We are great at setting goals, we are good at creating a vision, but not many of us rely on actions and behavior change to bring forth what we desire. Rarely do we turn to examine our surroundings – the environment that we live in. In this particular situation I want to talk about the influence of the environment on our health.
What percentage of your day do you spend thinking about food: what to eat, whether it is good or bad for you, feeling guilty about breaking the rules, considering a diet, reading about new approaches to diets….?
Recently, I read an interesting article called Beware Of the Late-Night Snack Attack by Carrie Arnold, a science writer who specializes in eating disorders.
What do you think would happen if you gave up your rules around food? What if you ate what you wanted, when you wanted, as much as you wanted and exercised also only when you felt like it? Do you think you would turn into a fat immobile pumpkin? Would you be brave enough to ever see what would actually happen?
You probably know it first hand if you ever ate too much food or kept snacking all day to stuff away boredom or fatigue. Putting too much food in the stomach or consuming hard to imagine and digest food combinations (which often happens during binge eating) overtaxes our digestion even if it is healthy.
Many women come to work with me around their issues with food: emotional eating; binge eating that leads to fatigue, digestive problems, and weight gain; avoiding certain foods because they don’t trust themselves with it; fear of food or addiction to food.
A couple of weeks ago I got a very special gift from Lissa Rankin – her new book Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Your Body. This book is a must read for anyone struggling with chronic illness, facing a life-threatening disease, or interested in preventative self-care (Radical Self-Care as Lissa calls it). I will share my review of the book next week but you can pre-order your copy here.
I have been noticing the concept of “Slowing Down” all over the place. A student of mine asked specifically to focus on pace and flow during our last class because he wanted to learn how to move like a dancer. Slow food movement is gaining momentum. More folks are exploring the sexual aspects of slowing down with Mindful Sexuality and Orgasmic Meditation. As a foodie and someone who feels best when I listen to my body, I know that slowing down is necessary to engage all the senses and to be fully present. Slowing down when it comes to food is crucial if you want to want to learn how to listen and decipher your body’s cues.
I started writing this post at 10,000 feet in the air, on the way to see my family in Russia. I felt like sharing a very interesting learning experience that happened just before I got on the plane.
Every one of us occasionally wonders if there is a way to cure cravings. I do, too! That’s why I wrote a post on 5 ways to avoid cravings using ayurveda last year.
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2 Video Classes and Ebook: Ayurveda tips to eliminate bloating, get regular & feel light