Daily Plate: Apocalypse Buttons and Comfort Food

There’s no way around it: I’m prone to anxiety. Thanks to the recent cluster of earthquakes, the volcanic ash situation in Iceland, and a meteor over the Midwest thrown in for good measure, just about all my apocalypse anxiety buttons have been pushed in the past few weeks. Let’s not even talk about schoolwork and the like…

Whenever I’m feeling super-stressed, I turn to foods that make me feel good. I feel like as a dietetic student, I exist in this bubble of humanity that gets off on healthy foods—when I say “comfort food,” I’m talking beautiful salads, fresh produce, salmon, and expensive Icelandic yogurt…

While I’d never recommend turning to food for comfort, I do find that when I allow myself to purchase some of the nicer, fresher foods I usually talk myself out of can go a long way in making me feel better equipped to handle whatever else is going on. Besides, if you’re giving yourself proper fuel, you’re more likely to have the energy you need.

Sure, my brain might think it wants to get drunk and forget about a stressful day, but my body knows it’s not going to feel so great after the first glass of wine. The comfort, for me, I think, lies in being able to hear what my body is telling me and to give it what it needs—or wants.
For example, I don’t  need kombucha, but it’s a nice treat once in a while!