Food

Food (food, noun): any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.

We live in a world where we eat lots of things that don’t fit the above definition of food.  MSG, genetically-modified-god-knows-what, pink slime…it’s everywhere, and it actually tastes pretty good.  Pink slime aside, information about what to put into our bodies and what not to put into our bodies seems to change all the time.  And the reality is that different people may need to put different things in their bodies.  So my wellfesto focuses broadly on what I want to put in my body and my family’s bodies.  It’s my personal roadmap, which can be influenced by things I read or people I talk to, but ultimately reflects the things I value and the things that work for me.  I try not to eat things my grandmother (or a grandmother in another country) wouldn’t recognize.  I try to steer clear of hormones and chemicals.  And I try to eat real food as often as possible.  When I think about my diet and what commitments I want to make, here are some of the questions I ask:

• How much time do I have to prepare food?  At this point in my life, what percentage of home-cooked versus restaurant meals are realistic?
• What foods make me feel good?  Not just for a second, but for the whole day.  How can I get more of those into my diet?
• Do I know where my food comes from?  How much does this matter to me?
• What food practices work not just for me, but for my whole family?

What food questions are important to you as you put together your wellfesto?