It seems like food and I are in an unhealthy relationship, very one-sided. I either hate it or love it. Why do I say that? It is all because those that don’t know me from my childhood, could never imagine me being a skinny kid. I was not a very healthy kid growing up. I had either heart problems or respiratory problems. For whatever reason when I was young, I never really liked eating. Not meat, nor veggies. However if there is a snack or junk food that was anywhere near my liking, my parents would allow me to have it. My dad used to call me monkey or an Ethiopian kid. That’s how skinny I was. And when I hit college, I started hearing pig or piggy. And its scary how similar fat in Mandarin sound like pig. Pon pon, pon pon, I could hear my dad call me. By that time, it didn’t phase me anymore, since my mother has told me how much I blew up in high school. Now looking back…I was nowhere near fat. With the fat test in high school where they pinch your arm….I was told I was 8%. I remember clearly because I had no idea what that number meant. I just thought I was 8% over weight. It wasn’t until now throughout years of living and learning…. that I was very fit for my age. I was never too into fitness, but I did play sports through out high school. I played tennis mostly. Did a season of badminton but my coach said if I want to make it to varsity tennis, I better give up badminton and focus on tennis.

Anyway, that’s a lot of back story. But what’s a good story if you don’t know the start, the root. My father is definitely a real foodie. If you want to know where it is good to eat in Taiwan(or China), he’s the person to ask. Therefore since little, we’ve been to many awesome places to eat like Ding Tai Fung. We been to the original store in Taipei maybe when I was just 5 (or younger but can’t remember). My dad would teach us the correct way to eat a XLB (soup dumplings as people in CA calls it). We know not to order rice when we go to dim sum or buffet because that’s just a waste of stomach space. He would order us the expensive seafood and rare delicacies. I don’t mean bear paws or monkey brain. But lobster, geoduck, abalone, and swallows nest. I can understand that if you didn’t grow up with it, it wouldn’t sound very tasty. Just like I would be hesitate to try rocky mountain oysters.  Needless to say, with all these wonderful foods in the world, I began liking it and enjoying it.

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started just hoarding food. But I guess I was never too picky about what I eat. As long as it tasted good to me, I will consume it. However I guess I am a odd breed because I can be extremely picky or not. I would love me a kobe steak or Michelin star restaurant but if you want to throw me a del taco macho beef, it is alright with me too.

It is neither here or there that my like or dislike of food is a problem. However….my diabetes is. I self-diagnosed when I was 27. I went to my doctor and asked to be tested. Just as I suspected, I am diabetic. I know it wasn’t the end of the world. But I just couldn’t help it and question…. where did it all go wrong? I wasn’t that fat kid with the constant need for cake. Nor that asian that have rice with every meal. I do however love bread, pasta and chips. I would choose salty snacks over candy.