DAY 35: Savor Your Food

This day speaks for itself, and as it is Valentines Day, Chinese New Year and I am in Switzerland, it couldn't have been better timed.

I moved from Oregon three years ago this summer, a place that prided itself in being part of the local slow food movement. Eat food in season, grow in places near your front door, by small farmers. Then I moved to a big city, but a part of it where I could ride my bike to pick my own raspberries, or cut the salad from the ground. Eggs are delivered to my door every other Monday. There are no lables on this food because they aren't packaged.

But due to lack of knoweldge, fear, whatever the reason - I bought more packaged food than ever. And I developed migraines. Once I sat myself down and realized it wasn't the wind blowing from the mountains, but the processed liver wurst, tee wurst, and other spreadable meats I'd been eating that gave me the massive headaches - I stopped. I stopped eating them. And the headaches stopped.



Now that I am more settled, I realize that there are things we sometimes cut corners on that actually make life more difficult in the long run. Food, and eating in a more holistic manner, a more simple connected - aware - manner is something that we often give up in our race with trying to do more and more.

Remember, slow down, do one. thing. at. a. time. And that includes food.

Action: Spend 10 minutes cleaning out your pantry today. Consider yourself a chef, an kitchen artist. Make something for dinner tonight that you've never made before. Create art on your plate.

Although I am not at home, and I can't cook while visiting our friends, I am enjoying every cheese, cake, bread, or home made jam put in front of me. My hosts can proudly tell me where each item comes from. Who made it or what region of the country it was produced. Most of it is just around the corner.



Challenge: Either at home or a restaurant, eat all your meals as if you have to describe them to others. What colors and textures surround you? Keep a simple list of everything you eat for the next 37 days. And write a mental review of one meal a day to practice slowing down and paying attention.



Give up Pop-tarts. Taste what is in your mouth. Thank the chef.