Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Health For The Holidays!


It’s that time again. The holidays are here. For many people there are gifts to make or purchase, parties to go to, family gatherings to attend, and lots of planning to do. I feel stressed already! Of course, I admit I put these stresses onto myself.

With so much to do it is important to take EXTRA good care of yourself at this time. This can be a challenging thing to do when faced with social engagements such as parties, family gatherings with tempting festive food to gorge. Here are some of my special tips to help when those difficult moments arise.

Plan ahead. If you are visiting family or going to a party eat before you go, bring food with you, call ahead and ask what kind of food will be served, bring a dish that will be big enough for you to eat and share with others.

Say as little as possible about your diet. Be an example of a healthy person and that will speak for itself. If you talk in detail about your diet you will welcome the possibility of a debate, others may feel uncomfortable and threatened, and you will feel like a freak.


If your host feels sorry for you because you don’t want to eat/drink toxic substances, say “ I love salad!” or “I feel so good eating this way and it’s worth it!” Your enthusiasm will shine and no one can ever tell you how you feel. If others are insulted that you are not eating their food and you have explained that it may make you sick to eat then they are not being considerate to you. When you are a guest in someone’s home they should be concerned that you are comfortable and happy. Right? Answer: make sure you bring your own chow.

Cravings. A beast. The definition of a craving is ‘to long for’ or ‘a desire.’ Temptation will be everywhere and whether happy or gloomy anyone can find cause to loose his or her head.

Ready for the answer? Stay conscious and present in the moment. It really is your choice. The question is: Is the payoff of giving into a craving is really worth it to you? So, when I have a craving I tune in. What is it that I really want? Is it the taste? Do I want sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, spicy, or creamy? Or is it that this gal can’t resist free food? How about the numbing out experience on starch overload? When we overeat we get so sedated from the chemical reactions in our body it causes a stimulating effect. Foods such as meat, dairy, wheat, sugar all contain opiate like substances that induce pleasure sensations in the body and can cause dependency. That means food addiction. So, if you reach for the bread or the pastries your healthy diet may go down the drain. Caput! Chances are you will be dreaming about when you can eat those cupcakes again. If you think you can get away with eating just one think again. Remember how you felt last time you gave in. Fool!

Solution. Try having some great substitutes on hand. Raw food desserts are delicious. Break open those cookbooks and get the dehydrator on. Mine is on right now!


Negotiate. I do this all the time and I have been eating raw food in great abundance for two decades. So, you want a potato chip. A good tactic is to ask yourself if you can avoid having it today, and make a deal with yourself if you want it tomorrow that you will consider it. Usually, the craving is long forgotten. However, if the next day you are still thinking about that darn potato chip that you missed eating at the party you went to consider finding a healthier substitute. How about dehydrated crackers or air popped popcorn? If you work with this you may be able to let it go.


That is the true question. Can you let it go? Are you ready? As long as you feel it is okay to still eat that food that you know is toxic it will continue to be a temptation and have a hold of you. I haven’t eaten pizza in 20 years, and I can watch someone eat it and it doesn’t do a thing for me. I used to love pizza.

Of course, this blog would not be complete without mentioning the good old colonic. Often, when one is holding old food in the body this will interfere with good digestion and assimilation. Cleansing the colon will help to heal food cravings and improve digestion. Any illustration of a human colon will reveal a thread running along it also known as the nervous system. A full toxic colon will aggravate the nervous system and can create irritability, anxiety, mood swings and those crazy food cravings. So, no better time then now to wipe the slate clean and have a colonic!

Finally, tuning in also means looking deeper inside yourself to see what your craving is really about emotionally. Perhaps, this holiday season you don’t have a mate, or it feels stressful to visit family, you may be grieving a loss in your life, or struggling financially. We all have dilemmas that we contemplate on a daily basis. Instead of feeding the problem with a fast fix of food indulgences why not think of something else. Feed your soul with a walk in the park, call a long missed friend, take a hot bath with essential oils, schedule a massage or sauna at Gravity East Village, (my office) or put on your favorite music and sing and dance. I do!

Gratitude is the best medicine on earth. Even if you can only be grateful for each breath you take. Your life is a treasured gift to cherish during the holiday season.

Happy Holidays!
Donna Perrone
http://www.GravityEastVillage.com

http://www.DonnaPerrone.com