Whole Food Diets…A Reflection of Our Past
Have you ever searched “how many types of diets are there?” Well, there are at least 100 that claim will help you losing weight and I don’t know how many more there are that are claiming to promote healthy eating. Healthy eating? This seems to be something that eludes many of us. We’re not quite sure what exactly that means. We’re inundated with so much information telling us what we should eat and shouldn’t eat. Many diets recommend excluding certain whole foods …but aren’t whole foods healthy for us? …and where does the truth lie? Unfortunately, the truth is subjective…and very personal, not everything is good for everyone. We still need to monitor ourselves and our reactions to the foods we eat. Feel bad? Don’t eat it again. Feel good? Remember that and include it in your weekly diet, but was it always this challenging when it came to knowing what to eat? I don’t think so. I believe our ancestors had a better understanding of food, not just the tastes and aromas of food but how our food choices affected our bodies and overall health. I believe they were much more in tune and connected to their body that they could make better decisions about their food choices. They spent more time around food, learning about all the aspects of food from their elders, something that was passed down from one generation to the next. I’m a product of that philosophy. My family has grown, harvested, preserved, and prepared their own food for generations. It was only natural for them to teach this to us, the next generation. They did this even though they left their homeland to live in another part of the world, they still brought their knowledge and traditions with them. Food was a part of our education, our foundational education that would prepare us for life.
Our
grandparents hold the keys…
to our learning how to eat well and understanding the basics of what healthy foods really are.
Our grandparents and great grandparents hold the keys to our learning how to eat well and understanding the basics of what healthy foods really are. What do you think they would say about all these framework diets with their does and don’ts? I think they would tell us we’re trying too hard. For them the key to eating well was obvious. We should be eating a variety of simple, seasonal, fresh, whole foods prepared simply. Period. Variety and moderation in their choices of foods each day was a way of life. This was how they were raised and it became second nature to them.
The importance of food and cooking has always been passed down, from generation to generation. It was shared with the next generations, not just taught in a mechanical fashion. Our ancestors knew that this was a very important and essential education. This was about, not just survival, but about how to thrive and the coming together of community. It was passed down through a deep understanding and acknowledgment of where the food came from and for whom the food was being prepared for the people you love, usually the family, and you want to see live well and be healthy. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare about preparing a meal. Meals were balanced by including different types of foods, depending on the season and if they were lucky, they would have some of their own preserved or dried foods available to add to the meal, giving variety and choice throughout the year. The more varied our food choices, the easier it is for us to eat in moderation. Moderation. I have my mother’s voice inside my head always reminding me of the importance of eating in moderation. You never eat the same exact foods every day, gaining balance and promoting good health requires variety and moderation. We all have our core foods we like to eat on a regular basis but it’s how we combine them differently each day, not repeating the exact same meals day after day. That’s where the magic happens.
The more varieties of foods we eat each day or week automatically lends itself to moderation and a fuller spectrum of all the essential nutrients we need to be healthy, not to mention keeping mealtime interesting and something to look forward to.
The formula was very simple and served many generations before us very well, good health comes from moderation and a variety of the freshest whole foods we can find, prepared simply and enjoyed with those we love.
Good food…
should always be enjoyed in good company and with those you love!
Check out my Bits & Bites page where I answer the question: What exactly are whole foods? I’ll give some easy to remember facts that will help you to make better choices by knowing how to spot healthier foods.
