Food and Why You Need It
It may seem like an obvious statement: you need food in order to survive. Of course, and while absolutely true, there are a million other reasons why we choose to eat. Not only that, there are a million other reasons why we should eat and why we need to cook.
Looking back at the fossil record, there is a time when our ancestors brains grew nearly 50% in size. Some scientists believe this massive growth in brain size was the result of early humans learning how to cook their food. The novelty of heating plants and animal products allowed hominids (early humans) to digest food more easily, spend less time chewing difficult to eat vegetation and meat, and harness that new found energy into brain power. Now, cooking your food is not going to allow your brain to grow 50% bigger, but heating our food, changing the proteins and structure of the meals we eat is what we have evolved to do.
Aside from the evolutionary and physical benefits of cooking, sharing a meal (and cooking it) continues to be a ritual that fosters relationships and nourishes our interpersonal and communal needs.
Often, I think back on my favorite family memories and they revolve around food, eating together, or preparing a meal. Whether it is the traditional Christmas dinner, Passover with friends and family, or a quick take-out meal eaten before the rush of evening events and errands. There is a reason that so many ancient religions and texts place significance on the sharing of meal, it is an intimate act that brings people together. Why else would first dates almost always center around a meal?
How many times have you heard people joke about grandmothers or mothers forcing that extra plateful of homemade pasta? Or the one where a family member insists whatever is ailing you can be cured with that homemade chicken soup? These are age old customs and habits that have been passed down each generation with each new matriarch ensuring her family is well cared for and well fed. (I assure you, we will all be there someday; I already see inklings of this in myself.) This is the way we, humans, connect. We cook and we eat, sharing the sustenance that will not only allow us to continue on each and every day, but also to share in the love passed down by each generation.
Food is something we share as animals, cooking is what we embrace as human. Cooking a meal alone or with others nourishes not only our bodies, but also our souls and our relationships. It feeds our creativity, gives us control in the midst of a hectic day, and feeds our most basic human needs.
As I go forward learning how to navigate the rigorous course load that medical school has in store, I will also look toward the ritual of cooking a meal, sharing a dinner, and learning a skill as a means to live a healthy, balanced, and rich life. I hope you will join me on this journey; regardless of where you are in your life, we can all use those few moments to step back, and feed our bodies and our minds.