Louise Hay: Loving Yourself to Great Health
As early as World War I, we can see the unfortunate health effects of processed foods: the British government realized that 41% of men were not fit for service. But even with that wake up call, the food shortage problems were so challenging that no one felt equipped to solve them. We still have this food adulteration today for the same reasons. It’s always about stretching the food supply or making food that lasts longer on the shelf, food that is convenient and takes no effort to prepare. However, behind the scenes what’s really happening is that these foods are depleting our health. Our bodies don’t understand what to do with these synthetic chemicals. It doesn’t nourish us well. It robs our brain of important nutrients, our bodies can’t grow, repair and replenish. When it comes right down to it, I think what we eat and how we eat says a lot about how much we love ourselves. Eating real, whole foods is an act of self-love that nourishes the body and mind. It’s nutrients from whole foods that give our brains self-esteem, good moods, better sleep, more energy, motivation and a better memory. It’s from whole food that we get the nutrients we need to be happy and enjoy our lives. Louise Hay says it best: if it doesn’t grow, don’t eat it!
OMTIMES: Is there a one-size fits all diet?
Heather Dane: I believe that there is no one nutritional protocol that works for everyone. We are all an experiment of one and we can run into challenges when following a set of rules or dietary dogma that goes against what a body needs. Our physical bodies are dynamic and our needs change over time. Sometimes we need to build and strengthen, other times we need to cleanse. Stress can also change our dietary needs.
The best way to give your body what it needs is to listen to the signals your body is giving you. The thing is, everyone’s gut bacteria is different and everyone’s genes are different. This means that in order to choose a healthy diet, it’s important to listen to your unique needs. This can be challenging when you are not familiar with listening to learn what works for your body and what doesn’t. In Loving Yourself to Great Health, we outline a process for keeping a food journal and writing down everything you eat for the day and also recording how you felt that day: everything from your energy levels, to your moods, any symptoms you had, emotions that kept coming up, how you slept that night, how many bowel movements you had, etc. After a week or two, you start to notice patterns – some of them are subtle. Any symptoms you notice are important.
