Nourishment for the mind, body, and soul
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I am Lesley. This is my story.
Food is healing, food is energy, and food is delicious. Feeding your body is a way of showing yourself you care. Food is pure nourishment. My path to health has been rooted in the philosophy of "food as medicine" and to a great extent, attention to mindfulness. I can't say I have reached my optimal health, but I can say I am on my way and I know what it takes to get there. This hasn't always been the case... In 2011, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. This came as shocking news as I had never heard the word Celiac in my life. What does this mean, I though, other than having to go gluten-free and kiss the pasta, french bread, and beer goodbye? I started doing my research and discovered the seriousness of Celiac disease, an auto-immune disorder that causes the body to attack its own intestinal lining in response to eating foods containing gluten. This prevents optimal absorption of nutrients and causes other visible and invisible harm to the body. In my case, I suffered from digestive trouble, low body weight, acne, amenorrhea, and discovered osteopenia in my spine. |
"First do no harm." |
After cutting gluten out of my diet cold turkey, I noticed some relief from my symptoms; my skin cleared up and the horrible gas subsided. And when I say horrible gas, I mean I could have killed an army let alone cleared a room... I was a walking stink bomb! How lady-like is that?! Giving up gluten was worth the pain of keeping all that toxicity inside me under extreme amounts of pressure! But the bloating, diarrhea, stomach aches, itchy dry skin, brain fog, etc. lingered on. Something wasn't right but I didn't know what to do next. My diet has always been focused on healthy foods, so what else could I do? I saw a gastroenterologist and was advised to undergo an upper endoscopy (where the doctor shoves a camera down your throat while you're sleeping to look at the condition of your GI tract). Clearly seeing a specialist would lend some answers, right...? Wrong. "Everything looks good," he said, and suggested I started eating gluten again to see if the signs of Celiac came back... Which meant another endoscopy and more harm to by body. I'll save you from the rage I'd like to express here and keep it simple.... I said, "No. Thank you, " and never went back. Frustrated and worried, I turned to acupuncture and naturopathic medicine in search of help.
"Never before did I think my nervous energy, my fear of failure, and desire to be the very best I could be for my own personal satisfaction were wreaking havoc on my digestive track.
I began to understand who I really was, deep inside."
I began to understand who I really was, deep inside."
I started telling my story from the top to my new set of "alternative healthcare" practitioners who were looking at my situation from a much, much broader perspective. They helped me realize I had a strong mind-stomach connection; never before did I think my nervous energy, my fear of failure, and desire to be the very best I could be for my own personal satisfaction were wreaking havoc on my digestive track. I began to understand who I really was, deep inside. I also uncovered poor eating and health habits and other food allergies – including dairy, sesame, and tapioca – that prevented recovery. Addressing these issues was challenging… Eating on the go, always rushed and stress out; over-working, mindless eating; eating what tastes good and not necessarily good for me; learning how to avoid my "new" food allergens (you wouldn't believe how many items on the grocery store shelf contain tapioca, everything from rice crackers to coconut yogurt!)… These were not easy habits to break or obstacles to overcome. Regardless, I made a new commitment: to show myself TLC.
Developing true love and respect for myself and my body has not been a simple task, and it’s something I have to work on every day. It’s easier to walk the familiar path of old habits, one that often neglects the wisdom of the body, but it feels so much better to practice loving kindness for myself, and that’s the true reward. I practice the philosophy of “food as medicine” and now understand the power in this approach to healing. Our bodies are like vehicles, the coach that carries our mind and our spirit. To keep our vehicle running smoothly, it needs the proper fuel. If we never bother to pay attention to the check engine light, we'll wind up broken down by the side of the road. So, through nourishing food, mindfulness, and a sincere love for ourselves, we can assure our vehicles (yes, our bodies) last 200,000 + miles and we achieve the physical, mental, and spiritual health (and wealth) we long for. In short, take care of your body and it will take care of you.
Knowledge is power, and so knowing a dash about quality food choices and a handful about your body is a recipe for long-term, exuberant health. I am here to offer support and help you set achievable goals as you find your own path to health. If you have any questions regarding diet options, food allergies, gluten, Celiac disease, stress management,.... or would just like a sincere set of ears to listen to your story of dis-ease (thank you for reading mine), I’m here to help in any way I can.
In health and happiness,
Developing true love and respect for myself and my body has not been a simple task, and it’s something I have to work on every day. It’s easier to walk the familiar path of old habits, one that often neglects the wisdom of the body, but it feels so much better to practice loving kindness for myself, and that’s the true reward. I practice the philosophy of “food as medicine” and now understand the power in this approach to healing. Our bodies are like vehicles, the coach that carries our mind and our spirit. To keep our vehicle running smoothly, it needs the proper fuel. If we never bother to pay attention to the check engine light, we'll wind up broken down by the side of the road. So, through nourishing food, mindfulness, and a sincere love for ourselves, we can assure our vehicles (yes, our bodies) last 200,000 + miles and we achieve the physical, mental, and spiritual health (and wealth) we long for. In short, take care of your body and it will take care of you.
Knowledge is power, and so knowing a dash about quality food choices and a handful about your body is a recipe for long-term, exuberant health. I am here to offer support and help you set achievable goals as you find your own path to health. If you have any questions regarding diet options, food allergies, gluten, Celiac disease, stress management,.... or would just like a sincere set of ears to listen to your story of dis-ease (thank you for reading mine), I’m here to help in any way I can.
In health and happiness,
