‘EATING
FOR BALANCE’
Most
people are unaware of the fact that the kind of food they eat has a direct
impact on their ability to accomplish their goals. Is there a relationship
between how I feel and what I put in my mouth 20 minutes ago- absolutely? Think
about it. We understand that when we’re tired, caffeine will jolt us awake.
We’ve all seen kids on sugar highs. Why would we think that other foods as well
would not cause our moods to change?
All
illness stems from imbalance, and the first signs are easy to overlook. We
suddenly become fatigued, that nervous stomach is suddenly upset, and some of
us become accident-prone. We think
we can talk ourselves out of being sick- sometimes we can, other times we
cannot. The common catch phrase is
I don’t have time to be sick today. But, if you don’t take time to be well,
you’ll have to take time to be sick. The choice is yours. Your body is trying
to tell you something like hey, you’re eating too much fat, too many sweets,
not enough fiber, I’m not getting enough creative playtime. Unfortunately,
we’re usually not listening.
The
body has an inherent wisdom of its own. When we listen to our body, balance is
easily achieved and maintained. If we continue to eat and live in the fast
lane, always pushing our limits ignoring health needs, the body will lose its
self-regulating capacity and you will find yourself fatigued, stressed and sick
more and more of the time.
The
body seeks balance naturally through several mechanisms. It may begin to
discharge excesses in ways that we find annoying such as hay fever, oily skin,
body odor, recurring colds and flu or emotional outbursts. Other common
symptoms such as constipation, hypertension, or chronic pain may indicate when
accumulations have not yet found an outlet and can then lead to more serious
health problems.
If
you find yourself struggling with an annoying yet somewhat minor health
disturbance, your body has at least found an outlet and toxins are not
accumulating, which is good. But instead of suppressing the problem with drugs,
which may only temporarily relieve those annoying symptoms, why not try and
remove them completely?
Beginning
the process of helping your body back to its state of normal balance can be
confusing. Try starting with a journal and focus on these questions. When did I
first begin to suffer these symptoms? What were the first signs? Take your
time, let your body remember, then ask why and LISTEN. Trust that you know the
real cause. The answers that come may surprise you.
Now
ask: How can I restore balance? When you are ready your body’s inherent wisdom
will guide you with small steps. Once again, trust that you will be guided. You
will know when you are on the right track. New energies and direction will
emerge; old unhealthy habits may simply fall away as balance becomes the new
focus of everything in your life. Sound like a pipe dream? How do you know if
you haven’t tried? Till next time, Rebecca.
2/5/09