Food Addiction and Why Diets Don't Work

Have you tried dieting repeatedly but can't overcome the urge to overeat? Do you feel like you are "never full"?

You could have a hungy ghost.

In the world of spirit, like attracts like. Disembodied beings, (dead people), who are very attached to food, will resist going on to the light after death. Instead, they search for humans that they can hook up with in order to share the enjoyment of meals. But, these boogies can't bother just anyone. You already have to have a tendency to use food as your drug of choice in order for them to be attracted to you.

Does this sound grim to you? Look at it this way. When these beings were alive, their favorite activity was eating. To them, this is heaven...snacks, steaks, donuts, chips, cookies. So why would they want to leave this behind when they die? Rather, they find a like-minded friend to share their favorite hobby.

So how does food addiction start? Food, especially carbs, cause chemicals to be released in the body which are soothing and comforting. These chemicals work to calm you down and make you feel more content. If you have a lot of unresolved emotional issues from your childhood, or past lives, these can be stored in the gut. This creates kind of a "black hole" which wants to be filled with something. Some people choose relationships to fill this void, others choose drugs. Some of us use food. Unfortunately, this type of void also attracts spirits who are also addicted to food. Having one of these ride piggyback on you can create an even stronger craving to eat.
So, how to work through this? You can use prayer, or a ceremony to release unwanted spirits. Fasting can also get rid of these beings. You can also use the services of a shaman type healer to cleanse the aura and cast out spirits.

Once you are cleansed, don't diet. Diet is deprivation and those who have a hole in their gut already feel deprived. Instead, focus on feeling healthier. Choose foods every day to add to your regimen which give you more vitality. Eat snack foods as rewards for adding healthier stuff to your menu plan. And, you must move your body. Don't concentrate on losing weight. Focus on gaining strength and muscle. Find a form of exercise that you like. Exercising with others in aerobics, pilates, or yoga classes is excellent for beginners, as you will want and need encouragement. If nothing else, get up every day and walk before you do anything else.
Get counseling for that emptiness you feel. Counseling will help you find ways to fill yourself up with positive words and affirmations. It will teach you to eliminate toxic relationships which drag you down.

Also, investigate what is the best food plan for you. Which foods lift your energy, and which ones cause it to spiral down? I encourage you to seek out and get the help you need, and pray, that God will lead you to those who can best be of assistance to you.

For questions about this article, or to schedule a Health Consultation, email Eileen at eileenadairh@yahoo.com

What Herbs Do I Take?

When we first begin to take responsibility for our own health, we frequently turn to remedies from the earth, versus chemicals that "control" our symptoms.
But where do we start? How do we know which herbs to take?
There is a lot of misinformation out there, unfortunately, which is designed to scare us away from taking natural remedies. There are media reports about "dangerous" reactions to herbs and supplements, created to keep us from exploring nature's remedies.

The truth is, that herbs and supplements are so safe that there are only a handful of documented cases of adverse reactions to natural cures, whereas literally thousands of people every year die from adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals. Negative reports about herbs are highly exaggerated and inflated in order to help the "health industry", ie the "pharmaceutical industry" rake in the profits from their poisons.

Read http://curezone.com/art/read.asp?ID=82&db=5&C0=13 to get the facts about our current system of medicine.

So where do you start in choosing herbs? First, avoid companies with highly expensive products that make fantastic claims. Most herbs work more slowly, and need to be taken over time to improve health.

Go to the local library, and do a little research on herbs, or buy a handbook which you can use at home. There are many good reference books on the market to assist you in choosing what you need. Or, you can just buy an herbal tea, tincture or capsule and start taking it. Pick a reliable brand which has been around for a while. Organic herbs are best. Some very safe and energy building herbs are gotu kola, siberian ginseng, alfalfa, fo-ti, and gingko biloba.
If you take the herb as a tea, first notice whether you have a flower, stem, leaf, or root. Roots should be boiled over a low heat in a glass, stainless steel, or ceramic pot. Twenty minutes is about the right time. Let cool, and strain.

Stems and leaves for the most part can be boiled very lightly, then allowed to sit for a few minutes before drinking.

Flowers, however, should not be boiled. Water should be poured over them, they should sit five to ten minutes before they are strained and the tea consumed.

Herbs can be taken as tinctures also, but these preparations are stronger, consult an herbalist before use.

Herbs in capsule form are easy to take. If you have a specific illness which you want to treat, first consult your reference book or a naturopathic professional. There are many herbal combinations on the market which treat a variety of illnesses. I find that the best ones are the Chinese formulas, particularly Golden Flower brand.

