Food is more than just something to eat. After being part of the podcast about food and brain health, I started thinking about food in a totally different way.
The thing I remember most is when we talked about the best thing to eat for breakfast. I learned that your brain actually needs sugar in the morning, but not candy or junk food. It needs natural sugar from fruits and healthy foods that help you focus and learn.
That surprised me. I used to just think food was food. Now I think about how it helps my brain wake up and get ready for the day.
The foods that connect to my culture the most are fish, fruits, different kinds of corn, sweet potatoes, and wild rice. They are all very good and important to my family.
Wild rice is especially important. It’s been around for years and years, and it’s healthy and sustainable. We can make so many different meals with it. It connects us to our ancestors and to the land.
Some foods have changed over time, like fry bread and Indian tacos, which we didn’t always have. That shows how food keeps growing with us.
Food shapes who we are and what we can become. When we eat foods that are healthy and connected to our culture, we strengthen our brains, our families, and our future generations.
Food is not just fuel. It’s memory, identity, and possibility all on one plate.
Kamille Wilson, a 12-year-old seventh grader, is a youth journalist at the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation’s Youth Community Journalism Institute.
