Filling and Fulfilling

I'm very excited to kick off a monthly guest blog spot, with this thoughtful piece about the relationship between food and thriving.  The author, Robyn Kiener, is a nutrition coach and the founder of Robyn's Basket, a meal planning service that makes a week's worth of nutritious meals a breeze for all of us busy bees.  I hired her to plan and prep my meals a couple of years ago while I was directing a show (and Marshall was skiing in Japan, lucky bastard). I would have ended up eating nothing but pizza for weeks if not for her wizardry. Instead I ate this crazy delicious food that gave me all the energy and brain power I needed to work 12-hour days. Robyn is one of my favorite people to geek out with about neuroscience and positive psychology too.  She's actually taken and aced the science classes that give her the right to toss around phrases like "autonomic nervous system."  Full disclosure, Robyn also happens to be my sister, and after several years of being estranged from one another, we are both committed to repairing our relationship with respect for our differences, forgiveness for even the unintentional ways we've hurt each other, and compassion for each other's lived experiences.  Long story short, I can't think of anyone I'd rather share some blog space with, and I 100% back what she's sellin'!  Take it away, Robyn!...

With the new year comes the inclination and opportunity for new ambitions, a revisitation of our hopes, values, and perhaps lifestyles. It is fair to say that for most of us this past year has been one full of effort to survive and to stay afloat. We are all seeking some clarity, peace, and security. I am left asking myself, “What steps can I take to turn that striving mentality into one of thriving?” As a nutrition consultant and food lover, I turn to food.

It is widely understood that when we are overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, or anxious our body is operating via the sympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as “fight or flight.” It’s how your autonomic nervous system would react if you were being chased by a bear. This is a very important mechanism that allows for self-protection and preservation. However, with a surge of the hormone adrenaline comes another, cortisol, which slows down or puts on hold, so to speak, the mechanisms that our bodies don’t necessarily need while fleeing a bear, like metabolism and digestion. On the opposite side of the autonomic spectrum lies the parasympathetic nervous system, where we are able to “rest and digest”. In this state, we are relaxed and more likely to process our thoughts resulting in meaningful, pre-meditated actions. It is also the state in which our body restores glycogen in our muscles for future energy use, cellular regeneration occurs, and we metabolize and digest our food.

So, behind all of this matter-of-fact scientific information, I try to remember what it really means--we are going to get more out of our food emotionally, physically, energetically and mentally when we find a positive mindset to eat it in. This doesn’t mean that you need to be able to break away from everything going on around you. You don’t need to be in a meditative space or even a totally quiet space. But, if you can feel grateful for what is about to go into your body, be it your guilty pleasure, a quick fix to a hungry stomach, or a thoughtfully prepared or planned snack/meal you are on the right track to eating in a way that will not exacerbate your stress levels. The objective is to really take the time to taste the food, feel its texture, consider how the flavors speak to you. This leaves you in a place of knowing that you are taking care of a primal need and you will get the most out of it.

One of my favorite tricks to staying mindful to my food and my relationship to what I am eating is to add bits and pieces of nutritionally dense accents to everyday foods. Focusing on nutrition density gives you the peace of mind that everything you are consuming is adding some positive component to your overall wellbeing, adding to your potential to thrive. Thinking positively about food, especially while you are eating it, eases anxiety and really helps maintain a conscious, collected state of mind. A few examples are adding some hearty greens to grain dishes, egg scrambles, or even to a standard stir-fry. Throw some extra veggies on your sandwich or add cabbage to your burrito. Be excited about the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you are making room for. Count the fiber grams instead of the calories. Spruce up your water with cooling cucumber, juicy berries or fresh mint or basil to set a calming tone to your day. If you experience anxiety or stress physically in your stomach, make some ginger tea in the morning, drink it hot or cool it and enjoy it on ice throughout your day. Sprinkle some gomasio or nutritional yeast flakes on your popcorn. 

Don’t forget to look to food for built in mood stabilizing properties as well. The hidden gem here is that while you are consciously appreciating the nourishment your body is getting from the food, the food is simultaneously directly benefitting your brain. One of my staples is walnuts. They offer macronutrients (proteins and healthy fat), a variety of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and a plethora of additional health benefits. As if those weren’t reasons enough, research proposes that the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts supports the functionality of neurotransmitters (the "happy messengers") dopamine and serotonin in your brain--a perfect example of how food can help balance anxiety, stress and emotion!  And, if you are a chocolate lover, don’t forget that it too has been studied for its effects on mood and those mood supporting neurotransmitters. Many foods have different properties that promote mood stabilization. But the trick is to accept their offerings with an open and appreciative mind. 

So, the challenging and encouraging component to this way of approaching food is to really embrace it. Smile while preparing it, feel good and give yourself props about how creative you are able to be with it and how delicious it is going to taste. Concentrate on how much positive physical energy you are supplying to your various organ systems. Be grateful for every benefit each delicious mouth-watering bite gives you. Allow yourself to breath, reflect, relax, and swallow.  

by Robyn Kiener