|  Wine,
Dine, Valentine: Is the Way to Your Lover's Heart Really Through
the Stomach?
An
Interview with Viveca Stone-Berry
In
honor of Valentine's Day, we talked with Viveca Stone-Berry
of Get
Ready for Love Talk Radio, about food, love and why the
two seem so frequently interrelated.
VSC:
Each February 14, couples all over the world wine and dine
each other as a testament to their love. Can you tell us why
we feel compelled to feed our loved ones (not just on Valentine's
Day, but in any dating or courting type of situation?)
Viveca:
I believe that Love, and the way we give and receive it, begins
with an impulse that traces back to infancy. Our very first
"love experience" happened with our mother - the
one who protected, nurtured, and yes, nourished us
as part of the unconditional love experience. When we "feed"
our loved ones, whether that means taking them out to the
neighborhood bistro, or baking up a tray of delicious cookies
in our own kitchens, we show our desire to nurture and nourish
them. We recognize that to nurture and be nurtured is an expression
of pure Love.
VSC: Valentine's
Day is practically synonymous with sweets, particularly chocolate.
What's the significance of chocolate as a symbolic "love
food"?
Viveca:
Even before scientists in lab coats were conducting studies
on this, humans seemed to instinctively know that chocolate
was a Love Food, didn't they! The chemical properties in chocolate
and other sweets give us a seratonin boost and that makes
us feel good. Who doesn't want to make the person they love
feel good? I would say though, that the best Chocolate Moments
are the ones savored slowly, and in moderate amounts. When
we gorge ourselves, that chocolate euphoria can quickly become
a sugar crash, and there's nothing romantic about passing
out on the couch, is there!
VSC: I noticed
you share some astrological insights on your site, GetReadyforLove.com.
Are you aware of any astrological signs in particular who
would choose the stomach as the path to their loved one's
heart?
Yes,
Ann, I do have an astrology page on my Get
Ready for Love online community. We feature monthly horoscopes
from Astrology Consultant Carolina Eastwood. I would say that
Cancer and Taurus, given the natural tendency to nurture,
are highly likely to equate love with food - on Valentine's
Day or any day. But no matter what your sign, I think most
of us would agree that enjoying fabulous food and drink are
a huge part of The Love Ritual. The indulgence, the sharing
and yes, the nurturing aspect of it, bring us closer to our
Love and give us good feelings.
VSC: Any other
tidbits of Love Advice to share with our shortbread readers?
Viveca:
When you love someone, you want to share your life with them
for as long as possible! Staying healthy and fit... keeping
your stamina up... remaining active, together... these are
all things you can do for and with each other to keep your
bodies, and your Love, healthy and strong. That's why I say,
it's great to indulge in rich, delicious foods together, but
do it in moderation. Eat healthy six nights a week, and on
the seventh, have that rich bisque with dinner, or that slice
of chocolate cake you've been dying for. Purchase that box
of Vermont
Shortbread Hearts... and instead of inhaling all thirty
cookies in one sitting, share one or two with your Love when
you're both in the mood for something sinfully delicious.
Ann,
one more thing before I go - I want to remind everyone that
before you can fully love another, you must first love yourself!
This month's feature at Get Ready for Love is called Self
Love: How Many Ways to Say "I Love Me!". I hope
you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed sharing this information.
Viveca
Stone-Berry is the founder of GetReadyForLove.com
a community committed to helping people live the Love they
desire. She is also author of the Fatigue
Be Gone! Jumpstart e-Guide, a “bottom-line”
self-discovery tool that helps women recover from hidden fatigues
and anxiety.
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