Insights into Holistic Healing

​I used to eat on the run all the time.  I’d grab a Kind Bar as I was leaving the house.  Sometimes, I’d have my breakfast driving to an appointment.  I’d find a few minutes in between seeing patients to gulp down lunch.
 
It’s easy to do and can seem efficient.  Sometimes it may actually make sense.
 
As a habit, it may become problematic. 
 
Here are some of the benefits of sitting down to meals, eating with friends and family & savoring our food.
 
Enjoyment
In addition to adding nutrients to our bodies, food is meant to be taste good & add to our sense of enjoyment.  When we spend  more time eating meals, we experience more pleasurable feelings.
 
Bonding
There are social benefits to eating with family and friends.  No surprise that studies show we bond with people that we break bread with.  Sharing food is one of the oldest and most enduring customs of humankind.
 
Better Digestion
We tend to eat faster when we eat on the run. When we take time to eat, food is more easily broken down with the help of digestive enzymes, leading to less adverse GI symptoms.  We’ll absorb more nutrients and our food will be digested and metabolized more efficiently.
 
Weight Loss
When we eat slower, we give our bodies more time to reach the sensation of fullness.  We’re more aware of when we are no longer hungry, which may make it easier to forego that second helping.
 
Food Quality
When we take time to plan or prepare a meal, we’re more likely to eat healthier foods.  It’s easier to add greens and other veggies to our diet.
 
Gratitude
When we eat with others, we often comment on the taste of our food.  We compliment the chefs and take notice of our favorite dishes.  We build traditions around the foods we love & give thanks for them.
 
You may think that this sounds great.  Still, it may be difficult to embrace eating more slowly & setting aside times for regular meals.
 
Here are some suggestions that can help:

1.  Schedule time on your calendar for breakfast, lunch & dinner.  Even setting aside 15 minutes when you know you’ll eat can be helpful.
2. Count to five every time you take a bite before swallowing your food.
3. Make meal plans with folks you haven’t seen in a while.
4. Create a family meal at least once a day, when you eat with the people you live with.
5. Create monthly or quarterly dinner dates with folks in your community to make planning get togethers easier.
6. Take a moment to notice your senses as you eat.  This will help ground you in the current moment.
   1. Before eating look at the food in front of you.  Notice how it looks to you.
   2. Then take a moment to notice the smell of the food.
   3. Listen for any sounds in the room you’re sitting in.
   4. Notice how your body feels.
   5. Finally, take a bite of your food and notice how it tastes.
7. Then repeat the process, even if it’s just quickly scanning the different senses, until you finish your meal.

 
Let nourishment be a pleasurable experience – one that’s available to all of us.  If you find any of these suggestions to be helpful (or difficult) feel free to send me an email & share your experience.
 
Here’s to healthier eating one bite at a time!

​It feels like summer flew by way to fast.
 
Fortunately, we have the weekend to try and relax a little, regroup & get ready for the fall season.
 
And, we still have those amazing, local, newly harvested produce.
 
It’s a great time to harvest veggies from your garden, get your weekly CSA farm share or stop at a local farm stand to enjoy the wonderful bounty of food we have in our area.
 
Wondering how to turn this produce into yummy, delicious meals?
 
Here are links to some of my favorite summer recipes.
 
Summer in a Bowl
A delicious salad that features both fruits & vegetables.
 
Chicken with Peaches, Red Onion & Basil
Nothing better than slicing perfectly ripe peaches & mixing them with olive oil, vinegar, red onions & fresh basil.
 
Roasted Corn
So easy & so delicious!
 
Quinoa Tabouli
A healthy grain mixed with tomatoes, parsley, cukes & olives.
 
Cucumber & Peanut Salad
I love the salty crunch with the cool cukes.
 
There are other Yummy Healthy Food recipes on my Yummy Healthy Food blog.  I welcome you to try one new healthy recipe as a small way to add nutrients to your diet.
 
If you’re interested in exploring how to enjoy what you eat & eat healthier, there are a few openings in my Yummy Healthy Food Group that begins on September 25th.
 
Happy Labor Day!
 
Bonnie

​We are approaching our national holiday of love. It's a whirlwind of buying flowers and chocolate. I happen to be a card person, and I'm having trouble resisting getting yet one more each time I walk into a store.
 
Lately I've been thinking about an aspect of love that often gets overlooked. This is self-care -- the act of putting time and attention to make sure that YOU are living a healthy and happy life. Self-care is one of the highest forms of love.
 
It took a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for me to wake up to the fact that I was not taking care of myself -- body or spirit. I was working long hours at a job that didn't fulfill me. I was in default mode, doing what I was told to do, not what I really wanted to do.
 
The illness was my body speaking to me, saying that the life I was living wasn't right for me. Because I had limited energy, I had to make choices about what was most important. I had to slow down and listen. In this process, I discovered acupuncture and the idea of living a life in balance. I changed what I was eating, who my friends were and my profession. I got out of a relationship that wasn't right for me.
 
But most of all I started a journey to become and stay healthy. The limited resources that I had went to doctor's visits, acupuncture treatments, psychotherapy and studying acupuncture -- one of the oldest and most widely used health modalities in the world.
 
I learned about these five aspects of health that correspond to the Five Element/Five Organ system that is part of the practice of acupuncture.

