Food and Grieving in the Philippines

Posted on: Mar 22, 2019 Publish By: funerallink

Filipinos are very expressive. Culturally, we are one of the few who grieve the longest, even the whole year. We have a process – nine days, then forty days, then the first death anniversary. These are the novenas and prayers, and celebrations of the life of the departed. Interestingly enough, some people put food on top of the coffin during the funeral service in the Philippines. Usually, the food used to be the departed’s favorite dish.

food at the funeral service in the philippines, suman, filipino food

Family and friends gather again on these specific important days. Alongside prayers and lit candles is the food. Lots of food.

The majority of every Filipino celebration is food. And even when grieving, eating and sharing food or potluck with family and the whole neighborhood is a common practice. The village grieves, and the village eats.

This, however, leads to another problem. After everyone has left, and all the novenas and prayer gatherings have been done, everything will start to sink in. The loss. After being so physically and emotionally exhausted dealing with the funeral arrangements, grieving sometimes leads to depression and bad choices of food intake.

According to Webmd: When people are depressed, they sometimes develop digestive problems, including diminished appetite, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. Worry, anxiety, and stress can lead to intestinal difficulties. Also, people experiencing a depressive episode may eat not enough or too much, and they may get little exercise.

From BBC News Health, ”intense grief puts extra strain on the heart. The psychological stress associated with the loss can raise heart rate, blood pressure, and blood clotting, which, in turn, can increase the chance of a heart attack.”

When functioning every day is a struggle, choosing which food to eat is taken for granted by the bereaved. Fast food and quick or instant meals are the go-tos. Comfort food like pizza, ice cream, and street food, sometimes paired with soda, caffeine, and alcohol will lead the body downhill.

You can now book a funeral service in the Philippines online. Learn how here.

Eating affects your energy level. Some tips on maintaining a healthy diet when grieving:

Eat small portions frequently. Buy some nuts. Peanut butter sandwiches. Then hydrate. Drink lots of water and juices. A tropical country like the Philippines gives us plenty of fruits and juice available year-round.
Avoid energy drinks, beverages that are full of sugar, and alcohol.
Do grocery shopping yourself and pick meat, vegetables, and fruits you think will make you feel great. Going out and about, and walking releases endorphins, the happy hormones. Hitting two birds.
As much as possible, try not to eat alone. Food always tastes better with the company. But if it can’t be helped, go outside and eat out. You may be alone, but be with people.

We rarely talk about this topic, but it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet while grieving. Do you have any more tips, please share and comment below.

Food and Grieving in the Philippines

Eating affects your energy level. Some tips on maintaining a healthy diet when grieving:

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