Food, Love, and Finding Balance

By Josh Boyman, Young Hearts Leadership Council Member

Josh Boyman

For as long as I can remember, food has been my family’s love language. My earliest memories aren’t just about eating; they are about the way my parents and grandparents used meals to care for me. I was lucky to grow up in a house where healthy food was encouraged, but it was never boring.

The best example of this is a picture my family still laughs about. It’s me as a baby, quite literally licking the plate clean after finishing my grandmother’s homemade meatballs. That was my first lesson in nutrition: good food is something to savor.

As I grew up, my parents tried to keep that enthusiasm for healthy food alive by making it fun. I remember weekends when breakfast turned into a game. My grandma made a “lox tic-tac-toe board” on a plate. It was her creative way of getting me to eat smoked salmon and berries instead of sugary cereal. We would make the “perfect bite” with cream cheese!

But as I got older, I faced a new challenge. I have ADHD, and one thing many people don’t realize is how it affects your cravings. My brain often seeks dopamine, and the easiest way to get it is sugar. For a large part of my childhood, I was constantly negotiating for a trip to places like It’s Sugar. The bright colors and sugar rush were exactly what my body thought it needed. I was quite literally the kid in a candy store!

L: After grandma's homemade meatballs

M: Lox tic-tac-toe board

R: Trip to It's Sugar

I knew I couldn’t live on candy alone. I tried hard to balance those strong cravings with the solid foundation my family gave me. I’d swap the sweets for turkey sandwiches or a big salad at dinner. It was a constant balancing act between what my brain wanted and what my body needed. I am a basketball player and to be in top condition was also important for my performance on the court.

Now that I am 16 and serving on the Young Hearts Leadership Council for God’s Love We Deliver, my perspective has shifted entirely. Being part of this council has opened my eyes to the science behind what we eat. Learning about the strict nutrition guidelines God’s Love follows for their medically tailored meals has been a revelation. I’ve learned that food isn’t just about showing love or curbing hunger, it is fuel, and for many, it is medicine.

As I look toward becoming a young adult, I’m taking these lessons with me. I still have a sweet tooth, but I now understand that food is the most important tool I have for my overall health. To perform my best on the basketball court for myself and my team, I need focus on the food choices I make about what I’m putting into my body.