Why The Food You Eat Is Important For Your Happiness & Wellbeing

Hey chaps and cats! Let's begin on a direct note: I LOVE FOOD. I know few who don't! But really, when you think about why you love food, how far do you get? The taste, the indulgence, the smell? It can go much deeper than the personal checklist... Last Saturday Feb 17th I attended a talk called 'You Are What You Eat' by Charisse Baker, the Founder of East London Juice Co. (not a juice company – more on that later) at Shoreditch House. It was both informative, engaging and physiological. You 'felt' the words she spoke, further pushing her brands' ethos: we are all connected; people, the earth, the food that grows from it and how we consume it. Together we discussed how this connectedness can bring us happiness, fulfilment and wellbeing. The talk highlighted that choosing and eating food should be more of a thoughtful, pleasurable, educational experience beyond its functionality. Post-session, we decided on a better title: 'You Are How You Eat.'

East London Juice Co. aren't in fact, a normal juice company. Sure they've come about at a time where it is 'hip' to be a juicer or juice drinker, whilst growing your wirey beard or hopping by after a midday yoga class, but they have their own spin on the 'clean eating' (buzzword of 'the now' with heaps of marketing attention and contradiction attached to it) movement. They have an earthly, authentic, caring spin. They coin their product and livelihood a 'connective craft | slow pressing juicery | multi-dimensional nourishment | (re)connection to earth | beyond organic.'

Their motive? to be...

(^All imagery from East London Juice Co's site and Instagram).

Now I know there are a lot of loaded words above that may be confusing. But what I interpreted from Charisse, was more than just her words. Maybe this non-verbal assessment will help you:

She was an artist: the way she spoke and delivered her 'about us' – it was poetic and prosaic, like spoken-word – she ad-libbed a little leaving room for her emotions to guide her performance, she invited her guests to participate in the talk so it personified 'equality', the calming and thoughtful energy she brought to the session, the way she controlled the tempo of the discussion through her speech and pauses (BTW never underestimate the power of a pause, phwoaarr has she got a talent for holding an audience!), her language – she frequently used the phrase 'hold a space for...' which essentially meant 'create a piece of time for a collective to experience an exchange' (whether it be through dialogue or food), and lastly her look... She was enchanting, fascinating, elfin, light on her feet with such presence and magic in her movement. She was tall with long, flowing, blonde hair, glowing skin – she was a beam of light. It all added up. She circulated love in herself, in the people she touched and in her trade.

Everything emulated 'connectedness.' 

Main Talk Points:

Food education should be heightened. A greater understanding of what is in our food choices, awareness that the packaging and language used can be misleading and that we need to be independent thinkers when choosing produce. Where is it made and how? How is it kept? Because all these factors can affect your body and health. 'Farmhouse granola' and 'source of protein' doesn't always mean it's nutritionally good for you. The assertion was that teaching our children this skill is paramount towards a more wholesome, healthier future. Governmental-level change is slow and conflicted by economic benefits. 

Listen to what your body wants. It's a good guide to what you're needing. My note on this: If you find it difficult to decipher, start connecting with your body through meditation – just sitting with yourself alone in silence and watching what thoughts pop in and out of your mind, as well as the feelings come and go... just a couple of minutes a few times a week. I find it helpful to jot them down.

Stay clear of carton juices/ milks that claim to be healthy. They have loads of preservatives in, have fewer nutritional benefits than they advertise (Charisse mentioned that shelf almond milk had maybe one or two actual almonds in) and are made using process such as HPP, which strip away some goodness to prolong shelf life. Good for business but good for your body...? Juice should dwindle in a few days because it's oh so fresh!

...but it's so expensive? Yes but it could be worth it if better health is your driver. You can freeze fresh produce and whip it out, blending it into smoothies or adding it to stews at a later date.

Drink more water. Then if you want something else, take a juice. A proper one.

How to find balance in London? "Anything that helps remind me that I am part of nature." (Charisse Baker)

So it left me thinking about what I felt about food, what I enjoyed and the choices I make:

What I learnt about my own eating habits and what I take pleasure from...

-I'm an alchemist. I enjoy (and find 'flow' in) creation; experimenting with ingredients, adding what I like, thinking up combinations based on previous experience / reading and just going with it! It feels like a potion half the time – 7.4 times out of 10, people I know will screw-face my creations after I reveal the ingredients (but I don't care 'cos they're yummy muhahahahaha).

Uno example:
A Saturday breakfast often consists of oat omelette mixed with ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, coated in melted PB and topped with avocado, banana and honey drizzle. BAM! When I am feeling extra hungry, I'll plop on some natural yoghurt.

-I'm happy because it's my unconventional ART, plus I know the ingredients are good for me and give me good energy.

-My regular food choices are mood/occasion-led. Sugar is number one for down days. I crave fresh, healthy foods when I'm feeling productive. I usually eat warm food for dinner but not lunch due to the comfort factor.
-Likewise with texture; if I crave something creamy or crunchy in my mouth, I'll seek it out. Like carbonara or peanut butter.
-I choose a predominantly vegetarian diet, with occasional meat, lots of nuts, spices, a variety of milks and dairy products. I feel good for it. Large amounts of meat or red meat in fact, doesn't make me feel my fresh, buoyant self! It WORKS for me. That's important!
-I relish the process of making and eating – mindfully when I can. I smell and taste the flavours fully by focusing only on chewing and what's in front of me, sans distractions. It provides heightened appreciation for what I have made and the psychological, sensory joy of food. Mind and body are connected in that moment.

In sum:

These add experientially and nutritionally to my happiness and wellbeing.
Charisse finds happiness/wellbeing in the nurturing and growth of the produce she chooses, experimentation, herbalism, the backing of social causes and living more holistically.

What is your ethos about, and relationship with food?