Whenever I've had a few stressful weeks, I typically schedule a"cooking day". Working on recipes that I already know builds my confidence;trying out some new oncs adds an element ofsurprisc. In the end, I fecl satisfied by the products of my work. You can find your ownrelief in preparing food. This multisensory aspect of cooking is like a coping tool for stressful situation, the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. It allows you to quickly connect with the present momont by oncouragingyou to notice five things you can see, four things you can fcel, three things you can hcar, two youcan smell, and one you can taste. You might feel a bit calmer at the cnd.
Another key feature of cooking is that it's connected to and shaped by the past. What youchoose to cook, and the way you prepare it, might issuc in part from the profcrenccs andtechniques of your parents, grandparents, friends or partners. This link is part ofcooking's psychological richness and its potential to restore.
Trying new recipes and new ingredients can help you with the creation of new memorics. And, if you are wise in your choice of healthy ingredicnts, the food itself oould havesubsequent benefits for your psychological wellbeing.
The next time you step into the kitchen and try your hand at a new dish, try to consciouslytake notice of what's going on in your mind and in your body, of what sorts of feelings cookingbrings out in you.
A. Cooking engages all five senses.
B. For me, cooking is a stress-relieving way.
C. Through cooking, I can get back control of my life.
D. You are cooking, in this sense, for your future self.
E. Each smell and taste has the power to revive certain memories.
F. It helps focus on a task, offering you a sense of power and control:
G. Giving it a try can demonstrate the benefits of sensory experience.
