Tea

Water was my first post, and, as much gratitude that can inspire, tea takes it to the next level.

Herbal tea is the most "innocent" type. I was inspired to write this post based on some truly delicious raspberry tea. I don't know exactly what's in it, but I know it's a  really lovely combination of sweet and sour - a treat that's light, healthy and warming in a cold office.

There's nothing particularly intense about the experience of drinking it. Unlike with beverages that contain lots of caffeine or sugar, this one requires a certain kind of attention and appreciation for simplicity. Within that paying attention process comes calm and quiet joy.

Right before I take a sip, I like to take a quick moment to smell it and feel the warm cup in my hand. It helps to prepare me for the experience and to note the blessing of it.

There are times while I'm working when I realize I'm not actually hungry, but I need a break and a chance to switch focus a little. I am thankful for the free teas provided to me by my workplace, and easy access to hot water so I can use my own chamomile and mint teas.

One final note: herbal teas don't have much to them (certainly no calories!), but they DO have vitamins and other nutrients. For example, the aforementioned raspberry tea includes raspberry leaf, which has iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, B, C and E.

Gratitude could be a better answer!

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305812.php

This study shows that negative thoughts about unhealthy foods actually increased the consumption of them by people who were dieting.

All the more reason to appreciate all foods, and then deeply focus on what your body seems to really want.

Conventional attitudes about food

I started a new job recently, and the way people talk about food, I feel like I'm in a live-action women's magazine. First, there's constant talk about exercising and losing weight, including a "Biggest Loser" contest. (The assumption being, I suppose, that "everyone" needs to lose weight.) At the same time, we had a free pizza day and fancy cupcakes at the town hall meeting. Both the pizza day and the free cupcakes were completely surrounded by talk of guilt and self-loathing about eating them.

I mentioned it's like a women's magazine, because on a typical cover you'll see a picture of a big chocolate cake with a bright bold headline to the side that reads "LOSE 10 POUNDS IN A WEEK!" But it's not just women who have this attitude, at least at my workplace. People are completely mired in this mindset, to the point where it seems invisible, and completely normal.

It's also very hard to resist the dynamic. I'm new, and I want to be part of conversations and fit in. I can't help but get caught up in it a little bit, since of course I have things to say about what's healthier to eat, or how to decide when I'm full. Plus, people notice if I don't eat dressing on my salad, or I decide to forego a cookie. Regardless of why I'm doing this (which is typically because I happen to realize that it's not something I really need at the moment), it becomes part of my identity in that environment.

The problem is that it makes it hard to simply enjoy my cupcake, the free pizza, AND the salad that comes with the pizza. I want to feel happy at my good fortune to have these delicious things. Imagine what it would be like if everyone modified their conversation to express only gratitude for their food, just for one day. How odd, but also how nice it would be!

Day 15/16: All Fruits

This will never get done in 30 days without charging through large categories of food. So I'm adding "every fruit" for the next couple of days. There are so many good ones!

I've been playing a game on my phone called "Stop", where you have to think of a variety of things that start with a certain letter. One category is fruits and vegetables. So I can think of lots of fruit off the top of my head (some that I've already included, of course): Apples, Bananas, Cherries, Durian (OK - Not sure I recommend this one... maybe Date is better), Elderberry, Fig, Grape, Honeydew, Kiwi, Lemon, Mango, Nectarine, Orange, Pear/Pineapple/Peach, Quince, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tomato (Technically...), Ugli, Watermelon, Yucca

The point is, there are SO many items to choose from here. It would be nice to try one new thing each day. Figs and dates are good ones, because they'll taste especially sweet if you haven't had sugar for a while.

When you first re-introduce something to your diet, try imagining that you are really trying it for the first time. There may be some fruits that you actually haven't had before, so that would be easy. In any case, try to maintain a sense of openness to the experience. It would be wonderful if we could do this with all the moments in our lives, but since that's a fairly daunting task, better to simply start with a piece of mango and see where that takes you.

Day 14: Bread

Bread is a "base" food in many areas of the world and throughout history. It is the subject of many metaphors about sustenance, for good reason. It provides energy - basic calories - to keep our bodies functioning. Whole grain bread also gives us some little protein, fiber and other nutrients.

If the bread is white bread, enjoy the simplicity of it, the work involved in refining & processing it. There are good intentions behind the idea of white bread - allowing more people to eat what was once considered special, and allowing the bread to last for a longer time. While not as healthy as less-processed bread, it is still food to be thankful for.

If the bread is whole grain, give thanks for the healthy option of this, and for the benefit it will bring to your body. Be thankful for it's freshness and that one way or the other you didn't need to be concerned about the shelf life of this bread.

If it is non-toasted, enjoy the soft feel of it as you bite into it. Toasted bread has its own deliciousness: crispy-soft. Either way, focus on enjoying the texture.

Give thanks for your daily bread!