Eat, Drink and Be . . . Well

“Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matt 6:25

I love this verse. It inspires several thoughts. One, we are never deprived or without basic necessities. So why worry about them? We have all we need in every moment. This may not include your idea of what is needed (usually meaning wanted) but we have what we need. Supply is all around. And it is abundant. Another point, when we “take no thought” of these things we are not a slave to them, or influenced by them. We don’t get bogged down by the notions of too much or too little. A third point is, what we think and who we are encompasses far more than what we eat or what we wear. (And I don’t mean looks, stature or position.)

After studying many different ways of nourishment, I have two that are my favorites. One is clean eating. No, that doesn’t mean washing your food—although that’s a good idea, too! Clean eating (I follow Tosca Reno), is about eating fresh, lean and properly portioned foods. Fresh is what can you grow: green is good. Berries and other fruits are also good. Lean is chicken, white fish, salmon, egg whites. There are many foods you can eat separately, or you can combine them by creating fun, tasty, healthful recipes. As for portions, a good rule of thumb is 1.) One serving of lean protein = the palm of your hand. 2.) One serving of complex carbs from whole grains = One cupped hand. 3.) One serving of complex carbs from fresh fruits or vegetables = two cupped hands together.

I recommend The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno as a guide. Diet in this reference means a way of eating, a way of living, and not something temporary.

Another one of my favorites is Smoothie Formulas, based on naturopathic food-healing science by Jeff Primack and Qigong Family. These are unlike any other smoothies you are familiar with. They are best blended with a 3-horsepower blender. I use the Blendtec, as it has been tried and true. You will find recipes in the Smoothie Formulas recipe book through Press on Qi Productions, or locally at The Nurture Nook Day Spa. Some of the recipes you’ll find use such ingredients as broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, corn, ginger, apples, beets, cordyceps, limes, cilantro, oranges, lemons, celery, cinnamon, blueberries, figs, strawberries. You get the idea—lots of healthy, all-natural choices. It’s a great way to start your day—energized, weightless, free.

Making good choices for ourselves can be difficult at times. Something I practice at different times throughout the year is eliminating something that I am fond of or that is part of my “routine.” It could be something I eat or something I do. I challenge myself to be disciplined and make sure I don’t allow some “thing” to have power or control over me. I will do this for anywhere from 30–90 days. Some things have included no meat, doing a food cleansing, no desserts, etc. I just choose different random things to know I can do without. It doesn’t mean I have to, but I know that I can.

Lastly, what we think and who we are in relationship to others and to our divine source is of greater value than what we have to eat, drink or wear. Practicing contentment, not coveting, not being burdened by what we don’t have or where we are in life are the qualities that enable us to see more clearly and to appreciate what is most important to us. If it is a struggle for you to identify these within yourself, practice the following meditation. Once you do this, allow yourself some mental space to see what comes to you. The answers are always within. Be patient, practice, notice and then apply what you notice.

Meditation: Imagine a star at the center of your head, one in your heart and one at the base of your spine. Starting at your heart, use your breath to connect the stars in a straight line. (On the inhale extend a line from your heart up to your head. On the exhale, extend a line from your heart down to the base of your spine.) With each breath, open and strengthen your lines of communication to the wisdom within you. This source of wisdom is always there. Just stay connected to it.