On one of my recent Wednesday Health and Wellness Calls there were some questions on the topic of how to best eat. The first question being “Should we separate proteins and starches”?
There are many different ideas about this and all other questions about how to eat. For each theory on the best way to eat you can find plenty of evidence and personal testimonials to support each of these different eating styles. I believe this is because we really are all so unique and what works for one person is not what will necessarily work for another.
As a naturopath I have extensive training in the world of diet and nutrition so of course I can go down that avenue of why and when one approach might work better than another. However, more than scientifically determining what diet is most appropriate, I am more interested in supporting myself and other people in being able to live in the world, as it is, as fully and completely as we can.
In my work I encounter many people who are avoiding multiple foods or food groups and have specific ideas of what foods can and cannot be eaten together. What I often see in these people (and I was one of them for many, many years) is they become more isolated from the world rather than a part of it. I see people who can’t ever go out to eat because they might accidentally encounter gluten or MSG, or the foods most readily available include food combinations they are trying to avoid, like protein and starches (ie sandwiches, burgers, burritos). This is not the way of moving through the world that I want to promote.
I don’t have a big interest in determining “THE right diet and the idea that if you just eat that way everything’s going to be fine”. But of course I do see trends of what works for lots of people and what helps them to feel better. With that, this idea of eating proteins and starches separately is one that tends to facilitate more efficient digestion for people having issues in that area. Does that dietary change actually address the root of their digestive issues? I don’t believe that it does. Following that particular dietary guiding may bring about some ease or improvement of symptoms, but not necessarily restore the person to health and support their capacity to live freely.
So how is this “eating freely” accomplished when you are currently experiencing symptoms that you think may be associated with your diet? In my office I use my own form of energy work which has it’s foundation in The BodyTalk System. This is how I was personally liberated from my allergies and sensitivities to all grains, dairy, and eggs, and how I work to support my clients in finding this freedom as well. I utilize this approach because it provides the opportunity to look at what is underlying the allergies or sensitivities to foods, or the digestive problems, or for that matter, any symptoms the body is manifesting. Through this process we focus on releasing patterns in the nervous system that are limiting, and updating the body/mind to function in a way that is current and most supportive of health. This allows us to function fully in the world we live in today rather than having to create an environment that feels safe.
