Food: Business or Pleasure?

This week I happened to catch a pretty bad cold, possibly a flu.  You know, the one you feel coming on because your back and neck become insensibly painful, your chest feels like someone has a 2 ton weight on it, and you can't seem to find any energy.  By day two, you're completely delirious ... cold sweats, dizziness, nausea, and a throat swollen nearly shut.  That's it.

Early in the stages of day one I go on full frontal attack, the "you can't beat me" attitude:  Vitamin C tablets, herbal teas, hot bath, (thanks to the English) hot water bottle in the bed, and physically horizontal as soon as possible.

Day two, after fifteen hours of sweaty, sleep full of trippy dreams I wake to scan Pinterest for the best of the net's soup recipes.  Despite my urges during my "healthy" days (cheesy broccoli, crispy French onion, creamy mushroom), when I am ill I crave brothy, vegetable heavy soups that have little dairy or fat.  So, I choose Roasted Corn Chowder (recipe here), determine I have enough energy to make it to the market for the ingredients (fresh air seems like a good idea), and pull myself out of bed.

As I went through my standard routine of hitting my deli for a simple breakfast I chose to get a fresh mint tea instead of a latte and grab an organic mandarin orange in place of an almond croissant.  Tummy just doesn't seem like it can handle my normal weekend temptations.

For anyone who knows me even a little bit, they will be familiar with my love affair with the Borough market.  Yet, today, I couldn't even eat!  Now is when I begin to pray this sickness will soon pass.  I grab all the ingredients I need, try consciously not to breath or touch anyone, and make my way back home.

And as I begin to make my soup, I think, "Wow.  This is how we are supposed to eat every day, not just when we are sick".  Citrus, teas, vegetables, low fat ... so, I consider why I don't.  I am very conscious of what I eat ... and the answer is simple:  the food we choose is a balance of business and pleasure.  Yes, it is to sustain our bodies with with nutrients we need to move about for as long as possible, but it is also about pleasure - a reward for a job well done, a privilege for success, a celebration.

There are just some food categories bring about a drug-induced sense of pleasure:  Prosciutto (i.e.bacon, salami, mortadella), Brie (or Mozzarella  Parmessan, Cheddar), Wine, French bread, Creams (sour, cheese, freche), Steak ... we all can make our own list.  And this is where balance comes in.

We all know to chose a carrot over cake, but the epiphany here is that our body is brilliant - that during illness the little voice inside starts screaming ... "Orange Juice!" ...  "Cheese Ick!" ... "Hot tea!".  If ever we didn't believe our body tells us what it needs, in times of sickness it is forcefully evident.  I for one am going to listen more closely when I am fortunate enough to be well; and be sure not to tip the balance too much to the side of pleasure (hope 51:49 works!).