food. How much you chew actually effects your health. It has to do with your food breaking down and your body releasing glucose. She suggests 20-30. We both got to 20. After a few minutes I forgot what we were doing and went back to a few chews then a swallow. Suddenly Olivia shouts 30! She was like, I did it mom!
This is really going to take some practise. I'm starting out with simple rules. Eat at the table. Try and eat with no computer(I failed at lunch today). It's like reading the paper and having coffe with toast. I enjoy the combination. But I also get that I need to change how I think about food. It's nourishment for my mind, body and soul. I need to stay conscious to that. I know I sound hippyesque but I do believe in this stuff.
Go back a little to leap futher - John Clarke
very interesting. I am going to try to count how many times I chew, I definitely eat too fast. Hang in there, you are going to be so knowledgable about all of this food soon!
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