‘Protect The Centre’ – Using Food As Medicine

I’ll admit it – I’m a fully paid-up, card carrying member of the ‘Nourishing Earth’ school. In fact, it really defines my whole approach to health and well-being. And it’s all about the importance of the digestive system.

The term ‘nourishing earth’ refers to Earth as one of the 5 elements of Chinese medicine. The Earth element is all about digestion and nourishment, and it is also know as ‘the center’. This is because, not only is it at the centre of out physical body, but also because it is central to good health and well-being on every level. Hence the age old advice that above all, you must ALWAYS ‘protect the center’ to keep immunity and energy levels high, and overall health at its best.

Food is your fuel. It’s what gives you energy. It provides the building blocks that will make your new cells. And just like a car, we need good quality, clean fuel. You wouldn’t put petrol in your diesel car, but do you have the same standards for yourself?

Eat the wrong foods and not only can you put on weight but you leave yourself open to all manner of chronic and degenerative conditions. And it’s not just physical – what and how you eat effects your mental and emotional well-being, too.

That why diet and nutrition form a central core element of my optimum well-being program Radiant Health Evolution.

There are 13 or so main categories of energetic imbalance identified by Chinese medicine (depending on how you count them) – things like Yin Deficiency, Qi stagnation or Fire. Show me any one of them, and I’ll show you how it links to food and digestion. Or in other words, whatever illness, condition or health ‘niggles’ you have, the food you eat can effect it, for better or worse.

Now we have Christmas out of the way, many of us will be thinking about eating better. But instead of a ‘brand name’ calorie restricted diet to lose some weight, I’d urge you to look at your overall diet and think about what you could change.

The most important points are things we all know:

– More fruit and, especially, veg (probably the single most important point)
– Less processed food (more home cooked from natural ingredients)
– Less sugar (replace with more natural foods)

Some suggestions:

– Could you make a big pot of stew with lots of veggies in, and freeze it in portions so you have an easy instant meal for after work or when you don’t have time to cook?
– Could your unhealthy snacks be replaced with nuts or seeds, fruit, or something else? At least one day a week?
– Could you switch the Starbucks latte for a tea? Or cut down from 3 a day to 2?
– Could you have brown bread instead of white? Or brown rice instead of white? At least sometimes?
– Can you eat more often sitting down, and less often ‘on the run’?
– Can you afford to buy more organic food? Yes, it’s more expensive, but what price your health?

Start the new year right, by asking yourself these questions, and making a few adjustments. Your health will begin to benefit immediately, and you’ll be on your way to a vibrant, energy filled year!

I’d love to hear you comments…

(And if you’d like some personalised nutritional advice, no problem, just contact me)