Last week, I explored the idea of being playful, especially as we grow older. It is important to laugh, be playful, and engage in enjoyable activities. This week is all about “V” for victuals. I get this question a lot about what victuals is. So let me define it for you. The definition of victual is food that is fit for consumption, food for humans, and as a verb, it refers to the food supply. In Latin, French, and English, victuals are referred to as nourishment. Other words mean the same: nutrient, nourishment, nutrition, sustenance, aliment, edible, eatable, etc. This was when Victuals started to fit appropriately in my mind about the connection with food and nutrition. Food should be nutritious and detoxifying to allow the mind to heal, the body to heal, the spirit to heal. I thought to myself, are victuals connected to spirituality and religion. In the King James Dictionary, it states,
“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals” (food). (1)
This is only one example in the bible; there is a report of 32 mentions of victuals in the bible. This got me thinking and thinking. What has religions and spiritual sages said about victuals and the healing process. I came across a discourse from Soami Ji Maharaj taken from the Hiayatanama and written for those seeking to find the Supreme Being.
“Spirits, like beauties, dance at various places. There are pleasing and sweet victuals, all savory and fresh, and sonorous and musical strains can be heard everywhere.” (2)
Even in Ancient Egypt, Victuals was used to describe healthy eating and nourishment for the body.
“The dead man is at one and the same time in heaven, in the god’s boat, under the earth, tilling the Elysian fields, and in his tomb enjoying his victuals.” (3)
The connection with spirit is supported by a healthy diet filled with victuals. What about the body? Well, when I think about victuals and what has been best for my body, I come to a diet filled with vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, seeds, and seaweed. These foods have healing properties. These foods are backed by research to heal the mind-body-spirt, which has worked for me. The body needs proteins, healthy forms of carbohydrates, clean water, vitamins, minerals, all of which one can get from a filled with vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, seeds, and seaweed. The best part is if you purchase or grow them in an organic, pesticide-free way, you only reap all the health benefits.
What about Detoxification? There are some excellent options of victuals foods to choose from to support this process. When you think about detoxifying the body, think about the liver as it helps rid the body of toxins from foods, medications, hormones, environmental exposures, and toxic air. The liver brings nutrients into the body and eliminates the waste through the kidneys and intestines. If there are no delayed food allergies to these foods, consider them not only as nourishment (victuals) for the body but also as supporting the detoxifying processes: cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens (broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, Bok choy). Then there are beautiful options such as spinach, dandelion greens, and most vegetables that contain chlorophyll. Lemons are excellent and alkaline for the body. I encourage a warm glass of lemon water in the morning. This helps wake your digestion up, start metabolism, and regulate blood pressure. Avocados are not only healthy fat, but they also have an abundance of antioxidants and nutrients. You can consider green tea, apples, garlic, chlorella, turmeric. Don’t forget the blueberries, beets, ginger, and cilantro. (4)
So that leaves us with the mind and how the foods we eat impact our minds. The foods we eat can not only be agitating to the body, but they can also agitate the mind. Based on a collection of research articles, these agitating foods are sugars, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, hydrogenated oils, fast foods, trans fats, high sodium foods, caffeine, processed foods, soy sauce, wheat bran, tofu, coffee, canned soup, apple juice, red wine, and some fermented foods. (5)
Wow, that’s a pretty extensive list for most people, especially on the American diet. What does all this mean? If you struggle with anxiety, start exploring how your food choices impact your mood. If you start the morning off with coffee, caffeine, or processed foods, are you more irritable in the morning? When you go to lunch, what are you noticing? Are you choosing foods agitating to the mind or calming to the mind? After your lunch, you feel alert, active, and ready to continue the day. Victuals have a direct impact on our mood. It can be the underlying cause of symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, trauma responses, etc. It can be the go-to option when we are under distress. If I am stressed at work and decide on a quick bit for lunch, is the quick bit filled with hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high in sodium, and contaminated with artificial sweeteners? The unmanaged stress encourages you to select foods that will support and intensive your anxiety, depression, and trauma responses.
So when you think about “V” for victuals, think about nutrition for the mind-body-spirit. For a healthy mind-body-spirit connection, choose your victuals wisely and make sure they are nutritious and detoxifying. If you are stuck, then ask for help. Seek out a professional, preferably an integrative mental health clinician, preferably an organic nutritionist, but most importantly, ask for help.
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