My Evolving Relationship with Food

The Rise of Processed Food

I was born in the '70s and raised mostly on the 80's vibe. There were a lot of good things about the 80s - the music, the fashion, the creativity, the prosperity, for example - but what was really shockingly bad was the food in the UK and other places. Mass marketing and Frankenfoods appeared - heavily processed foods made in a factory that were both less nutritious (if at all) and highly toxic. I had a TERRIBLE relationship with food. One of the other problems with these processed foods, is that you never feel satiated and as a result may overeat and put on weight also. That was me. It's a viscous cycle and it can affect every part of your life.

Back then, many of our parents just DID NOT KNOW any of this. My grandparents understood it a bit better as they'd gone through World War II and had grown their own food, had been through rationing, and understood the importance of keeping strong and healthy. But, to an extent, a whole generation grew up on toxic processed non-foods like Pop Tarts and Findus Crispy Pancakes. Refined white sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are a terrible way to start your day. Those crispy pancakes went through the horsemeat scandal a few years ago, which wasn't what bothered me, to be honest. Meat is meat and I'd travelled across the world where - in many places - horse is eaten - no biggie. What bothered me was that what they said was in the ingredients, wasn't. That is far creepier and dark. What we collectively learned from that horrendous fact is that we can't trust big corporations with our food.

Our Bodies Heal Themselves Given The Right Circumstances

Luckily, for me and everyone else tricked into eating poisons, our cells regenerate at quite a fast pace, so even damage done by consuming toxicity can be undone. I don't shop in supermarkets that often anymore, but when I do, there are over half the aisles that I don't even go down. Most foods in the supermarket are not whole foods, but highly processed so that they can sit in a warehouse and on the shelves for longer, and so that they taste "good" and look "good" even though they aren't at all beneficial for us. And that's the thing about whole foods - they are beneficial. They are strengthening, they are immune boosting, they are good for our internal organs, and they promote general wellness. But, of course, these type of foods don't have advertising campaigns and are not marketed to kids, but I am old enough to remember 70's ad campaigns for fresh fruit and vegetables. Back then, the government wanted us healthy because they needed the workforce. The economy was growing.

I'm 50 next year and I feel and look the healthiest I ever have done. And part of this is down to the foods and beverages that I consume as part of my self-care and self-love. Being honest, I have my "off" days where I'll eat a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar, but mainly I am mastering the art of replacing unbeneficial foods with beneficial ones that still taste great, but also make me FEEL and LOOK great. I haven't been to a doctor in years and - apart from a couple of times when I had a bad migraine and took a paracetamol - I don't usually take pharmaceutical drugs. I don't NEED them.

Mineral Depletion and Chemical Exposure

Mineral depletion and chemical exposure are two of the main reasons for real worldwide health pandemics: cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, lupus, emphysema, allergies, Alzheimers, Parkinsons and other neurological diseases. Inflammation is something many of us suffer from and this is caused by our diet, among other things. Many mental "issues" are now known to be caused by nutrition deficiencies. . There are plenty of peer-reviewed studies to prove this, but of course these are not usually sponsored by Big (P)Harma. Magnesium is a biggie. If we are depleted in Magnesium, then it is difficult for any other nutrients to be absorbed into the body. It was previously thought that Calcium was the biggest factor and milk was heralded as the miracle drink, but this also causes inflammation and therefore excess mucus.

There are many ways to take in Magnesium and - luckily for me - it is plentiful in some of my favourite foods that I eat all the time: dark chocolate / cacao, avocadoes, bananas, nuts and seeds. In fact, I have managed to turn my last addiction (coffee) into a highly beneficial drink. To be honest, I love coffee and every now and then I'll probably continue to have a cup of organic freshly made coffee when I'm out, but recently I discovered Mushroom Latte. It's made up of Reishi Mushroom, Cordyceps, Lion's Mane, Chaga, Shiitake, Cacao, and Cinnamon. I add an extra spoonful of organic cacao to it along with a plant milk (regular milk creates inflammation in me) and sometimes a little natural raw sugar. It's so delicious and the health benefits are manifold. Just one mushroom latte wakes me up in the morning, which is compared to the MANY cups of highly caffeinated coffee I’ve been drinking most of my life. I feel more relaxed, more awake, more aware, and ready to focus every day after just one cup. I also know I'm getting enough magnesium. I call that a win-win-win-win-win!!!!!

In what ways is your relationship with food changing? Do you have any tips on replacing certain "yummy" foods with more beneficial yummy ones?