You are What You Eat

My colleagues and I were having yet another fun lunch-time discussion. This time on my French comrades' favorite subject; food.

Americans really do have it all wrong. Food is about the social gathering that food entails. It is not about how fast you can get it and how convenient it can be. Often times we compare French eating habits to Americans'. French food by far, has more fat and more calories, yet most French people are fairly slim. Very unlike our current situation in America with record numbers of obesity.

So what is the difference? My friends say that there is much more walking in France. This does not account for the dramatic difference in the health of their population compared to here. There is the major difference of the quality of food. The French diet is varied, fresh, and of smaller portions. There is also not the rush associated with eating as there is here. People in don't eat on the "go" as they do here.

In short, dining is about slowing down, taking your time and enjoying not only the whole experience of eating (smell, taste, texture, appearance) but also the company that goes along with the food. Savoring eat bite, slows you and lets your fullness receptors catch up with brain to shut off the 'eat' command.

My advice? Slow down, enjoy it all and take your time.
And you don't have to do this just with food....It is applicable to so many things in life.