Featured Discussion:
FOOD, MOOD, and ATTITUDE
by Kristi Langerak, BS

Food is the basis for our existence. We eat to sustain our bodies, which in turn gives us the energy necessary to function.to move our limbs, walk, and talk. It also determines our minds' ability to think clearly. Anybody who is working on manifesting a dream knows how important it is to think clearly.

On a more sublime level, the foods we eat affect our energy system, which has the power to bring our mood up or down. Therefore, the basis of our existence is more then filling our stomach up with fodder; it is about filling our being up with life force energy. We do this by eating fresh whole foods that beaming with this energy to begin with thus we take this energy into us.

Self-destructive patterns often go unseen. They become glossed over by our accomplishments and overshadowed by emotional reactions. To make lifestyle changes that lead to better health, we must uncover the unseen destructive patterns that ultimately rule our lives, and shed light on what has been hidden. This involves understanding how our moods influence our emotions, and how clearing the "emotional body" dissolves these unseen patterns. To begin this process, follow a few simple techniques through which you will begin to gain powerful insights into removing blocks and restoring health.

· First, become aware of your emotional eating patterns. Do you deprive yourself of nourishment or stuff your feelings with food? Being too busy to eat is a form of deprivation. Begin to notice if you are not taking a break because the project is simply not being good enough or not at the right point to stop. This will give you a glimpse into your patterning and reasoning.
· Second, begin to notice things like the time of day you eat and how it effects on your mood. Keep a journal to track your moods; simply making a note on a calendar works. Tip: Eating a light lunch high in protein is a great way to avoid that sleepy afternoon feeling. Also never skip breakfast or you may end up overeating later in the day to make up for the missing calories.
· Third, make small adjustments at the emotional level, which will lead to larger adjustments in our physical response to eating. For example: Notice how you feel after eating a piece of cake. Do you begin to judge yourself and put yourself down? If so chances are you will reach for another piece or deprive yourself in a form of punishment.

Each emotion feeds into another emotion. However, if you simply stop, and actually taste the cake as you eat it, you may find that you can simply enjoy it, thus the feelings you are triggering will be feelings of contentment. These feelings of contentment are likely to cause you to eat less cake in the future, and not to binge as a form of punishment. Feeling these emotional undercurrents as they happen is the key to choosing a positive action instead of reacting and deprive your self of nourishment throughout the day.

Your body is the silent keeper of your soul. Your mind is the bridge between vision and action. Understanding food and mood is essential to bringing your dreams into fruition.

You have a long journey ahead of you. Begin now to uncover emotional responses to stress in your life and create vibrant pathways to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Take time to uncover what has been hidden, and make the emotional adjustments that lead to a healthier lifestyle filled with vibrant energy and wellbeing, and along the way nourish your mind, body, and spirit with good food and a healthy attitude.