Food has changed. Once upon a time, we rarely thought much about what we ate; now there is so much context sitting on the end of our fork that it can be almost too heavy to lift. When we sit down to a meal, any number of questions can appear on our plates. Was the food grown close to home, supporting local farmers and putting less fossil fuels into the atmosphere? Were these fish farmed, spreading disease in our oceans? Should we be eating animal foods at all? What about all this GMO corn, is there some in this breakfast cereal?
As I mentioned in my previous post, there is new meaning to the practice of ahimsa, or non-harming, where our food choices are concerned. How can we nourish our bodies and our spirits without causing undue harm? Here are some of my thoughts...take from them what you will. I hope they will encourage you to think about what it means to you to tread a little more lightly on the planet.
Eat plant-based meals. Whether this means a meatless Monday each week, a few vegetarian meals a week or transitioning to a completely vegan diet; eating fewer animal foods conserves energy and is good for your health. Consider meat as a condiment at any meal: building your meals around whole grains and vegetables, with meat as feature, is more sustainable from both an economical and an environmental sense.
Choose animal foods wisely. Cheese, one of my favourite treats, is also one of the most resource-intensive animal foods because it requires a great deal of milk from a very energy-intensive animal (the cow). If you eat cheese, choose good quality cheese and savour it. Don't simply cover everything you eat in a fake-orange tinted rubbery substance.
Give your food animals a happier and healthier life. Buy your meat and dairy from organic sources whenever possible and if you can, from farms that raise their animals ethically. In BC, we have the SPCA certification for farms. If you have a good butcher, they will know exactly how that meat came to be in their counter.
Reconsider "superfoods". So many exotic foods sold as super foods can come with a hefty price tag for the buyer, the planet and the grower. In developed nations, our pocketbooks rule and we can outbid local markets for access to staple foods. A good example is quinoa, which has grown so expensive that many local populations that once relied upon the food have been priced out of the market. In addition, all of these foods have to be transported from far away. If they have travelled by boat, the carbon output is light. But if that pineapple or mangosteen is "jet fresh"...When you do choose super foods, buy fair trade whenever possible.
Eat Fair. As I alluded to above, when purchasing foods grown in developing nations, we should be buying fair trade. Those that toil growing our food, particularly in countries far away, are at risk socially and economically; they rarely earn enough money to raise their families. We often think about fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate. What about quinoa, bananas or sugar? Ask your retailer for fair trade foods and vote with your dollar.
Eat modestly. We overeat. Period. We do harm to our bodies as we disconnect from true hunger and force our body to process the extra food that it doesn't need; we damage our spirit as we use food as a substitute for something else that is missing in our lives. All of that excess consumption, whether in food or material goods, causes waste and an increased demand for resources which puts undue strain on our environment. Think of the Japanese tenet, "Hara hachi bu." Eat until you are 80% full. There is plenty of food out there. No need to gorge in preparation for hard times.
Eat real food. Food can be medicine or it can be poison. We honour our bodies when we choose simple, wholesome foods that are prepared with love. When we continuously feed ourselves over-processed, nutrient poor foods such as fast foods and junky snack foods we rob our bodies of nutrients and force them to go into detox mode to clean up the mess we just served.
Savour your food. We eat multiple times daily. Each opportunity can be one for happiness and pleasure when we take the time to focus on eating. Don't just scarf down your food in front of your computer screen or television. Take a quiet moment to eat slowly and truly experience your food. This will help put your body into a relaxed state that will encourage proper digestion, reduce mindless overeating and help you appreciate and enjoy what you are eating. Enjoying your meals is one of the simplest ways to add joy to your day.
I am a long time yogi...15 years to be exact. Being a Vancouver Island girl, my introduction to yoga ironically occurred the one time I ever joined a gym. Initially, I liked yoga because it was unusual (just think! there was a time when yoga studios weren't on every corner) and since I was naturally flexible, I was good at it. At 17 years old, chanting "Om" was too intimidating and I couldn't pronounce all those funny Sanskrit names.
15 years later, I can speak from experience regarding the power of this ancient practice. I didn't come to yoga for any reason than to have fun getting bendy. However, as one of my teachers had said: yoga will have its way with you. Practicing the postures (asanas, in Sanskrit) brings balance and health to the mind and body and leads you down a path of living better, even one that you might not expect. As I practiced yoga, I began to devote myself more to the study of yogic and Buddhist texts. I became more interested in how to create true well-being at a time when most of my contemporaries were interested in sneaking into clubs and drinking their faces off. My commitment to my new found vegetarianism grew. Sure, I snuck a few drinks in there too...I was a teenager after all!
