One midterm down, one to go. Biology is really kicking my ass. It's an interesting course, and I'm definitely doing fine in the grade department, but the tests are relentless, man. I keep learning absolutely appalling things about how my body works. I really wish I could have taken ordinary introductory biology, but this is very, er, educational. I frequently feel rather nauseous after class. I think I'm glad we don't have a lab for this class after all.
The class has had an effect on my diet, though. I had a hamburger today for the first time in three weeks, and while it tasted okay it made me feel heavy and overwhelmingly sleepy for hours afterwards. I think I'll stick with fish and cheese. I'm much more aware of what I put into my body now that I understand what the process of energy conversion is, and the complexity of the nutritional balance I need to make this process operate at its best. I knew about it before, but it was very vague to me, possibly because I'm rather vague on anything that isn't causing me problems. Now I find myself remembering to eat fruit and vegetables, two items traditionally low on my food interest scale.
One of my co-workers is very big on wheatgrass juice as a substitute for leafy green vegetables, and I'm thinking about trying some but frankly I'm put off by the idea of drinking what looks and smells like cud. However, given that I can't prepare much in the way of leafy green vegetables at home because John can't tolerate the roughage, it might be a way for me to get some of the B vitamins I need. I'd rather do that than take vitamins in pill form.
The weather was so heartbreakingly beautiful this weekend that I succumbed to optimism and bought a sixpack of strawberry plants. If I can find the right sized container I think I can grow strawberries in my backyard. It was the hot sun on my back as I watered my garden today that did it. I remembered picking strawberries at U-Pick farms with my family, and how incredibly intense that fruit was compared to store-bought fruit. I'm going to grow mine closer to my height so I don't have to bend over and grunt every time I want enough strawberries to make dessert. Also, it will keep them from invading the rest of the yard, always a vital consideration.
No, no, this isn't going to be about my garden, honest. It's simply that I'm thinking about nutrition and what I am putting into my mouth. What I'm really doing is giving myself permission to eat the things I like which are good for me, and not just once in a while as a treat. I've gotten it backwards all these years: I shouldn't be thinking of salmon and strawberries as too expensive, I should be thinking of all the dubious food as nutritionally expensive. Because of my biology class I gave up red meat, fried anything, and my second cup of coffee. In return, I can have fruit, fish, leafy greens, and all my favorite juices as often as I want. It's turning out to be a good tradeoff.
I'll let you know if I embrace the cult of cud.
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