Eating Well for Yourself and Your Community
By Ben Bebenroth

Every individual has a personal concept of what it means to be “well.” What does wellness mean to you? Is it a mental state as well as a physical one? Does it extend to making a positive impact on the environment and other people? For some, it is an aura of teen spirit, a yoga mat or a search for the fountain of youth. For most, the pursuit of wellness is not a destination; it is a continual journey. The rewards of the quest exist in the milestones we achieve along the way.

Perhaps wellness to you means quitting smoking. Maybe it is as simple as choosing vegetables instead of fries as your next side dish. Or, perhaps it is taking a weekly trip to the farmers' market for local foods. To be successfully “fit,” it is important to celebrate each wellness decision you make as a noble task – and one step closer to being whole.

In the most primitive sense, you are a giant solar panel – a mere processor of the sun's energy. You eat plants, such as corn, which convert solar energy into calorie energy that fuels you. Seeing the foods you eat through a different eye may help in this quest by influencing your appetite in a holistic manner. Take, for instance, the multitude of options at the grocery store. On a small scale, you can look at the ingredient list on a frozen lunch and consider the calorie, fat and sodium content. But you also can think on a higher level, asking yourself questions such as: “How much energy was consumed to make this lunch?” “How long did this item sit on this shelf?” or “How much energy did it take for this lunch to travel here to my state, my city and my community?” The answers may surprise you and you may be more likely to choose a trip to the local farmers' market for a weekly bag of just-picked lettuce instead of purchasing the prepackaged bags at the store.

If you do consider the big-picture, you will be more likely to think beyond the nutritional value of a prepackaged food item. Those who take a Zen-like approach to food decisions might consider the prana (life force) that exists within a prepackaged food item compared to an ear of sweet corn just days off the stalk. Prana is the invisible energy in everything that sustains us – air, water, food and more – both good and bad. Sure, you will get some energy from the prepackaged food item, but long-term, positive wellness comes from that ear of sweet corn.

Fresh produce and meats in your diet deserve a keen eye, as well. The prana of a free-range cow eating a natural diet of grasses and clover may be higher than that of other beef. The free-range cow is out in the fields, walking and chewing, breathing the freshest of air, drinking from a spring-fed well, surrounded by positive life forces. While you may not notice a significant taste difference, you certainly can measure prana in the form of the impact that your choice has on your body and the planet.

Take that next step to a healthier future – consider both the self-oriented, nutritional value of your decisions, as well as the value of the living being that sustains all of us on a larger scale. You will be well rewarded in beautiful prana for your own body for your efforts.

Chef Ben Bebenroth is Northeast Ohio's only caterer with both extensive fine-dining experience and deep-seated relationships with local farmers. As executive chef/owner of Spice of Life Catering Co., he customizes every menu to the season and occasion using local and organic ingredients. Visit SpiceOfLifeCaters.com or call (440) 623-9990 for details.