In my dietetics course, we had the first chapter talking about the definition of food. Today I think all preliminary school boards also have chapters on food and nutrition.
Food is the substance ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, and stimulate growth (Physiological functions).
You will wonder why today I'm talking about these basic definitions which even smart kindergarten kids also must be knowing.
Definitions, why?
Although we have learnt definitions and laws at our schools, the law of physics or maths, but we have forgotten to apply or remember when we required it most.
So this blog is about remembering what is food and its functions. And when we reiterate these notes we can start to understand whether we are applying them correctly or no.
Whether it's a unicellular organism or multicellular organism every one needs food for its living.
Unicellular organisms like algae, fungi survive on nature as well as on multicellular organisms like plants and animals.
Plants need sunlight, water and oxygen as food, whereas animals eat plant and animal as their food.
Man is an evolutionary product of an animal.
But as mankind progressed, the functions of food is not limited to just body survival.
Food is then used for fulfilling his psychological and social needs also.
Being a social animal it's obvious, but maintaining balance for using food for its different functioning should be an unwritten law.
But today food malfunctioning is a big problem globally and audit is a need of time.
Let's see what are the Psychosocial Functions of food:
From cooking food to eating it, many people use food for different feelings.
It's used to offer prayer to God. For some cooking is a therapy for boredom as well as for seeking attention.
Some eat too much or some lose their hunger in stress as well as in joy.
Food is also a token of love and affection towards family.
Or it gets used to show anger eg hunger protest. Food is also a tool for pleasing boss/clients towards professional sales and promotion.
As a social being food has been an expression of love, friendship and happiness at religious, social and family get-togethers.
Now here I want to add one more function of food that is eating unrealistic and fad dieting food for achieving unrealistic body parameters.
After understanding different purposes, benefits, functions and reasons for food, now it's simple to understand which are our Primary Motivating Factor (PMF) while eating our next meal. Or maybe we'll remember last Sunday's romantic dinner. Or can realise why we ate yesterday two-three pastries at one go. Or why since three-four days don't feel like eating.
Relax....take two-three deep breath. That's ok.
It's past. For a mindful future, take a diary and start noting down your PMF while you eat.
And let's do an audit every week and month.
While we doing this introspection, If you find PMF is physiological functions, you are on track, but if you feel psychological or social reasons are happening consecutive 4-5 days and these episodes are coming frequently, then there is a need for discussion with the health counsellor/coach.
If psychological and /or social reason as PMF for eating food continues, there are 150℅ chances that he/she will be either undernourished or overfed. His /her body composition gets disturbed, the synchronicity of body functions gets mismatched and it further leads to more adverse psychological & social eating. E.g. anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, alcohol addiction, smoking, etc.
So before eating become a habit of fulfilling a psychological and social needs, discuss with a coach to...
- Find a reason behind the reason. Changing perspective and applying the right solution for a problem. You will be happy lifelong rather than getting temporary pleasure /satisfaction from food. E.g if you can't say no to friends for outside dinners because of low self-esteem or having need of social acceptance, take the help of a counsellor for personal growth. If you are munching chips while watching TV /getting bored, it's time to adopt new skills or spend time on some hobby.
- If you are craving sweets or Chinese food, there must be a deficiency of nutrition. Take help from a nutritionist to plan out healthier meal plan.
- Find a healthier alternative in different circumstances. Spending quality time by having a morning walk rather than having late-night dinners with a spouse or making some painting /craft for loved ones rather always cooking for their approval.
- If certain eating situations are unavoidable eg sales executive meetings, look for smart healthier options to eat at social events.
Our mind and body are so closely knitted together that, the effect on either of it shows reactions on the other one.
Graph of eating for physiological need has to be 99% every week. Change in the graph is a signal to seek the right solutions.
When the application of food is right, the body can enjoy food also long life.
Praying God or showing gratitude towards provision of food for body needs, is the simplest solution for the right application of food.
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