You are What You Eat

It turns out that the expression, “You are what you Eat” is literal.

I found this out when I saw my brother take an angry bite of his tuna sandwich. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he chocked on a bite and began gasping for air; cursing at life he cleared his throat and stuffed the rest of the sandwich down.

He seemed to have soaked in the surrounding environment, operating straight from his stomach. It was still him, but there was something different about the way he was doing things. Hurriedly, irritated, and not taking the time to reflect about why he was poking his head out of water, his energy suffocated, and low vibrations emanated from his mood.

Mom and dad had asked us to get some errands done for them. Brother wanted to get things done as soon as possible so we started right after breakfast. We went to the supermarket first. The line was long as hell, but I didn’t mind; brother on the other hand was out for blood. There was a couple in front of us that kept giggling which seemed to upset him more. When it was our turn, brother’s aura seemed to overtake and repulse everyone with its stink. He spoke to the cashier as if it were her fault that the store was packed, he acted as if she was incompetent.

I looked at her feeling sorry about the shitty customers we had been. I could tell that brother had left his fishy smell on her. Her posture changed and her tone, although still friendly was suspicious. Uncertain what the next customers actions would be, she started scanning without her usual hi, how are you. I could see her face turning blue suffocating from replaying brothers’ words in her head.

Worried that the frustrated tuna would spread, I ran to her and quickly apologized, begging her to forgive my brother as he was having a rough day. Color returned to her face as she thanked me and continued her duties.

When I got to the car brother had a sour face, “why are you taking so long, don’t you see that I want to get out of here as soon as possible”. We continued our errands in silence, me apologizing to anyone that encountered my brother’s wrath. I wasn’t sure how else to handle the situation, but I was determined not to soak in his low vibrations. At lunch he went from a stink tuna to a heated barker. I bet you guessed it! We ate hot dogs. Him with the same unawareness and impatience as this morning. He snapped at anyone who would try him, not feeling bad about the intimidation he embodied.

I finally got some peace of mind at dinner. The whole family was home; mom, dad, me, and brother. I watched brother as I ate. He slowly seemed to be letting go of his day. Mom and dad asked us questions, laughed at what we believed were struggles and encouraged us to look to the future while enjoying the present. Brother finally smiled and finished his Shepherd’s pie with what seemed to be a load off. “My girlfriend broke up with me last night, I’m feeling a little insecure mom, but this dinner made me feel less like shit, thank you”, he said, getting up, putting away his dishes and walking up to his room.

“Make sure you come back down for the Movieeeeeeeeeee”, mom yelled after him. I smiled and forgave my brother for his rude attitude.

Every experience is a lesson, remember to be thankful for every moment that allows you to live and learn. Eating is not just about what you eat, who you are being while you eat is even more important. Everything you feel, your body feels; digestion reflects this. You not only eat the food but also your environment.

The irritation you withhold is transformed into stress in the body. And stress puts you into sympathetic mode AKA survival mode (fight, flight, or freeze). How is the body supposed to digest a sandwich while you are running away from a lion, yet the standards of our day, forces us to eat regardless of being in stress or relaxation mode. You are either avoiding the situation; in battle mode (ready to beat this person up in your head) or you shut down. Sometimes all 3.

Food is Life. Being present and engaging all your senses while you eat, will not only make the food all the more enjoyable but also turn that food into usable energy instead of stress related illnesses. #BonAppétit