A few years ago Jodi Vevoda, our edible publishing consultant, asked why we didn’t spend more time talking about wellness in our magazine. At the time, we wanted to prioritize the surfeit of stories about food and food production. In reflection though, wellness is a broad and complicated topic, not one easy to cover in a single issue, nor easy to communicate in clear and nuanced ways. In this issue, we begin this conversation, but recognize it is just the start of a much longer discussion on the questions, “What is wellness? And how does it happen?”

Historically, many cultures have recognized New Mexico as a place for convalescence and a place conducive to exploring wellness and the meaning of health. Yet just as our state has been a site of healing for many, it has also fallen short of providing adequate conditions for widespread health and wellness in significant ways. Our state has poor overall health outcomes, including high levels of hunger, obesity, suicide, homicide, and accidents.

Approaching this issue, we discussed wellness in the context of our own lives and health issues—part of being human is dealing with imperfect bodies that constantly need attention. What we came to appreciate is that wellness is more a process than a state of being. Western medicine is often prescriptive, with a focus on resolving acute discomfort or bodily malfunction—it often focuses on bringing a person back to feeling normal. But feeling normal is different than wellness. Wellness is an iterative process where every day a person tunes into the shifting needs, desires, and demands of his or her body, mind, and spirit, and adapts accordingly.

In this issue, we offer a small glimpse into the intersections of food and wellness.

Food can significantly contribute to personal health, the health of our environment, and the health of our communities, when produced and consumed through a practice of wellness. The ways we farm and garden, the ways we prepare food and eat it, and the ways we support local food businesses all affect our personal and collective wellness. You cannot buy wellness; going to a spa, drinking a kombucha, or dining out for an Ayurvedic meal will hardly ensure long-term health—though they may help on your journey. Wellness comes from listening to your body daily, and acting on what you hear. It must be cultivated and maintained through personal and collective decisions that range from what’s for dinner to who’s our next president.

So here’s to practicing wellness! Take a moment to slow down and listen to your body, to examine your relationships, and to experience the landscape.

A few years ago Jodi Vevoda, our edible publishing consultant, asked why we didn’t spend more time talking about wellness in our magazine. At the time, we wanted to prioritize the surfeit of stories about food and food production. In reflection though, wellness is a broad and complicated topic, not one easy to cover in a single issue, nor easy to communicate in clear and nuanced ways. In this issue, we begin this conversation, but recognize it is just the start of a much longer discussion on the questions, “What is wellness? And how does it happen?”

Historically, many cultures have recognized New Mexico as a place for convalescence and a place conducive to exploring wellness and the meaning of health. Yet just as our state has been a site of healing for many, it has also fallen short of providing adequate conditions for widespread health and wellness in significant ways. Our state has poor overall health outcomes, including high levels of hunger, obesity, suicide, homicide, and accidents.

Approaching this issue, we discussed wellness in the context of our own lives and health issues—part of being human is dealing with imperfect bodies that constantly need attention. What we came to appreciate is that wellness is more a process than a state of being. Western medicine is often prescriptive, with a focus on resolving acute discomfort or bodily malfunction—it often focuses on bringing a person back to feeling normal. But feeling normal is different than wellness. Wellness is an iterative process where every day a person tunes into the shifting needs, desires, and demands of his or her body, mind, and spirit, and adapts accordingly.

In this issue, we offer a small glimpse into the intersections of food and wellness.

Food can significantly contribute to personal health, the health of our environment, and the health of our communities, when produced and consumed through a practice of wellness. The ways we farm and garden, the ways we prepare food and eat it, and the ways we support local food businesses all affect our personal and collective wellness. You cannot buy wellness; going to a spa, drinking a kombucha, or dining out for an Ayurvedic meal will hardly ensure long-term health—though they may help on your journey. Wellness comes from listening to your body daily, and acting on what you hear. It must be cultivated and maintained through personal and collective decisions that range from what’s for dinner to who’s our next president.

So here’s to practicing wellness! Take a moment to slow down and listen to your body, to examine your relationships, and to experience the landscape.

Old Roots, New Wines: The Wilder Wines of New Mexico

Traditional fruit wines made from stone fruits, such as chokecherry, plum, and apricot, reflect an adaptation by early colonists to cold climates.

A Deeper Draft: Bow & Arrow Brewing Company

The beer flight at Bow & Arrow Brewing Company. Stainless steel 15-bbl steam-fired brew house. By Sarah Wentzel-Fisher · Photos by Stephanie Cameron Missy Begay has just finished her last weeks of residency at the University of New Mexico Hospital. During her time...

A Powerful Plate: Agni Ayurveda Helps Bring Balance to Mind and Belly

By Candolin Cook Confession: I love food, but food does not always love me. For me, succumbing to cravings for milkshakes, meatballs in red sauce, or chicken tikka masala can only lead to heartache—or heartburn—and a digestive system that rues the day I ever laid eyes...
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Edible celebrates New Mexico's food culture, season by season. We believe that knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing. With our high-quality, aesthetically pleasing and informative publication, we inspire readers to support and celebrate the growers, producers, chefs, beverage and food artisans, and other food professionals in our community.