Since arriving in Viet Nam, I have been doing a study of food and eating. And this study, I believe, can only lead to deep learning if I based my lessons on practice, not books or theory. My hypothesis was that the experience would change my attitude about eating and food as well as my understanding and practice of sustenance. And, it would give me greater appreciation of the dietary restrictions of so many people in this world and therefore greater empathy for those people. The caveat is that I know that I can never really understand hunger because I have never really been hungry and even now, on this extremely limited budget which I live, I am not in danger of experiencing real hunger.
So, my methods. Over the last four months, I changed my diet. I eat the same food every day, for every meal. I eat Pho Ga (noodle soup) for breakfast. On weekends, I vary that with fruit and yogurt. I eat rice, tofu, green vegys and shrimp or nuts for lunch and dinner. And as is the tradition here in Viet Nam, I finish my meals with a small bowl of broth with leafy vegys. Sometimes, I vary this diet with fruit, yogurt, peanut butter and crackers. I do have dark chocolate, from which I eat a 1 inch square a few times a week. I eat no other junk food and do not snack outside these meals. I do not drink alcohol. My vise is the coffee that I drink each morning.
I have diverged from this diet several times when foreigners are visiting and we go to dinner, but that is quite infrequent. I also eat sparingly. I eat two slices of tofu, a cup of vegys, a 1/4 cup of peanuts, 4-5 small shrimp, a 1/4 cup rice and a cup of broth.
The results thus far. It took three weeks to adjust to this diet and I was hungry much of the time. Now, I am sated with each meal. Sometimes I am hungry in the evenings, but I just ignore it. The heat reduces my interest in eating and likewise reduces my appetite. I also feel sick if I eat when it's hot, which by the way, is all the time.
This last month, I entered a new stage. Until then, I really enjoyed my meals. But, one by one the food items lost their taste in my mouth, first the vegys, then the nuts and now the tofu, which is one of my favorite foods in the world. Their textures started to turn me off and at times, I felt sickened just looking at them. I had passed the phase of snacking between meals during the first couple months here. But, now I was entering a stage of debating whether to eat or just go hungry. This is where I'm at now.
I eat because I need the nourishment and strength. And, as long as I'm drinking caffeinated coffee (which is all they have here), I have to eat something for breakfast or I'll get sick from the caffeine. Yes, this is an indication that the caffeine is toxic for me, and yes what in the U.S. was a love of taste for decaff has grown into a full scale addiction with the addition of the caffeine. And yes, it would be best that I stop drinking it. And, it is my only remaining vice, so I'm holding on to it at least for now.
But, there are many times when I opt not to eat and wait till the next meal. During these times, I just go hungry or I supplement with fruit or crackers. And, I'm drinking lots of water now which is filling in its own way. I am well nourished and am far from feeling true hunger, so not to worry.
At the same time, this diet based on sustenance has made food more important, but less central, in my life. I am aware that I need to eat and the food needs to have nutritional value. But, I no longer eat for fun, or as a social event, or as an antidote for despair or boredom, or as a condition for having fun. It's purpose is to sustain me. That is really it. So, eating is at once vitally important and not central to my life.
I am learning what it's like as well to not have options to vary my food, the growing sick of the food in front of you, the eating because you have to not cuz you want to or enjoy it, the choice to just skip it cuz you can't stand the look of it. So many people in the world live in these circumstances.
Even more live in perpetual hunger, many in the US as well.
It takes this contemplation to a deep level...
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