3wolves.org: blending body, mind, and spirit

The way of our world is that everyone has some sort of chronic physical condition. The list seems endless: allergies, asthma, auto-immune disorders, chrone's disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, headaches/migraines, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hyperactivity, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, lethargy, muscle tension, skin conditions (dandruff, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, etc.), and more. Through my own healing experiences, I discovered that these are related to the patterns I had adopted in response to my environment, and that I had the ability to reprogram such conditions.

Too much fat on the body is also a chronic condition, an indication that our organs aren't working as well as they could be, especially our liver, intestines, and gall bladder. Practising food-combining can help kick-start your body into increasing the digestion and changing physical conditions. Following the guidelines and items below also works towards increasing the metabolic rate.

Emotional and psychological extremes are also indications that there are imbalances in the body, and these tend to progress as we age. The medical profession does recognize that diet, exercise, and meditation have a positive effect on such conditions, however knowledge in this area is limited.

Guidelines:

Balancing what we eat.

Rather than eating the same foods daily, eat them at regular intervals (eat 1 day, miss 2).
Eat foods that are grown in your region / locally, and eat for the climate you're in. For example in BC, cooked foods in winter (steamed or stir-fried veggies); raw cooling foods in summer; and, when making food choices in fall and spring, be aware of the changing weather as well as your body's needs from day-to-day.
Eat whole foods (brown rice, whole grain flours, rolled oats)
and limit refined/processed foods (white flour, white rice, white and brown sugar).
Limit foods that are likely to contain or feed yeasts/molds, such as fermented foods (salad dressings, pickles, soy sauces—Bragg's is ok—wine, beer), peanuts, tropical fruits—lemons are ok—sweets, dried spices (ginger, garlic, nutmeg, cloves—dried herbs are ok, i.e., basil, oregano, sage, thyme, etc.).
Use fresh foods whenever possible and limit or—better yet—eliminate stimulants and suppressants (alcohol, caffeine, fermented foods, pepper, preservatives, sugar, vinegar, yeasts).
Start by adjusting meals to:
50% green leafy (spinach, beet greens, green and yellow beans, lettuce, etc., and other veggies such as yellow squash, tomatoes, etc.)
and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage family...),
25% protein, and
25% starches.
Work your way towards 30% protein and/or starches + 70% green leafy and cruciferous vegetables. (Snow peas are a neutral vegetable, whereas carrots, peas, and snap peas are considered starches.)
Use a high quality sea salt, especially with vegetables.
For the most part, eat fruits alone, more than 1-hour before or 5 hours after protein.
If you have a sweet tooth, chances are you ought to cut-out sweets completely for some time. Some people are ok with occasionally having a little honey, maple sugar, brown rice syrup, or fruit-sweetened jams (maximum once per week).
There are supplements available that work towards cleansing specific organs (see a naturopath/health professional).

Chronic Health Issues

Follow the above guidelines strictly, eliminating refined foods, stimulants and suppressants and eating whole foods, fresh foods, and true foods.
Eliminate foods that are considered common allergenics/sensitivities/ intolerances, including fermented foods—wheat, sugar, dairy products (Balkan yogurt and goat or sheep feta are ok). These are often foods we eat on a daily basis, which serve to 'plug-up' the system/body.
See Awareness below.

Note. Those with digestive disturbances or sensitive digestive systems may find wheat bran and raw veggies irritating to the system, so start with steamed or sautéed veggies.

Overweight

Eat neutral vegetables with proteins
(green and cruciferous veggies with meat, fish, poultry, eggs).
Eat neutral vegetables with starches
(green and cruciferous veggies with corn, potatoes, brown rice, other grains).
Do not eat proteins and starches together (for help with this, see Healthy Substitutes).
Eat a high quality sea salt with vegetables.
Eat fruits alone, more than 1-hour before protein or 5 hours after. Exceptions to this rule (for some) are the enzyme fruits (fresh papaya, pineapple, or kiwi), which promote digestion.
See Awareness below.

Even though these things may be going-on, remember:
go easy on yourself, have compassion for yourself, love yourself.

Awareness

When starting a new regime, shifts in the body can happen for some time, so it's a good idea to work with a naturopath and physician. As we shed pounds, the body releases toxins, fluids, and sludge via the usual channels, and this can affect our physical/emotional/psychological sense of well-being for some time. The more stringent we are with our regime, the more dramatic the effects may be, but often for less time. So be patient with yourself.

Listen to your body as you may experience more sensitivity. Migraines, stiff joints, aches and pains are common for those who go on a new regime. Patterns of thoughts and emotions may release as well. As we're losing weight, we can experience more in the way of sensitivity, depression, anger, sadness, opinionated-ness, resistance, self-deprecating attitudes, etc..
Be aware of the reverse side of the coin, such as building-up the ego, thinking/expressing about how good I am, feeling/thinking I am superior to others, etc.
Rather than react to someone or act upon thoughts/feelings, watch everything that is happening. Many of our reactions come from old events and experiences patterned in the body, which are triggered by the current experience (i.e., other people, places, things) and the change in diet and exercise as well.
Be aware of what is going on within yet, rather than looking outside ourselves as being the cause, realize that the 'good' and 'bad' or 'positive' and 'negative' feelings and judgements come from old 'stuff', the patterns—the programs that play over-and-over in our lives.
Remember—the goal is to become healthy and whole—so be open to your intuition. See a good naturopathic physician—one who has had success in treating others who have symptoms/conditions similar to your's. Keep regular appointments with your physicians, psychiatrist/psychologist, and other health professionals as well. This way you can have all the help you need and open-up to all the help that is available.
Don't give up!

Recommended Readings

Eating Alive:
Matsen, Jonn, N.D. (www.eatingalive.com).
Great book for Food Combining information. Gives a good understanding of how the body works. Lots of recipes as well. The main points under Overweight come from this book.

Eating Alive II: Ten Easy Steps to Following the Eating Alive System: Find the Missing Piece to the Health Puzzle.
Matsen, Jonn, N.D. (www.eatingalive.com).
Gives a good understanding of how the body works. Lots of recipes as well. Many of the points under Guidelines and Health Issues come from this book.

Eat Right for Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight.
D'Adamo, Peter, Dr., & Whitney, Catherine. (1996). New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
If you have migraines or suspect you have digestive disturbances and, aside from the above mentioned guidelines, you're not sure what foods you should or shouldn't eat, this book gives input and feedback on what other foods to avoid for awhile. You need to know your blood type. [Blood types: O, A, B, or AB. If you've had an operation, the surgeon (perhaps your GP as well) will have your blood-type on file.]

The Secrets to Great Health: From Your Nine Liver Dwarfs.
Matsen, Jonn, N.D. (www.eatingalive.com).
Gives an in-depth and understandable account of how the liver, digestive system, and the body works. If for some reason you can't read it all, read the chapter on Doque (Liver Dwarf #9). Lots of recipes as well and references on recent articles.

* See the Healthy Substitutes page for food substitutions.

If you have chronic conditions, are overweight or underweight, or have emotional or psychological concerns, I urge you to 'listen' to your inner guidance and, while under your physician's care, consult a naturopath as well. Before embarking on this (or any) regime, always consult physicians, naturopaths, and health professionals, so you may determine what is right for you. All information on this website is intended to augment your general health knowledge—it is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.