Food for Thought

I know this woman. She's around my age, she's a wife and mother. I like her a lot. She's funny and sincere and kind. And she does something that I just don't understand! She eats and drinks things that she believes, and is probably right about, are healthy for her. I understand that part, be patient. The thing is, she doesn't enjoy many of the healthy things that she consumes. She drinks green tea every day, it took a while for her to get used to the taste, and she still doesn't like it all that well, she's just become accustomed to drinking it. She chokes down a glass of milk most nights with dinner. But she doesn't like it, she drinks it because of the calcium and protein it provides. And she eats bananas even though if she thinks about the texture of the fruit while she's eating it, she's not likely to enjoy it and it almost makes her feel a little sick. I have this theory that whatever you eat, you should consume it with joy and gusto. You know, feed your soul and spirit as well as your physical self. It seems to me that if you eat healthy foods, but you don't enjoy the process, that somehow the nutritious aspect is somewhat diminished. I don't think that you should eat crap and enjoy it and lull yourself into thinking it's good for you! Like this guy I know who is classified as being morbidly obese and yet joyfully pokes frosting slathered cake into his mouth while he laughs about his corpulence. I do believe that joy is a factor that should not be discounted in all the ways it can impact our lives. I'm lucky that most of the things I like to eat are pretty healthy. I love vegetables and olive oil and yogurt and whole grains and salmon. I also love coffee and chocolate and red meat and chips and wine and cream and butter and beer, and, yes, cake. But for the most part I consume these things in moderation. The only edible substance that I feel is truly evil is the trans-fat, which I avoid. I'm also not a big fan of artificial sweeteners or the "lite" version of anything. And I ignore the latest breaking news concerning what is good/bad for you to eat. Inevitably that information has a habit of turning on itself over time. I eat what I love and love what I eat. And I think I'm healthier for it. I'd rather have a small portion of something wonderful that I'll absolutely savor than a bucket full of healthy that I'll have to choke down. It's all about the joy.