I was in a discussion at InnerRewards with a guy named Dan Laureano. He was asking the group about some of his nutrition approach. In my response to him, I noted that he seemed to be ahead of the game because he already knew eating was a 3-dimensional thing: there's no way in the American culture (or any culture that practices more than subsistence eating) for food not to play many more roles in our lives above nourishment. Here's some of what he responded:
That is actually harder on my body, I think, than what I do or do not eat. My thoughts and intentions while consuming food and drink are integral to my body's relationship with nutrition and what enters my belly. I'm really noticing it the past two days. I live it with other parts of my life, but it's amazing, the difference that thought makes while eating. Even just being present to the act of eating and celebrating the nutrition, flavor and fun of the food helps my body welcome the food better. Very cool stuff.
I love that phrase, "being present to the act of eating." How many of us eat while sitting at our desks, or grabbing something as we run out the door and driving one-handed while we eat? I can't tell you the last time I ate breakfast being present with the food while I was eating it. Almost the same with lunch. My saving grace is that we all try to sit down to dinner at night--but during baseball and track season, that's not happening very much, either.
Thanks, Dan. What a tremendous reminder to me to get up from this desk and enjoy the food I'm working so hard to eat right.
April 24, 2010: So sorry to report that Inner Rewards has had to shut its doors. It was a tremendous wellness resource and is missed.