How Do I Make Change?

I have been doing what I do for a long time; more than 30 years. I have worked passionately at the mission that drives my every waking moment tirelessly and with great joy.

The flip side is that I have also, with my Pollyanna optimism, been pushing a rock uphill for the last 30 years.

And what is said ‘rock,’ you ask?

The idea that I can seduce you back into the kitchen on a daily basis to cook; to be the person who creates the wellness that you and your loved ones might enjoy; to cook to create a quality of life that gives you strength, vitality and the energy to pursue your dreams; the energy to leave the world just a little better than we found it for future generations.

Whew.

The competition to make your life in the kitchen easier is fierce. Door Dash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, CookUnity, Thistle, Factor and drive through (if any restaurant can coax you from the comfort of your home). Simply heat and eat. And me? I am asking you to shop, store, clean, slice and dice…and clean up to create a meal. Oh…and you have to learn to cook.

I must be out of my mind, right? How do I compete? What could I possibly offer you that these services can’t do better?

I offer you life…and an understanding of food that will change how you see cooking…I hope.

We have all heard that a calorie is a calorie. While a calorie is the primary driver of how you manage your weight and nutrition, we are discovering new information (and learning to rely in ancient wisdom) that just might change how you see what’s on your plate.

It will come as no surprise that when people ate the same number of calories, those who ate mostly ultra-processed food gained the most body fat.

People who ate mostly minimally processed foods: think whole grains, beans, veggies, good fats, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, whole grain bread…you know the list by now, they did not gain weight. It was discovered that the quality of calories can affect metabolic drivers differently. Now while this may not be surprising, there is actually a scientific reason for this. Ultra-processed foods digest far quicker than whole foods; they contain less fiber; your body reacts differently. You are hungry more often. You are looking for life. We are always looking for life and you won’t find it in a toaster pastry.

Why do I tell you this after the holiday season when we may have indulged just a wee bit too much? We may have skipped the gym or the evening walk just a few too many times? I tell you this so that you will discover that you are worth the effort to cook and eat whole, fresh food, simply prepared and seasonal so that the flavor is more intense, more alive and as a result, you will feel more vital.

Before you skip the whole calorie discussion as just another study, consider this. Over the four weeks of the holiday season, people gain on average, how much weight? Go ahead guess…five pounds, seven?

Nope. People gain just one pound; one measly pound. The trouble is that they never lose it and they bail on their other healthy habits so over time, that one pound becomes five, ten and on and on.

But there’s more to food than what you see. Each and every food gifted to us by Mother Nature also has an energetic quality that affects how we feel and move through this complicated world. Eating well, with the occasional indulgence (all year round) leaves you feeling energized and strong.

You can face the new year with vitality and courage, not trepidation and anxiety.

Life is a gift not to be squandered. My mother used to say that we were put on this earth to serve others; to lift someone up; to be a light in the world.

We live in complicated times, regardless of how you see the world. Feeling strong and balanced helps us to be the change we wish to see.

And that can only come when we get back into the kitchen and cook foods that serve the purpose of our lives. Understanding the impact of what we eat will have you falling in love with cooking.

At least that’s my hope for you for this new year.