With this whole new adventure into integrative nutrition, I get to meet with a health counselor, so there is loads more intentionality being poured into how I treat myself. I consider myself a healthy person, and pretty knowledgeable when it comes to food issues, and I think that because of this, I take for granted that I feel good. Or, really, that at one point, treating myself or feeding myself a certain way, made me feel good. And once I start taking it for granted, I quit paying as much attention to what my body is telling me. Now that I have this permission that the universe and I have granted myself to pay attention to ME ME ME, I am noticing things I was not aware of before. My goal for the last two weeks, set by my health counselor and I, was to focus on breakfast. Make time to make it, to eat it, and to feel it. While, it has been hard getting up a little earlier in order to make this happen, it has been a wonderful experience. First off, the cliche sayings about breakfast being the most important meal of the day are so true! Who knew that eating something before setting myself in go-mode would make me so much less grouchy and impatient? Secondly, with an exercise called the breakfast experience, I have finally been forced to recognize that I have a gluten intolerance.

Now, as a short background, and a child and teen, I battled a number of health issues, a lot of them dealing with my digestive capabilities, or lack there of. In treating myself for these issues (such as Candida) I had to cut out a gigantic portion of everyday foods. I was horribly bitter about this deprivation, and was positive that it was ridiculously unfair. I was so jaded by my resentment that I had no room to appreciate how being so much healthier felt. I celebrated the day I could again eat pizza. So, over the last year, as I have quietly noticed my low energy levels, the sore throat I get when eating white bread, or any number of things, I would shove the thought out of my head and refuse to entertain the possibility of cutting out gluten because what a pain in the ass, right?

So, this breakfast experience, I was forced to look straight at the fact when I ingest high gluten content foods, I am miserable. I may not notice the smaller symptoms at first, but the more I eat, the worse I feel. Here all along I was afraid at how much work being gluten free would be. But I bit the bullet and did it. I have been gluten free for about a week now and oh my goodness, what a difference. I have more energy, no more waking up with sore throats, I am not constantly and slightly congested. The energy boost alone is enough to make up for the effort it requires. And, I am even enjoying the effort that this is all taking.

So, yay for listening to myself, and honoring my needs.

Spiritual Nourishment.

The following post is from my NEW blog that I will writing, in addition to this one, and referring people interested in health counseling to. I really liked it so I decided to cross post, as I will probably do from time to time. If you want to check out the other blog you can find it at:

http://gracefulexistence.wordpress.com

Anyhow, enjoy!

To live content with small means;

To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;

To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;

To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;

To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart;

To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

To let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.

-William Henry Channing

This has been my favorite quote for a very long time. I remember the first time I read it, it gave me chills. A few years ago my daughter and I took a very large piece of cardboard and painted on it with finger paint using our hands and feet, and then I painted the above quote on it. It has been on my wall for years, in all it’s DIY, frayed edged, crayola paint glory. It wouldn’t be considered a fine work of art by anyone outside of my home, but to me, it is one of the most exquisite pieces I have ever seen. And not only for the emotional attachment and memories this calls forth when I look at it. But also because each of the lines of this poem is such a concise and gentle reminder to me to be present in my life. Today, the last line is what has stuck in my mind. “To let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.”

Rarely do people think of spirituality when thinking of nourishment or nutrition. And often, when hearing that word, people think of church. But I want to challenge us all to remember that spirituality is not necessarily equivalent to a brick and mortar church, or even a certain religion. It is something much more personal than that, something that not anyone but you can identify. What is magical in your eyes? What is something you see, do, hear, feel that calms your mind and leaves you feeling happier, less burdened, or lighter? For some it may be a church, but for others it could be yoga, meditation, dancing, cooking, drawing, or so much more. It is something they do regularly, something they look forward to as a moment they take for themselves. They do it because they want to, not because they feel they have to. I urge you to find what in your life provides you with this.

You may be wondering what this has to do with nutrition and wellness. When we have something meditational or comforting to fall back on, it gives us the opportunity to care for ourselves instead of seeing to our other responsibilities. It is so rare that busy people take a moment to stop and focus on their own body, how they are feeling, and what they are needing, let alone meet those needs and indulge themselves in something lavishly rejuvenating. Having a spiritual/meditational/comforting practice in our lives also helps us reduce our stress levels, free up space in our minds and hearts to meet all the other needs we have, and helps us love ourselves and those around us more. When there is something that we do in our lives to help ease the burden or weight of the day, we sleep better, we digest our food better, our mood is better and this all in turn improves our health.

So what will you do today that brings you solace or rejuvenation?