Should I be a vegetarian or eat meat?
What is a balanced diet?
What is the right diet for me?
Reality is there are no simple answers. Diet is as individual an experience as any other aspect of our reality; it is shaped by upbringing and culture, and influenced by where one lives, personal needs and daily activity.
Food and drink are only the raw material for the body’s fuel. Digestion, assimilation and elimination are paramount.
Foods in most grocery stores, prepared foods in restaurants, fast food and convenience foods are all contaminated with dyes, chemicals, pollutants, foreign substances and insecticides that collect in the body and eventually cause dis-ease.
Nature is the best therapy for healing the body, mind and spirit, providing us with healing and medicinal properties in raw nutritional foods, natural herbs and essential oils that come from herbs.
To re-attune oneself to Nature is to live harmoniously with the Earth. If possible, grow some of your own foods or eat foods that are locally grown. Growing our own food and buying from local farmers is a logical first step toward healthy, mindful living.
Give the body the health and healing that nature has created; trade soda for water, and coffee for herb tea. The immune system will replenish itself, illness will subside and better looks, good health, well-being and vitality will be the reward.
When one becomes mindful about what they ingest, they inevitably need to observe the seasons, the light and dark cycles of Nature within a 24-hour period.
In the summer, the days are longer, while the winter has the longest nights. The equinoxes (spring and fall) and solstices (summer and winter) are the demarcation points for the changing of the seasons.
These cycles as well as outside temperatures greatly influence activity levels and consequently, dietary needs. The body’s needs change not only in accordance with annual cycles, but in accordance with life cycles as well; what we may have eaten before may not digest the same as it always has.
For the most efficient digestion, it is best to follow the cycle of the sun, having the largest meal when the sun is at its peak and refraining from eating after the sun has set. Eating right before sleep will not allow the body to digest completely what has been ingested. It may also cause restlessness, and sleep will not sufficiently recharge the body.
Summer is the warmest season and a time of increased physical activity. Additional nourishment is needed but should be easier to digest. When the weather is hot, we tend to seek the opposite. Cool drinks, fruits, raw or steamed vegetables and foods that require less energy to digest It is important to not overheat the body; consuming plenty of clean water and juices can prevent this and is very beneficial. Also, keep cool with peppermint or red clover iced tea steeped in a glass or ceramic container and refrigerated. It is best to consume the heavier, cooked, or meals with protein later in the day as the temperature cools down. Nature provides us with plums, peaches, apricots, most of the berries and the melons, all of which are cooling. Vegetables for salads or sliced up for dipping are also a good idea.
As the light cycle changes and we move into Fall, nights become longer than days. The weather is cooler and physical activity decreases. Fall is the harvest season, so much variety is available; fruits like apples, melons, pears, persimmons, and grapes; vegetables including corn, carrots, beets, all the squashes, beans, seeds, grains and nuts are also plentiful. As the temperature cools, it is time to add protein and complex carbohydrates to the diet that warm the system. Herbal teas of burdock root and licorice root for the lungs and intestines are also good additions. Fall is a good time to refocus on health, toning the body with a new or enhanced exercise program and to build strength in preparation for the upcoming winter months.
When it is cold, we tend to be naturally attracted to warm drinks, cooked meals, hot and or concentrated foods that tend to heat up the body and provide more fuel. As Nature goes deep within, Winter befalls us. Life becomes more internal and more time is spent indoors; it is a time for inner development and creating stronger bonds with family and friends. Winter can be the most food-oriented season. There is more of a focus on celebrations and foods with extravagant holiday preparations. Cooked grains and root vegetables, like carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes should be eaten more, as well as ocean foods like fresh fish and seaweed, which are very high mineral foods and are well balanced when eaten together. A heavier diet often diminishes activity so extra rest and sleep makes sense. Drinking a hot tea combination of licorice root, cinnamon twigs and red dates is also very nourishing through the winter.
The earth renews in springtime. Nature awakens and begins to green. Lettuces, spinach, dandelion, yellow dock, sorrel, asparagus, artichokes, chard, and celery are harvested. Fresh greens are high in chlorophyll and are revitalizing; they strengthen the Blood and purify the body. Citrus fruits are also in season; they are an excellent source of vitamin C and are very helpful in detoxifying the body. Herbal teas of sassafras bark, comfrey, dandelion root, nettles and mints may also be beneficial.
The essence in food comes from the sunshine, water, air and earthly nutrients that go into them. The more food is processed, the less Vitality it has.
From birth to death, our bodies are designed to run on the pure, unpolluted, unprocessed food from the Earth.
Our ancestor’s diet consisted of locally grown and gathered fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Fish and shellfish were caught and consumed around river, lake and coastal communities. Livestock was raised locally for consumption or hunters brought home wild game for their families. The essence in food comes from the sunshine, water, air and earthly nutrients that go into them.
