Nurturing Yourself as a Child: A Healthy Eating Perspective

As of late I have been thinking about the relationship we have with food.  Oftentimes people (myself included) use food to fill a craving that might not be hunger driven at all.  The craving might be driven by the desire for enjoyment, eating something tasty to fulfill this, or the desire to ward off stress or sadness (stress eating), or the desire to fill time (eating from boredom).   Anytime we turn to emotional eating, eating to feed a feeling, we tend to reach for the wrong foods – chocolate, pizza, ice cream, salty snacks, wine, etc.   When did food become so integrated with our perceived emotional well-being, and how can we work to change that?

In thinking about this and talking about it with others, I was enlightened to a new way of thinking about food and my well-being that makes a lot of sense to me and has already helped me change my perspective.  It’s not a diet, or a cleanse, or a list of foods you can / can’t eat.  It’s simply a shift in mentality.

Imagine you are taking care of a baby, or better yet a toddler.  A child you love dearly and only want the very best for.  Tap into your maternal or paternal instinct, and think about how you want to nurture this child, because you know what’s best for them, even when they express otherwise. 

Now, what do you feed this child?  And when?   You want them to eat healthily when they are hungry.  As the person feeding them, you ensure they are eating balanced meals in the right portions.  You provide them with small treats as indulgences, on occasion.  When they throw a tantrum because they want a second cookie, you kindly refuse their request because you know what’s best for them.  In addition to ensuring their eating is balanced, you are also ensuring they have physical activity each day, and are growing their minds through stimulating activities.

So the question is, do you nurture yourself as you do this child?  Do you take care of yourself with the same priority and intention?  By shifting our mindset to ensure we are taking care of ourselves with this same nurturing, we’re able to see clearly what’s best for us.  I’ve taken on this mentality this week and it’s worked tremendously.  I’m able to see the priority of eating well, because this is what I'd do for my child.  Instead of skipping lunch because I’m busy, I’m stepping back, and making a healthy lunch I’d be proud to serve a person I love.  I can’t say my cravings have stopped, but I’m able to turn on a conversation with myself similar to what a mother would have with a child. I’m able to refuse my craving from a place of love… for myself.  This has helped me overall to listen to my true needs – and understand the priorities for my well-being.

Go ahead and give it a try, and let me know what you think of this approach.  Do you already nurture yourself?  If so, what helps you to do so?  If not, what are you going to change?

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