“There is no sincerer love than the love of food” ~George Bernard Shaw

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with food.  Growing up, it was a love of all varieties of cheese, chocolate, and pasta.  In college, I loved pizza, grinders (Boston’s equivalent of a NY submarine sandwich), and (as any good Boston College grad knows) beer! I love every ethnic cuisine available and am always eager to try something new.

Have you heard of the freshman 15?  I returned home after freshman year with the freshman 30!  Do Not Pass Go.  Do Not Collect $100.  Go DIRECTLY to Weight Watchers!

 Today there is a proliferation of food choices.  Fifteen years ago, there were one or two Japanese sushi restaurants in our area, and I felt uncomfortable eating raw fish (that has since changed).  Grocery stores did not have sections for organic and “natural” food.  Wonder (white) bread was the bread of choice – housewives believed their slogan, “Wonder Bread Helps Builds Strong Bodies 12 Ways.”  At home, we ate either lemon sole or salmon once a week for dinner; there was not a wide variety of fish offered locally.  We never saw kale, swiss chard, arugula, or broccoli rabe offered in the vegetable aisle.

Local ethnic restaurants were mainly Italian (think heavy sauces like Fettuccine Alfredo) and Chinese (with the always popular Chop Suey) food.  We ate full-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-sodium meals.  (One more example: When I was in college, my father sent me a L-O-N-G salami from his favorite German deli.  I was to tie a string on its top and hang it up to allow the “extra fat” to drip off.  (Imagine my roommate’s horror!) Since my dad is German, this was typical fare.  I can almost feel my arteries hardening just thinking about eating that salami!

Now that I’m in my fifties, I’ve learned to make smarter food choices for better health.  Given the wider variety now available, I try to eat fewer calories/salt/fat/carbs and increase my daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.  If organic food is available, I believe it’s wise to purchase it despite the higher price. (Read the Mayo Clinic article about organic vs. non-organic food to decide on buying organic food.) I rarely eat red meat (Read the CNN.com article about eating red meat) and mainly eat chicken (white meat/skinless), pork, and turkey.  I use Trader Joe’s soy creamer for my morning cup of Joe and have nonfat, regular, or vanilla yogurt while adding fresh fruit and slivered almonds.

“When you go to the grocery store, you find that the cheapest calories are the ones that are going to make you the fattest” ~Michael Pollan, Author of Food Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer-And What You Can Do About It

 I’ve removed white sugar and white flour from my diet and stick to whole grains, like quinoa and wild or brown rice.

I drink 64 ounces of filtered water daily (It’s good for you and may prevent me from passing another kidney stone - ouch!) I drink lots of green tea.  Green tea has antioxidant properties.  There is evidence it may protect against certain cancers and reduce your risk of heart disease.

 “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.” ~Dorothy Day

I love good food and the social aspect of savoring the meal, as the Europeans do, with family, friends, and good conversation.  I’d lie if I said I never have cheese, chocolate, or pizza.  Once in a while, I still grab a beer simply because I want one. (Last week, while in San Diego, I tasted a delicious new beer – Coronado Orange Wit – yum!) But these days, when I have something less healthy, I eat smaller portions and am mindful of each bite (Read the NY Times article about mindful eating.)  This allows me to control what I eat and stops me from mindlessly putting food and drink in my mouth while I busily multitask doing work.

“Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos taste a hell of a lot better.” ~Robert Redford

Will changing our diet help us to live longer?  I can’t say.  I will say that we all have something in our life we have no control over.  What we put into our mouths is something we all have control over.  Hopefully, in the end, what we are eating will give us a better quality of life.

Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad.  In fact, these days, the food I eat is purer, fresher, and more flavorful than ever.  So why the “hate” part of the love/hate relationship?  Perhaps because I can’t eat whatever I want to without worrying about gaining weight or raising my cholesterol levels.  But then again, I also can’t do a cartwheel or stay up late without feeling tired the next day.

 “Growing up is losing some illusions in order to acquire others.” ~Virginia Woolf

In our Second Chapter, we have the knowledge and ability to erase the “hate” portion of our relationship with food by having more control over our food choices.  Being more aware of our foods adds greater pleasure to our eating experience.  Plus, it simply allows us to feel and look better.  Once again, being over 50 ain’t so bad!

I’d enjoy hearing about your food stories and your “way of life” eating habits.  Do you eat organic or do you think it’s a bunch of ridiculous rhetoric?  Are you a vegan or vegetarian, and if so, why did you choose to become one?  Do you eat the same as you always have and think limiting your food choices is silly?  Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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DISCLAIMER:  Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained, and my posts are of a journalistic nature and not in lieu of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from using this blog or any data or links provided.