Eating dinosaur?

I’m blessed. I have a myriad of friends located in different parts of this great country. Facebook provides a wonderful place for me to witness their daily lives even though miles separate us. My friend in San Francisco posts her funny, borderline dangerous stories of her daily commute using public transportation. My friend in Florida gloats about the good weather. Washington friends post pictures of the fog rolling in. But by far, one of the most popular topics is food.
I am so happy and proud to live in an area of the country that still knows what food is. You know, food. Potatoes. Corn. Roast in the crock pot. Pinto beans. Hamburgers. Chicken. Cornbread (even if you use a box to make it). Ritz crackers. Vegetable soup. Apples and peanut butter.
Sadly, some in this beautiful country have gotten all crazy and ridiculously focused on food to the point of losing all common sense. Just don’t make the mistake I did. One day I posted something on Facebook about my renewed desire to drop a few pounds. Oh my word. The response made me think I had embarked on a mission to cure cancer.  
Food advice came pouring through the computer screen with religious zeal. I didn’t even understand some of the questions: “Lisa, are you eating “paleo” now?” Uh, am I eating what? Am I eating dinosaurs? No. I’m not eating dinosaurs. Or unicorns. I’m still eating regular food and an occasional Pop-tart (even though I know Pop-tarts aren’t real food). So, no. I don’t think I’m eating “paleo.”
I’m sure some of you who tend to eat potatoes and green beans and cornbread want to know what it means to eat “paleo.” Allow me to explain. According to the premier “paleo” advocate it means: the world’s healthiest diet — based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups that our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, or Stone Age.
So, that means no Pop-tarts or Ritz crackers, people. Berries and dinosaur meat for everyone.
Another frequent question: “Are you eating Mediterranean?” If you’re asking if I love olive oil, I do. Chicken fried in olive oil sounds great. But I don’t think that’s what most people mean by a Mediterranean diet.
One friend asked if I had read that book about what Jesus ate. I didn’t. I know what Jesus ate. Jesus ate fish and figs and olives. Jesus ate fish and figs and olives because that’s what the people in that region ate. If Jesus had lived in Georgia, he would have eaten grits. Jesus didn’t make such a big deal about his food and maybe we shouldn’t either.
I know. Some people (myself included) really do feel better when we eat more whole foods. I’m for it. Fruit, veggies and meat are the staples of a good diet. It’s probably wise to avoid items that have a shelf life of over 20 years. But in the midst of all our “good” eating, we need to remember the vast number of people all over the world who are just trying to find something to eat.
So skip buying that dinosaur meat online, friend. Join me in a less complicated method. Eat a little less. Think of others a little more.
For more information about Lisa Smartt, visit her website, lisasmartt.com. She may be contacted at lisa@lisasmartt.com.

Published in The Messenger 1.23.13

Print