Saturday, March 2, 2013

Being sensitive to our food needs

I was listening to one of Joshua Rosenthal's lectures in my health coaching program about how people view food, and how it shapes and colors our perspectives, just as religion and politics do. Food practices have most likely broken up marriages! What a shame that is, when we could possibly practice connecting with one another and finding compassion for one's path and purpose. Then over time, one could become well accustomed to finding small, healthy ways to open up a discussion about food and eventually, a change that supports a greater sense of health and wellness for your family. Health is a big journey that doesn't become perfect in a week.

I was waiting for the moment in the program where a fire would ignite over my health and food choices. As I've made the transition to pescetarian, I think this shows the shift in perspective I am taking on as I explore how food affects the mind and body, and how it also directly reflects and impacts what place we are in at that point in time. Part of my change was due to wanting to reduce unhealthy fats like cheese and get some more variety into my diet, plus an increase in iodine. I was thinking that would help me for fat loss and satiety. I had always noticed how eating vegetarian would make it difficult to consume small portions of food. Eating dairy kept me from being as hungry, and ultimately supplied me with essential B vitamins and fat. But beyond that...the proteins from the dairy were fat laden enough to possibly disrupt digestion. At least with fish, I'm getting both lean and clean protein that is easily digested but keeps me well sated.

But there is a deeper problem. As I settle myself and my diet needs, I feel clearer, almost as if the body is able to rest better. Herein lies something new, is finding a way to be that wonderful health coach and be sensitive to the needs of my clients. It is true that finding oneself inspires the gateway emotion to helping others successfully process their emotional attachments surrounding food. I reflect on how I was emotionally attached to being vegetarian, for example. People take their food very seriously, as the hormonal responses it offers, colors our experience of the meal. But what about the people who are seriously suffering from  food issues? I see my partner, once an avid competitive bodybuilder, as being one of those men who've suffered from a distorted body image his whole life, and has been self destructive in his self-hatred of his body, which to me is absolutely beautiful. However, I've had to become very sensitive to his internal tapes, and only over time, have I been able to slowly affect his thought process on food and how he allows it to positively affect his new path.

For me, this starts the beginning of a new exploration in how I approach clients who already a distorted body image and somewhat of an eating disorder, if not a large one, where time and personal image has grossly affected their food choices. Only the slow process of chipping away at one's huge wall built over years with information, advice and a ton of love, can truly bring together what distortion has torn apart.

2 comments:

  1. There was a lot of friction in my home when my diet started to change because we celebrated around all the wrong kinds of food and all of a sudden mom was going overboard and a health nut. When all I wanted was to be well and find answers. Food should be shared with love that is where it all comes together!

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