As the years went on, my practice deepened. I found ashtanga yoga and started practicing daily. My passion led me to study at Moksana Yoga Centre in Victoria under Jess Freedman and become a registered yoga teacher. While in university, I taught asana classes, mostly to my friends until life became so busy that I had to stop. In fact, one of the greatest ironies is that at the time you need yoga most, you usually practice it the least. While any time spent on practicing the postures is restorative, a traditional practice is 90 minutes a day. No small commitment in this crazy world! Since beginning my career as a registered dietitian, I maybe get on my mat once a month. But as I said, yoga has its way with you. Over the holiday break, a lovely little studio called Che Baba opened on Kingsway near my home and it hastened a return to practice that has my body literally singing with happiness.
Enough blabbing about myself! I wanted to give you some background on why yoga is so important to me but what does this all have to do with healthy eating? Well, many things, actually. The word yoga means union, or to yoke. The practice of yoga is meant to bring all things into union: you with your body, mind and the divine within; you with others; you with a higher purpose. And so, as asana practice is the foundation of a life in yoga, it is important to integrate the practice into your life off the mat as well.
One of the central principals (or yamas, in Sanskrit) of yoga is ahimsa, or non-harming. Ahimsa can be interpreted in many ways. Traditionally, one of the interpretations of ahimsa is to choose a diet that does not harm other living beings - a vegetarian diet. I connect with this mission personally and my primary reason for choosing vegetarianism is to reduce harm to others. However in this crazy world, sometimes foods like milk and eggs can also harm. And what about foods grown in developing nations? Fair trade is an option that is growing in popularity as we recognize more acutely that we are all interconnected and our purchase of bananas, sugar or tea affects the lives of those who come into contact with that food.
Non-harming also means not bringing harm to yourself. When we honour ourselves by choosing wholesome foods that nourish and repair our tissues and our minds, we practice ahimsa. Poor quality foods bring dis-ease to the body and are an act of self-harm. In addition, we need to address our thoughts and behaviours around our bodies and our eating habits. When we let go of guilt, self-hatred towards our bodies and other negative emotions surrounding food, we practice ahimsa.
In my next post, we will talk further on how to practice ahimsa with regards to your diet and give you practical tools to help find yoga on your plate.
Namaste,
Desiree
For the last of my three healthy holiday gifts posts, I won't be sending you running to the mall to fight the frazzled, pushy, un-festive crowds. If you have people on your list that you haven't bought for yet - why not go another way?
With a full time job, a toddler, a husband and a time consuming writing habit...I don't have a lot of free time. I am looking forward to some time off in just a few days and I think some of the best gifts you can give are time spent with friends and family doing something fun. So for this holiday gift instalment, here are my suggestions for the best healthy holiday gifts you can give: quality time.
1. Snowshoeing at Grouse Mountain - I have desperately wanted to try snowshoeing for the last 4 years and every year seems to pass without me hitting the alpine. Maybe this will be my year? Grouse Mountain offers nightly guided snow showing tours that end with a fondue feast. Okay, so heaping pots of cheese and chocolate aren't the pinnacle of health but the broth course is healthy and you did just complete an hour of snowshoeing...
2. Wander through Van Dusen Festival of Lights - Bundle up, fill up a thermos with hot chocolate (spike it with Baileys...I won't tell) and take friends for a long evening's walk through the thousands of glittering lights at Van Dusen Gardens. Take girl's night out to a festive new level. Nightly until January 2nd.
3. Sign up for a cooking class at The Dirty Apron and invite your friends over for a New Year's tapas party. A little gift for you...and some great fun with friends post Christmas, when everyone needs a lift!
4. Offer an evening of babysitting to friends who have children. If you have children, I needn't explain further. If you don't...marvel in how inexplicably thankful your friends will be when you send them out for a night on their own. Feel smug and thoughtful and help yourself to treats after the kids go down for the night.
5. Treat a friend to a yoga, Bar Method or any other fitness class, followed by a stop at your favourite cafe. My favourite spot is YYoga...where you can go for a class, get a sauna and have a cup of tea, all in one locale. Perfect way to get fit and reconnect all at once!
Here is to a healthy holiday,
Desiree
