To Eat or Not to Eat, Should that be the Question?

As a wellness advocate I make it my business to read all the latest research regarding food and additives. It is a daunting task and requires much investigation and at the end of the day, I clutch at my heart knowing what we are doing to ourselves. Although much research still leaves us confused, there is one thing though that is always real; if your body can't handle something, it will tell you.

People always comment about eating in moderation. I have a saying, "The concept of wellness is an absolute. If something is bad for you, there should be no such thing as 'moderation'." Eating should be for living healthfully, not for entertainment purposes. Across the World, we are the unhealthiest nation, and I believe it is because of our attitude towards food and the concept of moderation.

Is it okay to have a cookie once in a while? Well let's look at that cookie really closely. Is it full of preservatives? Does it have ingredients that make your body have an autoimmune response? Does it change your mood because of the sugar? Does it make you crave even more? No matter how small a cookie is, it is basically a circle of chemicals. If it sabotages your body for even an hour, shouldn't that make you think twice about eating it? If eating is about fuel, why do we fuel ourselves with such junk and call it food?

My mother has three daughters, two of which have constant weight issues. All three of us have autoimmune disorders, learning disabilities, nutrient deficits, and stomach issues since birth. My father died of cancer, my step father has diabetes and high blood pressure, and my nana (my mother's mother) has heart disease. Still with all of these issues in the family, she insists on preparing huge meals with ingredients she knows are unhealthy. She relates her loving people with feeding them, but she doesn't realize that loving them is hurting their bodies. No matter what I say, it has no effect. She believes food is harmless.

Our entire nation has to change their atttitude about eating. We can't keep going with our heads stuck in the sand on the topic of food. We all have to take our bodies seriously, most especially because the government allows such junk to be put into them. When it comes to what we eat, it should be wholesome, it should come from the Earth, it should only enhance our body, mind, and soul, and it should make us happy because it is good for us. When we finally decide that being deprived of life is more important than being deprived of a cookie, we will thrive as individuals and then as a nation.

Some might question my right to scold America for their eating habits, but can I offer this explanation? I am the one that is called on almost every day to help a child with a mood disorder, or type two diabetes. I sit with young women while they have chemo injected into their veins. I am the one who drives people to get their six month CAT scan to see if their cancer is indeed in remission or if it has returned. I am the one who has written countless eulogies and poems for loved ones who have passed on.

To those of you who refuse to believe that food plays an intricate part in sickness and wellness: I can't fight with you, I can't plead with you, I can't reason with you right now, but one day you will be coming to me for advice after being diagnosed, and when you do, I will be there without judgment, holding your hand and helping you heal. And when you are ready, I will teach you to honor yourself and that incredible human body of yours, hopefully before it is too late. D.

New Year/New Attitude

The days are getting longer, the nights shorter. Something to look forward to this time of year. It is also the time of new hope and beginnings. Hopefully everyone has made resolutions, but is this the year you are going to keep them?

I usually keep my promises to myself, but I have to confess, I only make promises I know I can keep. Maybe that is the secret to self growth; know yourself and the way you operate. Don't try to change the core of who you are, but instead, work harder to change your old belief systems.

Promise to be open to change and you have already changed. Yes, it is that simple! Try new things, don't say no immediately to new challenges, instead think about reasons to say yes, and try to keep your body as nourished as possible. A clean body denotes a clear head.

One of my biggest lessons in life was in understanding that tomorrow is not always a good time to do things. Today is better because tomorrow you will have more excuses and besides, tomorrow becomes today eventually, so why not just do it already!

Good luck and let me know if you need my help. D.