Have you ever met a morbidly obese blind person?

One of my delicious salads I pre-made.










One of my little quests was to be extremely healthy--in mind, body and soul. I feel that I have certainly reached it (or course, there are always more mountains to climb and conquer). In learning about my health, I've learned one very essential but forgotten by society lesson about food. It is a lesson that is so simple to know and implement, yet few people actually practice it. In a way, I feel like I've uncovered a secret hidden in plain sight. This secret could change the American lifestyle for the better; longevity, happiness, and peace of mind would be the norm, instead of stress, time, and money.

This is my discovery:

Few people actually savor their food. For this evening's dinner, my boyfriend made grilled eggplant, mashed potatoes, and ribs (but I didn't eat any--not a big fan of pork). I already knew that my quest had taught me patience in eating my food; my plate that is half the size of others is eaten twice as slow as my co-eaters. I learned this trick somewhat subconsciously--I never really forced myself to eat slow. Rather, it seemed that when I ate healthy foods, my subconscious would unknowingly tell my mouth to chew slower and my taste buds to take more note of the flavors. Conversely, I realized also that I subconsciously stuff my face as fast as possible when a plate of greasy, high-fat and/or obviously unhealthy meal was in front of me. Thus, in a few months, I became someone at the table that eats the least and finishes last.

But tonight, I would do even more. I would be a little monkish in my behavior. I decided that, for dinner, I would close my eyes while I ate.

It was a phenomenally wonderful experience. One cannot stuff their face with their eyes closed, and the rest of their sensors (including the taste buds) enhanced. It wasn't merely tasting; it was feeling the different flavors, spices, and textures within the food.

When I opened my eyes, I saw my boyfriend watching me. He laughed.

"I just love seeing you do that; you get this smile on your face." He said.

"Try it. It's a totally different experience."

He did. And a smile that showed a mouthful of content grew on his mouth. "It's like you can taste all the different flavors in it."