In one of my previous
entries, I wrote about the importance of being connected to our food. A huge part of eating disorder recovery
was simply learning how to enjoy my food again. When I was in the early stages of my recovery, it was simply
a matter of increasing my food intake.
I had a meal plan that I was trying to stick to, but the important thing
was just making sure I ate.
Now that I’ve been in a
healthy place for a few years, my food connection is deepening. The more I get into homesteading, the
more I’m learning about the miracle of food and how our bodies use it. I’m getting to know my own body and my
own nutritional needs. I recently
found out that my cholesterol is slightly elevated (it’s genetic.) I also have a few other health
conditions that I am trying to manage, at least in part, by eating healthier
food.
I’m trying not to use
the word “diet” in the traditional sense, because in our culture it’s so
synonymous with the word “can’t.”
The general concept of a diet is a list of foods you can’t eat. If
someone were to ask me if I’m “on a diet,” I suppose the technical answer would
be yes. There are some things that
are either no longer a part of my diet, or are consumed in much smaller (and
less frequent) amounts. But I
don’t think in terms of “can’t.”
I’m something of a go-getter when I want to be. When I found out I have high
cholesterol, my response wasn’t, “Oh great, I can’t eat this or this or
this.” I didn’t think of my diet
as being restricted. I didn’t
think of it as a punishment. I
looked at it as an opportunity to find different foods that I’d enjoy eating
(and maybe growing!), and that would be a bit healthier.
I’m not saying we should
never use the word “diet.” It’s a
useful word in the right context.
I just wish we could separate it from this idea of “can’t.”
