Food is more than nutrition! As a public health scientist, I (Helena) find food interesting from many different perspectives. I don't usually write about things that are this close to my job, but I've decided to make an exception.
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Why am I writing about this?
I'm not "just" a travel blogger, but I also work as a public health scientists in the area of eating habits and physical activity. When it comes to food and health, I have a long background. I am originally a leg. occupational therapist and already at that time I worked with food and health, in the form of work with anorexia and bulimia patients. Then I studied a master's degree in public health sciences, specialising in community nutrition and physical activity.
After that, I did my PhD on an intervention to promote food and exercise-related health among people with intellectual disabilities. In total, there have been 9 years of university and doctoral studies at Karolinska Institutet on food and health.
I have not only studied but also worked with food and health for many years, mainly at Karolinska Institutet and in Region Stockholm, at the former Centre for Public Health (Hälsomålet), the Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine and the Academic Primary Care Centre (where I am now). I have mainly worked with method development, evaluation and research.
Food is more than nutrition
For me, who works with food and health on a daily basis, it is obvious that food is more than nutrition. We eat not only to provide nutrients to the body, but because it is good and enjoyable, and because it is a way to socialise. We eat when we celebrate something special and we eat to mark special traditions. We eat when we are happy, but also when we are sad or want to comfort ourselves. Sometimes we eat simply because it is expected of us on a special occasion.
Food is a big part of our culture, and something much bigger than just nutrients. Take such a thing as food memories! Do you remember a dish from your childhood that you associate with something positive and nice? On the other hand, can you recall a dish that you associate with something difficult in your childhood? Or, do you have a special food memory from a trip?
Food is a big part of our lives, and that's why I want to say that food is more than nutrition. When I work with food and health as a public health scientist, this is an extremely important part. When you think about 'good food for health', nutrients and caloric intake are a big and important part, but it always has to be put in context."
We are all different and have different conditions
It is important to remember that we are all different and have different conditions. Genetically, some people find it easy to gain weight, while others find it difficult to gain weight. We have different experiences, different knowledge and different habits from childhood. Of course, we also have different economies.
It's easy to say that it's too expensive to buy good food if you're on a tight budget. This is partly true, of course, but I don't think it's always that simple. Many healthy foods (like carrots, chicken and herring) are cheap, while ordering a pizza or buying ice cream is quite expensive. MenHowever, there are also other factors that influence the economic and social situation.
If you're a single parent, it can be harder to find the time to cook well, if you work night shifts it can be a challenge to organise family meals, and if you haven't learnt the language yet it can be tricky to read the labels on products in the supermarket. There are many, many factors that affect our conditions.
Food is associated with strong emotions and opinions
One thing I have learnt in all my years of working with food and health is that food is associated with strong emotions and opinions. Everyone has a relationship with food and therefore everyone has opinions and thoughts. One thing that has sometimes surprised me is that those of us who have worked with food and health professionally are often less strict and less "rock solid" than those who write health blogs and invent new diets.
We read research while trying to stay humble about people's different preferences and circumstances, and many of us have a relatively relaxed attitude towards food ourselves. However, we have learnt that food is associated with strong emotions and opinions. I even have colleagues who have received death threats. And yes, this heated atmosphere, especially in previous years, has contributed to the fact that for a long time I did not want to write about health and food here on the blog.
Eat everything! Better almost right than exactly wrong
Many years ago, a former colleague of mine wrote a book entitled 'Eat everything! Better almost right than exactly wrong". We were working with anorexics at the time, and her book was perhaps primarily aimed at that target group. But I still think the title is fantastic. It doesn't have to be perfect. It's better to eat almost right than exactly wrong.
Do you like reading about food and health? The plan is to continue this theme on Wednesdays for a while, so don't miss it!
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Lena+i+Wales+och+Spanien says:
Thanks for a great post!
So nice to read, partly about your work and partly about your thoughts.
Here in the UK we have a big "food problem", people are so terribly picky and afraid to try anything, which stops so much. I don't like this, I don't like that, you hear all the time.
Many people say they can't afford good food, which I don't think is always true. There is so much cheap, healthy and delicious food if you just think about it and open your taste buds to something new and different. For example, root vegetables at this time. you can make a good dinner for 4 people for £1, about 12 crowns. A takeaway pizza costs 8 times as much for just one person.
Food means so much and brings so many memories.
Another big thank you.
