Warning: This post contains stories of my struggles with eating disorders, which may be triggering for some. Please do not feel obligated to read this post and use your own discretion as to your comfort level. Please, if you are struggling, need help, or want to talk, reach out to me at isabel@collectivelyquantum.com.
Story time. I grew up training to be a classical ballet dancer. Ballet was my life; I danced more than 50 hours per week, I knew exactly what company I was going to dance with, and there wasn’t a single element of my life separate from ballet.
Unfortunately, ballet isn’t all roses and tutus all the time.
During my time dancing, I experienced almost every eating disorder you can think of. At the time, I didn’t realize what I was doing, thinking that this was just what I needed to do to remain in ballet shape.
Like many dancers, my self-harm was self-inflicted, caused by my own exceedingly high expectations.
Fast forward two years. I’ve gone through adrenal failure, caused by the stress my eating disorders placed on my body, and had to completely rework my life around the fact that I could no longer dance.
I felt like my body had betrayed me: I worked so hard (albeit in an unhealthy way) to be exactly what ballet wanted me to be. But in the end, my efforts did not give me a professional career, but instead a career-ending diagnosis that set my life onto a completely different path.
That was before I started my spiritual journey.
Like so many people, I needed that push to jumpstart my consciousness and push me onto the path that I now walk.
Through those experiences, I’ve come to see that my body knows what it needs. That eating disorders were not a way to honor my body, as I somehow thought at the time. What I was really doing was honoring my mind, and the control it so craved.
But now, I honor my body. I am grateful for everything it has been through, and continuously in awe of the healing power it possesses. I no longer just live in my body: I am in a relationship with it.
My body and I are in communion with each other. Every day shows me how intelligent, and forgiving, my body is. This journey hasn’t always been smooth, and it is far from over.
But along the way, I have picked up a new passion, learned how to communicate with my body, and, most importantly, moved into a more holistic relationship with food.
As we move into the holidays, it is so easy to feel my old thoughts and habits creeping in as the feasting season starts. So today I am sharing the nine ways that I ease myself in to a holistic with relationship with food and honor my body over my mind.
Are you ready?
Let’s dig in.
1. Acknowledge that your body is intelligent.
Your body has an innate knowledge about its nutritional needs. Infants cry when they need food, and instinctively turn their heads away when they are full. Your body comes with a built in hunger mechanism, and although we can dim it through years of dieting or restrictions, it is always there patiently waiting to guide you.
Your body also instinctively knows what it needs to eat and when, even if the mind disagrees. Intuitive eating is based on this idea; if you listen to your body, truly and completely, it will tell you what to eat, when, and how much.
The trick is getting the mind out of the way.
2. Ask your body what it needs.
Your body, as we covered before, is intelligent. It knows what it needs. You simply have to ask. The answer you receive may not align with what you had in mind; that’s okay. Your body knows itself far better than your mind ever could; try trusting it. It will tell you when it is hungry or full, and it will guide you to food choices that supply the nutrients you’re missing.
This might look like orange juice after dinner, asparagus for breakfast, or chocolate for lunch (all of which I’ve done). Those are all okay. Just try to let your ego fall away, and honor your body, instead of your mind. Ask your body what your next meal will be, instead of relying on your mental perceptions.
Before your next meal try this experiment: Ask your body what it wants to eat, and then eat that, whatever it is. This doesn’t have to be every meal. If you decide you don’t like it, you can go back to your old way of eating.
But notice how your body feels after that meal. I think you’ll be surprised.
3. Accept that all food has value.
All food is made up of the same elements. Every food has some combination of fats, proteins, carbs, sugars, and micronutrients. We have deemed some foods as good and some as bad because of the way this content varies, but in reality, you will get some benefit from every food you eat. There is no one food that is exclusively bad for you; ice cream gives you essential fat, chocolate has a slew of health benefits, and even fried chicken gives you protein.
