What Truly Does a Body Good? (And No, It's Not Milk)

Clearly what one chooses to put into their body is going to impact how that body functions, feels, and responds to what life throws at them on a daily basis.  One’s diet IS important.  However, it’s not the only facet in determining the health of an individual.  In fact, if my mind is right, my frequency is vibrating at a high level, and my metabolism is working at an optimal level I find it doesn’t matter quite so much what my diet looks like.  Now I wouldn’t take it to extremes to test how far I can push my relative health based on diet, but one doesn’t have to be rigid and meticulous in one’s diet to allow the body to function at a high level. 

There are three things I would encourage everyone to consider when it comes to ingesting food. 

1.       Enjoy your food!  Engage all five senses while eating.  Really look at your food.  Notice the colors, the shapes, and textures of the food you are eating.  Appreciate the aroma that emanates from the food whether prepared (blend of foods and spices) or raw.  All food has a scent.  Be aware of it before and as you eat.  The easiest of the five senses for most of us to be aware of is the taste of the food we are eating.  However, I’m not sure how deeply we are generally engaging the taste sense.  To fully be present you need to limit the distractions.  It’s really hard to notice taste if you are eating in the car, if you are on your devices (computers, phones, ipads, TVs, etc.), or if you are working.  Really take the time to be present while you eat.  Be aware of the chewing process.  Is the food challenging to chew?  Is it soft?  Are you slurping soup?  How does the food feel in your mouth, on your tongue, between your teeth as you bite down? And the last, and generally least considered of the five senses, is the sense of hearing.  Listen to yourself eating.  What sound is being made when you take a bite?  And how about while you chew your food?  How about when you swallow your food?  Bringing one’s awareness to all the different things that are happening while one eats really engages the digestive system both in prepping the body to receive the nutrients from the food and for eliminating all that is not needed.  Enjoy your food!

2.       Don’t overeat!  Nothing bogs the digestive system down more than overeating.  Learn to stop eating when you are three quarters full.  I know, it’s easier said than done.  Especially when you are eating some sublime rich and decadent food that you just can’t imagine leaving any tasty little morsels behind. Generally we just blow past the getting full signs and happily venture into gluttony.  Yet you know pretty quickly when you have over done it.  You feel bloated.  You feel lethargic.  You feel tired.  Your body has now kicked into overdrive to try to compensate for an excess of food.  Your body must expend a great deal of energy to break down the food.  Energy that could be utilized in other areas is now being pulled into aiding the digestive system.  I know it’s oh-so-tempting to do so, but don’t overeat.

3.       Limit your sugar intake!  Sugar is a major stressor on the liver, the heart, the pancreas, and on the kidneys.  It also tends to be super addictive.  It adversely affects one’s mood, one’s brain function, and one’s ability to be centered and at peace.  It is harmful to one’s teeth, one’s energy levels, and it causes inflammation in the body (most noticeably in the joints).  Limiting one’s sugar intake will elevate one’s health exponentially. Just say no to sugar.

Beyond that which you can control from an ingesting standpoint there are many other ways to treat the body good.  Some are obvious and you have heard them suggested over and over again.  Like taking a walk after eating, getting exercise, drinking lots of water, etc.   There are other ways less talked about though.  Ways that can really help one feel their body existing in optimal health.  There are various methods designed to stimulate blood flow, move through blocks, and strengthen energy centers throughout the body.   Acupuncture, yoga, and certain meditation techniques (like Vipassana) are just a few examples.  

In short making good choices about the types of food you are eating and making the effort to do those things that help keep the mind and body supple will take you far in achieving your goal of optimal health while paving the way to realizing your optimal self.