When it comes to choosing foods, many of us think the most important factor to consider is the nutritional profile and physical benefits that accompany those food choices, but did you ever consider how food can affect you on an emotional or spiritual level?
There is a food philosophy that combines Eastern and Western ideas - it’s called food energetics. Here’s everything you need to know about food energetics, how it can impact you, plus, some tips on how you can incorporate this food philosophy into your daily meals.
What is Food Energetics?
Have you ever experienced an afternoon slump, but felt re-energized after eating a fresh salad or drinking a superfood smoothie? Then you have experienced, first hand, the power of food. This concept is known as food energetics. Food energetics is a principal tradition of Chinese medicine that relates how food affects the body. Food energetics goes well beyond food fads, labels and trends and instead, taps into the very essence of food and how it makes us feel.
The foods we desire all depend on factors such as culture, environment, mood, our current physical health, personality and values. In turn, food can affect our emotional state, future physical health, mood and even our spiritual connections.
Understanding Food Energetics
According to food energetics, all foods have their own energy, we only need to take a moment to recognize this energetic connection. Take carrots for instance. In their natural state, carrots grow in the ground and can therefore bring a sense of stability to your energy. When we are feeling frazzled and frenetic in the midst of a busy day at the office, root vegetables like carrots can make us feel more
grounded. The same concept applies to a hearty stew after a long day. A slow cooked stew filled with fresh root vegetables like sweet potatoes can be comforting and grounding after combatting the stressors of the day.
On the other hand, have you ever felt sluggish after eating a meal laden with refined carbohydrates and sugar? That’s the principal of food energetics at work.
Tips for Practicing Food Energetics
Practicing food energetics may sound like it belongs in the category of
woo-woo wellness, but it’s actually easier to incorporate than you may think. Here are four simple tips to encorporate food energetics into your daily meals.
- Choose Quality. When choosing foods, eat eco-consciously and always choose the best quality foods you can. That means choosing foods that are
labeled biodynamic, natural, organic and unprocessed.
- Connect. Connect with the foods you purchase. If possible, grow them yourself. If a DIY garden isn’t an option, visit your local community
farmers market or garden so you can see the foods in their natural state.
- Experiment. Experiment with a variety of foods and pay close attention to
how your body feels after eating them. You may even consider tracking your thoughts and sensations in a food journal to learn how certain foods affect your body, emotions, health, moods, and thoughts.
- Keep It Natural. Eat foods in their raw and natural state and choose foods that are made with
real ingredients. Reduce all food substitutes and ditch foods that contain artificial ingredients you don’t recognize. Chances are if you can’t recognize it your body probably won't either.
When you take a moment to think of food in its natural state, it makes sense how food itself may affect more than just your overall nutrition. Incorporate the food philosophy of food energetics when planning your next meal and see how it can play a role in your daily life.
Tag us @SimpleMills so we can see how you incorporate food energetics in your daily meals.