If you have specific question about herbs, email Eileen at eileenadairh@yahoo.com

Health Consultations

To schedule a Health Consultation session with Eileen Hetherington, email at eileenadair@yahoo.com.

Food is Alive

So many of us want more energy and vitality. We take supplements and exercise regularly, but still feel draggy and tired. Some of us turn to diets and particular foods to help us feel better. We hear about this or that "miracle" food which will give all kinds of benefits. We change our diets, and try raw food, or macrobiotics, or a high protein intake. However, the secret to food and vitality is within you.

The fact is, that all of us are unique.There is no one diet or style of eating that is right for everyone. The trick is to find the right combination of foods that is health-producing for you. The best way to learn what foods are good for you is to listen to your body. Eat a meal, and then pay attention to how you feel. Are you energized afterwards? Cranky? Sleepy? Too full?Your body will tell you immediately if you are right or wrong in what you eat.There are some general rules to follow in understanding food and health.

First....there are dead foods and there are live foods, and there are some in-between.The most vital food you can consume is fresh picked organic produce that you grow yourself.It is full of energy from the sun and the earth, which is transformed into life for your body.Further down the chain is supermarket produce, which may be coated with wax, pesticides, and dyes, and even preservatives, which can prolong it's freshness, but which cut down on it's nutritional value.

After fresh food is steamed or baked vegetables. The cooking process destroys valuable enzymes that your body needs for digestion and vitality. However lightly steaming, stir frying, or baking is not as detrimental to the food as is boiling it in water or deep frying.For most people, we need a balance between cooked and fresh vegetables. Too much raw food can cause gas and indigestion, as the stomach is a furnace which thrives on heat, while raw foods are "cold" to the stomach and can be harder to digest.

Cooked food lacks enzymes and fiber, as well as the vitamins which are lost in the cooking process. Whole grains are healthful, but grains should be consumed in moderation, as overconsumption can lead to blood sugar problems and yeast infections. Meats are necessary for most people, but in moderation, and be choosy, avoid fatty pork and beef. Also, most commercial meat producers feed the animals recycled meat remains from butchering operations, these are mixed in with the regular feed. This is not a natural food for these animals, as they are grazers and in nature will consume grasses. This affects the quality and vitality of the beef. Also, they are fed a chemical coctail to make them yield more meat, antibiotics, hormones, etc. All of these go into our bodies when we consume beef. There are companies which produce beef from grass-fed animals, these are lower in fat and higher in nutrients.

Dairy is also problematic, as most commercial milk is full of antibiotics, hormones, and bacteria. Also, once milk is cooked, "pasteurized", the enzymes which are naturally present are destroyed. These enzymes are what enable you to digest the milk. This is what leads to so-called "lactose intolerance" which is actually an intolerance to cooked milk. Most raw milk is perfectly safe, and more and more people are turning to natural dairy producers to avoid being poisoned by the additives in most commercial dairy products. Some good dairy products include organic kefir, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, and raw milk cheese. Avoid low fat milk products, as the calcium in the milk cannot be assimilated in the body without the fat that is naturally present in the milk. Mother nature always knows best.

Raw nuts are a good source of protein and healthy oils, however, once the nut is cooked or roasted in any way, the oils in the nut become indigestible and unhealthy. Speaking of oils, the only "healthy" oils are cold pressed. Most supermarket oils are superheated and injected with hydrogen, rendering them poisonous and dangerous. This type of processing ensures a long shelf life for the manufacturers, but hydrogenated oil is one of the worst "foods" that you can put into your body. These oils are in the category of dead foods, as they degrade the life energy. Cook with cold pressed organic oils like olive oil, and, butter is ok, in moderation. Avoid margarine, another "dead" food.

Other dead foods include white sugar, which is overprocessed to the point of being a chemical, and white flour, which is devoid of nutritional value, and highly constipating. Soft bread from the supermarket is dead, as are most products found in the middle aisles, in cans, boxes, and bottles. Food with a long shelf life, for the most part, is denatured, and highly salted or sugared. Chemicals are added to enhance flavor and colors. Monosodium glutamate is found in a very high percentage of supermarket foods, and manufacturers are not required to list it on the label.

