When I decided to make it a goal to become a health professional, one who instead of focusing on disease would focus on prevention, I never thought that I was headed into a hot bed of controversy. You always hear that you should avoid the topics of religion, politics and money (topics I admittedly like to talk about), but there’s one more topic that I might add to this list, the topic of food. It really is a very touchy subject (and again, one that I l love to talk about…).
Food is inextricably intertwined into our life. It’s a source of comfort, it’s ceremonial, it’s linked to family, it’s habit, and it’s ours. In many ways we hold deeply rooted food beliefs. Every day we get to vote with our fork. We can decide to choose the foods that are known to keep us healthy and strong or we can decide to fill our bodies with other stuff that can sap us of energy and vitality.
I work with people every day who are making the right choice to change their approach to food. I’m amazed at the stories of how family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors and co-workers judge and question their choices and try to make them feel bad about their healthy new lifestyle. Here’s my response: Don’t own someone else’s food insecurity. If you are making the healthy choice for you and your family, keep rocking it regardless of what others say. When people feel insecure, their reaction is not always to harness that energy and use it to make a positive change; nope, instead they attack. You’re doing what they know they should be doing, but for whatever reason, they don’t want to do it. So recognize it for what it is, and don’t own it. You don’t have to excuse, defend or explain your food choices. Wrong is wrong even when everyone is doing it. Right is right even when no one is doing it. When you fill your body with disease kicking nutrients that come from real whole foods, you are doing what’s right. Keep it up!!
