Don’t you just love traditional foods? I do. Especially when enjoyed with a lovely glass of peppery red. Mmmm.
The French have got it so right. Well, so do most established cultures but French people seem to exude lashings of class. They linger over exquisite morsels and good conversation, washing it all down with a healthy glass or two of wine. Their love for food is undeniable. Time and care is spent preparing each dish of wholesome, fresh foods using traditional recipes and enjoyed in an unhurried relaxed manner.
Comparing this to most western ideas about eating, it seems almost alien! Western ideas dictate that food is the enemy out to kill you, or at best give you a degenerative disease. The worst thing is, the things we enjoy the most will kill us quicker! Food is meant to be controlled, measured and assimilated into little portions of beneficial molecules. Percentile ratios of protein, fat and carbs to be ingested at precise times and frequencies. Most people’s relationship with food is about winning. If they can outstare a piece of chocolate cake, they will be victorious against diabetes, heart attack and stroke!
I read a survey related to this idea. Western women were asked to link words together. Chocolate cake and…. delicious or guilt. Heavy cream with… whipped or unhealthy, ice-cream with… indulgence or fattening… You can guess which words were chosen by 95% of them! On the other hand, a similar percentage of French women chose the words relating to pleasure.
In the last few years there has been numerous studies into the health benefits of the French diet. Here’s a couple (amongst the many) about red wine and dark chocolate.
So take your time, relax and have a glass of red wine with dinner tonight, it will definitely improve your health, not to mention your dining experience!
About the Author...
I've finally overcome my destructive eating habits by learning to accept myself, applying the WAPF nutritional principles daily. I'm now at a stable, healthy, slim weight, have lots of energy and no more guilt. I've been happily married for 7 years and am a graphic designer. In the near future I'm hoping to start a nutritional course and start practicing as a qualified nutritionist. At the moment it's all self education.
Jul 13th, 2008 at 12:11 am
I enjoy a wine (red or white) most nights before dinner. I read somewhere it is better to have it on an empty stomach so that it doesn’t interfer with your digestion process. I think Sally Fallon says in Nourishing Traditions that unpasturised wine is okay but I don’t suppose that’s available for sale in Australia. Might have to have a go at brewing my own one day! In the meantime, I at least have a preservative free wine.
Jul 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I’ve recently tried kombucha tea- I enjoy the taste( zingy) and good for digestion. Not sure if there is any comparison to wine but I enjoyed the taste and there are a few recipes online that look fairly easy.
Jul 13th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Kombucha is really easy to “make” especially once you get into a routine. You don’t have to be too fussy with measurements. My husband and I have it every morning. If you check out some of the websites about it you’d be surprised by people’s testimonies of it’s benefits. I’m not sure it’s as good as some of them say (like turning grey hair back to original colour)! Some people seem to go overboard and have large glasses several times a day. It might be safe, but I’m thinking that, like wine, all things in moderation.
Jul 14th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I haven’t as yet ventured into the world of Kombucha. Did you buy the fungus online? There used to be a lot of it around when it was popular in the mid 90’s (Gold Coast, Australia anyway), but I haven’t seen it much since then. Does it taste kind of fizzy like home brew ginger ale or more lemony? I’d like to try it before I buy the whole kit and kaboodle.
Jul 15th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Yes Louise,
I bought mine online. It wasn’t expensive, you just pay for their costs I think. They sent very clear instructions. It tastes fizzy and acid, like a sharp apple cider. It depends on how long you leave it to ferment. The longer you leave it the more sugar the bacteria and yeasts consume. If you leave it too long it’s a bit too acid. You have to go through a bit of trial and error and it depends on the temperature too. It’s worth doing!
I got my “mushroom” here: http://www.kombuchahealth.com.au/