‘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