Is food the missing link?

Food. We have to have it, and yet, sometimes...well, it is a nuisance. Either we just don't have time for it, or we are obsessed with it, or we simply wish it would cook itself. It is a joy to be able to have wonderful smells, and savory tastes, but it can also get us into trouble when it becomes challenging to stop our cravings or dependence on food to regulate our moods. Food is a fuel. In its most pure form, it is meant to give us energy and vital nutrients to bring us life. However, in the another sense, it is also what brings us joy during times of socialization or comfort during times of stress.

What is food to you? Have you ever thought about it? There was a time in my life where food was an obsession. I thought about it all the time wondering when I would eat, what I would eat, where I would get my next meal, or what everyone else was eating around me. I controlled food as a way to control my environment. Now (at least 90% of the time) food is simply something I need to eat to prevent my stomach from growling. Don't get me wrong, I like to eat. It's just I have stopped using food as much as a drug and more as a way to get and keep energy.

Julia Ross, the author of the book The Diet Cure, states that most people eat too few calories, they don't have a "real' appetite, and that they can't discipline themselves because their biochemistry is off. Great! I can finally forget the excuse of laziness or gluttony. I hear it over and over again...it isn't that people typically aren't trying, it's that they aren't seeing results or they are sabotaging themselves right and left by going back to their unhealthy habits. Julia's suggestions aren't easy though. She has worked with addicts for years and has found that amino acids, the nutrients found in protein, are the "miracle cure" for those with eating disorders, weight problems, yo-yo dieting habits, low energy, and many others. Think that describes you? Take her quick symptom questionnaire to start looking at what could be at the root of your problem.

The following 8 steps are her cure for dieting and getting balance back in your relationship with food:
1) Correct brain chemistry imbalances
2) End low-calorie dieting
3) Balance unstable blood sugar
4) Repair low thyroid function
5) Overcome addictions to foods you are allergic to (that's right...you could be eating something that is at the very least an intolerance, but even more, could be triggering your cravings).
6) Calm hormonal havoc
7) Eradicate yeast overgrowth
8) Fix Fatty Acid deficiency

I highly recommend her book, and will be posting more about her tips. Her book is more of a repair manual than an informational tool. First and foremost, as with any 8-12 step program is admitting you have a problem. If you aren't satisfied with your health, keep focusing on it with a consistent intention. It will only improve if you do something about it!

image by JungleBoy, Flickr CreativeCommons

Goals in the New Year

A new decade has arrived, and with it, a revived sense that the universe has opened a new door to reveal fresh light on our lives. Whether that means re-organizing our homes, setting a new budget, or making small or large changes, we all have an inner desire to create a life that embodies greater meaning and expresses more gratitude, peace, and joy. Isn't that what all the greeting cards said over the last month anyway?

A friend of mine said that she recently heard of something called "post-holiday depression". Interestingly, it would appear that our tendency in January is to push really hard to get the new year started off with a high intensity and purpose. However, many of us still need time to simply relax and simply let ourselves BE. In the spirit of the new year, my business recently launched a 90 day Healthy Habits Challenge. Needless to say there has been great intensity and focus for this challenge to birth, and in my own way, I am encouraging others to step up to the plate and battle to change their health through improved sleep, stress management, consuming more nutrient dense foods, and increasing their quality and quantity of exercise.

The catch is that we do want our lives to be more rich with healthy habits and to feel better about our bodies. The likelihood of this happening simply because we wish it would is pretty low. But there is something that transpires in us when we focus on our physical and mental health that strengthens our whole countenance. We are better able to handle life's ups and downs, we are more able to fully engage in our relationships, and we are more willing to take risks to express our true identity because we have learned how to love ourselves well along the way.

My suggestions to overcome your own Post-Holiday Blues?...

• Don't bite off more than you can chew.
• Set authentic and realistic expectations and goals.
• Be patient with the process.
• Cut yourself some slack.
• Always find fun in small steps and progress along the way.

Think of the movie Rudy. What would it look like for you to be your own Rudy? What would would you win at the end, and how will it satisfy your ultimate dreams?

image by quinn.anya

90 Day Healthy Habits; Day 4, Cut Yourself Some Slack

Making healthy changes can be extremely hard. Depending on where you are starting from, you may have a lot of changes to make. Don't try to bite off more than you can chew. This process is 90 days for a reason. Some people may find that going "cold turkey" on some things works best, however, if you find that you are beating yourself up and sabotaging your progress because you can't get it all perfect, then you probably need to cut yourself some slack. Focus on your top 3 goals that will get you closer to your desired health status. Get these down before you try to tackle more!