"How do I know what foods are right for me?"
"How much is too much of a good thing? What the heck IS a good thing?"
"I’ve tried it all - vegan, raw, paleo, mediterranean, low carb/high fat, South Beach, GAPS - and I have no clue what to try anymore."
"I’m totally confused about what’s right for my body and feel out of control!"
Do these sound familiar?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had an inner Siri that just tells us what to eat and do when we punch in some coordinates of where we’re at in life at that moment?
Good news folks... we do.
You know what I’m talking about... that quiet, wise, sometimes nagging, but always loving voice inside that tells us things like what’s right from wrong, which opportunities to take and when to leave a relationship.
Sometimes it’s not a voice, but rather a feeling, a sensation, a knowing.
The problem is that we can get off-track and overwhelmed - disconnecting us from our inner Siri. In this age of never-before-experienced exposure to media, toxins, distractions, etc, we’re pulled and pushed into a million different uncomfortable places at once. The disconnection happens as a result of overload, conflicting instructions and self-protection.
iOSsues
Ok let’s stick with this iPhone metaphor for a sec, shall we?
*Note: I’m actually an android user but for the sake of popularity, I’ll be using iOS references - sorry droids {fist pump in solidarity}
I have this “problem” where I keep way too many tabs open. As I write this I have 37 tabs open on my browser... hey, I never said I was immune to modern distractions. What happens when you overload your iPhone with too many tabs, apps, gifs, selfies, drops into the toilet, etc and you don’t clean out and reboot?
Your phone starts to work like shit, that’s what. Then you get really mad at your phone and want to throw it across the room when it doesn’t load that awesome pic you took of your cat within 2 nanoseconds.
Our bodies, just like our phones, have a limited bandwidth and an operating system that has to be updated on a regular basis. So instead of getting crazy kungfu on your phone and self, how about a little love and care?
Intuitive Eating
When we are disconnected, this thing called “intuitive eating” (IE) can’t happen. In the literature, IE is defined as “eating in response to physiological hunger and satiety signals, not external and/or emotional cues, together with low overall preoccupation with food.” The cool thing about intuitive eating is that it’s scientifically proven to lower body weight and reduce obesity (no dieting!).
In this recent population based study in the Obesity Journal, intuitive eating was found to be inversely associated with body weight and obesity status - especially in women - and considered a poignant strategy in addressing weight loss.
Intuitive and mindful eating means eating when/how/what your body needs, versus letting the act become an automatic mechanism.
Here are 4 clues that you are eating on autopilot:
- It takes place without awareness (Eating while driving/working/complaining/crying/all of the above at the same time)
- It begins without intention (blindly grabbing contents from cupboard as you run to your meeting)
- It carries on once started without control (I didn’t mean to eat that entire pack of oreos)
- It functions with little effort (Chewing? Too slow for me.)
So how do we get off of autopilot and back to mindful and intuitive eating? It goes back to connection.
Intuitive eating is just ONE part of what I'll call holistic intuitive nourishment or “feeding your wild”...
Your "wild" is that innate, ancestral, animal human part of you that directs your physiology in the way it always has - through its relationship with its inner and outer environment. Our biology has not changed that much since our ancestors began to walk - we have not evolved as rapidly as our world has changed. I would argue not just obesity and overweight, but other imbalances - such as diabetes, acid reflux, gastrointestinal issues, skin disorders, mood dysregulation, autoimmunity and even cancer - can all be greatly influenced by this “disconnection” from our inner GPS, overloading of our operating system and an inability to “feed our wild”.
The Ultimate Guide
I’m working on creating a resource for you - an “ultimate guide” of sorts - that will help you plug back into that intuitive place so you can confidently choose the right foods for you, and surf the wicked waves of modern life like a boss. It'll include a mix of ancient wisdom + modern functional nutrition science, with a side of spiritual soul snacks. I’m excited to help you with this - make sure to sign up below to get notified when it’s ready! [convertkit form=4847726]
Here are some of the things I’ll be teaching...
- How to reconnect to your inner GPS so you know what, when and how to eat
- The keys to overcoming bad habits, emotional eating, and even lineage of diseases
- How finding your tribe can help you heal way faster (and how to find your people!)
- Practical ways to harness the true power of nature + art (and why you don’t have to be “spiritual” or “creative” to benefit)
- How to press the reset button on your ecology, aka your “home” on all levels - physical, mental, emotional & spiritual
- How to eat, live, love in “ecstasy”
- How to dream your health and life into being with an ancient practice - backed by science
- Practical tools + resources that benefit you AND Mama Earth (winning!)
If you’re interested in learning more, enter your name and email below to be first to receive updates!
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xx,
Venessa
