The good news is that food was never meant to be this complicated. There exists a number of ancient food traditions that we can lean on where nature is celebrated. These traditions emphasise a slower pace of eating, hand-picking the choicest ingredients, carefully considering the cooking methods and combining food effectively so it provides healing and absorption.

The best part of our life today is that each one of us can learn about these traditions anywhere in the world, and choose what fills the gap in their lives. We can go seasonal, local, organic and traditional, eat in moderation, and use food for its nourishment and healing power rather than for entertainment alone.

Food does not just fill our stomachs, it fills our life force with textures, tastes, colours, flavour, health, positive vibrations and energy. Our gut-brain access depends on the food we eat and reflects in how we feel physically, mentally and even spiritually. After the Industrial Revolution, the Western lifestyle has prioritised productivity. The emphasis has been on preserving the food whilst still growing on the plant and then when it is on the shop shelf, as well as rightfully on preserving and prolonging the human life. Both these endeavours are accomplished through the use of artificial chemical interventions in the form of preservatives in foods and in the form of life-saving vaccines and medication for a longer life. This has undoubtedly been a mark of development.

However, our obsession with productivity has led to our consumption of fast food, fast cooking, fast eating and fast working. In this process, the quality of lives we live is compromised for far too many of us. Hormonal shifts, untimely hair loss, IBS, stress headaches, migraines, sleep apnea, sleeplessness, weight gain and other stress related issues, to name a few, are common place.

The research will take time to find the exact consequences of the Western food trends. The health impacts of this on an ever-growing population will take an even longer time to manifest themselves. In the meantime, what can we do? How can we stay heathy?

Eat to thrive

At Culinary Curiosity, we ignite this awareness about our food. We learn to cook traditional Indian recipes incorporating local seasonal British ingredients so we can savour each meal, and consider why that food is valuable and how it helps us live an active, healthy life. From the West, we head to the Eastern world, where food is used as medicine so that we do not need to use medicine like food.

If you are curious to learn and transform your plate, gut, brain and life, join us in our season 2 culinary art experience.

Reference

Berding K, Vlckova K, Marx W, Schellekens H, Stanton C, Clarke G, Jacka F, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Diet and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health. Adv Nutr. 2021 Jul 30;12(4):1239-1285. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa181. PMID: 33693453; PMCID: PMC8321864.