It’s About . . . Rethinking Food.

When you think of food, what comes to mind?

Obviously and most prevalently, there is the need to satisfy hunger – a gratification thing. And for many of us, it’s hard to get beyond that base level function, thanks in part to our hectic, driven lifestyles. We might occasionally think about nutritional aspects of food, but often it’s more in the context of weight management than the more complex aspects of nutrition and function.

But have you ever thought about the less obvious functions of food?

What about food as connection . . . as in how we connect in and around food to those we love, those we want to impress, those with whom we do business and a host of other social situations. Does good food and good company improve your feeling of well-being?

How about food as information? You might think of food as “software” for your body. As it breaks down, its components provide “code” to inform how the body functions, responds, and sets up a vast array of internal communication.

Or what about food as fuel . . . for your body’s essential organs and functions?

Nerd Alert! I have been intrigued lately with the idea of how what we eat impacts these crazy little organelles (very tiny organs) called mitochondria found in virtually all the cells of our body. As Dr. David Hasse, MD, Director of the MaxWell Clinic suggests, you might think of mitochondria as tiny microscopic combustion engines in cells that take in fuel (from the proteins, carbs and fats in our diet), and combine it with oxygen to create energy (in the form of ATP) needed to fuel key functions. Almost a quarter of this energy is channeled to the brain - compared to just 5% to the heart. So if our food isn’t producing the right fuel, then we can expect less efficient functioning . . . thus, BRAIN FOG!

What we eat is amazingly important on many levels, beyond just satisfying our hunger. So next time you’re tempted to chomp on that sugary, high-carb candy bar, pull up a mental image of that little engine in your cells sputtering away and spewing out nasty emissions while your brain gets all foggy and sluggish. And then select a better fuel to rev up your brain and keep your entire body functioning like a well-oiled machine.

(Interested in learning more about food choices and the impact of those on your body? Let’s talk! Click here . . . )