Perfect Hunger: Royal jelly goat milk, rabbits on motorbikes, and elders on bicycles

What’s nourishing me this week, what I’m hungry for, and a chance to ask questions

Perfect Hunger is a new, twice-monthly series delivering bite-sized nourishment and heart-sourced guidance on food, body, wellness, and spirit. You can upgrade your subscription for full access here:

The last two editions of Perfect Hunger were comprehensive and practical, offering in-depth, step-by-step guidance on eating for health and doing a hard reset on sugar. Following those, I shared last week’s letter—which let’s just say was intense and cathartic.

So today, I’m keeping it simple, highlighting what’s nourishing me and what I’m hungry for.

(For those new here: Welcome! Each issue of this twice-monthly series blends holistic wellness tips with a personal peek into what I’m craving and what’s nourishing me lately—and I don’t just mean food, though sometimes food is a part of it. My hope is to help you cultivate hunger for what leaves you feeling good in body-mind-spirit, both in the moment and afterwards. Today’s issue is free, but please upgrade for access to the full series!)

I also invite you to use today’s comment section to ask any questions you have about my own relationship with food, movement, meditation, daily routines, sobriety, or anything tied to holistic wellness. Curious about what’s worked for me in shifting patterns or building supportive practices? Ask away! I’m happy to share.

Now, let’s get into WHAT’S NOURISHING ME and WHAT I’M HUNGRY FOR.

WHAT’S NOURISHING ME

Fresh coconut water, straight from the coconut. One evening, after a sweltering day and sweaty afternoon yoga practice (April is our hottest month), my partner Randy and I headed to the outdoor market to soak in the fading light. Not long into our walk, we spotted the coconut vendor. My eyes widened, and my entire being seemed to shout: THAT. I need that RIGHT NOW.

For less than two U.S. dollars, we bought two coconuts, chilled on ice. She cracked them open with a hatchet, inserted straws, and placed them in our hot, eager hands. Sitting on the market’s edge, we took our first sips and exchanged blissed-out glances. I’ve had coconut water before, but in that moment—sunset glowing, vendors bustling—it felt transcendent. Randy looked at me and said with wonder: “No, really, I can’t even speak right now. I’m having an out-of-body experience.” Me, too, man. Me, too.

Rabbits on motorbikes. During these evening walks, it’s common to see motorbikes zipping by, loaded with packages, kids, and sometimes pets—usually dogs. But recently, we spotted a man clutching an enormous brown rabbit as he drove past. We assumed it was a one-time oddity until the next evening… when we saw them cruising again! One of the joys of living in Thailand is seeing the world with fresh eyes, never knowing what you’ll stumble across next. I encounter an unexpected, absolutely delightful surprise at least once a day.

Elders on bicycles. Another common sight: older men and women—likely in their eighties—bicycling around town, often laden with fresh produce and groceries. More generally, physical activity is woven into work and daily life here, creating a rhythm that feels deeply expansive and vastly different from my experience in the U.S. and Canada. While this is likely less common among the middle and upper classes in Thailand, in my neighborhood, people engage in intense physical activity well into elderhood. The result is remarkable strength and fitness—and, I imagine, a profound impact on both body and mind.

I turn 50 this Friday, and seeing the vibrant older people around me makes me more hopeful about aging. Hope is more than just nourishing; over the decades, it has lifted me from despair and changed my trajectory.

Related: alleyway exercise at dawn. Every morning, I do a 15-minute yogic breath and movement practice on my small bedroom balcony. On days when I rise around dawn, I can spot an older neighbor down the street doing stretches and what looks like qi gong. Below, I hear the rhythmic sweeping of others, who greet the day by cleaning the alley with straw brooms. Similar to the elders on bicycles, I find this deeply expansive—especially because these neighbors are older than me yet still full of vigor.

Goat milk spiked with royal jelly. Technically, this is nourishment for my two Siamese cats—not me. But their happiness eases my mind and buoys my spirit. Since moving to Thailand last summer, they’ve been obsessed with goat milk. When our local shop ran out of their usual brand, we tried a new variety, and they went wild for it—clamoring for more… and more. Taking a closer look at the label, I noticed it contained royal jelly, a powerful tonic in Chinese Medicine. Just another way to treat them like the regal little queens they so clearly are.

Their Royal Highnesses LingXu & LingDao

This dharma talk and meditation series. Those of you who’ve been here a while know that Gil Fronsdal has been my primary teacher in Buddhist spirituality and ethical living for more than two decades. Recently, I’ve been revisiting his series on courageous presence and non-harming. I find that having a clear ethical compass steadies me and helps me show up more beautifully.

Sobriety! Recently on Sober App Substack (a publication that I edit and manage for the Sober App team), I shared all the ways that sobriety nourishes me—and my relationships.

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WHAT I’M HUNGRY FOR

My upcoming solo retreat. If you recall from the last edition of Perfect Hunger, I was planning a birthday trip for silence and solitude… and was torn between a mountainous area to the north and a beach to the south. Well, I’ve decided!

On Monday, I leave for a week in Cha-am, a quieter, slower-paced beach town. Known for being more Thai and less touristy than other beach spots, it’s a place we’re considering for a potential move after our lease ends in August. While this trip is primarily a chance for me to step out of my usual routines and gain more clarity around life and work, I’m also hoping to get a feel for whether Cha-am could be a good fit for us.

Generosity of spirit. I mentioned this in last week’s letter, but it’s what I feel starved for and feels important to share here: Especially in online spaces, where we don’t have immediate access to one another’s humanity, my deepest wish is that we tread more gently, offer each other more generosity of spirit, and remember our hearts and our sameness. I’m curious whether and how you’re bringing more of this into your own life online. Are there ways of interacting that leave you feeling truly nourished and better once you log off?

I’d love to hear yours.

Part of what will make this series extra delicious is getting to share what’s supporting us and getting a peek into what’s helping others. This is also a great way to remind ourselves of what we want more of in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

That in mind, I’d love to hear:

• What’s nourishing your mind, body, and spirit this week?

• What are you hungry for?

…and lastly, do you have any questions for me? I’ll be answering them all!

I know it can be extremely vulnerable to share about our bodies, our relationship to food, and our health and wellness choices. Please rest assured that anyone who offers you unasked-for advice or opinions on your body, your health, and your choices will be removed from the comment section.

Before you go, please tap the little ♡. The more people who discover and support this newsletter, the more time I can devote to creating it.

Thank you, from my heart to yours,
Dana