Recalibrate, Reclaim and Realign cultivating your seasonal self
By Dr. Stephanie Shelburne
Last year I embarked on a journey dedicated to expanding my palate. Each day I chose a different taste and flavor, experienced it, then researched the science and the art of it. Little did I know what lessons of life I would find in such a simple (not so simple) undertaking. That adventure led to the development of this program. In this program you will learn about:
Eating with the seasons
One message that naturally unfolded as I wandered market places, farm shops, fields, and forest in search of new flavors each day, was the natural desire for seasonal eating. We live in a time where we can have whatever we want, whenever we want (for the most part) but when I began to focus on simple flavors and available taste options, seasonality became pivotal, of its own accord.
Sounds like a no brainer, and yet, the taste and flavor of food varies with the seasons, as does the nutrient density. An apple may be forced or manipulated to grow outside of its natural season; but research and experience has demonstrated that it will be less flavorful and less nutrient rich. This is true of all foods, including animals and animal products.
Terroir
Terroir is how a particular region's climate, terrain, soil content, and even growing practices effect the taste, flavor and nutrient quality of our food. There is a distinct difference in nutrient quality and flavor of foods that are grown in monoculture and forced/chemically assisted soils.
What's more? The soil content changes with the seasons and the influence of other plants and animals; which in turn impacts what is known as the microbiome found in the soil and in the food. A healthy microbiome means a balanced and beautiful you.
Biodiversity
Science demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that biodiversity generates healthy soil and healthier food; which translates to a healthier YOU.
How diverse is your diet?
Biodiversity really just means the "variety of life" or the diversity of various life forms that co-exist in one environment. Think eco-systems. For example, the more biodiverse a pond is, the healthier it tends to be, with each microbe or being having their own complementary (hopefully) job. Monoculture, which unfortunately, is what many large growing operations practice, puts way too much stress on particular resources and creates a severe and often fatal imbalance in the system, damaging soil and the dependent surrounding environment...including you.
Biodiversity is key to our overall health and wellness as well as the wellness of the planet.
The health of the soil directly dictates the health of your body, via the bacteria in your gut.
The Superfood Myth
This one is a BIGGIE! If you're at all health conscious you will have heard about the so called "superfood". Every time you turn around there is a new and exciting, typically exotic, superfood that you just can't live without!
In fact, if you did a quick google right now, I guarantee you would find a list of foods that you MUST eat everyday to be healthy. If you notice, when you search the market shelves, these foods are typically from somewhere else and are quite expensive.
News Flash!!! These foods are no more of a superfood than any other "typical" whole food. Every single whole/real food in the marketplace, especially if it has been sustainably grown, is a Superfood and contributes to things like reduction in systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and even decreases the risk of cancer. For example, the phytonutrients in tomatoes (and other foods with similar chemical compound) actually convince the mutated cells that might become cancer to blow themselves up. Pretty crazy, huh?? but crazy cool!
DNA
If you've noticed there is a flood of media coming out discussing the influence of genes/dna on food assimilation and vice versa. Unfortunately, it is only half of the story. Yes, you can go get a DNA test and then you can have someone interpret it and tell you what to eat and what not to eat, but guess what? Chances are they will be wrong. Your genetic markers have the ability to turn off and on, every time you eat or drink something or think a very strong thought (good or bad) or even when you exercise or otherwise move your body. So, the DNA test is nice, but it's only half the story.
Ancestral Lineage
Genetics is valuable and a nice piece to the puzzle of you and your health... but so is your ancestral lineage. Place: where do your ancestors come from? What was their food landscape? What were their daily habits? These are all valuable questions for your current health and wellness. They also help dictate what foods you can tolerate and which foods you can't as well as how food tastes to you and how you will metabolize it.
The terroir and soil content of your ancestors contributes to the type of bacteria found in your gut. Yep, you have specific enzymes and microbes that have been handed down from generation to generation (and not through your genes) to help you assimilate the foods found in your native landscape.
Environment
Guess what? Where you currently live/work will also impact the way you metabolize and 'taste' food. It also dictates how you assimilate nutrients and even in some cases, what nutrients you will need.
Environment contributes to variations in your stress levels and the functioning of the various systems of the body. Your biochemistry is directly impacted by how hot or cold it is, whether you are in natural or florescent lighting, the noise levels, even the very low frequency (vlf) fields floating around you (like wifi, radar, and phone signals, etc)
Relationships
Relationships effect how your food tastes and how you assimilate nutrients. Did you know that relationships are also impacted by the seasons? and have their own seasons, in a way... This isn't only true for romantic relationships but also, and most importantly, the relationship with your Self.
Research suggests that the more you trust your relationships and feel that you are a viable part of a thriving community, the more optimally your nervous system functions. This results in better assimilation of nutrients and balanced metabolic function....which also results in better food choices.
Forming food communities dedicated to seasonally influenced activities and eating are one way to stay balanced, happy and healthy.
How you choose to feed and nourish yourself both feeds and is fed by the relationship with yourself and your relationship to the seasons.
The take home:
There is no one-size fits all diet. You do not need to spend large amounts of money on expensive superfoods to be well.
Cultivating a sustainable, biodiverse, and seasonally informed relationship with yourself and your environment is your true path to health and lasting well-being. So, how do you do that?
By recognizing that you are made of the same ingredients as every other material thing on the planet...i.e. carbon and energy.
Understanding that even though you are made of the same ingredients, you are also uniquely you.
You are a dynamic web of interrelated events from your life and the life of your ancestors. This includes the things that make you healthy and the things that contribute to dis-ease.
Seasonal eating contributes to the health of your body, mind and spirit through providing appropriate nutrient availability.
Listening to the cycles of the planet, including phases of the moon as well as shifts of season will help you find a rhythm that feels vital and alive. (for more on this you can read about biodynamics)
I hope this little offering has piqued your curiosity and inspired you to discover more about your Seasonal Self and Living Well. Please feel free to reach out if you're interested in finding out more about the programs, courses, and workshops offered or if you are interested in 1:1 sessions to uncover the Seasonal You.