Food as Medicine?
/Do you ever get an ache or pain or mysterious symptom that lingers for several months and you don't know what to do about it?
When this happened to me, I always used to think that food was going to heal me.
We are taught all around us that food is the cure for everything.
But if that were true, then no one would be sick.
Food might be a piece of the puzzle, but it's not the whole pie.
What is important in these moments is to really get in touch with your body, and your intuition and to RELAX.
It's also great to go see your doctor for regular checkups and check-ins if you have a concern. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
If you feel like you have mysterious symptoms and ailments and they are frequent, there are several things you can consider:
- Your levels of stress, worry and fear can have an impact on the body.
- Are you getting adequate sleep?
- Are you having fun?
- How much do you allow the symptom and how much do you try to "get rid of it"?
- Are there events in your life that are literally speaking through your body?
I am a huge fan of Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life. It's fascinating how our physical ailments are often trying to tell us something deeper.
What does this have to do with the food and body journey?
If you are like me, then every few months you might find yourself getting sucked into the promise that a new way of eating will heal your symptoms.
For example, when I thought I had a thyroid issue I thought going gluten free would heal me. (It didn't.)
Then I thought maybe I needed an anti-inflammatory diet or a detox program.
Paleo and the Whole 30 promise a lot too - and I also tried those before I started my non-diet journey. I was convinced I had all the problems they promised to solve.
What I have learned from all this is whenever something flares up, not to panic. It is tempting to think that something as simple as food can heal you, but often it's your thoughts and beliefs that need to change more than your food.
Today I'm sharing with you my go-to's for healing so you can try them out yourself instead of making yourself crazy thinking it's all about the food and going down the next harmful fad diet rabbit hole (cough*keto*cough).
Meditation
Music
Dr. Kim D'Earmo
Louise Hay
Amy Scher
Napping/Rest/Stillness
Movement
Water
Annualcheck up and blood work to rule out anything troubling
Making sure you are eating good food that you enjoy and are grateful for and your body finds nourishing.
Unless you have a fatal allergy, you don't have to give up entire food groups, but maybe try adding an extra vegetable or a glass of lemon water here and there.
Often the reason people have mysterious symptoms and aches and pains and gut issues is that they have actually cut too many foods out of their diet. You can also look for a Health at Every Size dietitian to help you learn how to eat normally again.
You may have heard other people have success with healing an illness through food, but I suspect they also changed other things going on in their life at the same time. Illness does that to a person.
Or maybe you read a book on healing and it speaks to you. So incorporate one part that seems doable and appealing. Let it be easy.
Try it and continue if it feels good. And stop if it doesn't. The reason something heals is not because of what it is, but because whatever it is, it feels good.
Baby steps and little experiments are the keys here, and loads of self-compassion when you are not feeling well. Sometimes we are also simply sick and the illness needs to run its course.
I hope you feel better soon.