Let Food be Your Medicine

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said, “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.”

Many of my Body Image Mastery clients have grown to think of food as fuel, and while that is a huge improvement over how we sometimes treat what we eat – as a friend, a lover, a comforter, or a reward -- the truth is that Hippocrates was still much closer to the mark.

Food is not just energy – this is evidenced on every nutritional label on every package we buy every day. “Potential” fuel is noted on all of those labels (called calories). But the rest of the nutritional content contains important information about the “medicine” our bodies require to stay healthy. In some instances, this even goes beyond everyday vitamins and nutrients, and encompasses what we call nutraceuticals -- medicinal foods to be exact. Red grape products for heart disease and soluble fiber (like oatmeal) to lower cholesterol, broccoli as a cancer preventative, and even more sophisticated “foods” like flax seeds to promote alpha-linolenic acid. (Flax seed could actually have its own article here; it is purported to reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even assist with healthy weight management.) And we all know the long-touted benefits of garlic.

The point is that there’s more involved here than just fuel. So how do we make sure that we are getting enough of the good stuff? A simple, life-saving tip is to make sure you are eating food that is alive – after all, you are what you eat! Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables – at least five times a day, along with complex carbohydrates (like brown rice or Yankee Bean Soup) are a great start. And remember that moving is an important part of a strong body. No one can stay fit sitting at a desk all day and “relaxing” by the tube all night. Get out and play! Use those calories to hike, bike and dance the night away!

Sit down today and write your own healthy plan for great food and fun exercises in June. Start your summer off right, and you can write your own customized prescription for longevity and be healthy and strong for decades to come.

You deserve it!

Finally, if you’re ready to change what you eat and how you live, my 12-week pilot program, Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss) begins Tuesday, June 24, 2008. This is the only time that I will personally coach the participants through the course (all the more reason to check it out now). The course includes a workbook to support permanent transformational change, along with an added surprise to promote structure and balance among the other participants for all twelve weeks. Participants are interviewed and selected for this course, so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move forward – with nothing standing in your way!

Remember, health is wealth.

Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Laura@LauraFenamore.com