While some foods may be more nutrient dense than others, it is time to stop putting foods in timeout. It is okay to enjoy any food, knowing that it offers your body some nutritional value, no matter what it is. Your body is intelligent: It will tell you what it needs, and how much. All you need to do is listen.
4. Reiki your food.
This one is Reiki practitioner specific, but we will cover an alternative down below.
Sending Reiki to your food is like an energetic cleansing. It exposes your food to the pure healing energy of All That Is and allows its vibration to increase.
Sending Reiki to your food also allows you the chance to connect with your food before a meal. This slight pause activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which activates your digestion and soothes your body.
5. Send your food gratitude and love.
This is a great alternative for those who aren’t Reiki practitioners. When you actively send intentions of love and gratitude to your food, you change the structure of the food you are about to ingest.
Masaru Emoto proved that intention changes the crystals water forms when frozen. (You can read more about that here.) Because food is made primarily of water, sending love and gratitude to the food you are about to eat has a purifying and uplifting effect.
Similar to saying grace before a meal, or blessing the food you are about to receive, sending these intentions to your food connects you to your meal and raises the vibrational state of both the food you are about to eat and your body.
6. Take three deep breaths before you eat.
As I mentioned above, slowing down before you eat can activate your parasympathetic nervous system.
You also have a sympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of your fight or flight response. When your sympathetic system is activated, you cannot properly digest your food, because the blood and energy that would typically get sent to your digestive organs is being sent elsewhere to maintain your stress and activity levels.
Taking three deep breaths before you eat tells your body it is time to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. Also called ‘Rest and Digest’, your parasympathetic nervous system activates your digestion processes, and brings the energy back to your vital organs. As you take these deep breaths, you are really signaling to your body that it is time to relax, rest, and recuperate, thus allowing your body to properly and fully digest the food you are about to eat.
7. Turn eating into a meditation.
Once you have prepared your food, send it love and gratitude, and take three deep breaths. It’s time to meditate. Eat mindfully, using each bite as a mantra of sorts. Focus all of your attention on how your food tastes, what the texture is, what sound it makes. Allow your mind to dissolve into the feeling of eating, noticing how your body is feeling with each bite.
Turn your mealtime into a meditation, and reap the benefits of mindful eating, an activated parasympathetic nervous system, and a daily dose of presence all in one.
8. Don’t think too much.
Try not to let your ego get in the way of your food choices. Yes, nutrition is important, and it is good to have a general idea of what is healthy for your body. But at the end of the day, your body knows what is best. Try to take a step back and trust your body to guide you to the right choices.
Don’t forget, overthinking and stressing about what you’ve eaten this week, or anticipating a big meal later that you ‘shouldn’t have’ only activates your sympathetic system. From this place of ‘stress’ you cannot digest or heal properly. It’s important to acknowledge where the ego can help, but let it go and allow the body to take the reins.
Try to trust your body, and don’t overthink it. You’ll know what you need, I promise.
9. Develop a food routine that feels right for you.
This doesn’t mean make a plan for what you are going to eat and when; that is the opposite of honoring your body. Rather, this means find a pre and post eating ritual that grounds you and helps you to feel present and fulfilled. It doesn’t have to take long. For me, I like to Reiki my food, thank it for what it is doing in my body, and take three deep breaths. As I’m eating, I turn it into a meditation. When I’m done, I do a quick body scan to see how the meal affected my energy and send gratitude to my body for allowing me to eat and digest the meal. Finally, I like to wash my hands in warm water to close off the meal.
Find what feels good for you. There is no right or wrong way to do this. As long as you feel centered, fulfilled, and peaceful, you are on the right track.
So, in summary:
- Acknowledge that your body is intelligent.
- Ask your body what it needs.
- Accept that all food has value.
- Reiki your food.
- Send your food gratitude and love.
- Take three deep breaths before you eat.
- Turn eating into a meditation.
- Don’t think too much.
- Develop a food routine that feels right for you.
I hope these tips resonated with you. Remember, you and your body are in a relationship. Take the time to honor each other; it will serve you both well.