25 November 2020 - 9:31
bmlarsreseblogg says:
What a lovely post! Please keep writing about food from time to time!
For us, food is so much more than just a source of energy and nutrition. Today, a meal can take time both to prepare and to eat. Even when I had three teenage daughters with lots of activities and training, we tried to have a meal together in the evening.
And good, healthy food doesn't have to be expensive to buy or difficult to prepare. If you look at our lovely root vegetables this time of year, you have a good example. Of course we try to eat healthy but sometimes it's a bit too high in calories, but just as you wrote "better almost right than exactly wrong".
Enjoy!
25 November 2020 - 14:29
Helena says:
Thanks for the encouragement, we will probably continue for a while on the theme! 🙂 It is important to find a balance in life when it comes to food (and other things!) and you seem to do that. Have fun!
25 November 2020 - 16:49
Helena says:
Lena, how nice that you appreciated the post! I know that there are some problems with e.g. overweight in the UK (well, not only there of course) but I didn't realise that it is so common to "not like". Interesting! I totally agree that you can cook healthy food for fairly cheap money. Then I still think that economics and social factors play a big role, but not as simple as just food prices, but maybe less flexible jobs and other problems that make you not able to take action etc etc.
25 November 2020 - 16:47
Ditte says:
Of course, food, health and exercise are linked and this is complex and very emotional for many people. For many, various diseases have increased in connection with too much exercise and too little nutritional intake. "Comfort eating" has also increased, as have our welfare diseases.
I thought a lot about food, movement and well-being during the years we lived in Beijing. There, movement is a natural part of the day and school children have one hour of gymnastics per day. Food and health are not seen as threatening at all. But with more Western food influences, children's weight was also seen to increase.
Yes, these diets. Eating more calories than you spend is not possible in the long run if you want to feel good... I get really annoyed that so many magazines on one side write about how to lose weight and on the next deliver various recipes with empty calories.
But it is true that strong opinions and emotions are associated with food.
25 November 2020 - 10:04
Helena says:
Yes, an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise (in different ways) can lead to ill health. It is not so easy today when many people experience pressure in many ways and at the same time there are so many different choices to make all the time. Interesting with the comparison with China! I hope they manage to maintain some of the positive relationship with food and health that you describe, even when the world is globalised. In many cultures, it has been the case that you had your "unhealthy" that you could balance together with other things that are healthy, but then when you get access to the whole world's unhealthy at once, it will not be so easy to handle. And of course it is tricky with the newspapers. They often have an agenda that is about getting many clicks ...
25 November 2020 - 16:53
BP says:
An interesting post with lovely pictures. I remember your dissertation, in other words I have been "hanging around" for a while;-)
Of course, food is an engaging topic, and so it should be. But threatening to kill someone - that's unbelievable.
Food is so much more than just essential nourishment. Food should be enjoyed, even visually. I know that "obesity" is a big problem in the USA and England, and Sweden is well on its way. Personally, I/we have the opposite problem - I/we would not say no to five extra kilos. But I also know that I/we are in the minority there.
As some have already written, food doesn't have to be expensive. I think you should definitely treat yourself to a glass of wine (or two) with your meal.
I've never believed in diets, but I'm happy to read about your ideas, as you are an expert.
25 November 2020 - 18:35
Matts+Torebring says:
That was a long and interesting post. I read a book about apple cider vinegar with honey. After reading that book of about a hundred pages, one could feel almost immortal. It tells about a village in England, where everyone used this home remedy, everyone who was 70 to 80 worked as usual and everyone was healthy. Birgitta and I have consumed hundreds of litres of apple cider vinegar over the last twenty years and several whole cartons of honey. As Birgitta often says, "We are not old, we are young", we work as usual even though we have been 70+ for quite some time. I think we eat a good diet and "dietary supplements".
25 November 2020 - 21:01
Resfredag says:
Exciting post. Have tinkered with SO many different diets over the years, but now landed in the "eat everything" mindset. Best thing I've done, for myself and my body!
26 November 2020 - 19:45
Lena - gott för själen says:
Wow, so dramatic as a death threat! As someone who has a fairly uncomplicated relationship with food (apart from the fact that I find it boring to cook), I find it hard to understand how it can be so complicated. And the thing about diets ... so far I have never heard anyone who it worked for, if the purpose was to lose weight. I think more people would feel better if they just stopped thinking so much about weight.
Interesting post, think you can contribute a lot with your relaxed approach!
Hug Lena
09 December 2020 - 20:31