We women, are programmed to multitask, and always get things done. I totally get it, I’ve been there.
A few weeks ago, I was a speaker at a women’s event and talked about how I got lost with food, but at the same time, years later, how food saved me.
I told my story of being everything for everyone but myself and how food became the only thing that would ease my emotions, and many of the women in attendance identified with me. Not because they also got lost with food, but because we women are nurturers and at the same time people pleasers. We forgot a very powerful word, that is not selfish or rude at all, just necessary. The word is NO. Saying yes to every request and not setting healthy boundaries with people, leads to stress and overwhelm.
I remember the first time I spoke with my business mentor, he immediately suggested me to read the book The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. He truly saw through me and recognized all the agreements, beliefs and programming I have made with myself and others, that made hard to say NO, otherwise because as the book says, we would be bad kids.
I am going to write in more detail in my upcoming book how I lost myself in food. I will start telling that I come from a family that cooks deliciously, where every conversation was around the table revolving food and good times. For my family, love meant being well fed by nutritious foods, we might not have lot of money, but always had good food. Many years later, I got lost in food because I gave my power away, I was too afraid to be the bad girl, and I sabotaged myself in every way possible, not knowing that I was doing a disservice to myself and others. My voice was so turned off that I wasn’t able to say the magical word, NO. So I became the greatest multitasker at the risk of my own life, because I had no time for myself.
However being lost in food, led me to learn to look at food in a much different way, in a more holistic way. With the years going by, while learning to love myself, I was able to make better food choices and nurture myself first. How could I be able to take care of others when I always put myself last?
Then doing research I discovered that many Peruvian ingredients have many healing properties, and how the Incas worshiped their plantations and aligned their god Sun, with Mother Earth and the spirit of food, it was quite a spiritual ceremony. I use Peruvian Superfoods in a lot of my recipes.
Through my initial experience with food, I have learned to become mindful in the kitchen, to be present. Through our hands and our cooking we express our energy. Our bodies need wholesome foods, that are going to feed us in a way we express the love for ourselves. We are in this life to live, to treat ourselves good. I understand that life happens and stress sometimes is inevitable, but when things happen, we choose how to react to situations. And believe me, this is coming from someone who didn’t know how to deal with her emotions. It was either numbing herself by stuffing with food, or they were expressed in a very reactionary way, with the ego in between.
I am happy to say that I am on the other side now and I have been able to get to the root of what drives us to make certain choices in food. If you ever need help, I will be happy to coach you to heal your body and learn to cook amazing foods.
Just let me know!
Love,
Marita
