WOW this week

The most I've done in the last three days is walk to town for a beer with friends Wednesday and make dinner today. The time in between is something I'd like to forget. Quickly.

Starting on Wednesday at around 3 p.m. I had a splitting headache. I took a three-hour nap and woke up with all joints aching. We had plans for drinks, so I went but felt like the conversation was floating around me in a cloud, something I could quite get through or get hold of. I came home and slept, even slept through Joe getting ready the next morning.

Joe had plans for a guys' brunch that turned into an all-day affair. For his sake, I think it was good that he was out of the apartment. I was in a terrible mood, eating digestive cookies & tortilla chips all day; taking less than four steps at a time to control nausea; regretting the slice of salmon I tried to eat for lunch; researching e-coli & getting really afraid of what I found.

I took a nap today & have gradually been feeling better. I even ate a full-sized dinner (mostly because Joe got a chocolate bar filled with hazelnuts for dessert). I'm realizing that this "sickness," like the others I've had this year, are most likely connected to my diet.

I've been flexible this year–eating desserts, all kinds of meats and more dairy. I love it when I eat it, but honestly... I never feel that great afterwards. Having all the time to myself (and about six movies), being unable to read or leave the apartment for fear of being sick, I did a lot of thinking about this whole diet thing.

I've loved the food adventures I've had this year, but I've realized that cheese, foie gras, beef tartar, salmon & butter in a span of three days is not how my body likes to eat. I'm not a steak-and-potatoes kind of body. I'm trying to strike a balance.

When Joe & I talk about our return to the States & how we want to set up our life, the thing we focus on most is food: where will it come from, how will we budget for it, how will we handle meat? I've long wanted to have a whole food-focused diet–and I don't mean the expensive grocery store.

I've been creating a links catalog on the computer–homemade noodles & breads; inventive recipes with beans; homemade meat substitutes; a reminder to order this great more-with-less cookbook that my equally great writer friend introduced me to; researching what to grow in Indiana (which I posted about on the other, future blog). In following this whole-food focus, I feel like I'll get healthier again, feel more fit & have higher energy.

Reading another friend's blog as she works through a diet, I was reminded of all the food science & food history reading I've done. We in developed societies today have begun to rely on food science & rules (from the Atkins Diet to, I admit it, Michael Pollen's food rules). Pollen, however, addresses this problem. When we rely too much on rules, we forget what's really going into our bodies–we follow guidelines instead of nature & what our body is asking for. That's why I'm so proud of Ashley's latest post, in which she looks at the rules she's broken & doesn't beat herself up about it.

So let's use Pollen's summary rule & leave it at that:

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

What more do we need? I know, at this point you're also thinking, "What else can you possibly post about in terms of food & diet & all this crap?" While typing this post, I was worrying that I've become repetitive, that I'm losing your interest. But here's the thing: I'm realizing that this is the area of public policy I want to dedicate myself to, because it touches each of us, directly, everyday–from the farms we drive past to what we put in the grocery cart to what comes out of the tap when we turn it on.

So somehow, being sick got me SUPER excited about graduate school! You know what else is exciting? Free shipping on TOMS! Get some fun summer shoes, buy a pair with a friend–spend more than $85 & get free shipping in the continental U.S.

Enjoy your weekend. I'm going to sleep.

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