• Nourishment -- principles for healthy eating (Spleen/Earth Element)
• Immunity -- using the breath; protection (Lung/Metal Element)
• Resilience -- rootedness; core energy; meditation (Kidney/Water Element)
• Direction -- movement; ability to plan and follow through (Liver/Wood Element)
• Connection -- gratitude, joy, relationships, celebration (Heart/Fire Element)

 
Using these principles my life changed in ways that I could only imagine.

• I found work that I loved.
• I met the man of my dreams.
• I stopped dieting, stopped weighing myself and started eating nutritiously.
• I found a spiritual community that supported me and fed my soul.
• I started spending more time outdoors, cooking, reading and connecting with friends.

 
All these things were acts of self-care. They are things that I continue to practice to this day. Even when I get off course, when things get busy and life gets stressful, these are things that I return to time and time again.
 
Out of this experience came a desire to help other people, possibly you, live healthier and happier lives. If this journey interests you, consider signing up for my Roadmap to Health 6 Week class. This is for you if:

• You want to get healthier, but are not sure where to begin.
• You have tried various diet and exercise programs, but none has stuck.
• You are interested in learning more about Chinese & Japanese medicine.
• You experience pain & are looking for natural solutions.
• You are looking for a group to offer support and encouragement.

 
This class begins on February 19th -- it's been postponed one week due to snow.
 
For more information and to sign-up at a special rate, simply visit me at www.bonniediamond.com/roadmaptohealthspecial
 
This Valentine's Day do something nice for yourself!

Nutrition is a part of the tradition of acupuncture. A balanced diet is considered essential to good health. Eastern nutrition focuses on the energetic qualities of food. Certain foods (like dairy products) cause cold and dampness in the body – both of which weaken the digestive system. Certain foods (like ginger) are warming and help strengthen digestion.
 
When I work with patients around nutrition and weight loss, my approach is fivefold:

1. I’ll teach you to fill your kitchen with real food – the nutritious and delicious kind that sustains and nurtures you.
   
2. I’ll help you get moving at least 30 minutes a day in a way that makes you feel good. Together, we'll find the right exercise plan for you! 
3. We’ll use acupuncture treatments to improve your digestion, reduce your stress and regulate your sleep. All of this leads to EATING LESS, HAVING MORE ENERGY and FEELING BETTER. 
4. I’ll share wisdom from Eastern Nutrition to make sure that you’re eating the right foods for your body. While there are certain fundamental principles of nutrition, there are ways to tweak your diet so that it works best for you. 
5. We’ll create simple affirmations to keep you on track and to make sure you are treating yourself in the most loving way possible. 

I’ll share a weight-loss secret that has helped me take and keep off those few extra pounds.  Eating well and obtaining and maintaining your ideal weight is within your reach.  The wisdom of acupuncture can give you the tools that you need to love and nourish your body for life.

Acupuncture is about balance in the body. One of the best ways to create this is by eating a balanced diet. Healthy foods in your kitchen are the easiest way to accomplish this. Just follow these 5 steps. 
 

Step One: Clean out your pantry and refrigerator  by removing these foods:

• Highly processed grains, which I often refer to as "white foods." These include white bread, white flour, white pasta, etc... They have a high glycemic index which causes blood sugar to spike and drop leaving you hungry for more food.

• Foods with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, which add empty calories to your diet.

• Foods containing partially hydrogenated oils also know as trans fats, which both raise your LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower your HDL ("good") cholesterol.

• Foods with a high sodium content, which contribute to high blood pressure.

• Foods containing chemicals, food coloring, etc... If you don’t understand what is listed in the ingredient list neither does your body.

• Processed meats, which have recently been shown to increase the risk of cancer.

• Dairy products, which Oriental Medicine teaches weaken the digestive system.

• Meat that isn't organic, which contain hormones and antibiotics and other drugs that wreck havoc with your body's ability to heal.

 
Note: If you absolutely cannot throw out food, put these unhealthy foods on one shelf in a cabinet and/or your refrigerator and do NOT replenish them once you have finished eating them.
 
Step Two: Make a list of foods that you use on a regular basis that you want to have in your kitchen at all times. My list looks something like this:

• Healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil

• Vinegars like rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar

• Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, farro, amaranth

• Dried herbs and spices including basil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

• Condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, low-sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce, tomato paste that are organic and free of high fructose corn syrup and chemicals

• Nuts and nut butters  like almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, cashews (I keep these in the freezer where they last longer) and peanut butter, cashew butter and almond butter (I keep these in the refrigerator)

• Broth and sauces like low-sodium chicken broth, low-sodium vegetable broth, pasta sauce

• Healthy beverages like herbal tea, decaf coffee, Roma (coffee substitute), seltzer

• Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and fruit juice to use in moderation

• Healthy snacks like Kashi bars, whole wheat pretzels, healthy crackers, nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate

• Produce like lemons, limes, garlic, ginger, scallions, onions, shallots, greens, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli

• Healthy proteins like soy cheese, tofu, tempeh, eggs, organic chicken, fish

 
Step Three: Plan your week's meals.
These should be based on real food -- no chemicals, hormones or additives. In thinking about menus keep this in mind: vegetables and fruits should take up half your plate, grains one quarter of your plate and healthy proteins one quarter.
 
Step Four: Make a grocery list
Include any items on the list of foods that you use on a regular basis that you don’t have. You’ll want to restock these when you run out. Add whatever additional foods you’ll need for the week's meals.
 
Step Five: Go grocery shopping.
Buy ONLY the items on your list. Go food shopping after you have eaten and are not hungry.
 
Repeat steps three through five each week. You’ll be feeling fabulous in no time at all.
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