We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” What does this really mean?
Basically, that everything that we take in impacts us – both physically and mentally. Food can be used as medicine and it can also that which causes us to seek out the correct medicine. Food supplies essential nutrients to our body and these nutrients circulate in the bloodstream and nourish our tissues. If we eat improperly and eat food that is days old, difficult to digest, heavy, full of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, fat and sugars, then our body has to operate under stress and it has a difficult time performing its normal functions. Organs eventually operate under stress and then wear out and there’s need for medical, even surgical intervention.
There is much that we can do daily to help reduce the chance of medical problems. We can begin by being mindful of what we are ingesting. Eat freshly prepared, organic food as much as possible. There are usually some family owned produce stores that sell organic produce at reasonable prices. There is the farmers’ market. There are local farms that deliver organic produce to your neighborhood.
Healthy eating is easier if we know what to avoid. All the hormones in our meat and dairy have an destabilizing influence on our health and cause abnormalities, especially in children. Kids can become overweight, girls reach puberty and begin menstruation well before their teens, they develop hormonal disorders and more. Avoid BGH (bovine growth hormone) and look for labels in your dairy purchases that label the products as free of any hormones. Rennet in cheese has been linked to ADD (attention deficit disorder).
Start reading food labels. See what’s in everything that you are buying. Look at calories, fat content, sugars, preservatives, etc. Avoid trans-fats, genetically modified or genetically engineered products.See if the product has hydrogenated oils, enriched flours, white flour, malt syrup, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame (found in Nutra-Sweet), or the preservative MSG (mono-sodium glutamate). Ask your favorite Thai or Chinese restaurant if they use MSG in their food, and if they do, to make the dish without it. MSG creates a lot of inflammation in the body.
According to the Ayurvedic texts, cooked honey clogs the channels and cannot be removed. It’s amazing when you start reading labels and seeing that honey is in your baked goods, crackers, and spaghetti syrup.
Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s. Aluminum is often found in a lot of the stainless steel cookware. It is best if the aluminum is not the base of the pan. There are reports that non-stick cookware are linked to health problems.
Microwaves are not only carcinogenic, but they kill the prana/chi/life force of the food and alter the molecular composition of the food. If you are what you eat and you are eating dead food, then how does that help us with our health?
Yes, they’re convenient. There are alternatives for the workplace: a hot plate, stainless steel “tiffin” cans from your local Indian grocery store, a thermos for your soup, and stay-warm insulated containers. It’s about making a change in your lifestyle, if you are willing.
What’s your state of mind when you are cooking? What about the person who prepared your food if you’re not the cook?
We don’t just ingest food; we also ingest the information that is on the billboards on the highway, the music we hear, the noise, the pollution, all the conversations that we hear and partake in, all the info on that we read, all the items on the news…the list goes on. Your brain has to process that information, just as your body has to process whatever it takes in. Unresolved, unprocessed information can result in mental toxins and lead to anxiety, nervousness, ticks, spasms, tremors, anger, or depression. It’s not uncommon for young kids to see something scary on tv and then wet their bed or have nightmares. Adults are no different, but the results manifest differently for them. Our bodies can never be totally at peace if our minds are not at rest. They go hand in hand.
Make small changes, one at a time, and eventually it becomes part of your daily lifestyle. Then you are automatically eating healthier foods. We can make wise, informed choices about what we take in and take charge of our health accordingly.