DO YOU EAT TOO MUCH OUT OF BOREDOM?

Nayana woke up in the morning and thought that the day stretched before her. She had nothing to do and all the time in the world to think. Finally, she got out of bed and went downstairs. She opened the fridge and smacked her lips as she saw the array of food and drink. “I know. I will have bacon and eggs for breakfast” she said to herself. First, she decided to have a fruit juice. She could choose between pineapple and watermelon. “Fortunately, I have enough money to spend on food. Of course, I can’t spend too much on luxuries but I can have the odd pizza or hamburger. Or if I feel like it I can cook a special meal” she told herself. How many of us are like Nayana eating to excess as we have nothing to do? Most of us have been brought up to eat three meals per day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are a must even if we cannot afford fancy food. There are many who look forward to the meals in between doing their jobs or studies. Of course food is a must but is it necessary to eat to excess? Or is it necessary to eat extra because one is bored? There are many who feel that they must eat so as not to starve, especially when they see or hear reports of hungry children or adults in Africa or other parts of the world. There are also others who indulge in Comfort Eating when they are sad or feel hurt. The main thing is that eating is considered a pardonable indulgence and not a sin unlike other excesses. It is not against one’s conscience. Television and the newspapers and hoardings also display an array of succulent foods to tempt the appetite. One looks at a picture of roast chicken and parsley potatoes and one feels hungry. Or one sees a drink of apple juice or even other beverages and one feels thirsty. In Sri Lanka, little children are fed rice and curry and it is common to see the mother running behind the child to feed him while the child runs away thinking that it is a game. If only one trains the child to eat when hungry then he or she won’t get used to having food around all the time leading to boredom. The nutritionist at the Sports Ministry said that the caregiver can keep yoghurt cups and apples in the fridge so the child can help himself when hungry. In the olden days a child was admired if he or she was chubby, hence the need to stuff the child. But doctors now say that an obese child will become an obese adult leading to medical problems. Children in Sri Lanka are also encouraged to develop a sweet tooth with the father or mother returning home after work with a tasty (sugary) tidbit like biscuits or chocolates. Hence the child gets into the habit of going in search of tasty morsels even as bites. Little packets of sweet or savoury bite-size items of food are bought by busy parents and given to the child on their way to and from school or classes. Let’s start to re-think about how often and why we eat and maybe we may be healthier and happier…

HOW MANY OF US ARE LIKE NAYANA EATING TO EXCESS AS WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO? MOST OF US HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO EAT THREE MEALS PER DAY. BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER ARE A MUST EVEN IF WE CANNOT AFFORD FANCY FOOD.