Yes, we are what we eat or drink. Sadly, as a nation, we have found that eating supersized portions of refined and processed foods devoid of nutrition, for the most part, has contributed to the current epidemic of obesity.
Picture the millions of Americans in their cars at the drive-through to pick up their fast food that they gulp down while rushing to the next appointment. Now think of a long, relaxing meal in Italy, France, or Greece, where you have time to actually savor the flavors of freshly prepared local food. There is a world of difference in what is considered “fast food” and “slow food.” We all know what fast food is. However, our parents or grandparents may have to tell you what slow food is. Whether made completely from scratch or not, food that is made with love and attention and recipes that are shared with others demand time to really taste and enjoy what is being eaten.
International movement
An International Slow Food Movement began in Italy to protest the first fast-food restaurant in Rome. Now with members on five continents, Slow Food celebrates the enjoyment of food, the preservation of regional foods, culinary traditions and small producers. Research shows that in countries where taste and enjoyment of food is important, portion sizes of food in restaurants, in supermarkets and at home are much smaller than Americans would expect. In fact, in France the portion sizes for typical restaurant entrées are estimated to be more than 50% smaller than American entrées.
My dad would say that the way to lost weight is to “just close your mouth.” When we slow down the eating process, our bodies are better able to tell us just when to do that – close our mouths. It takes about 20 minutes for us to feel full after we start eating. Most of the time, we eat so fast that we are way past full and up to miserable by 20 minutes. If we eat smaller portions more slowly and actually relish each bite, we just might end up eating less, but enjoying it more!
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
