BELIEFS, FEARS & CHANGE
“Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack”
Changing to a new “diet”, by changing the type of food we eat, the way we eat or how we prepare food by cooking or not cooking often comes with some resistance, we often believe that something might be too much of a change, or habits are hard to break or believe that it will not taste very good, or it will not bring enough satisfying feelings or any benefits, or that it will not make any difference or it is too expensive, too much work, and so on , the list could be endless.
First of all the word “diet” has a negative feeling attached to it because people associate it with something difficult where they have to deprive themselves of what they think they like. But when I mean diet, I really mean a “way of life” by adding in more of the healthy “stuff” which your intelligent body knows that it is good “stuff” and your body will eventually give you the right signals that it will want more of the same.
Regarding taste, most things we eat & drink is learned by acquired taste, so if you start eating more fruit instead of just fried sausages, then your taste buds need a little time to adjust, but you will know how much more refreshed you will feel after a few pieces of fruit instead of a few fried sausages. Many people also say; “Yes but all the organic foods are too expensive and all those so called superfoods are too expensive, I cannot afford that”. Indeed some of the foods are more expensive than the highly-processed, prepared meals, but you get more value for money in the long term and you do not stack up chemicals and toxins in the body which will wear you down. Personally, I see it that processed packaged foods or non-organic fruits and vegetables are cheaper because there is less nutritional value in it and more pesticides and chemicals leaving your health to pay a higher price eventually.
Quality plant-based foods will give you so much more in subtle ways as in what energy you will radiate and the clarity of mind you will get to make better choices and attract better circumstances. Especially once you add-in more superfoods like Raw Cacao, Goji berries, Aloe vera, Hemp, chlorella, Kelp and much more, there is a massive list when you look into it. Superfoods, give so much more essential life-enhancing nutrients, vitamins & minerals per square inch than any piece of meat or dairy combined. Most of the plant-based foods and superfoods come in a better bio-available form to the body than cooked meat or dairy for example. And contrary to the common belief; many of the plant-based foods available do have a lot of protein, iron, B12 and calcium, as covered in part one of the book.
Then of course there is also the whole world of medicinal mushrooms, herbs, herbal tonics and remedies to complement a plant-based eating plan. Herbs and what they can do for your health, is a specialised subject and I recommend you learn more about the amazing benefits of herbs through a qualified herbalist.
I don’t eat any meat or dairy products myself and I have gradually replaced processed foods with fresh raw organic plant-based food and I have reduced cooked food to a minimum. Since I started my new approach to health and nutrition, I have no health deficiencies whatsoever and I now feel all body processes are functioning in an optimized balance. I do believe that I now am in a much better physical shape than most people in their mid-forties.
Investing a bit more in quality foods, whenever you can, is truly an investment in yourself. And real superfoods, give real satisfaction, that’s a promise (try the cake recipe in chapter Versatile Foods, Superfoods & Juices).
When you buy bigger quantities of healthy natural foods in bulk and shop around especially in farmers markets then you can get good deals so it does not need to be more expensive than regular foods. But even if you pay a bit more you invest in yourself, the organic producer and in the environment (less pesticides, fertilizers, chemicals, additives, preservatives, colorants and so on). Or simply start by producing some of your own super healthy foods, like growing sprouts and wheatgrasses, a packet of seeds is very cheap and they grow as fast as lightening.
Basically start putting your money where your mouth is. As you start enhancing your health, energy and well-being with a healthier diet, you will start making more quality decisions, which will help you to buy more quality rich foods. It’s almost like as if, when you remineralise your body properly it becomes richer in health, then you also start to attract more riches in wealth.
Beliefs play a big part in your choices and action towards your destiny. We often believe that there is not much we can change about ourselves and how we will grow in life. We often put it off like saying it is in our genes, based on the genes you inherited from your parents, and blame it on the parents, end of story…. But the study of epigenetics has made it very clear that “Genes” are not something fixed and unchangeable inside us. Gene expression is greatly influenced by environment (inside the body and outside the body, mentally and physically). The study of epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression other than the underlying DNA sequence, so not only through the family line, but also other than that…, from the Greek “epi” which means; over, outer, above, other etc.
We are not only influenced by our genes as units of information inherited from our parents to build and maintain our cells but we are strongly influenced by our thoughts and actions, what we drink and eat and the health state of our inner body and the environment we operate in. So if you thought that your genes are the main thing that determines how you develop, think again, we have a big effect on our development ourselves.
Let’s look at the word GENE, we find it in genes, genome, generation, re-generation, degeneration and so on. We can look at it from the traditional medical view as a fixed, “preprogrammed” inherited part in our body & cell structure, or maybe we can look at some other views of the word Gene? What if the word Gene we use originally comes from the word Genie as in the Latin word Genius? Genius originally means; a sort of guardian spirit, thought to be assigned to each person at their birth. Or maybe is comes from the Arabic word “jinni”, like the Genie in a bottle that grant us all the wishes. The Arabic word root, written as “g-n-n”, means to hide, or conceal, a word for garden or paradise. Or “ginn” as spirit and something concealed through time, status end even physical darkness.
