Body Mind and Soul: Love What You Eat

By Paula Sirois

As a holistic nutritional consultant, I encourage my clients to look within themselves to determine what they need to do to feel healthy. A radiant state of health is hard to define because it is a subjective feeling. One way to begin is by paying more attention to those times when you feel good and when you don't, as well as which foods agree with you and which ones do not. This advice is a bit radical in its simplicity. Most people seem to think that a degree in nutrition is necessary to determine what is good for them, but I would like to take away some of the mystery associated with diet by recommending that we pay more attention to the signals that our bodies constantly send us.

It is a good idea and a time-honored basic rule to avoid overeating. This is not only because our digestive tracts will not function optimally under such a condition, but also because it makes us feel too full, tired, and sluggish, both mentally and physically. In addition, we can eat only the most wholesome foods and still create a toxic condition by overdoing it.

Often, people come to me expecting to be told that they must completely and radically change what they eat. Many take a long list of vitamins and supplements and still feel incomplete. They are leaning towards a kind of hypochondria that yields a medicine cabinet full of vitamins. Here we need to realize that the underlying belief system holds that the body is incapable by itself of maintaining the balance needed to create a state of health. These well-meaning folks have usually read endless books on the subject of nutrition, yet they are still searching for answers.

I propose that all the knowledge you will ever need about nutrition is within your reach. Within you is an amazing storehouse of all the information you have ever encountered about diet. Your body knows better than any book what nutritional balance it needs. It tries constantly to communicate that information, it's just not always received and interpreted accurately.

I ask that you learn to listen to yourself. This can be a bit scary at first. What if your self seems to be telling you to eat meatballs and chicken fat? Or chocolate cupcakes and hot fudge? I suggest you honor that voice rather than suppress it, and see how you feel after you eat the food you are craving. Take notes.

Your body has innate wisdom. Practice paying attention to the wisdom within, and you will be surprised about what you learn. Your body is naturally attuned to the life force that sustains it; it is the mind that confuses things. We must practice discernment and learn by trial and error what foods work for us.

As a general guideline, whole natural foods, unprocessed, free of chemicals, pesticides and colorings are a great place to start. Most of us are fortunate enough to have ready access to an abundance of beautiful organic fruits, vegetables, grains, and minimally processed meats as well as plenty of fresh fish. These are nutritionally loaded foods, so I highly recommend including a variety of these foods in your daily intake. Also remember that it is very beneficial to drink eight glasses of pure water each day.

These are just suggested guidelines; be gentle with rules and restrictions that are imposed from without. Any time you are looking outside of yourself for clues about diet, you are negating your own inner knowledge. It is a good idea to introduce natural foods into your diet as much as possible. The body has less work to do when it is not dealing with toxins introduced from without. Avoid any sort of fanaticism, however, and recognize that a state of glowing health is not a commodity that can be attained and pocketed.

The process of listening to your body involves remaining open to hearing what is required in each moment. Get into the habit of asking yourself: What does my body want today? When we don't listen, we often wind up imposing rules that just won't stick. Gorging on junk food after a nice big salad and tofu patties may be a sign that we are not listening.

Go easy on yourself. Have the sweets if you crave them. Perhaps by allowing a reasonable amount of them when first desired, they'll lose some of their appeal. The mind can be funny that way; it tends to want what you tell it not to have. So play a little game and psyche yourself out. Allow yourself to indulge a bit, but also make an effort to include more nutritious foods in your diet. Pay attention to how you feel. Let your body guide you. Throw away the books by the so-called experts, and listen within.

Part of the problem with listening to the "experts," of course, is that they all disagree. One doctor is pushing protein, another author is calling for more carbohydrates, still another is saying fats are coming back in style. Even the long-respected approach to dieting called calorie-counting is fast coming into disrepute, because recent studies have shown that reduced calorie intake leads to a slowed metabolism and a decrease in weight loss. So where does that leave us? Confused!

Another element of my practice involves teaching people to enjoy eating again. Worry and fear are creeping into our plates. How about love of the self? How about nourishing our souls as we nourish our bodies? Try candlelight, soothing music, a pleasant setting and, if possible, the company of those you love. Avoid arguments and heated discussions at meal time. This harmony will do more for optimal assimilation and digestion than all the food-combining rules under the sun.

Try breathing deeply and envisioning a healthful meal being assimilated into particles of light that are imparted with the wisdom to travel to the parts of your body that need them most. Now, THAT'S nourishing! Most importantly, simply savor your food and relax. Bask in the knowledge that your body is a magnificent creation that is masterfully equipped to extract and absorb the vital nutrients that will sustain you.

ENJOY!

Paula Sirois is a holistic practitioner see her website at http://www.alsirois.com/paula/