Comfort food -- for me personally there are a couple of different types. When I am already comfortable and at ease, a warm stew or hearty pasta dish fits the bill. But when I am stressed and tied up in knots with worry, with no appetite, I am eating only because I know I should. In this case the comfort food is a meditation, a process, little flavorful jewels of nutrition that feed the psyche as much as the body.
If you've read my previous post you know I've been very worried about my son's migraines recently. The stress wreaks havoc with my MS, so I need to proactively do what I can to lower it. Meditation is great, but easier said than done when the monkey mind is so busy. Eating comfort food like the above meal is a wonderful way of multitasking in this vein. Using the chopsticks, slowly, in silence, in peace, mindfully savoring every morsel as the warm sunlight filters through the blinds, the monkey mind and the blood pressure slow noticeably. After I finished the lovely meal, and was calmer, I was able to see the latest crisis as just that -- one more of life's difficulties, a challenge that will pass as crises do.
When I was picking up this delicious tray of veggie brown rice sushi, I noticed the organic, raw Kombucha tea in the refrigerator case. I recalled how much I didn't care for the green version of it when I had tried it last week, and I also recalled how Lindsay at "Kiss Me, I'm Vegan" (http://kissmyvegan.blogspot.com) had urged me not to give up on the Kombucha, saying it was an acquired taste. I smiled and grabbed a bottle of Kombucha, this time in Ginger. Here's why I gave this strange beverage a second chance: because Lindsay is awesome, wise and cool, and I respect her opinion! Also, I like to think of myself as open-minded. Well, Lindsay was right! I LOVE the ginger Kombucha! I have always loved ginger ale, especially the kind with a strong ginger flavor, and lately I don't care for sugar anyway. This Kombucha was just a delicious sugarless gingerale, also jam-packed with healthy nutrients and enzymes.
Soon I will open my mind even wider and give the Green flavor another go! Thanks, Lindsay!
Aw Cheryl - you're making me blush!! Thanks for the shout out! I am so happy you gave Kombucha another try. The ginger is actually my go-to drink for when my stomach is feeling crummy - so glad you liked it! My favorite is the Trilogy - it's lemon juice, raspberry, and ginger, and it's sooo good. And I loved what you said about savoring the moment while you ate your sushi - I need to remember to do that tonight at dinner. :)
ReplyDeleteOoh -- Trilogy sounds great -- I'll look for it. Thanks, Lindsay!
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