LISTEN UP! The Body Holds Great Wisdom

by Joan on Jun 30, 2009

We’d like to welcome our newest guest blogger, Caroline Phipps, Health Counselor. I am a client of Caroline’s and I’ve been learning so many things from her that I’ve asked her to share some of her incredible insights with all of you. So, she’s agreed to write a monthly blog for us and we couldn’t be happier. (You can read our first blog on Caroline by clicking here) — Joan

Blog 1:

In my work as a holistic health counselor, I help people to be the very best they can be, in every way. I work with my clients to look at everything that nourishes them. All the parts of our lives are inextricably linked and every single choice we make either contributes to our well-being or it doesn’t. It’s that simple. We can eat all the broccoli in the world but if we are in a job we dislike or a relationship that’s toxic, we are not going to be as well as we can be. Conversely, we all know people who haunt health food stores but live in a state of perpetual anxiety and stress.

This is where the body comes in. What does “the body holds great wisdom” really mean? We are so much more intuitive than we realize. When I ask my clients to give me three things they know they should do to feel better, they always know! Our bodies have a way of telling us what they need nutritionally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. What often manifests as a feeling, if ignored, can become a minor ailment, which can then turn into a more serious condition. Take something as simple as an uneasy feeling in your stomach caused by too much fried food. When ignored this feeling turns into acid reflux, and before we know it we have a more serious digestive problem on our hands.

So why is it so hard to listen up? One reason is that we have become more and more detached from our bodies. In this high-tech world we are actively encouraged to ignore them. Our super markets are filled with artificial and processed food laden with fat, sugar, salt and chemicals. The next stop is the pharmacy, which is stocked with the “bells and whistles” that enable our culture of denial. Painkillers, antacids, sleeping pills, anti-depressants – the shelves are stacked sky high. We are conditioned to mask our symptoms rather than seek the underlying cause.

To make matters worse, ours is a culture built on the shaky sands of consumerism. We are imprinted early on with the idea that the only worthy life is an acquisitive one. The resulting vicious cycle of wanting more and more leaves us empty and confused. This emptiness can leave us prey to all sorts of things that are detrimental to health and happiness such as food cravings, addictions and poor choices.

The result? Our bodies know what they need but our brains are muddled. So how do we break the cycle and regain this vital mind/body connection? No matter what ails us, the very best place to start is with food. Nourished properly the body becomes our ally as a clear channel of communication. Then we can rely on it to give us the information we need to start to lead a fulfilling life.