Why Did I Eat That? Community, stories and relationships matter …
As a small child, my relationship with food was non-existent. Eating was primarily a means of survival. Many of my meals were merely satisfying, and on occasion, pretty tasty. I only ate food that was flavorful or filling i.e. soul food, fast food or junk food. Nutrition or healthy eating rarely played a role in my diet decision making process.
Over the past twenty or so years, I’ve learned that sooner or later you’re going to have to pay attention to your health and well being. I also learned that it’s your sole responsibility to find your way to better health — no one can do it for you, not an app, not your mother, your partner, no one.
Why Did I Eat That? (WDIET) was founded in community for busy professionals who want to have better relationships and live a more balanced, healthy life.
WDIET was also created with my family in mind. I recall one winter day when I was visiting an older cousin. We were watching tv when she said:
“I almost forgot to take my sugar pill, go to the kitchen and get me my pillbox please.”
Sitting on the table was one of those plastic boxes with a section for every day of the week starting with “S” for Sunday. In my family, those plastic pillboxes were household staples, similar to magazines and remote controls. I recognized it immediately.
I handed her the pill box along with a tall glass of water. My cousin grumbled, “Just wait til you get my age, you’ll have to take these doggone pills every day just like I do.”
I must have been ten or eleven years old at the time. Her words didn’t concern me. It seemed easy enough, popping a few pills with meals. I looked forward to the days of taking pills made of delicious sugar.
It would be ten years until I discovered that where I come from the word “sugar” was another name for diabetes. Those pills weren’t made of sugar. It was medicine that she was taking medication, to manage Type 2 diabetes.
Throughout my childhood I watched my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles and a host of other relatives pop pills for various diagnosed illnesses — mainly for high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes — and no one seemed concerned.
Since then my journey to a healthier, happier self has been exhausting, enlightening, fun— even tortuous.
In the past twenty years, I’ve been certified as a Hatha yoga instructor, holistic health coach, and Usui certified Level II reiki practitioner. Researching and experimenting with food, herbs, and everything related to good health and nutrition is one of my passions. To be super clear, I’m not a licensed nutritionist, health expert, or medical physician. However, my lifestyle change has greatly benefited not only myself but many of my family members, friends and neighbors in different parts of the world.
WDIET Goals
Beyond my circle of family and friends, the purpose of Why Did I Eat That? is to support others in achieving their personal health goals while sharing what I’ve learned in a simple and relatable way.
