October 2020 marks the four-year anniversary of The Nutrition Atlas. With the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events, and political and social unrest, you don’t need me to tell you that 2020 has been a crazy year. The uncertainty has affected our relationship to food and the way that we eat. We’ve waited in long lines to stock up on items that we feared we might not be able to get due to illness or shortages. We’ve run to get our hands on any superfoods that might boost our immune health or ease our restless sleep. And stuck at home, many of us have turned to unhealthy habits such as stress eating to distract ourselves.
2020 has also made us reckon with the fragility of our food system. A report prepared for the California Farm Bureau Federation estimated that total losses to the industry from the pandemic could exceed $10 billion in California alone, placing additional stress on an already struggling economy. Recent extreme weather events have reminded us of the finite resources of our planet and the importance of the people we depend on to grow and transport our food. Here in California, farm workers have had to battle the triple threat of heat, poor air quality, and COVID-19. Despite their efforts, damage to the agricultural sector has been severe. Not only can floods, fires, and droughts destroy important crops — they can also make them less nutritious. This, in conjunction with growing concern about the ethics and sustainability of meat production, have further illuminated the need for us to develop responsible ways to feed ourselves that take into account both our own health and the health of the planet.
The past few months have given me further insight into my own nutrition habits. With less stimulation from the outside world, I found myself turning more often to food as a primary source of pleasure. I became more finely attuned to how different foods made me feel. I would notice a cloud come over my mood the day after a late, heavy dinner. Too much sugar would accentuate my anxiety; too little water, my fatigue. In weeks where everything just felt like too much, I did my best to return to my tried-and-true health and wellness practices: daily yoga, cardio, mindfulness, lots of water, and home-cooked meals centered around fresh vegetables, complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It really helped.
It doesn’t look like things are going to get more comfortable for us anytime soon. That being said, it’s more important than ever to care for ourselves and each other and pay attention to the things that make us feel healthy, happy, and whole. I hope that next year’s anniversary post brings more cheer, but until then, I plan to continue to bring you reliable information about nutrition and health through this website. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions — I love to hear your stories. Thank you for reading The Nutrition Atlas, and here’s to year five!