Specialty diets. Food restrictions. The elitism of healthy foods. Where does it end?
People with blood type A should avoid red meat. If you are on the Atkins diet you stay away from fruits and starches. If you are a vegetarian you stay away from meat. If you are vegan you stay away from eggs and cheese. If you are my husband you never eat shellfish or pork, even though you are not Jewish!
I ask you, where does it end?
I have been there. I was once on the Candida diet and lived on chicken, fish, eggs and low starch vegetables. It almost killed me. It was my doctor’s idea. She wanted to make sure that I really had fibromyalgia and not Candida which has similar symptoms. When I showed up to her office after 40 days I could barely walk, I was so weak. She said I looked like a skeleton and to get off that diet immediately. After that, I could not eat meat for three and a half years.
Today, I just listen to my body. Sometimes it wants meat. Sometimes it only wants fruit. There were years I could not eat dairy and now soy bothers me.
I have deep respect for vegetarians and for people who eat according to their ethics. I do think this is a noble path. It just is not the path for me. There are days I wish it was but my body is Queen. Some days she must eat smoked oysters. Other days tofu is OK. Now and then she must have steak.
Everyone’s food rules are different. I have tried all of them and know that listening to my body for its own rules of that particular day works for me. Just as I know pork really is truly not something my husband can eat. As much as I want to put chorizo sausage in a dish I want to make for dinner, I will respect the fact that it would upset my husband. I also respect the few days a week my body says, “Vegetarian today, please?”
Tolerance is what I want to point out here. All of our bodies and personal philosophies are unique. Not to mention, our financial situations. There is not one set of food rules out there and that’s OK. Right? I am tired of people judging others for the food they make and eat. Life is a buffet. You don’t like what you see? Keep on walking so someone else can get a bite.
Yes!! We should always listen to what our bodies want- they know what they need. I give vegetarians and vegans a lot of respect for their choices, I could never do that. No one set of rules is right for everyone.
I’m sick of hearing “What do you mean you don’t eat this? That’s just stupid!” Well, no, it’s not….
What is even worse is when people judge me for what I’ve grown up eating and loving. I like kraft mac and cheese, thank you very much! My parents didn’t have the time or money to prepare amazing meals for us every night.
I agree! Tolerance about food is as important as tolerance about anything else. I once went to a workshop on spirituality and a food nazi went up one side of me and down the other because I brought a Diet Coke to drink!
I hear you! I’m a student, with very little income. People tell me I should try vegetarian or cut back on meats to save money. But veggies are more expensive than cheaper cuts of meat (chicken legs, pork shoulder, chuck steak), plus I’m starving an hour after eating a vegetarian meal. Starchy foods don’t agree with me … So inexpensive inhuman meats it is! Unless someone wants to foot my grocery bills, this is how I need to live!
I think I shall try the wine and chocolate diet, it’s what my body seems to crave every 28 days…
LOL
Tolerance, if we could only pass that out and share it every where in every facet of life.
~smile~
I enjoy a great many things that your queen makes..
~smile~
Well said!
And it’s interesting how often my body is telling me it just needs water, it isn’t really hungry. Now I’m listening I can cue in to this much better and enjoy what I’m really hungry for when I’m, er, really hungry.
This is such a good post! Kind of like spiritual tolerance, isn’t it!
Since going gluten free (since we have the gene – & it’s making a difference for my granddaughters) it’s been interesting to see people’s reactions ‘I couldn’t give up wheat!’ (from a friend who’s diabetic, & needs more protein than my usual fare) . . . . & etc, I *notice* how often I’m offered soemthing containing gluten, & how I need to be hyperaware . . . I’d RATHER have things cooked in coconut oil, or that food I’m served be Organic, but usually have ‘eaten what’s put before me’ – so going GF has been interesting!