The LightHeart Institute

Emotional Health

I am Enough!

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Brene BrownAuthor Brené Brown writes, “Our culture teaches us about shame – it dictates what is acceptable and what it not. We weren’t born afraid to tell our stories. We weren’t born with a fear of getting too old to feel valuable. We weren’t born with a Pottery Barn catalog in one hand and heartbreaking debt in the other.

Shame comes from outside us – from the messages and expectations of our cultures. What comes from the inside of us is a very human need to belong, to relate.”

Last night, we had a powerful Royal Flush – Food as Medicine session. Lisa began by guiding us through 15 minutes of guided meditation. The session was full of raw emotion and honesty. Group members opened up regarding issues of perfectionism, feelings of inadequacy, anger, fear, shame and food.

Throughout the session, we discussed the ability to observe ourselves through binges and make connections between our binges and feelings. We noted and appreciated the openness of other participants. For example, one woman shared how angry she was with the current state of the world and the affairs in her life. She mentioned that she felt overwhelmed and out of control. That led another group member to share her feelings about a recent sugar binge. And from there, group participants experienced a positive upward spiral where they felt safe to be present and vulnerable. Ultimately, we all had something in common. Every single member of the group could relate to feeling inadequate, insufficient and/or small at times, – that we weren’t enough. Our facilitator reminded us that we were enough – that by being and taking action to improve our lives, we are not only changing ourselves, but positively impacting the world around us. From this experience, we left the group with an increased sense of self-confidence and self-awareness – the bedrocks of personal growth. We also left with a meaningful affirmation, “I am enough!”

 

Food as Medicine – Deepening Awareness

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Last night, we had another powerful session. As the weeks go by, each participant is becoming more aware of their body’s needs and wants. When healthful, nutritious eating is combined with mindful meditation techniques, the body begins its journey back to homeostasis. For example, one of the participants mentioned that he didn’t feel well after eating a cheese pastry over the Easter holiday. Food as MedicineAnother mentioned that he went camping and that the barbecued chicken did not sit well with him. This opened up the discussion to hidden ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup, gluten, etc., that are often in our food and cause inflammation of the GI tract and other parts of the body. Additionally, it made us aware of how much more we are tuning into our bodies as a result of the group.

Sholem Asch once said, “An illness is like a journey into a far country; it sifts all one’s experience and removes it to a point so remote that it appears like a vision.”

After we discussed our food logs and observations, our facilitator Lisa, brought something to our attention. Lisa asked how many group members have either struggled with addiction or know someone who has. During last week’s session, a participant’s story regarding sugar binges, highlighted the connection between an addiction, daily intake of protein and cravings. A craving is a sign that the body, the GI tract and neurotransmitters are “out of balance.”

In order to bring the body back in balance, many of us in the group need to increase our protein intake. Protein shakes are very helpful in accomplishing this.

Synergy

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Mother TheresaMother Teresa once said, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin.” We often lead our daily lives from task to task to task – It’s a constant movement and we often forget to stop and breathe. Our facilitator, Lisa, reminded all of us group participants of the importance of engaging in mind-body skills. After a quick discussion about Peter McDonald’s farm, and clean and organic farming, Lisa led the group in a 15 minute mindful-meditation. Engaging in mind-body techniques, allows us to stay present to the moment and release our stress loads.

In addition to engaging in mind-body techniques, the support group emphasizes the importance of accountability. As group members we are asked to keep a food log to learn about our food habits and our body’s response to foods. We then share that information with group members.

In his best-selling book,The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven R. Covey shares his knowledge on experiencing optimal health in mind, body and spirit. His fifth habit reads “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Our food logs serve as a great tool for self-awareness and self-understanding in which we get to visually see our food habits and how they have affected our overall health. This sharing of our food intake and habits leads to the sixth habit in the book: “Synergize”. A synergistic energy leads to new knowledge and discoveries what we would have not discovered by ourselves. For example, an individual may be struggling, and by sharing their food habits, cravings and desires according to the designed food plan, it may become apparent that that individual is protein deficient. Our Food as Medicine Support group brings many minds together and at the end of each session each one of us goes home with new found self-knowledge.

The Royal Flush Continues: Power Spot

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“For many of us, the waters of our daily life are anything but calm because we don’t create conscious space for intentional breathing or silence as part of our daily experience. . . . When we pause and breathe consciously, we open the portal to the Presence and enter a sacred silence where the waters are always calm.”

— Excerpt from “The Art of Uncertainty: How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It”

In Native American tradition, visiting a power spot is a sacred ritual. It is a special place in nature that holds all consciousness – a place of stillness and silence. A power spot can also be found deep within us all. The session started off with a twenty minute mind-body-spirit centering technique; where each participant closed their eyes and solely focused on their breathing, paying attention to incoming thoughts and images. In our power spots we are able to connect with a deeper sense of self and allow our bodies to heal.

After the moment of meditation, we shared the feeling of the experience in words. Our facilitator, Lisa, then proceeded to introduce us to the “Heart Chart”. The “Heart Chart” is a 21-day chart in the shape of a heart in which participants can fill each day as they complete another day of lifestyle improvement. For the purpose of the Royal Flush, participants will get to “fill” a day in when they complete a day and fully stick to the food program. With Valentine’s day right around the corner, it was the perfect way to introduce habit change/formation and create an emphasis on the importance of making a commitment to self-improvement. It was brought to the group’s attention that by changing a habit every 21 days, an individual can change 56 habits in 3 years!

Many times, sticking to a gluten-free food program 100% of the time can be challenging and thus many can “cheat”. Lisa encouraged each and every one of the participants to try their best, to complete the heart. Cheats happen, it’s okay. Once a cheat occurs, one has to recognize it, be compassionate with oneself and say something along the lines of, “You strayed off the diet plan. This does not mean you have failed. You’ll be right on track within the hour. Let’s keep moving.” As was mentioned, making a habit change takes 21 days. Not only does it take 21 days, but it also requires some self-discipline and self-understanding.