nuum

Live not to eat but eat to live
We live in a world where there are some people that live to eat. And we live in a world where there are some people who eat to live. Also, we live in a world where people are struggling to eat in order to live. We reside in a world where there are many societies that eat different foods based on their cultures and the region of the world where they live. As humans, the majority of us eats and places our food in our mouths. In this biological process, the food is chewed and goes down into our esophagus channeling into our stomachs. This whole process affects our blood, tissues, muscles, bones, synapses and brain function. In addition, the largest organ of our bodies which is our skin is also affected with this food process by the choices of the kinds of food we eat. What is so relevant about this information? First of all, what does it matter what kind of foods we eat? Who cares? Do you think our bodies respond to the food we choose to eat knowing that this is harmful for us? Is it a habit to eat foods we were taught to eat? Have we become so accustomed to this habit that we do not venture to explore the tastes of other foods from other cultures? In America, we reside in a culture where our Western values appear to be more concerned about the taste of manufactured and processed foods. We need to explore how our ancestors nurtured the earth with natural foods to instill into our bodies. We do have a choice. We can continue to destroy our bodies with artificial ingredients or we can live healthy lives with the natural and refreshing tastes of food from our ancestor’s heritages: African, European, Asian, Latino, Mexican, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern etc. Why are these food thoughts and words necessary? Because ’Food’ weaves in and out of our novels from Shange’, Morrison, Bailey, Naylor, Marshall, Dash etc. Therefore, due to this food consciousness, the following explains how I claimed a new food journey.

I have adopted the foods of the Geechee Gullah (excluding the pork) to include in my diet. As my tissues and my flesh continue to change, I am very careful what I store into my physical system. I realize how essential it is to share a food reality with young people to inform them what they eat now and continue to eat into their 30′s, 40′s and 50′s will affect not only their bodies, this will affect their spirits as well. It is not enough to come to the table in the kitchen or the dining room or the Maidah spread on the floor, relishing all the colorful and delicious foods while sharing it with family. What if food choices while eating with family, cause an illness? What if we eat too much food? Is it possible to lose our sense of connection when not eating healthy? We have to understand ‘who’ our bodies are first, in order to understand the spiritual aspects of how good food is filled with healing powers! All of this creates where we come from, who we are and where we are going.

Can you, as the reader of this article explain what this writer did not include in the following questions in reference to central themes (see words in parenthesis) in our novels? Are we those that can (fly?) Are we those that can (sing?) Are we those that can (dance?) Are we those that can (cook?) Do we (connect) with our heritage? Are we those women that speak and voice the truth to our bodies and protect our flesh, knowing we are more than just flesh that embodies our blood, bones, tissues and muscles? This writer believes and says, we are a result of our ancestor’s wherever they came from…we are warrior women protecting our continuing journey in this world to do the right thing. We do not just live to eat. We eat food to live a life filled with “natural simple foods” as sister Bailey believes, when she shares her food ‘wisdom’ on Sapelo Island.