PlanetLightworker - April 2008

Metaphysical 'Cures' For What Ails Us
Metaphysical Diet
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B Y S T E V E N E. H O D E S, M. D.

AS A GASTROENTEROLOGIST, people ask me for diet advice constantly. Whether it's the patients in my practice or people I meet at cocktail parties, everyone wants to know if there is a simple solution to cure weight issues.

Sorry to say, there is no "magic pill" because the solution to the problem of weight control involves understanding the interaction of body, mind and spirit. Even with this awareness, however, it is necessary to understand and examine the practical and scientifically based perspective on managing our weight.

I am not a fan of 'fad' diets. I do not believe that there is evidence that blood type, body type, astrological signs, political affiliations, or sexual preferences will determine which diet to follow. There are basic scientific truths which govern the way our bodies function and we should be aware of them: consumption of more calories than one can expend in physical activity results in weight gain. Conversely, the opposite is true for weight loss.

Certainly there is an element of truth behind the anti-carbohydrate mania we see in today's diets - elevation of blood sugar activates insulin which adds fat to our bodies. But I am not a fan of the extreme version of the Atkins diet in which carbohydrates are regarded as poison. This approach essentially creates an abnormal metabolic state - ketosis.

Per gram of weight, fat contains more calories than protein or carbohydrates. That is why fatty foods make us fatter. Our problem with weight control in this country is actually quite simple to understand - we eat too much! The amount of food we consume at each meal and in between meals equates with an inordinate, inappropriate amount of calories. Those 'diets' for which Americans spend millions of dollars per year - which work essentially - allow us to eat everything, even those 'evil' carbohydrates and fats, just in smaller quantities.

Fiber is my personally favorite recommendation - it is filling, it adds bulk and is a natural 'colon cleanser'. Just be aware, it will also turn us into a natural gas resource!

So if the basic science behind weight control is so simple, why are so many of us overweight? Let me explain:

When we feel energetically depleted - physically, emotionally, spiritually - we often seek to restore our sense of well-being and energy through eating. It is the simplest, most basic of all human activities. Unfortunately, eating food will not restore what we are missing.

First off, in addition to the usual emotional issues that inspired overeating and the increased stress that can make it hard to release weight, people struggling with weight should ask themselves:

Do you suffer from a general malaise and feel too exhausted to make the effort to change?

Do you feel life is without meaning?
Are you depressed and anxious?
Are you in an unfulfilling job or relationship?
Are you worn out by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders - worried about war, peace, politics and terrorism?
Are your own financial worries weighing your down?
Are you having difficulty lifting your frown into a smile without forcing it?
Are you so encumbered with fear and worry that you can only find solace in comfort food and over-eating?

If you answer yes to even one of the above, it is quite possible that you are also suffering from and overload of metaphysical weight. If you are ready to let go of physical and energetic obesity, here is my special metaphysical diet.

Dr. Steve's Prescriptions:

Begin your day with a cup of gratitude. It can be instant, or something you've brewed all night by going to sleep with gratitude in your thoughts and dreams. Awaken with the awareness that this new day is a gift to you. It is an opportunity to transform your self and your life in everyway possible.
Enjoy a plateful of possibility. If you could create a day filled with anything your heart's desires, what would it be? It begins with an empty plate, brimming with the virtual reality of your intention. See what will fulfill your true needs.
Have a spoonful of intention, the metaphysical medicine. Realize that the emptiness that you are trying to fill with food is a sign that you need to examine those aspects of your life that are depleting you of energy - is it time to change jobs, relationships, goals? Or is the problem your attitude about each one of them? Realize that you will never satiate this 'hunger' with food and that it is time to make positive changes and create new intentions. Perhaps it is a portion of beauty, a spoonful of truth or a ladle of compassion that you hunger for. For a moment don't think about anything else.
Fill your bowl with silence. Clear you mind of worries for a moment. Just be still and take in the silence. Eat in silence. Don't speak. Don't turn on the TV or radio or iPod. Don't blast your mind with diverting sounds. Don't be afraid. Allow the time to meditate and still your mind instead of filling your morning with chaos.
Welcome a guest to the table - your spiritual Self. Your spiritual nature is too often pushed aside by the chaos of your mind. The hassles of existence drown out the still, small voice within.We forget what we already know - that we are here in this physical form to experience the difficulties of existence, to be present with them and to use all our skills and resources to move through them . Allow your Higher Self to come to the table and help begin your day with a sense of balance and fullness.
Dig into a plate of possibility. If you could create a day filled with anything your heart's desires, what would it be? It begins with an empty plate, brimming with the virtual reality of your intention.. See what will fulfill your true needs. Perhaps it is a portion of beauty, a spoonful of truth a ladel of compassion.
Take each bite with mindfulness. Stay present as you eat. Be aware of each bite, how your muscles move, how your teeth chew. Be aware of the taste. Don't read, or watch TV or listen to music or even engage in conversation. Feel the food sliding down your throat, into your esophagus, and toward the abyss of your gut. Visualize life-giving energy in each morsel of food. Be aware of each mouthful - feel yourself filling your inner needs with grace and light. You will become aware of how much less food your really need to be satiated. Breathe in and out and pay attention to your breath as well.

Add this mindful approach to your health and weight control program and your will find yourself becoming much slimmer - in mind and body.

Tuesdays With Dr. Steve

Revitalize Your Spirit and Health With the Meta-Physician On Call

Find our more about why we feel sick all the time at the launch of "Tuesday's With Dr. Steve," an ongoing lecture series in Manhattan with Steven E. Hodes, M.D., author of Meta-Physician on Call for Better Health: Metaphysics and Medicine for Mind, Body, and Spirit (Praeger Publishers, 2007). Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 7:00 to 8:30 PM, 242 East 53rd Street, Or enter through the Quest Book Store. Please RSVP to: GreatHealersPR@aol.com. For more information: www.meta-md.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steven E. Hodes, M.D. is a board certified physician with almost 30 years in private practice. His new book, Meta-Physician on Call for Better Health: Metaphysics and Medicine for Mind, Body, and Spirit (Praeger Publishers, 2007) explores the connections between metaphysics, medicine, and healing. Find our more about this topic and other's when you join him for "Tuesday's With Dr. Steve," his free lecture series at Quest Book Store in Manhattan designed to revitalize your soul and help you find a healthier way to look at life! Series begins October 23, 2007. Find out more at www.meta-md.com.