Naturtarianism

Yesterday, as I was riding my bike home from work in the scorching mid-July Albuquerque heat, trying to self-, money- and planet- preserve simultaneously (and doing a pretty good job of it, I must say), I was pondering how many of us commit to specific ways of eating.  Vegans, I imagine, are able to stay pretty focused because of strong feelings of humanitarianism.  On the other hand, all of the focus in the world can't make it an easy feat in most  social situations. Then I thought about fruititarians.  That would be really hard, not to mention  unsafe after long periods of time.  Not long ago, as I was reading the American Dietetic Association's position paper on eating healthfully as a vegetarian, I came across the fact that although many people describe themselves as vegetarians-- vegans (consume no animal products), lacto-ovos (consume dairy and eggs), pescetrians (vegetarians who will eat fish)-- most people report that they have periods of time in which they go off of these diets and then go back on.  I get this, since I have experimented with vegetarianism myself in the past and still have vegetarian days, but don't consider myself a vegetarian.   As I the sweat dripped off the tip of my nose, half-way home by now, I found myself moving to another ponderance.  Is there a label or category under which I fall at the present?  Funny how we humans insist on categorizing everything, including ourselves. I supposed that the one common thread in my diet seems to be that I consume (most of the time) only natural sources of food and drink.  Then it hit me--I can be a Naturtarian .  This is a word, I'm almost positive, you're hearing here first. I should probably Blackle it to be sure, though. To me, being a Naturtarian means avoiding unnatural ingredients and eating only minimally processed food, if that.  On the surface this seemed simple at first, even to me.  Afterall, how hard can it be for one already shops at natural/organic markets, gets produce from an organic CSA, buys raw milk from a farm from cows and goats who live a happy life grazing on clean green pastures, cooks most meals at home and takes lunch to work; avoids high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, additives and probably some other stuff I can't recall at the moment?  Did I mention that I truly enjoy my food and that it never reminds me of cardboard?  In fact, my friends and family are amazed 9 times out of 10.  Anyway,  I'm already doing a lot of the work it takes to be a Naturtarian, so how easy to just go ahead and call myself one.  But even I, with my superior food label interpreting skills, occasionally am hit with the fact that something I thought was completely natural, is not. And since I'm human, what about those times when I forget to pack my lunch and have to buy something?  And what about my love for fine dining with friends and hot dogs at the baseball game?  How can I be a TRUE Naturtarian if I can't always remember my lunch and refuse to give up eating out? Well, I guess that says it all.  Then again, do I really have to be "perfect" to use the label?  Just like many vegetarians, I find it difficult to adhere to my gold standard 100% of the time for the rest of my life.  But if I'm committed most of the time, that's got to count for something-- a lot, actually.  Some things in life aren't worth giving up completely.  For instance, the rare occasions when I feel like revisiting my childhood with a Chick-O-Stick or salty roasted peanuts in a Dr Pepper.  That reminds me-- I am way overdue for a walk down memory lane. 

Here's my point:

 Good nutrition is a priority to me because I feel that it gives my brain and therefore, spirit, what I need to reach new levels of awareness and experience continual growth.  It's how I plan to arrive at a ripe old age with all of my wits about me, able to pass down the wisdom that I've gained from all of my years on Earth as a fully functioning, highly aware human being. But what's also a priority to me is having fun and feeling that I fit into my culture--enjoying the present. So as I pulled into my driveway, blazing hot, but feeling rather physically and intellectually accomplished for the moment, I had a smile on my face. I felt I had found a place in my mind where I could feel good about imperfection.  A place where accepting the fact that I'm not perfect all of the time, lets me know that I'm really living my life instead of just making me feel guilty.  This feeling is vital to the attainment of optimal health, which, by the way, is highly individual and not altogether categorizable.  Therefore, I accept my imperfections and continue my journey as an evolving Naturtarian.  Never say 'never'--OR 'always', for that matter. 

Blessings and Be Well,

The Gourmet Healer