“When Health is absent Wisdom cannot reveal itself, Art cannot become manifest, Strength cannot be exerted, Wealth is useless and Reason is powerless” Herophilus, 300BC
Holistic Health Counseling addresses health from a point of view that understands that nourishment for us is good food. But equally important, if not more so, are loving relationships, is spirituality, is needed and meaningful work and movement that we enjoy. We can feel “fed” and carried through nature experiences, playing with children, singing, prayer and meditation, conversation and pursuing our passions to the point of even forgetting to eat! We also have experienced how the absence of these primary forms of nourishment can drive us to use food as a substitute. Working with a Holistic Health Counselor gives the client/patient permission to explore all avenues that feed him/her, which then allows them to put their diet into perspective.
There is a myriad of ways of eating and a confusing variety of diets flooding the consumer market. A very common disappointment for many is that diets usually don’t work. More often than not the weight or the addiction will come back. Worse, people can get sick from following someone else’s diet instead of listening to their own body’s messages. Each individual has their own biochemistry and has to find out for themselves what foods serve them best. What we eat should depend on what the seasons offer, level of activity, time of life, gender, how fast we burn the food and what we are trying to heal. During a six months program guided by an Holistic Health Counselor, the client has time to test and try out which foods support him/her the best. A mother, for example, may end up eating what the children left over and may never have the time to think about what would nourish her. Or a person struggling with weight and fatigue may want to explore fresh pressed juices and more raw foods in their diet. There are many dietary theories but the approach Holistic Health Counseling takes, is to work from the inside out and to relate to the messages our body gives us.
What we put into our mouth connects us most intimately with nature and the cosmos. Through the process of digestion we make plant foods, animal foods, grains and fats completely our own. They become our blood which then builds and maintains all the cells, organs and structure. As we become aware of the depth of the connection we have to the earth we inevitably become better stewards. As Holistic Health Counselors we promote fresh, lively, organic and biodynamic whole foods as opposed to fragmented, refined, industrialized, chemicalized and processed products. Nature provides nutrients in a team, designed to help the human body absorb them optimally. For example, stripping grains of their oils and the bran cuts down on essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. Refined products are empty calories. They leave us forever unsatisfied and, devoid of nutrients, they deplete the body’s reserves. A double whammy! Healthy, clean and whole foods nourish the human organism and help to rid the body of toxins and chemicals. Whole foods significantly reduce cravings and bring back a sense of wholeness, of owning our body again. The physical body anchors our spiritual being. The more our bodies are filled with fake, artificial foods that make us sick; the more we treat our sick bodies with drugs, the less we feel in charge. Who owns this body? Who steals our (w)health?
Holistic Health Counseling also teaches clients about the energy of foods, how they grow and are cultivated, and how foods are prepared. A rare steak is grounding and energizing for some people, whereas a sweet desert can make one feel relaxed, happy and elated. Grilling, steaming, sautéing or cooking in the pressure cooker all affect us differently. The energy of steaming is more gentle and loosens tension we may carry in the body, whereas frying or pressure cooking has a contracting effect supporting a focused mind. Considering the energy of food and food preparation is a joyful discovery and a potent tool for creating balance.
The nutritional world focuses a lot on numbers, percentages, calories and rules regarding diet. Holistic Health Counseling supports the whole person in their context to achieve their health goals through lasting changes in individualized diet, enjoyable lifestyle choices and greater awareness for the environment.
Health is individual. Health is what allows us to act upon what gives our life meaning. It is precious. Whatever a person’s particular health challenge may be, the body will get better, when given a chance, because it is designed to create balance. When we are in balance, we are healthy.
Holistic Health Counseling is a critical part of social change. In our world where global warming, issues of resource stewardship and enormous inequities call on our conscience and our will, taking charge of our daily health before chronic conditions set in is part of being a modern day activist.
~Claudia
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