slow foods

Slow Health – a Continuing Conversation

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The other day I was looking through some of my older blog posts and this one from 2018 surprised me with this foreshadowing statement (the italics are new):

Technology, and especially social media, are pushing images and information onto us and into us at an ever-increasing rate, leaving everyone a little on edge, if not completely frantic, and feeling always and forever behind. The laws haven’t kept up so how could our long-evolved emotions, our sense of time and space, our ideas of community, morality, humanity? They haven’t had the time and the future certainly isn’t carving out space for us to collectively take a time out and regroup, unless something major happens which certainly wouldn’t be pretty, so the best thing I can think to do is to try to be mindful of it all and not get swept up and away into the vacuum of a false reality.

The pandemic lockdowns certainly shook up our perspectives quite a bit, and one thing that seems to have amplified is polarization. People have been picking sides, as if there are only two options: follow modern medical protocol, or use only natural methods to keep oneself healthy. Anyone who claims there is only one right way to move through this quickly changing landscapeof the pandemic is clinging to a notion that there is a truth and they know it and it keep them afloat in this storm despite the flood of (mis)information. I understand the need to feel some control in this new situation, but clinging to one notion can become a sinking weight instead of a safety float.

I absolutely believe we can and should do all we can naturally to keep ourselves healthy. I think of this as ‘Slow Health” in the model of Slow Foods, where we each our accountable for the foods we eat, the activities we engage in, our rest and well-being, and the herbs and supplements we incorporate into our lives. This is long-term thinking with an adult mindset, able to distinguish and choose between what we want now, and what want most, with the understanding that we need to keep in touch with our changing needs, aging bodies, and shifting priorities. We are accountable for all our choices in life, so why wouldn’t we be accountable for self-care? Yet in our modern paradigm it is common for that responsibility to have shifted solely to the doctors and other health professionals so fully that it seems we forget we are the ones who have to live with our bodies, minds, and emotions, and we along with everyone in our lives are the ones who are affected by our emotional, mental, and physical health. In the ages before this modern time, people, mainly the women, knew how to support their and their families’ health through the seasons and over the years, but there were also always healers in the communities to offer additional tonics, support and guidance, and perhaps a chant, prayer, or ritual, depending on the time and place in history we are discussing. There have always been times when above and beyond actions are needed, such as when there is a broken bone involved, cancer has taken hold, or a deadly virus has shut down the world. Modern medicine is not perfect but it is a system based on vigorous scientific research and the Hippocratic oath and it’s essential to recognize we are blessed to have this tool when needed. It seems so odd to me to see “natural health experts” claiming modern medicine is evil or junk or untrustworthy when they are using modern technology build on the same scientific principals to shout their messages. It’s science that created computers, science that made social media possible, and science that built all the modern technology that we use all day long without even thinking about it. This all to say that when it comes to optimal health, there is no black and white choice between being ‘all natural’ or being a believer in modern medicine.

The more we integrate the lessons of history with the advances of today, the more we can evolve and create a better world. Personally I hope that means a slower world, where everyone has the chance to connect with themselves, nature, and their communities, and make healthy decisions that support their long term goals and the health of the planet. That certainly is a viewpoint that leans more towards the lifestyles of the past, but modern medicine and modern technology are useful tools that can be used for positive gains. Jumping on every new app or technology won’t foster that kind of thoughtful, pursposeful living, but thinking through what you truly value and want in your life on adaily basis is available to you and will ideally allow for the right mix of technology and non-technology to support you without distracting and overwhelming you. That’s my goal anyway. And I’m totally down with chants, prayers, and rituals being thrown in for good measure too. (Did you know those chants and prayers over herbal concoctions were how time was passed down in oral traditions? They didn’t have watches back then so “stir for 45 seconds” tuned into something like, “stir while saying three Hail Marys”. Pretty clever, eh?) Who’s to say that we can’t have it all?

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and taking time to experience the twinkling moments to their fullest.

The Slow Movement in a Quickening World

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spring field

Here we go again. The world is opening up and I for one can feel the frenzy building. I’ve heard and read that many people are as anxious about returning to the modern lifestyle of the ‘before times’ as they were about the unexpected mandatory pause. I feel like this is prime time to truly evaluate what works for us, each of us, and take steps to create the life that feels right to us. The pace, the connections, the responsibilities…if we don’t decide for ourselves how many plates we can spin, then others will decide for us.

For those experiencing anxiety related to the state of the world and all of its turbulence and unknowns (who isn’t??) then I hope you add some herbal additions to your daily life might help. Adaptogens and nervines specifically are the herbal categories to consider. Adaptogens help the body to adapt to stress of all sorts and nervines work on balancing our nervous systems. I’ve linked to places where I’ve written about both, but if you use the search bar you’ll find more articles addressing these two categories of herbs and also other natural anxiety relieving options such as GABA, CBD, and L-theanine.

But I think we need to remember to think holistically about where extra stress and anxiety build and flourish in our lives. We can take all the herbs and spray all the essential oils, but if our life is out of whack on a daily basis, it’s like putting a band aide on a gushing wound. Those natural aides might help you adapt to a pace of life that is uncomfortable, but it’s still an uncomfortable pace of life. It’s worth thinking about how to adapt your life to you. We can’t all spend every moment doing exactly what feels right to us in that moment, but we can make it a priority to move our lives in that direction so we can feel in charge of our lives instead of stuck in reaction mode.

This brings me to the Slow Movement which came out of Slow Foods. If you are not aware of Slow Foods, it is an international organization that promotes good, clean, and fair food for all people and the planet. It was named as a reaction to fast food and has grown into a multidimensional organization with themes including slow wine, slow meat, slow cheese, and promotes food fairness awareness from seed to plate. One of my favorite projects of theirs involves school gardens and they just are an organization I greatly admire. Just check out the website and join a local chapter if you feel moved to do so. The Slow Movement takes these concepts of good, clean, and fair, and extends them beyond food to encompass all areas of life. This is not an organization to join, it’s more of a philosophy to employ, which is why I linked to the Wikipedia page instead of an official page. This concept really resonates with me. I love the idea of quality over quantity and doing things better instead of faster. Our world keeps speeding up, and since the invention of the printing press, there’s been collective unease about technological advances outpacing human ability to adapt. Below is an interesting less than 10 minute Ted Talk that gives more insight into this.

If this resonates for you, I hope you act on it.