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Food ... And Food For Thought

by Mark Cammack June 20, 2018

Picture of a grocery canned good with a white label. It only has the word FOOD printed on it in black capital letters.

Would you be enticed to partake of the above item? With only the word FOOD listed on the label, we do not know what the contents are. We may assume that it is a bargain priced generic canned good for people or possibly pets. The ingredients and quality are what count.

I was at a social with international and local persons recently. The event occurred in the dining hall of a Greek church. It is always a pleasure to learn about culture and cooking. Some traditional dishes and delights may give clues to well-being. I also seek out or avoid certain ingredients for health reasons. The Greek chef and fine cooks will happily tell of their recipes.

I inquired about the ingredients in a homemade bread. The baker was momentarily not available. A congenial person conveyed what they knew. I then asked another in the hopes of a pleasant conversation. A local peevish portly lady gave the unrefined remark,”I don't complain about it, I just eat it!”

The person mistook my positive interest in culture and foods for something negative. It is unfortunately the way they interpret the world and others. She was not even considering the possibility that the individual asking may have a food allergy. One gentleman excused himself for what he said was an allergic reaction to what he had eaten.

What can be learned from this is valuable. If a person habitually eats anything without being aware of what it consists of, they may experience consequences and their behavior can affect others. To them, all food is the same. There is no distinction between ingredients, quality, or effects. They might only know what tastes relatively good or not. In example, some persons report headaches after consuming processed foods with added monosodium glutamate or MSG. Someone who is not associating what they eat with aftereffects could forever live a limited life. Parents who give their kids high sugar or artificial items can also have a dilemma. Quality foods are delicious without additives. Indiscriminate gormandizing might lead to taking in too many of the wrong types of calories or added chemicals.

Just as our thoughts may affect the way we prepare food, food may affect our thoughts. If a person is indeed just eating anything, anywhere, at anytime, it can result in them feeling less than happy or well. It is possible for this to impact outlook, health, performance, and even social interaction.

Accomplished physics teacher, author and artist Paul Hewitt often emphasizes the importance of making distinctions in life. He would say that if we are going on a long trip such as in an airplane, we would ideally have cheerful smart company beside us. The adventure can be enjoyable with delightful conversations during the flight and over meals.

The airlines provide meal ingredient listings for wise reasons. They accommodate to the needs of the patrons. Would you want to take a lengthy excursion if the only item on the menu was simply listed as FOOD? We are all on the journey of life ...

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