It seems like people these days are focused on what they eat more than ever. At the beginning of each year, we sometimes try to make resolutions about our eating.

How we handle the necessity of nourishing our bodies has become quite a complicated activity in our culture. Allergies and disease for many people make eating a very deliberate and thoughtful process.

Fortunately for me, when I’m in a hurry, I’m able to slather a couple of pieces of bread with peanut butter and strawberry jam. It’s tasty and I often wash it down with a glass of milk. There are a lot of people who can’t do that.

I know people with celiac disease who can’t tolerate the gluten in bread or many other foods and products. Others have intense adverse reactions to peanuts and strawberries. And then there are whole bunches of people who don’t tolerate dairy products.

Food allergies are real, contrary to what a few people think, who want to believe that allergies are bunk. My mother-in-law famously, in our family, believed allergies were in people’s heads – until she developed one herself!

I have a granddaughter who has severe allergies to tree nuts. She’s had trips to the emergency room, which were scary for everyone. One event was the result of a little nibble off of a piece of candy, which was thought to be safe from a box of chocolates.

I’ve been learning that understanding, tolerance and accommodation are very important in dealing with the dietary needs of others. Being aware of others in this regard is very important to the health issues for our circle of family and friends.

Okay – that’s enough of that serious stuff for now. And it is, in fact, serious.

In a related topic, I’ve struggled, like some of you, to eat in a more healthful way. Years ago, after recovering from cardiac issues, Doug Barton, the “radio station guy” in Sanpete told me about the diet he had to go on. He said that the main rule for his eating was “if it looks good, smells good or tastes good, I can’t have it.”

That’s the way I feel about eating healthy. When I contemplate a double cheeseburger versus a pile of lettuce with some watery, vinegary salad dressing on it, you know what I’m going to choose.

Speaking of vinegar, I mentioned my “vinegar tonic” here recently. That was in remembrance of my 10-year anniversary of passing a kidney stone.

I know people who swear by apple cider vinegar as a cure-all. I thought about that the other day when I took my dose of raw, unpasteurized vinegar. I took about a tablespoon shot of it mixed with lemon juice in a glass of distilled water. I immediately felt invigorated. The mind is a wonderful thing. I believe that belief sometimes is as important as the “medicine.”

I have another liquid that I dose myself with most days. Whether it’s an “object of faith” or a genuine help, I’m not completely sure. I’ve been using lemon oil and peppermint oil in some of my daily drinking water since October of 2012.

The 14th day of that month was that significant passing of the kidney stone day. The stone was an ugly, jagged, 6-millimeter thing. A friend of mine thought that we should give it a name and a blessing. I had carried it for nine months.

I’ve been semi-convinced from various and sundry sources that having a frequent intake of lemon is a preventative for kidney stones. My success for this theory is the same success as I have accomplished for my plan of living forever – So far, so good.

We all have our little personal and family remedies and healthful practices. I suspect some are more effective than others.

I recommend my vinegar and lemon/peppermint oil tonic for multiple purposes. When taken daily it has the added benefit of preventing death from being killed by elephant stampedes in Sanpete County. It’s been 100% reliable for that purpose so far.

And finally, I’ve heard that “we are what we eat.” I’ve seen a couple of statements that go along with that. One is: “I need to eat a skinny person.” The other is: “You Are What you Eat, So Don’t be Fast, Cheap, Easy or Fake”

However you choose to be healthy through what you eat and how you live, I wish you success and happiness. I’m going to keep trying my vinegar shots and lemon water for a while and see what miraculously might happen to me. And, I’ll keep a close eye on the elephants when any circuses come to town.

— Merrill

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