Liquid Lunch

This week's New York Magazine had a feature article about female drinking. The article was eye-opening for me because I'm always thinking that I'm alone in my epic struggles with food. It was interesting to see that there are scores of women whose lives revolve around an outside entity also. Different substances yet the same feelings:
And so alcohol is our choice to soothe us in times of trouble, celebrate with us in times of joy, engage us in times of boredom. We use it to change our mood, to forget our problems, to give us courage, to access some essential, uncensored, better self. “It’s literally like insta-spa,” says a friend. “You have some alcohol, and your muscles relax. I can smoke a bowl or pop a Xanax, but it’s like wine is the likeliest choice.” Says another, vodka soda in hand: “I feel like I’m the shit when I drink. I feel invincible. You kind of get beer muscles. The bullshit falls away.”

Having a vanilla thick shake float from Carvel is not just an insta-spa for me but it's also a serotonin and dopamine sandwich. Good vibes all around for many hours afterward. When I eat gelato, I do forget my problems. Believe it or not, I have felt courageous after a pint of Ben and Jerry's. And yes, my muscles get very relaxed after a big dish of frozen custard slathered in whipped cream from Shake Shack. After a large mug of hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream the size of a baseball floating in it, I'm downright euphoric.

We all have our thing that we do to add some excitement to an otherwise boring day, to burn off stress, to feel like we're letting loose, or to just go to get numb. And as all the eaters out there can attest to--there is such a thing as a food hangover!