They don’t make food like they used to. That’s because “they” didn’t make it. We did. Where were the food addictions when food came from a backyard garden or a local farm or meat locker?
Where did we turn when stress set in? There was a choice, and usually it was a physical activity like shooting hoops or taking a walk around the block.
No one went to their room and watched TV or turned up the music or video game. If that were to have happened, you’d get a different kind of exercise like running to escape a possible “whupping” as it was called in the old days.
No one thought of eating to combat stress. What possible emotional relief could be gained from shoving a bunch of radishes or a couple of ears of corn in your face? Now, if there was ham in the smoke house, that was a different story.
The thing is, when we ate food when I was growing up, it was real food. And maybe that’s why we didn’t see so many food addictions and so much emotional eating. We had real stress but we also had real food.
Added sugars, fats, salt, corn syrup, and all kinds of dyes and preservatives change the nature of food. Those additives may have something to do with food addictions, just as additives in cigarettes have been proved to have addictive properties.
One of the best things a person can do to get off the treadmill of food addiction and emotional eating is to start cooking. Prepare meals that don’t come from a box, bag, or can. Use natural ingredients to concoct your own creative dinner.
In other words, know what is in the food you are eating. And what better way to know than to cook it yourself?
To some, that may sound drastic, and it does take a little more work, but it is definitely worth it. Make some homemade soup with a few chunks of lean beef, a couple of stalks of celery, a can of whole tomatoes–they tend to do well in soups–a couple of onions, a carrot or two chopped up to sweeten the pot, and one or two potatoes cut into chunks.
All you need to season soup is an herb salt like Herb-a-Mare, some fresh ground pepper, and a little Mrs. Dash seasoning. You can add a small amount of balsamic vinegar or wine to enhance the taste, if you like.
If you eat this healthy, delicious soup alternately with whatever else you eat, you will notice a difference in the way you feel.
So, today’s tip is know what’s in your food. Don’t allow someone else to make every food decision for you. When you eat only processed foods, candy, sweets, chips, and heat-and-eat meals, that’s what you’re doing.
Do what you can to cut down on the additives in your food. It may help you to get rid of your food addictions and it will certainly be better for your health.