is it worth it?
We live between the act of awakening and the act of surrender. Each morning, we awaken to the light and the invitation to a new day in the world of time; each night, we surrender to the dark to be taken to play in the world of dreams where time is no more.
John O’Donohue
I am often asked if my Ayurvedic efforts in the kitchen take a lot of time, and is it really worth it? Does it stress me out? Do I actually like it?
The answer is yes to all of them, in all honesty, and it goes far beyond food.
Convenience is meant for the moment, not necessarily for the long haul. Many of us are now faced with the consequences of this modern, standard American lifestyle.
For example: antibiotics and genetically modified crops took and still take a toll on our good gut bacteria, and so many of us who consume[d] these items now have sensitivities to triggering foods [read more about an Ayurvedic perspective and insights on gluten and dairy].
Our modern world wants things fast – food, fashion, technology, answers. In terms of sustaining our health over a long period of time, these practices can be more stressful than supportive on our whole system.
Slower, mindful activities like meditation and yoga are clinically proven to help lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, cultivate tranquility in challenging situations, improve digestion and more.
This is not to say that I personally shun all convenient products and practices – I am just learning to be more selective of where I spend my dollars, energy, and time [all of which are interchangeable with one another]. For example, I shop online with Thrive Market whose Thrive branded items are packaged in recyclable BPA-free plastic printed with water-based ink.
Could I do a little bit more and avoid plastic all together by filling up my recyclable glass jars with bulk-bin items? Yes – which I sometimes do – however I will also occasionally opt for buying a plastic-wrapped Larabar [which I promptly recycle] when I am about to board a flight in lieu of eating questionable plane food.
I understand this is easier said than done for those of us managing a tight budget or big family, or both. Some of us have limited time and resources – I simply hope to encourage and empower all of us to do what we can, when we can. We are all faced with choices, and it is our responsibility to make the choices that feel best [within our capacity] for our own personal bodies and values.
In the realm of food [which again can relate directly to lifestyle], below are some personal reasons why I prefer a more sustainable – albeit sometimes more time-consuming – approach versus convenient, less-nourishing practices:
desirables
- It has transformed my sensitive gut in massively positive ways – especially Ayurveda with Divya and her amazing cookbook – even in my recent experience in unknowingly overwhelming my system with herbs.
- It is delicious and extremely satiating. I feel nourished and balanced instead of bloated and refluxed like I used to.
- It saves money, even buying organic and slightly pricier ingredients. In the long run it is less expensive than eating out constantly and buying ongoing prescriptions [which are potentially exacerbated by processed foods and vice versa] with the danger of never really getting to the root of the issues.
- It makes me excited about and empowered by my own home-cooked food, by my ability to nurture myself and others in this way.
- It sparks creativity in the kitchen, finding ways to cook with ingredients on hand or new items I haven’t tried before.
- It initiates creativity in meal planning and prep – I am now the queen of veggie prep and the one-pot-wonder for fresh daily meals. The Instapot is my next endeavor…
- It gets me in touch with my body – what works and what doesn’t, what I like and what I can do without.
- It helps me to appreciate simplicity [nothing like a plate of delicious veg] and the natural tastes of whole foods. It reminds me that I have what I need, nothing more and nothing less.
- It helps me to better appreciate eating out – since I don’t eat out very often, I choose places I really want to try and am much more grateful for the overall adventure.
- It reminds me how valuable my time is, and helps me figure out how I want to prioritize. Because this lifestyle has helped me to feel good and to deepen my connection to my Self [and others, nature, etc] – and because I actually enjoy cooking – I have personally chosen to take the time to do this work.
- I am learning so much about myself, nutrition, cooking, food, Ayurveda and beyond. This knowledge supports my personal wellbeing and allows me to offer support in these fields to friends, family and clients as both a human and a teacher.
not-so-desirables [tbh]
- It can sometimes take quite a bit of time. I am a dish washing machine and I spend a good chunk of my day making food for myself. See above though: worth it. If veggies are washed and chopped, I can have dinner ready in 20 minutes – same amount of time as deciding/ordering/waiting for delivery or takeout.
- It seems like it can cost more upfront – whether it is food items [hello matcha obsession] or yoga studio memberships or healing practices like acupuncture [not always covered by insurance]. Because this is a priority for me however, I can now overlook this factor and instead consider it part of preventative care.
- If I let it get to me, it can feel stressful when I have limited time and am overwhelmed with life – it just takes practice, patience, and gentleness. I am learning to go easy on myself if it doesn’t work out 100% as planned [i.e. sometimes takeout is necessary if I know I have an empty fridge at home]. Everything is all good.
- It brings up my sticky relationship with judgement – mostly with myself and sometimes others. On a positive note, this serves as a mirror for my own issues and teaches me a lot about myself – where I can pay closer attention and where I can loosen up a bit [or a lot].
The name of this game is kindness: to our Selves, our bodies, our planet, and to others as a result of it all. All we can do is our best, and just by giving our Selves attention we might start to feel better, leading to more conscious choices regarding food and lifestyle and beyond.
What are your desires in creating a more sustainable routine in regards to your health? What works, and what might be able to shift to better benefit both your lifestyle and your physical/mental health?
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Photo by Grant Henry Media.
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