More Than Just a Life
From a tender age we are guided. We are coached: be careful, stay inside the lines, don’t go there, don’t do that and don’t touch! Follow the yellow brick road. Whether subliminal or intentional, we are guided by society’s invisible hand: accepted behaviors and well-trodden ways. In a world which offers infinite possibility, we choose familiarity and convention, time and time again.
Not only are we restricted by others, but we impose our own boundaries. We are guided by self-limiting beliefs, focusing 24/7 on the obstacles ahead, conceding before we’ve yet begun. Me gives Myself a “get out of jail free card” and excuses herself from the game, choosing escape over defeat. Clearly there was never any real chance; any initiative for change was doomed from the start.
Most live in fear of change and choose to focus their attentions on interim discomforts and painful hurdles, their bodies already aching, anticipating adversity’s clutches.
Health is not an all or nothing affair. Surely your dreams too are made of abundant crystal visions.
Add it In
Uploaded by Helene Gozani on 2017-10-30.
During my training as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I became acquainted with the seemingly simple but profound concepts of “addin” and “crowdout”. It is a brilliant method to avert our attentions from a deprivation mindset. Drop your obsessive thoughts of what you must give up to be healthy. Focus instead on what good habits you can “addin” to your routine. Let this be the year that you say yes. Watch with amazement as the good begins to “crowdout” the bad.
Thus, for example, you may choose to add a glass of water one half of an hour prior to meals. This “addin” may accelerate weight loss, reveal a glowing reflection in the mirror and energize. Surely not a rocket science, but the subtle shift in focus will reduce cravings for soft drinks and other munchies. Watch with delight the subtle curve of your mouth when you chance glance at the vision in the looking glass: too good to be true? There was no conscious intent to cut back on unhealthy foods but low and behold you did! Your now hydrated body is vibrant and delights with former scarce energy sources. The glow in the mirror is but another “accidental” perk. And all that you wanted was to “addin” a few glasses of water a day…
Nutrition can be used as a metaphor for all that nourishes us. Suddenly the query: “What did you put on your plate today?” becomes a deep philosophical question, far beyond the rainbow of colors associated with good health.
Balanced Nutrition, a Multidisciplinary Approach
Vibrant nutrition is not merely a product of your food choices but rather a weighted satisfaction score from a diverse mix of additional choices: health, physical activity, home cooking, home life, relationships, social life, joy, spirituality, creativity, finances, career and education.
Integrative Nutrition recognizes two food category types: primary foods and secondary foods. Amazingly enough primary foods are completely void of food and include all of the remaining categories mentioned above. A case in point can be readily provided. Perhaps you are familiar with those whose diet is healthy to a tee but they are far from healthy? It could be that they are stuck in abusive relationships, their creative expression may be stifled or they could feel unappreciated at work? In witness thereof, I shall present you with a second type of person. Surely you’ve met people whose diets are fed on junk? Despite their horrible eating habits, they are healthy to a tee. They laugh frequently, lavish love on their partners and have a deep sense of satisfaction at work. I do not wish to devalue the worth of a healthy green smoothie, but look closely and you will discover that it is merely a fraction of the health equation.
What Prey Tell is Brownies for Breakfast?!
Two years ago a Nia colleague’s daughter tragically lost her life when a reckless driver ran a stoplight. Sweet Chloe Rose passed away that evening in her mother’s arms. Earlier in honor of the winter break Cloe’s mother served up a special treat, brownies for breakfast.
In honor of Cloe and as a reminder of life’s fragility, “Brownies for Breakfast” was born. It has become a global tradition within social media. Cloe’s mother is quoted from the Facebook event page:
“In our house, we wanted to make every day "the best day ever". February 18, 2016 would have been Chloe's 8th birthday. To honor and remember my only child, my sweet Chloe Rose, I invite you to join me in making that day your version of "the best day ever". Want to have brownies for breakfast? Yes! Want to watch movies all day? Yes! Want to go for a walk after dinner? Yes! Want to read your kid(s) an extra bedtime story? Yes!”
“Whatever makes you feel grateful to be alive, do it.
Together, we'll make a beautiful day in memory of a beautiful girl.”
If you have not yet read about the rocky part of my journey, you can read it here.
I would like to thank you for your patience in reading this post to its end.
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Join me: CHOOSE abundant whole health!
