Growing Up

So I just realized I missed the one year anniversary of this blog. It was on June 30th 2011, that I wrote my first musing for the world to see. So happy be-lated anniversary to Limelight Musings and all my readers. I can't believe you all have followed me as I've written (about) one a week for a full year. Thanks for sticking with me guys.

But if anything this past year has taught me is that I'm still growing up. Within the past twelve months I've learned a lot about friends, family, politics, and the world in general. And after everything is all said and done, I realize I'm becoming a foodie.

I'm sure you've all witnessed how the majority of my posts are now food based. And I hope you like what I've written. I seem to say it every time, but I'm learning more and more about true nutrition and real food. And I want to share what I've learned. For so long, most of us just consider food as a meal. Something you just gobble up. We've developed such a mindless connection to something that is supposed to become a part of us. Your dinner, no. Every meal should an experience you have with delicious dishes that will in turn fuel you mind, body & soul.

I guess over this year I learned that I don't give myself the time to fully look into or enjoy what I consume. And I feel that's a common mistake in my society. Your meals fulfill so many needs. Not only does it give your body fuel to keep going, but it should (key word) provide the nutrients you need to be in your prime. As many quote the father of medicine, Hippocrates: "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." We are so focused on calories or fat that we don't think about the nutrients we need to take in every. single. day. There's fiber, calcium, omega fats, and countless vitamins & minerals... Lots of little pieces that help make us us.
 
To give you just one example- you can thank the diet of our ancestors for our heightened intelligence above all living things. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain. Studies show they appear to be important for cognitive & behavioral function. And it's not just Omega 3's- saturated animal fats and cholesterol are also in your noggin. Both are part of a sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and preserves proper function of the brain & nervous system.

And food isn't just beneficial. It's delicious. There's a reason we crave fresh, crispy produce or savory, juicy meat. Our taste buds help us enjoy what we need to eat. And I promise if you take a few extra moments today to think about how your lunch tastes, you'd be surprised by what you find. 

Needless to say, there's quite a few reasons to really consider & enjoy what you are eating. If you think about it, food is such a huge part of our lives. While we all enjoy the benefits of cars, phones, hobbies, etc., food is a primal need in order to survive. So it deserves your time & effort.

With all of that being said, I'm super excited to say I registered to listen in on a Real Food Summit. Go ahead, click the link. It's free to watch & if you register with your email address, they'll throw in a couple freebies along the way. One of my favorite bloggers, The Healthy Home Economist even speaks today. But if you don't have time to watch all of the presentations, I hope to share some of the key points I learn along the way this week. I've already learned so much & it's only been one day.

That's my rant for the week. And once again, it's about food. I do feel bad that I didn't show any fun photos. So here's a look at my monstrous mint plant.

Made me realize I need to make mojitos. Lots & lots of mojitos.

Speaking of mint, here's something to keep in mind. It's a beautiful, fragrant plant that I feel everyone should grow. But never, ever, ever plant it in the ground. Ever. Unless you want a yard full of ravenous mint in a few years. This year's turned out so big I may divide it for a matching urn. It's still pretty. And it will provide fresh menthol for future mint oils, possible homemade toothpaste, and tea.