Prevention thru Good Digestion

A few weeks ago I pulled out Eating Alive, Prevention thru good Digestion by Dr. Jonn Matsen, N.D., to get the correct spelling for a student. I had been stressing to them it was important to create good eating habits for building a relationship between function and food. For me it is more important than increasing the information overload of facts and ideas. I experience one as experiential learning and the other is upon words and ideas. One is easily integratable, calming and creates new habits while the other creates overwhelm and increases rules, blocks and moral judgements. One is physical and the other mental focused.

What I love about this book, Eating Alive, is the Author is from my own Province of B.C. It was suggested to me in the 80’s by a Naturopath in Prince George, whose opinion at that time was my estrogen level was too high. I had gone to this Doctor for something completely different and his first diagnosis was based on my appearance and energy. I worked in an executive hotel and wore heels, makeup and cute outfits with scarves. My hair and nails were done every few days which I believe added to the image of too much estrogen. He was dressed in Trekking clothes with Birkenstocks and went white water rafting every weekend. What he didn’t know or couldn’t have known was I had just gotten out of a long term relationship that had been draining and was enlivened by some of the best sex I have experienced in a new, younger relationship. Since then I have come to consider how connections in relationships can interact with our hormone levels. At that time I was living it!

Regardless, I followed his advice and tried Dr. Matsens program. Looking back I am pleased I did as it has given me an experiential reference point that is different than the current trends and emotional reactions to this overload of information.

This program gave me back my food responsibility and choices to experience empowerment or disempowerment. It provided the shift of perspective that cultivated awareness of how to focus attention on the reactions to what I ate. I no longer tell myself stories about my diet or seek outside solutions. It’s all about getting out of the head and focusing on inner experiences and taking action. There is no quick cure or answer.

It’ requires an inner shift of commitment to take the effort to do the work to create the landscape that is needed to come into alignment with physical function and choice. There is no pill or outside solution. Change is the only way for new healthy habits to form.

Now in others I can experience their reactions when staying in the mental quest of looking outside of themselves for answers and solutions. The information overload seems adds fuel to their emotions that is reactionary keeping them from making any concrete changes. I am grateful to have had this grounding educational experience which taught me how to focus my attention on the somatic experience that supported me to become my own best expert.

What would I say to the Naturopath that assessed me as having too much estrogen if it happened now. I would say back to him, let me enjoy my femininity and request he check in first before making an assessment based upon his filters. His perspective dimmed the feelings of inner aliveness through his choice of language and lack of listening. Over the years I have discovered he was a false authority.