Relative Something

For almost my entire life I bet I’ve heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” Whatever. Does anyone really heed these tidbits of wisdom beyond the surface first impression that hearing them elicits?

Then along comes a medical procedure requiring a couple of days avoiding all the foods that are supposed to be good for you… raw fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, and nuts, followed by almost 2 days of a purely liquid diet. When you get all done with that and your insides have been entirely cleared out, there is a whole new appreciation for what food will restart the process of fueling your activities and becoming the building blocks for your cells.

I started with Dairy Queen ice cream on the way home, in celebration of my restored freedom to choose from my regular culinary passions. I love cereals more than anything and heavy whole grained breads are a close second. Vegetables are good, but they do lack the sweetness of breads and cereals. For my palate, it’s all about sweet and crunch. Fruit is something I whine about. The sweetness inherent should make it a winning choice, but they often also pack that sour twang that causes the twinge in the back of my jaw. That, and the fact there is such a wide disparity in what you might find under the outer covering. Ripe? I am a terrible judge. And I’m picky. There is about a ten minute period of ripeness that my palate seeks as ideal. Before or after that it’s too green or too mushy. Nuts are a winner all around, any kind and any way they come.

I’m finding it not as easy to just make those choices based on pleasing my mouth now that my ‘system’ has been reset for a fresh start. All this recent focus on the intricate workings of breaking down proteins and moving nutrients through cell walls and passing the mixture along through the system has me unusually sensitive to what I put in there. What better time than now to adjust my behavior and heed the wisdom that I am what I eat?

It’s hard to argue it. I guess for the short-term, I’m soft-serve ice cream.