For information on the dangers of MSG, read this excellent article:http://www.rense.com/general52/msg.htm

Artificial sweeteners are another dead food, and there has been much written about the health problems associated with their use. Particularly dangerous is nutrasweet, which has been implicated in seizures, brain tumors, parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune disorders such lupus erythematosis and scleroderma. To share a personal story, a very good friend of mine called me in tears over her deteriorating health. She worked in an office, and to stay alert, she drank a large quantity of diet coke daily. For many months she had been suffering from stiffness in her hands, difficulty breathing, weakness in her muscles, and weight gain. She had just returned from a doctor visit with a diagnosis of lupus. She was terribly ill and so weak she couldn't work. For months I had been urging her to give up the diet coke, and finally, she was ready to listen. I put her on a program of blood cleansing herbs, and adjusted her diet to include foods that would detoxify her body. Within two months she was back at work, and, magically, the "lupus markers" in her blood tests had completely disappeared. For an excellent site relating the dangers of nutrasweet, click here:http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

Ok, so now we know what not to eat, so what is healthy? Raw, steamed or lightly stir fried vegetables should make up a good majority of the diet, along with a good amount of healthy proteins, such as fish, chicken, raw milk products, raw nuts, beans and brown rice, avocadoes, and organically raised beef. Free range eggs are also acceptable. Whole grains and raw fruit are good also, but in small amounts. Fruits and grains should not be eaten together at the same meal, however, as this can cause digestive fermentation. Raw foods or soup should be eaten as a first course. Fruit should be eaten either with protein, or by itself as a snack. Avoid tap water, it is full of poisons, including fluoride, which is an industrial manufacturing by-product. Click here for a fascinating article about the fluoride myth:

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/fluoride.htm

Use sucanat or raw honey as a sweetener, molasses and sorghum are acceptable also. First thing in the morning, drink either some herbal tea or a glass of water, and eat a raw carrot. This routine flushes out the system from accumulated toxins. Brown rice eaten daily will keep your bowels regular, and strengthen your immune system. Avoid cold food in the morning, like cereal and milk. This is very hard on the stomach, which needs something warm and easily digested in order to help it work properly.

These are some guidelines to follow to enjoy good health. Remember, everyone is different, so listen to your body and adjust your diet accordingly.

Questions about this article, or to schedule a health consultation, email Eileen at eileenadairh@yahoo.com

Water Healing

Water therapy is a wonderful relaxing means of restoring health and cleansing the mind and spirit. Often overlooked here in the states, Europeans have used water healing for centuries.

Native Americans use the Sweat Lodge for spiritual and physical cleansing. A homemade sauna/prayer ceremony, the Sweat Lodge uses elements from the earth to assist in the process. Stones are heated in a fire, and then water is poured over them to create steam This is experienced in a dome shaped enclosure, and is a natural way to use the cleansingproperties of steam. Click on the following link for a lovely description of the sweat lodge experience. http://bearspiritvision.com/sweatlodge.htm

For a channeled article on the spiritual properties of water, click on the following link: http://sevenstars61.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_sevenstars61_archive.html

Because we Americans often overindulge in food and drink, our bodies accumulate toxins which periodically need to be released.We take supplements and eat foods to build us up, but we forget that our bodies also need to discard unneeded toxic buildup. Releasing waste materials that accumulate in the organs, blood stream, and colon, is highly important to our well-being.How is this best accomplished?

First, it is good to have a few tools on hand.Any well-stocked health food store will carry skin cleansing materials. Purchase an ayate cloth, which is an excellent exfoliator and skin cleanser. This is woven from the fibers of a cactus plant, and make a terrific washcloth. It can be tossed into the washing machine and re-used.Purchase Epsom Salts and or mineral salts such as Batherapy products. Some people use natural clays, which also can be obtained from the health food store, but don't add too much of these, as they can sometimes be hard on the plumbing. An exfoliating scrub can be used with the ayate cloth, and helps remove the layers of dead cells on the skin. Remember, the skin is your largest organ of elimination, and must periodically be scrubbed so that toxins can be released.

Finally, aromatherapy oils such as sandalwood, rosemary, bergamot or lavender are very healing and soothing to the spirit. Use only real essential oils. Run the bath as usual, and add the mineral salts. When you are in the bath, add the essential oils. A few drops will do. Remember, some essential oils can be irritating to the skin, and should not be used in a bath. Consult a reference first. Use a quarter to a half cup of salts in the water, and soak at least twenty minutes to get the full benefit. Exfoliate with the ayate cloth and make sure to cover every surface of the body. Afterwards, shower briefly to remove any remaining debris. These deeply cleansing baths should be taken at least twice a month.

Another healing use of water is through hydrotherapy, which can be experienced at healing spas and massage centers.They will use varying hot and cold showers, clay wraps, saunas, and other modalities to cleanse and heal the body.If you have never tried these, please take a weekend off sometime and treat yourself. You will come away feeling more refreshed and relaxed than you have in years.

Enjoy water, nature's most comforting healer.