thehealingjournal.com: Oct - Nov 2007 - Nutrition: Initiating a Deeper Connection with Your Food

When consulting clients on a regular basis I regularly come back to this piece of advice and I want to share it with you too: reconnect with your food!

There has been such a ‘disconnect’ in our culture from not only our food source, but the very food itself. We are eating for fuel, for survival, rather than pleasure and deep spiritual nourishment; as food is equally intended.

Look at the typical grocery store item and how it has evolved in the past, say 50 years. Where once a bag of rolled or steel cut oats was purchased, now a more likely purchase is one made for ‘convenience’, such as a granola bar.

What is the difference? There are a whole slew of ‘new’ ingredients including artificial and highly refined ones. These convenience foods have been made in a fast-food sense without consideration for our health, our digestion and our mind-body connection. Are these convenience foods really convenient or just perceived that way? And what are the long-term effects?

Another consideration is that our bodies do not evolve nearly as quickly as our food. We humans evolve gradually over hundreds of thousands of years or more. Our food has drastically and rapidly evolved within a mere 100 years. As a result, our bodies are suffering from the strain to keep up.

Our genes are designed to recognize and therefore adequately digest and metabolize whole, natural foods; ‘as nature intended’. Our bodies are fantastic pieces of machinery that put up with our day-to-day abuses like poor nutritional choices, despite its need for better. But, when we eat something that has ‘foreign’ ingredients derived by way of chemical or mechanical separation or with the use of additives to preserve it (or make it look more appetizing!), our bodies are faced with having to shift its gears. These added stressors cause problems; currently gastro-intestinal illness is at an all-time high and the number one reason for hospitalization in North America. In my opinion, our quality of food as well as our lack of mind-body connection, due to our high-stress lifestyles, is responsible. Only we can correct it in ourselves.

When we operate our lives in our modern-day society many of us have a perpetual to-do list. We also have deadlines, longer work hours, family responsibilities, relationship issues… the list goes on. A lot of which is greater than ever for the average person. This is a major contribution to the disconnection of our mind and body. We are spending much more time in our analytical mind than ever. When we do this, a disconnection occurs over time (picture an electrical or nerve pathway being interrupted).

Our adrenal glands, responsible for the secretion of the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ (which initiates a ‘fight or flight’ response in the body), are typically over-stimulated. Consequently we forget things like; breathing deeply (as if we were relaxed and in control), to circulate blood flow adequately and therefore to ‘connect’ our mind and body as the synergistic entities that they are.

It’s inevitable that we will be disconnected at one time or another, if not always - how do we reconnect? First, buy foods with integrity as they energetically promote integrity in the body and mind (ie: local, sustainably grown, poison-free foods)

Next, practice awareness of your food source; know how it grew and how it came to you and have gratitude for those who are responsible for growing/raising it.

Then, prepare it with awareness; avoid multi-tasking; talking on the phone, using the computer, making the grocery list, arguing with loved-ones – while making your meal (and please: no microwaving!!) Be present and recognize the quality of the food you chose and paid hard-earned money for. Be aware of its colour and texture, its freshness and its vitality in all respects. Know that it’ll nourish you deeply – by not only the consumption of it but its preparation, too.

Holistic Nutritionists can often be heard saying: “digestion starts in the kitchen”. The next step to digestion, as well as reconnecting, is chewing. When eating, take the time to chew thoroughly, noticing flavour and textural changes and how they morph the more you chew. Swallow your bites knowing your food was well-prepared and that you are consciously giving yourself nourishment on all levels.

After eating, breathe mindfully and visualize proper digestion and absorption of nutrients and your overall wellness – and you’ll have it! Practice this at least one meal a day – it can mean as little as a 10 minute investment of your precious time each day but provide you with much more insight, peace of mind, nutrients and vigour than any other practice you do.

Keep connected and nourished.

Lisa Marie Bhattacharya (Whitaker) is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN.) who is passionate about whole, natural foods, as nature intended, for herself and her clients. She can be reached at spreadvitality@yahoo.ca and www.lisamariewhitaker.com

She is an active member of the Vancouver foodie community including the Vancouver Chapter of the Weston A. Price Organisation. If you’d like to become a member, please email her for more information.

Previous Issues Featured E-Articles Writer's Guidelines

Display Ads - Rates and Specs Profiles Directory of Practitioners Classifieds Events Online advertising

Events Listings Classified Listings Network Shop Listings

Letters To The Editor Subcribe Distribution Contact Us