How Nutrition Can Aid Self-Expression
I believe that everyone should take time to educate themselves on the subject of proper nutrition. I believe that eating serves not only to fuel our bodies, but also as a way to showcase our very selves. It might seem odd to suggest that nutrition can be a form of self-expression, but I hope that, after reading this, you will be convinced.
Proper nutrition is one of the key factors in maintaining a healthy gut. Sure, there are things beyond our control, such as age, and whether we were breast-fed as infants, which affect the health of our gut, but these only make it all the more important that we make good choices when it comes to what we put into our bodies. So, why the emphasis on gut health? The gut is home to an abundance of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, all of which play an important role in the human body. Many of the denizens of our intestines are beneficial and even necessary, helping us by breaking food down into nutrients that we can then use, but some can contribute to disease. The balance of these good and bad bacteria is what determines the health of the gut. A healthy balance has far reaching positive effects, improving mood, providing higher levels of energy, and reducing the likelihood of illnesses such as colds, just to name a few. Hold on, though, what does any of this have to do with self-expression? It's quite simple really. Imagine yourself tired, grumpy, and ill. Is this a version of you that is going to be confident and expressive? Unlikely. So, in the interests of facilitating self-expression, it is important to maintain a healthy gut. More on how to achieve that later.
Perhaps the single most important element of healthy nutrition is hydration. Shocker. As much as it seems like an eyeroll of an obvious statement, it is so fundamental that it is worth hammering home. I, for one, have often failed to meet my own requirements for hydration, leaving me sluggish and sullen, wallowing in self-pity because I can't figure out why I don't feel well. Drink some water, idiot. One piece of information which helped me to start taking it a little more seriously was as follows: "thirst is the first symptom of dehydration". Might seem obvious to anyone with more common sense than I have, but to me, this was a revelation. In the past, I would only drink once I was already thirsty, but by that point the damage was already done. The thing to do, then, is keep some water on hand at all times and sip it occasionally, never allowing thirst to set in. It might also be worth putting a pinch of salt in the water to recover some electrolytes if you've been sweating. This only applies to cases of mild perspiration, such as going for a walk on a warm day, provided that what you eat isn't already high in sodium. In cases of more profuse sweating, such as following a prolonged period of intense exercise, opt for a purpose-made sports drink instead. Staying properly hydrated has all the same benefits as good gut health, outlined previously, and is in itself a large contributing factor to gut health overall. By extension, it serves to facilitate self expression, by providing that most basic foundation.
The next thing to consider is what to eat. This will vary from person to person depending on their own needs and goals, but there will be some consistencies across the board. Following nutritional guidelines is a good place to start. I will leave a link to the World Health Organization's page on these below. It is worth noting that these guidelines are generalised for the public and as a result they grossly overestimate the requirements of most people. Again, I will leave a link below for anyone interested in a more detailed explanation of this. Returning the focus to the gut, there are a few things worth highlighting. Fibre is instrumental in helping digestion and regulating bowel movements. Fermented foods such as yoghurt can promote a healthy microbiome. Eating unprocessed foods helps to avoid excessive amounts of sodium and saturated fats. Eating a greater variety of foods, particularly fresh foods, can lead to a greater variety of bacteria in the gut. Generally speaking, a varied, predominantly plant based, diet is the way to go. It is also important to consider what you actually enjoy eating. After all, if the goal is self-expression, it would be disingenuous to only eat things that make you miserable. The challenge, then, is to come up with a nutrition plan that is healthy and that you can stick to. It also has to be realistic in terms of the time taken to prepare and eat each meal. This is where meal prepping comes in. Although it is not a perfect solution, sacrificing variety for convenience, it can be useful for consistency. I personally favour having meals prepped for the working week, then opting to cook fresh on the weekends. I still make breakfast fresh each day, consisting of an omelette, guac on toast, and some fruit, as it is quick and easy enough, and meets all my requirements. I also end my eating window with the same yoghurt and granola as an evening snack, with only the granola requiring earlier preparation. Lunch and dinner can be made ahead of time, cooked and portioned on Sunday so that all they require is reheating. This makes it possible for me to stick to a routine midweek, and take more time on the weekends to make something special. But what does this have to do with expression?
Cooking itself is expressive. Whether it is your background, your personal taste, your creativity, or even your values, cooking can be used to express a variety of things. I grew up in Spain, and I have a particular fondness for chorizo. Now, it isn't the healthiest of foods, being very high in sodium and saturated fats, but in moderation it does wonders when it comes to my enjoyment, so I often include it in dishes, whether it's a risotto, lentils, or, if I'm feeling cheeky, one of my breakfast omelettes. There is also a distinct pleasure in making a plate look pretty. Playing with colour and positioning to try find the most aesthetically pleasing presentation of a dish is a great outlet for anyone inclined towards visual art. Finally, what you choose to eat can reflect a high-minded ideal that you hold. A vegan might choose not to eat animal products for environmental reasons, or because they believe in animal rights, and either of these is a commendable expression of a strongly held core belief.
All in all, I believe that making more considered choices about the things we eat can serve not only as a vehicle for better health, but even allow us to express ourselves better, either directly, through cooking, or indirectly, by allowing us to feel our best.
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