grief diet and the sailing smoothie

I've always loved food. I enjoy preparing it, reading about it, serving it, and most of all eating it. In addition, when I need some form of comfort or feel empty in anyway, it's what I've always reached for. Obviously, I am not alone- thousands of books and websites are devoted to the relationship we have with food. However, a strange and common phenomenon happens when we experience sudden trauma and grief. It's an instant appetite suppressant for many, even some of us comfort eaters. It can be extreme and alarming. That's why I bring it up here to share my experience and hear your thoughts.

Nothing has ever made me literally forget to eat, until my husband left. Food became meaningless. Of course, I still deligently cooked for my children. In fact, I remember the meal I made on our first night that he had officially moved out. I cooked a huge pot of chicken soup to last us the first few days. Instinctually, I knew that we needed deep nourishment to counteract the ache in our hearts. Cooking and baking for my family is an extension of my love. As I poured my soul into making special meals for them in the months to follow, I found myself unable to fill my body with the love I offered.  I began to shrink. Normally, I would have been thrilled- but I didn't care. It didn't matter. But what was of concern was how I showed up for my children. I couldn't be weak. I couldn't get sick. It felt like the entire world rested on my shoulders, and they needed to be strong.

So, I made a decision to eat, not for the pleasure of it, but for the power of it. This meant that everything I put into my body needed to be nutrient dense and pure. Forgetting about meals wasn't an option anymore.  And so, I drank a lot of green smoothies because they were easy and I didn't have to think about it. Blend it, drink it. In those first few months alone, my blender whirred almost every day.  Green smoothies saved me.
Here's my recipe for keepin' going when the going gets rough:

Sailing Smoothie 

Mix in a blender:

• 1 banana
• 1 - 11/2 cups of water (coconut water is great) or juice
• a handful of frozen fruit (blueberries will not turn you smoothie purple, but kinda grey!)
• 2 tsps. of chia seeds
• greens to fill the rest of the blender (spinach and kale are my favorites)
• 1 tsp. of spirulina (optional)
• if drinking greens is foreign to your palate, add a little agave syrup or honey until you develop the taste

Obviously, I did't exist on smoothies alone. I'm gluten free to begin with, so my diet is focused on vegetables, fruits, and protein (meat, legumes, and some dairy). I definitely eat grains, but not a lot of them. Eating fresh, organic and unprocessed foods has always been my focus, so this was easy to maintain- rather than beginning a diet-switch during a crisis.

Needless to say, I believe eating food sourced and grown with integrity is more critical for our well-being during difficult times than any other. Your body and soul will thank you. I have not been sick once during this entire year. Seriously. But the benefits go way beyond that convincing fact.

Be strong-  eat for power!