i ♥ food

i was talking to a friend about the recent article about mormon mommy bloggers, surely you've all seen it? maybe you haven't seen natalie's response on blogher -- its even better. this friend is not LDS or Mormon (synonyms for the same religion, of which i am.) 

and we've been friends for awhile, but she still gets confused about some of the many many quirks that come with being Mormon. 

so when she asked me why Mormons are so food-centric, i laughed. 

isn't that so spot on? i do love food!

so here's what we talked about, shared in post form, because after reading a handful of the comments from the mmb article, i am still shocked at how truly misinformed most people are about this religion of mine. 

so here's my stab at informing. not recruiting, not testifying, just 

exploring a possibility.

why Mormons are food-centric:

a. the word of wisdom: a guideline, commandment, and strong suggestion that has been in place since the 1850s and cautions against habit-forming substances like alcohol, drugs, and even coffee. because we believe that the word of wisdom is inspired and truly the best way to live your life, i don't take in any habit-forming food or drink.

if you read that list and let out & audible "ughhh" you already see that this leaves very little room for the guilty pleasure or vice.
what do we do to let loose on the weekends? 

how do we wake up in the morning? 

personally, i don't feel like it is restricting, i think it keeps me free-er in a sense that i don't have to deal with all of the unappealing side-effects. but, yes, you can see why Mormons find other ways to let it all hang out -- usually in the form of a multiple course meal.

also, it *is* true that some Mormon families are large, it is not uncommon to see 6+ kids in a family in Utah. that is one with husband and one wife, mind you. polygamy is dead, just like 2Pac, Biggie Smalls, and mom jeans, and has been since 1890. large families mean lots of birthdays, lots of get togethers, & lots of food. always. we know how to eat.

b. this lead us to the 2nd part of the conversation, if being Mormon makes you so happy, why does Utah (with Maine and Oregon in the running) have the highest rate of prescribed anti-depressants? this is a true stat, sadly. but, let's go back to the word of wisdom & the unavoidable fact that life sucks sometimes.

i have plenty family and friends (Mormon or otherwise) who turn to alcohol, drugs, or pills as a way to cope with the stresses of life. i don't judge, i know life is hard, and sometimes it's too hard and we just want problems to go away. i totally get that. so when you live the majority of your life without these outside substances as an option, those problems don't just go away on their own. they compile, maybe insurmountably so, until something has to give.

many turn to food, there are plenty of foods that release endorphins naturally.

but, as anyone with a chemical imbalance knows, food won't always fix it.

i think is a huge factor in why so many people need anti-depressants in the church -- or elsewhere for that matter. the temporary fixes aren't cutting it anymore, and a long-term solution is needed.

 

these are all my opinions, and i know there's more to it than this, 

but i took a stab at it & it seemed to make sense to the both of us. 

for those of you who made it through this most random of posts,

here is a reward, or further punishment, depending on how you look at it....

two outfits taken worn for... you guessed it...dinners out!

1. jacket  H&M gingham button down OLD NAVY nylon leggings AMERICAN APPAREL fringe boots MINNETONKA

2. scarf VINTAGE tee OLD NAVY jacket F21 skinnies F21 booties PAYLESS