Food Habits

Growing up, most of the stores in my neighborhood were corner convenience stores, although grocery stores were around. Many topics were taboo, like doctors, diet, and exercise. I didn’t witness the first person exercising until I was in college. Sometimes we had canned fruit and veggies, but most of our meals were processed. My mother was an expert Pepsi drinker, and snack food eater, and my preferences were Kool-aid and sweets.

We often continue specific food habits because they are learned, practical, or culturally symbolic. Food habits and associations are learned early in life and tend to be long-lasting and difficult to change. It is one of the hardest things to change in your adult life, so it is best to form sound nutritional practices in the younger years.

Food is a medium through which people’s attitudes and sentiments are communicated. Food is associated with emotions such as happiness, connection, tension, love, anger, joy, and warmth. In this fast and convenient society, we like things quick and easy. Including our food, regardless of the health and wellbeing consequences we face.

If we take a harder look, we will see that most of our food habits are related to stress. Have you ever been frustrated, angry, bored, stressed, and reached for whatever was available? We choose foods that are fatty, salty, or sweet to release endorphins and dopamine. Those chemicals help the body feel warm and relaxed.

“Food is basic to survival, meets security (through storage and hoarding), can be used as a form of expression, can be used as a gift, reward, token of love, affection, and pride. Food ideology is the comprehensive perspective of attitudes, beliefs, customs, and taboos affecting the diet. It is influenced by advertising and involves symbols associated with food such as prestige, power, status, lifestyle, and emotional fulfillment.” (Leddy, 2006.)

Have you taken a real look at your eating habits lately? What are you eating daily? Where did you get that food habit from? What can you replace it with to get the best nutritional value? How can you make your food work for your mind and body instead of against it?

It is a process more like a marathon. It will be a life-time marathon to break old counterproductive eating habits. Your progress will be in your daily choices. You can continue the cycle and most likely pass it along to your kids, or you can break the cycle and create a new one that is beneficial to your health and wellbeing. 

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