What it really means and why it’s all about energy!
This time of year, the media is stuffed with articles about food, recipes, and, of course, dieting. In the, Nov. 19, 2015 NYTimes magazine there was an article, “Mind What You Eat” focused on intuitive eating. (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/mind-what-you-eat/?_r=0) Basically, the article reported a study showing that calorie counting and exercise lead to more weight loss than intuitive eating. Understandably, the intuitive eating faithful responded with a flood of comments sharing that the intuitive eating approach has helped them overcome all kinds of eating issues and become healthier. Intuitive eating isn’t just about weight loss.
I think eating intuitively may involve more than the intuitive eating movement offers. I wrote a comment to the NYTimes explaining my view. Here it is:
“The move towards “intuitive” eating is a promising response to the usual guilt inducing, restrictive, fear and shame based dieting programs. However, Intuitive Eating as described in intuitiveeating.org is not really based on intuition. In order to have eating become truly intuitive, you have to receive and respond to the communication between your body and food. This ability is beyond the mind, yet it is doable because everything is energy. According to Chinese Medicine, the essence or energy of many foods directly support our internal organs (eg, walnuts help the Kidneys). If you awaken your ability to listen to the messages your organs send (this is intuition), then when your Kidneys, say, need extra support, you’ll know to eat these foods. In the Chinese Medical tradition, Qigong has been used for thousands of years to help us deepen our connection to nature, increase energy, promote good health and develop intuition. I am a psychologist and student of Chinese Medicine. I teach a Qigong program, The Dragon’s Way, developed by Master Nan Lu. In 6 weeks, this program helps build energy, reduce stress, improve organ function, heal many health conditions, and enables weight loss without guilt, restriction or fear. I am comfortable with the claim that many of our students are truly eating–and living–intuitively after they do the Dragon’s Way.”
On the way to learning to eat intuitively, it helps begin by learning to eat until you’re 70% full, drink only when you’re thirsty, don’t eat late at night, and start learning to see food as a key link to universal Qi and love. Look at each food and become more aware of how much of nature’s wisdom it has processed, and how much cooperation was required in order for it to reach your plate. And by all means, enjoy eating!
