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Dig deep–in the dirt, that is–and you might just find a way to get in shape.
Everything is cyclical—we hear that all the time, but I do believe I am now witnessing it. I live intown, and have neighbors who have chickens. Gardens are flourishing (or languishing, but at least they have been planted) in front yards, back yards and anywhere sun gets there right here in the city. One of my neighbors is making a good side job of building garden boxes for city dwellers. The people have spoken, and what we want is wholesome, organic, do-it-yourself foods.
The reason I love this growing trend is, well, take this direct quote from my 3-year-old daughter yesterday: “I wanted more arugula.” I think it’s easy to look past the grammar issues to the word “arugula.” When I told my husband about it, he said, “I don’t think I even said the word ‘arugula’ until recently.”
Bella and I pick green beans for her dinner almost nightly now, and just a few months ago, the most green she ingested was from the “green juice” she’s been drinking every morning for years now. It is simply fascinating to both young and old that we can watch food grow right before our eyes in our own yards. She asks me where everything grows from now: bananas, lemons, chocolate, crackers, everything. And bonus: when Bella finishes her meal and has some food left on her plate, she says, “Can we put this in the compost bucket?” I love it!!
So first there’s the fact of renewed interest in home-garden-grown food. Then there’s the inclusion of children in the process. Next in the cycle is, naturally, the development of healthy eating habits. When we show enthusiasm and respect for the foods we put in our refrigerators and bodies, our children notice. I promise you—they notice EVERYthing. It matters what we eat if we want our little ones to grow up choosing the healthier options. You don’t have little ones? No matter. The infectiousness of wanting to eat well—more foods from the earth—is inescapable when you are actually watching the process unfold.
And when you are eating these kinds of foods with more regularity, what choice do you have but to exercise, too? You instantly have more energy, feel better about your insides, and can’t help but want to complement the good eating behaviors with good exercising behaviors. (Your children will notice this, too.)
So it goes. From farm (or yard) to table…. To your health!!
