Eat Me.

This thread was going to be titled, "Eat Me" ala Alice in Wonderland, but I figured that might be too in your face. So as I start writing, it goes unnamed. I was just in the kitchen preparing meatloaf for dinner and got to thinking about eating, the (in)ability to eat and/or restrictions that we put on ourselves all in the name of eating. I don't mean restrictions to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I mean....other restrictions.

Wait, wait....wait. Let me get my thought process started at the beginning and we'll finish at the end - shall we ?

So the last time I was visiting my parents, I noticed that my Dad had his crusts cut off his sandwich. Seemingly surprised, I asked why. Because it gets too tough to chew with his dentures. Makes sense. I actually felt a little sheepish for asking, but moved past it. Today, as we talked on the phone, Mom mentioned a recipe for Lavender Biscotti and Dad quickly added, "oh, I love biscotti".

Huh.

"But it's so hard" ?

Silence. On to next topic.

As I mixed up the meatloaf, I was deep in thought of how eating is tied up in so many things for us as humans. We get nourished by food, not only physically, but emotionally. We eat a certain type of food and we're instantly whisked back to a time in our past that holds dear to our heart.....or not. Depending on how our family ate definitely is embedded in how we eat now, as adults. I've always been proud of the fact that as a child, dinner was a very important time in our house. 5:00pm came and if I wasn't home with a good reason, there was going to be hell to pay. We sat down as a family, recounted our days, and shared a home cooked meal. From scratch - fresh, international, interesting meals. We laughed, we cried, we yelled or we just ate and enjoyed the company. Either way, eating dinner together has been ingrained in me as something that is important.

The food we ate didn't follow a low-carb/low-fat/gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian or otherwise restricted regime. It was whole food. Unprocessed and uncompromised.

Here is where things get confusing.

As a species, how can we have so many different ways of eating ? Forgive me, I'm not a specialist in dietary needs or restrictions - but when you stop to think about it, it's really interesting how we all have such different ideas/needs on what to eat. I am lead to wonder if all the processed-quickie types of foods have hurt us to the point of desperately grasping at a new allergy ?

Personally, I had felt like I found a health mecca when I was first introduced to low-carb. After battling internally the LC concept for literally years, I gave in and saw my body transform. It was amazing, shocking, it grasped at my psyche like a drug. I dreamed of hot, crusty bread and fought the urge to eat any sugar at all. As with any drug, once it's out of your system, the cravings subside. I was at one with my desires and was ready to take on the world. The thing is, avoiding carbs and sugar is really tough and I really started questioning my need for them. Not my desire to have them in all that I eat, but in moderation. My dietary need for the variety.

Dad has always said, "Everything in moderation" and I have to agree with that idea. Carbs can't be the enemy. Carbs in extreme are the enemy. Huge amounts of sugar in all that we eat is the enemy.

Where am I going with this ?

Oi. I think this post is going to need a "Part 2".

Seriously, it's time for mashed potatoes, meatloaf and brussels spouts !

And for the record, it's being titled EAT ME.