Have You Stopped Eating Well

This letter came in during Dreamland on September 29. This is a time when our emotions make us literally unable to eat or to think about things like the importance of good nutrition. But it’s never been more important, as this wise listener points out.

Dear Whitley:

Thanks for the great show tonight. I’m a grocer in Oregon and I’ve noticed that folks have stopped shopping well for food.

About 2 weeks ago a real slump hit. Folks are nibbling – they don’t look like they’re fixing good meals. So the mama in me has a message for folks: get out your pencils and paper and make your shopping list. Plan some meals. Winter’s just around the corner, and everyone’s immune systems need to be fortified right now.

Try and eat healthy food. Make good meals and try to have the family eat together – it’s a great way to relieve stress. Light candles at the dinner table and dim the overhead lights. Turn off the TV and put on some good music. When the kids ask what’s up, tell them that you’re remembering how special your family is, and how much you love them. Tell them you’re thinking about how lucky you are to have good food, and a good family, and that being together with everyone makes you happy. It’s very difficult to be grateful and afraid at the same time.

Good food leads to good decision making. People need to stay healthy. Healthy people have the capacity to be self-reliant. Unhealthy people need other people’s energy to survive.

I have a motto – “make it work now, make it work when, and make it work if”. That’s how I choose my future steps in these sorts of uncertain times when I know I need to continue to acquire stuff to live my life, but the wiggly future confounds my planning.

I advocate lots of things that support self-reliance and health. I’ve noticed that many of these steps also lessen our individual impact on resources pulled from the environment.

For example, “stocking up” on food – buying in case lots – saves money, it saves gas, it saves trips to the store, it saves time. I run my little radio with TV reception when I want to hear the news but mostly want the company of the sound and the story line, and don’t need all the watts from the TV tube.

Self-reliance – and the ability to be interrupted – do wonders for your sense of security. You’re much less susceptible to fear-mongering from either terrorists, or people who use the instability to further their own personal agendas.

Anyhow, thanks for this show tonight. I really appreciate hearing you and the heart you and Anne bring to your work and our world.

NOTE: This Insight, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.