So you can choose whichever you believe in. The traditional medical understanding of Genes as being fixed and pre-programmed for your development or the study of epigenetics that the environment and what we add into our body influences the gene receptors just as much and determines their expression and thus how you develop. Or you can look at the various thoughts on the origin of the word Gene - Genie and decide that you have your own “Genie” concealed inside you, your own power to create from within your own inner paradise and just have to let it out of the bottle so to speak to be able to influence yourself more on how you grow and develop in life and what you manifest.
It does not matter what you believe of the above, as long as what you believe is “useful” for you to move forward, creating a happy, healthy and harmonious life.
If you believe you are right or wrong or if you think you can or cannot, you are usually right. What beliefs are useful? Will your beliefs help you move forward and improve your life for the better or will they keep you stuck in a rut? Any belief can be changed. What you believe you often don’t question and we only tend to see what supports and reinforces our belief. This usually happens un-consciously, deep in our subconscious, which makes us go through life with blinkers on.
What you believe sets the stage for what you think, how you will act and thus; what kind of results you will attract in your life. To change this process we more often have to question what we believe and allow others to question what we believe so we can see and feel outside our trusted “comfort zone”. It is good to open your mind to see things differently, as practitioners of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) will state; “the map is not the territory”. We all see reality in a different way depending on how we represent it to ourselves through our five senses (or for some it might be six…).
Our perceptions, beliefs and actions also are very much dependant on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual state we are in. This state is directly influenced by the type and quality of the food and drink we choose to take in.
The way we see the world and how we live in that world is much based on the beliefs we have created for ourselves and based on beliefs that have been installed by others since our birth. So it is healthy to question and re-evaluate beliefs on a regular basis, because then you open up for new information, knowledge and experiences which will create new beliefs and a new “truth” from which you operate and attract new results.
To bring this back to the subject of food and diet again, what you eat and drink depends for a big part on your beliefs, experiences and cultural upbringing and what you have been eating and drinking on a regular basis throughout your life. Try experimenting with some new foods or eating / drinking habits and adding in more, raw uncooked plant-based foods for a while. Without any pre-judgement and see how it feels, how useful it is and the effect it has on you. Change your experience, your knowledge and create a new “truth” for yourself.
“Try a thing you haven’t done three times.
Once, to get over the fear of doing it.
Twice, to learn how to do it.
And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.”
In general, our biggest obstacles in life are our own self-created fears. We can become our own worst enemy by the way we look at things and how we decide to perceive it. Often we unconsciously create a fear about something which is; “False Evidence Appearing Real”. It is important to sometime take a step back first, to look at new information or situations from a different perspective. Then ask yourself; is it useful and is it leading you to where you want to go and who you want to become in the best possible way?!
Let us not be held back by fears of change or limiting beliefs. Adopt a “fearless vision “, moving forward in your chosen direction, with passion, clarity and determination.
Magnificent Eagle in the forest of Sitka, Alaska.
While I tried to get closer and closer with my camera it sat perfectly calm and fearless in the tree.
With a peripheral vision it scanned the environment, once giving me a sharp, determined look to let me know that I had approached close enough. I did not argue with the Eagle about that…
Allow your own light to shine freely and take positive action without any resistance that might hold you back. We have a kind of an inside radar telling us what feels good and what feels bad, if it feels good then go, if it feels bad then stop, it works just like a traffic light. Too often we get stuck in our own mind and we do not interpret properly the good and bad feelings created within. Feel more from within and learn to follow those feelings, learn to follow your inner guidance or intuition. See life as an ocean of energy, possibility and abundance to manifest and create your own happiness, well-being and bliss.
Tell yourself a more positive story until you believe it, act on it and see it as your new truth. Gradually drop what’s limiting you and start focusing on the possibilities. Do some less analysing and some more experimenting and action taking. Work on your strengths instead of weaknesses. See what works and is useful for you instead of what other people might think or say. Spend less time and energy on “reviving” negative events of the past, instead spend some more time visualising future positive events, while remaining firmly grounded and aware of the present. Imagine what you want and set the intention to make it happen.
Sometimes you just have to let go of the “old” you are holding on to and help your brain in accepting new habits more easily by vivid imagination. Use all your senses and create your own positive “memories” in advance and let yourself be drawn into that new behaviour or image of yourself. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt; “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are “, in the here and now. Then you will move forward with more ease and grace and all will fall in place.
“Life is not about finding yourself, but creating yourself”
We create ourselves and our future every day, in every moment. One of the most direct and effective ways to create a compelling and stimulating future for the Body, Mind & Spirit is to create ourselves with the use of the best possible Thoughts, Foods & Water.