Add color to gardens and to every meal
- col-bobbie-randall
- May 8, 2024
- 732
My friend Natalie stopped at my house, and we checked out my gardens. There are mainly colorful flowers and bushes around the house. I will plant a few tomatoes and enjoy eating them later in the summer. Small ornamental pumpkins will eventually climb the trellis.
To us, a plain yard without any color or foliage is just another plain yard consisting of a lawn and a house. Landscaping makes the difference. It is fun to watch plants grow and multiply each year. The color around a house adds a lot to any property.
Comparing a patch of earth with a healthy body is not a very far stretch. Just eating the basics will maintain the body. Adding color and a little shovel power can turn a simple yard into a beautiful sight to see. It also takes color and effort to maintain good health. Balancing nutritional choices is the key to enhancing the shape of the body.
How colorful is your meal plan? Fried or fat-laden foods are usually tan or light brown in color. Adding coleslaw for flavor and color is a good attempt, but a few shredded carrots in 1/2 cup of coleslaw does not balance out eating fried chicken and French fries. A more colorful meal will increase the health benefits and look more appetizing.
Natalie reminded me it takes each of your senses to experience the beauty and richness of a springtime garden. We also use each of our senses to experience our food. Think of what you ate yesterday. How many different colors and textures did you ingest? How many senses did you use with your meal choices? Consider the sight, sound, smell, taste and feel of food and springtime.
Brown cereal with white milk or tan toast with creamy-colored coffee are boring. Adding an orange or some grape juice will not only make a boring breakfast more colorful, but also the antioxidants are a bonus. Enhancing cereal with strawberries or cherries and just imagining them touching your lips with the first bite can make a ho-hum breakfast a mouthwatering experience.
For some people the only vegetable they get all day is the half of a leaf of lettuce on their greasy hamburger. This is not enough to enhance optimal health. Consider more color and texture. Add more vegetables to your daily diet.
Walking around the yard or neighborhood with someone is good for the senses. The action of walking outside of a small, little space builds muscle movement and strength. The peaceful banter between friends is a psychological vacation.
Take a walk. Enjoy the outdoors. Drink in the color, the aroma, the textures of springtime. Allow nature to inspire and improve the quality of your life, starting with the foods you eat. Color your diet just like your garden.
Take time to “stop and smell the flowers” and be healthier for it. Do the same with your next plate of food and you will be healthier from it.
Bobbie Randall is a registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.