When you hear the word “food” whats the first thing you think of?
Your favorite food?
Making food?
Eating food?
Do you imagine a fresh bowl of fruit? Glistening from a wash in the sink, vivid colors heeding each other as they attempt to attract the attention of their consumer? How about a steaming bowl of noodles? An array of vegetables and spices nestled into the side of the bowl while the rest of the contents are doused in thick sauce and liquid. Soaking everything in its path and giving it pigmentation.
Your mind may take you to a time when all was right in the world, and the only thing you felt was warmth and natural comfort in your surroundings. You may remember a food that – no matter how many times you had it – made you feel better then you were moments before your stomach was deprived of occupation.
Food is a crucial part of every living thing. It provides nourishment, strength, as well as containing elements that can be beneficial for your body. (Depending on what you’re actually eating)
But it is also a provider of a multitude of emotions; such as nostalgia, happiness, warmth, etc. I like to think that food isn’t just something that we need to survive physically. But also to keep our minds cleansed and happy too.
For example, eating foods that you like – or find particular happiness in – can increase serotonin levels. Which is excellent because serotonin is a crucial neurotransmitter in the human body, as well as the chemical in our bodies that is popularly known to be the supplier of contentment and joy. Low levels of serotonin can leave you feeling depressed, irritable, and low in physical(and mental)vigor. Your thoughts will also be very dark and negative and you may experience increased levels of anxiety.
Keeping your serotonin levels at a steady rate is good not only for your mental health, but benefits you physically as well. When you’re happy, you will be more active, productive, and you treat yourself and others better as well. When you are rather depressed and inactive, you could crave food, or not want to eat at all. Which can lead to being over or under weight. And when your mental conscious has no motivation to do anything and stays dark and pessimistic, you won’t really want to get up and do something active either. Inactivity can also lead to major negative factors for your body, inside and out. (If you want your serotonin to be a decent degree, consider inputting little things into your daily life that makes you happy. Like reading, listening to music/podcasts, etc.)
Long story short,
Food is pretty important if you wanna function properly.
I’ve always grown up with home-cooked food, and I’m used to my mom’s little experiments(that somehow always end up successful when she does them) Because of this, I always prefer eating warm food rather then something that was pre-made.
Along with that, I always bring lunch from home to school rather than purchasing something from the school cafeteria. I sit down at lunch and I’m instantly happier when I see delicious food waiting for me. When I’m stressed about a major test or something went wrong, I’m always comforted by foods that I love that were made by the person I love.
The food that my mom makes everyday can only be described that way too. It’s just love and comfort. Eating something she made just instantly makes me feel this internal warmth that I can’t seem to describe. And my mother being the loving mama bear she is, will not let anyone leave our dining room table until they are stuff full of her magic that she calls food. Whether it being just us, or with guests over, tabletop conversation is usually just my mom saying:
“Would you like some more of this?”
“Okay then, how about this?”
“Does anyone need something to drink? Water? Tea? Coffee? Juice?”
“Would you like some more rice?”
“I also have some dosa/chapathi/vegetable sides/chutney/every South India food imaginable would you like some?”
“WhAt Do YoU mEaN yOu’Re DoNe EaTiNg I’m NoT dOnE fEeDiNg YoU.”
When it comes to attending to other people during mealtimes, my mother is an unstoppable hurricane of love and rice that will feed you until you can’t even think of food anymore. And I say this with the deepest and utmost affection. (And 15 years of personal experience.)
I’ve always been a lover of good food, and I am always open to trying new things(If it stays within our vegan/vegetarian basis). My favorite foods are all Asian foods, but I always get super enthusiastic when my mom tries experiments in the kitchen. And that has been happening quite a lot lately since we are all at home and we rarely go out. My mom has tried some new things that she hasn’t done before, like:
- Naan
- Pizza Dough
- Carrot Cake
- Tirunelveli Halwa(A popular India sweet. Also, please forgive my spelling.)
- Potato Chips
- Mayonnaise
- Fruit Yogurt
Personally, I wasn’t surprised that my mom nailed all of these unfamiliar recipes on the first try, considering that she has had years and years of experience in the kitchen. She knows how to work around technical issues and dealing with an unexpected situation when working on a meal. Not only that, but she can create a loophole that can have our resulting product be absolutely perfect rather then an actual disaster. Which are all skills that I wish I had, but hope to attain as I slowly try to get used to working in a kitchen.
So, this post is pretty randomly written. I will admit that now.
But each part of this post really just has the purpose to convince my reader(You!)That anything, even the smallest of things, can bring you happiness, peace, and joy. Even in this time when everything seems unpredictable. And lately, I’ve been finding myself happy everytime I sit with my little sister and make yogurt for her, or grab an ingredient for my mom in the kitchen. It’s these little things that keeps us going throughout the day, even when we’re at our breaking point.
Being isolated for a prolonged period of time can really make you hypersensitive to your own atmosphere and emotions. Especially when you are left to yourself a/o a very small amount of people. Each experience we are blessed with now is something we should cherish. Everything we do now and consider “normal” and just overlook; could be different years from now.
And that’s okay.
Keep the people you love, and the people who love you, close. Don’t forget who you love and live for. And most of all, keep yourself healthy and happy. Don’t let these dark times seep into you until you succumb in it’s grasp. It’s unsurprisingly easy to do. So do little things that make you happy, and don’t forget to always have time to take care of yourself. And like I mentioned before, eating food is an exceptional way to increase serotonin(happiness).
Before I end this post, I would like to address the recent events that have been happening recently that have caused protesting around the world.
Everything that has happened has made my heart ache for those who have been lost, and those who have been deprived of the love and acceptance they deserve. Discrimination is not something that should be tolerated, and we should all embrace our difference and should not judge others because they are different from you. Diversity is what makes our species so beautiful. And when we are all together and supporting each other, that’s when we are the most powerful.
Be safe, be happy, be healthy. And always love yourself.