Our family has a tradition of setting intentions for the new year on New Year’s eve.
The occasion used to take place at a mediocre seafood restaurant on a South Carolina pier that is no longer there. We would sit around a table next to a fake Christmas tree, with some sort of deep-fried seafood in front of us (I tried to opt for the most palatable salad they had), notepad and pen ready for documentation.
We would go around the table to hear what we each plan to do in the upcoming year.
Sometimes it’s something simple, and sometimes it’s something impossible.
I remember one year I planned for a year with no chocolate.
Hard? Yes.
Impossible?
Nope – because I did it!
We are not in South Carolina this New Year’s eve, but rather, in the historic Japanese city of Hiroshima.
A few days ago, I was listening to a podcast that gave me the inspiration for this upcoming year’s challenge. It may sound simple and even easy for some, but for me, it’s something that I have been dabbling with, but not taken completely seriously.
My 2019 intention: I am going gluten-free for the year, despite my family’s attempt to dissuade me from it!
I often suggest to my patients to try this out even if they don’t have celiac or have no symptoms if they eat wheat products.
A lot of them feel better, and see their symptoms subside.
I have seen this in myself – my hay fever was non-existent when I was gluten-free for a couple of months prior to the worse part of Spring hay fever. Now, I want to truly see what this change will do for me if I did it for a whole year.
I will have to double down on mindful eating, and planning, and being intentional!
Besides health reasons, I look forward to having this intention benefit me in other ways:
- I will learn to prioritize and trust myself by staying with a resolution.
- I will learn to say no politely if someone offers me foods containing gluten.
I am up for the challenge and will keep you posted in this blogosphere. So check back in if you are interested.
Ready to move forward in your health and wellness journey? Contact me today! I look forward to hearing from you.
