Our How of Food

We have been thinking a lot about the food we eat and how it effects us.  This journey in nutrition can be convoluted at times (a lot of the time) because so many people have different research, interpretation of research, personal experiences with food, and their own ideas of what works and what doesn’t.  The end goal of why we are eating is also so varied – for some it is to lose weight, others to heal their gut, others to have more energy, others to sleep better, others to combat disease, and the list goes on and on.

Our end goal as a family is to eat in a way that gives our bodies the most energy and the nutrients they need to function the best they can.  We want to make choices about food that will prevent as many health problems as possible (because there are plenty that find us on their own) and find solutions that are not quick or temporary fixes, but a maintainable lifestyle.  While we’ve been and will continue to learn a lot about food right now, we are developing habits that I’m hoping will serve us well for the rest of our lives so we can use our time, energy, and resources doing what we came here to earth to do.

I have tried to be prayerful about my learning in nutrition.  I figure God created our bodies so he knows the best way to fuel them. I was feeling a little bit lost in the mess of food knowledge this morning so I turned to the scriptures. A few verses in Doctrine and Covenants section 59 really grabbed my attention and helped to reground me.

17 Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.

I love that all things that come of the earth are made for us, “to please the eye and gladden the heart”, “for taste and smell”, “to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.” The food God has given me  should be enjoyed. I should take time to notice how things taste and smell.  I should take time to enjoy the things that are growing around us that add beauty to my life.  I know that by eating food from the earth that my body can be strengthened, but have I taken the time to allow my soul to be enlivened by all that is growing?

I think the key to all of this is realizing that “it pleaseth God that he hath given us all these things unto man.” Am I accepting these things with a grateful heart? Am I taking time to notice the time, effort, genius, creativity, and power that God put into giving us these things?  I know when I have something I’m pleased about giving, half of the fun is seeing how much the other person enjoys it, or takes notice of the details of the project, so we can share the excitement together.

Do I have more answers about what to eat? Not exactly, but I think the how here is revealing.  I’m excited to grow food in our garden and be part of the process. I’m excited to pause and think about how things smell when they are growing and when we are eating them. I’m excited notice how food tastes.  I’m excited to be genuine in my prayers of gratitude and blessings on the food that we eat.  I’m excited to take time to notice in the wonder of all that is blooming and growing around us.  I’m excited to learn to allow my soul to be enlivened by this gift of God’s creation.

Last Saturday Andrew and Emily built a garden box for our square foot gardening experiment this year. Andrew took a nap in his garden box and I took the kids out to play as soon as I finished taking these pictures.

Our little seedlings are growing!