Summer, Summer, Summertime.

There is little I enjoy more than summertime eating. Ironically, my disfunctionalities with food decrease as the amount of skin I expose increases.

Is this because summer cuisine is healthier? Certainly not! I can't begin to fathom the amount of butter I consume with my lobsters, clams, crabs and corn on the cob. Who would want to consider the amount of cholesterol packed into that steak sizzling away on the grill, or the cheeseburger and hot dog keeping it company? And never mind the sugar necessary for one of the quintessential summer pies (blueberry, strawberry and cherry, oh my!). Should we talk about summer beverage consumption? Best not...

Is it because I exercise more? Well, I do, but the increase in exercise is marginal, at best. In non-summer months, I am more likely to get to the gym. In summer, I'm more likely to get outside and move around. Maybe I have a bit more time to dedicate to exercise. But that is countered with the additional time I have to socialize. I always loose a few pounds in the summer, but that just balances the hibernation weight I take on in winter. So that's not it...

My disfunctionality with food decreases as I bare more skin, I think, because summer equals leisure. Summer, for me, means a less worrisome existence. Summer brings about a perspective on life that is healthy: Enjoy life, family, friends, nature, opportunities...along with BBQs, fireworks and fireflies. This relaxed -- albeit not lackadaisical -- take on life translates to feelings about and relationships with food and nutrition and diet and body image. The focus, instead of being on consumption, is on appreciation and enjoyment and pleasure, often for pleasure's sake alone.

Imagine if we could take our sun-soaked summer ideals and carry them through the year...

And a Sprinkle of Depression

The value of my house is down. So is the value of my long-term investment portfolio and my short-term savings account. And people in my workplace - people I know, enjoy and respect - will likely be out of a job in a few months. These are depressing times...no wonder it's called a Depression.

But I do see a gleam of light, a streak of sunshine, a sparkle of glitter in this world of down-sloping line graphs. And that is in the potential shift in our relationship with food and consumption.

I've witnessed it in my own household. I am becoming more mindful about my food purchases and my meal planning and the cost per meal and opportunities for new dishes made from leftovers. I am loathe to waste or throw away or allow to spoil. Before shopping a mood or a craving, I'm checking my cupboards and refrigerator and freezer for options. I am becoming aware of my eating plan. And this is a bonus.

And I'm seeing it elsewhere. A couple of weeks ago, Chip made dinner from a recipe he found on YouTube. It was tasty...and it was from a video of 93-year-old Clara Cannucciari making recipes she learned and used during the Great Depression. Clever. And she now has a DVD for sale. Clearly others are trying out ways to conserve in their consumption as well.

So logically, we can foresee that monetary conservation in consumption may lead to dietary conservation in consumption, and hopefully a more balanced approach to food. If we are becoming thoughtful about food costs, then we will become thoughtful about the health costs of eating what we want, eating when we want, eating on impulse or craving or opportunity. We will naturally become more thoughtful about portions so that we stretch our dollars, which will lead to us becoming more realistic about portions so we stop stretching our waistlines. I'm convinced that gradually, people will realize that the amount of pasta they just cooked for dinner for 3 or 4 could actually be 6 or 7 meals. That's a difference that will add to the wallet and subtract from the scale. I'm convinced that when people go out for a dinner that once was the norm but now is a treat in these stressful times, more leftovers will be brought home to become a second or third meal. Instead of taking the "I want (fill in entree name)" bend, more people will compromise their yens in favor of splitting meals.

We have been a consumer and consumption-driven society. So it is natural that any economic downturn - especially one this broad and deep globally - will make us check that. My hope is that the correction in the markets will lead to a correction in our relationship with food.

Celebrity Skin

Okay, so it's been established that we live in a diet culture. One that doesn't promote health, but rather weight and image. One that encourages fluctuation and self-consciousness. And these messages permeate our media and our perceptions of ourselves and each other.

So let's consider what the beauty ideal is today. Look at the celebrities that society deems beautiful. Most are waifishly skinny, many are over-exercised and lose weight when their celebrity status climbs. I have read numerous interviews with said celebrities who have cited their diets and workouts when they are preparing for a big role or a big event or a tour or whatever. Steamed fish and steamed vegetables and soy milk only. Three hours of exercise a day. No sugar, no carbs, organic food only, whole grains only, macrobiotic diets. Egg whites, salad, dried fruits.

All, though, are sending a message: To be beautiful, do not embrace balance and diversity and moderation in your food and exercise habits. To be beautiful, deprive yourself. To be beautiful, be an extremist. To be beautiful, loathe the natural shape your body takes when you eat and exercise healthily. To be beautiful, force it to conform to society's version of beautiful. To be beautiful, change.