How do you view food?

Do you have stress around food?

For you, is it all about “good” food versus “bad” food, calories, and restriction? Do you have anxiety and fear around thoughts of eating? Do you view food as something fun and as nourishment? 

There are so many ways our views on food shape and impact our health. We live in a diet culture that creates so many negatives around something that should be so beautiful. We hear endlessly conflicting messages about what’s “healthy”, the new “body positive” definetion seems to change daily and we can end up feeling more and more stress and fear around something that origionally was meant to be very intuitive.

While there are many variables to what makes certain foods work for certain people and their goals, there are some fundamental principles that can help you start to make positive associations with food in the chaotic food and health landscape. Here are 3 quick tips.

#1. My first suggestion is to start with taking your food back as close to its natural state as possible. That means whole foods, with as little adulteration as possible.

#2. Really tune into the appreciation of what it is.. and what it gives you. At it’s core, food is your actual survival. Without it we cease to live,..yet we tend to scarf down food on the fly while multi-tasking and rarely take the time to appreciate the act of nourishing ourselves in this big way.

#3. Bask in gratitude for the food you have. Our bodies are so incredible, and food is what takes us through life. It is our medicine or sickness. The more you appreciate each part of your food, its flavor, it’s the origin, the people who planted, harvested or farmed it, right up to it being on your plate and going into your body, the more sacred and special you will make the whole process. When you focus on THESE aspects of eating, it naturally overrides the scientific and social aspects that seem to take over most in regards to food.

Give these a try, and let me know if you have your own tips for making food fun, sacred, special and nourishing!

Having a good relationship with it is so vital. 

Love & Zen

Holly Joy