I never thought I would end up with an eating disorder. I did though. Self-diagnosed. Of course, at the time I wasn’t aware that my newly founded healthy, nutritious, and holistic lifestyle could possibly be labeled as a type of eating disorder! But when I heard the definition of Orthorexia Nervosa, I immediately knew it was what I was starting to create within my relationship with food.
A RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
The relationship you have with food is a very unique, personal, and hopefully joyful one.
If it’s not joyful in any way for you, I can relate.
Ironic as it sounds, it’s true that it was on my joyful journey to becoming a Holistic Nutritionist that I developed an eating disorder.
You can understand, I’m sure, how studying Holistic Nutrition may have an influence over someone’s thoughts regarding how to eat and what to eat. What’s healthy, what’s not healthy. This opinion, that opinion. This study, that study.
And for a time, I became pretty fanatical about all of it. I got caught gobbling up a lot of fear-based opinions.
I became so fanatical that eventually, I was making choices about what to eat, not eat, etc. based on the fear that if I didn’t do things “right” I would no maintain my new found wellness and energy and lovely lifestyle that I had created.
ORTHOREXIA NERVOSA
Orthorexia Nervosa
Ever heard of it?
Here’s the definition broken down.
“Ortho” = Straight, Upright
“Rexia”= Modelled on the term “anorexia”, which means without appetite.
“Nervosa” = An unhealthy, psychological state.
This is a proposed eating disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with eating healthy food.
In 1997 an American physician, Steven Bratman M.D., suggested that some peoples dietary restrictions intended to promote their health may paradoxically lead to unhealthy consequences.
Things such as, social isolation (hmm, feels like that sometimes), anxiety (hmm, sometimes), loss of ability to eat in a natural and intuitive manner. (Hmmmm?….)
Ding ding ding!
I realized that the behaviours and beliefs I had around food and what I put in my body, that had served me through the transformational healing I had gone through (which I will post about soon) were no longer serving me.
And in fact, my beliefs were stemming from fear. Not from a place that felt empowering and in alignment.
I was no longer making decisions in a natural and intuitive way!
I needed some guidance.
And then, I read a book that would forever empower the relationship that I now choose to create with food and what I put in my body.
HOW A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE HEALED MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
I read a book called, “Dying To Be Me”, by Anita Moorjani.
In her book, Anita tells about her NDE (Near Death Experience). She shared that when she returned to Source, she wondered how it was that she ended up with so much cancer and illness when she was “doing everything right.”
She noted how she was a vegetarian and ate organic food whenever possible, she drank filtered water, she never used a microwave, etc., etc.
Source’s response to her was that those actions were being taken from the vibration of fear, and not inspired through what felt good.
In other words, those “right” actions were being taken based on worry of what negative thing could happen she didn’t take those actions. Such as getting cancer. In fact, Anita admittedly feared getting cancer.
And because she feared what could happen if she didn’t do those things, doing those things didn’t protect her from what she feared.
Ultimately it was her predominant feeling when taking those actions that manifested her illness, and ultimately death.
ALLOW HOW YOU FEEL TO BE YOUR GUIDE
I love that everything comes back down to this nugget of Truth.
Every single time.
While speaking of her NDE, Anita was asked if she had indeed received guidance from Source as to what we should be eating to be healthy.
The answer was, yes, there was guidance from Source about how to eat to be healthily.
And that guidance was;
Do that which feels good to you.
FEEL GOOD, “RIGHT” ACTION IS INSPIRED
When we make decisions about how to care for our body from a place of tuning in and discerning what feels best, we are being led from inspiration rather than from a place of confusion and fear.
When an inspired action that feels good is taken, the results will only be more of what’s good for you, your expansion, and overall well-being.
Whether that’s the decision to eat only plant-based food because that’s what feels good.
Or whether it’s eating a delicious dessert.
How you feel about the foods you eat and the liquids you drink and the supplements you take is what matters. Not the things themselves.
Find what feels good about it. That’s your why.
When you feel good and are standing in the power of that conscious creative brilliance, you will not experience states of being that are in alignment feelings of worry, fear, chronic pain, lack of wellness, etc.
Instead, your actions will automatically begin to align with your inner vibration and you will find yourself naturally drawn to the foods and drinks that support your well being, enjoyment, and feeling good without even trying.
FEEL GOOD, “RIGHT” ACTION IS INSPIRED
When we make decisions about how to care for our body from a place of tuning in and discerning what feels best, we are being led from inspiration rather than from a place of confusion and fear.
When an inspired action that feels good is taken, the results will only be more of what’s good for you, your expansion, and overall well-being.
Whether that’s the decision to eat only plant-based food because that’s what feels good.
Or whether it’s eating a delicious dessert.
How you feel about the foods you eat and the liquids you drink and the supplements you take is what matters. Not the things themselves.
Find what feels good about it. That’s your why.
When you feel good and are standing in the power of that conscious creative brilliance, you will not experience states of being that are in alignment feelings of worry, fear, chronic pain, lack of wellness, etc.
Instead, your actions will automatically begin to align with your inner vibration and you will find yourself naturally drawn to the foods and drinks that support your well being, enjoyment, and feeling good without even trying.
WHAT TO DO: ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY
Practice feeling good about it.
You’re inner and outer experience begin to become a reflection of what you’re predominantly feeling.
It’s universal law.
Practice tuning into your feelings and discerning what feels best for you.
And practice taking action based on what feels best.
Practice enjoying!
Ask yourself, ‘how does this choice feel versus how this choice feels?’
If ever you don’t feel good, check if there are fear-based beliefs that you would like to change to serve you better.
If there are limiting beliefs, fears, worries, etc., write them down and then decide what you do want to believe that will support you.
Then, make it your job to create a new truth for yourself by looking for evidence of what’s good about the situation, and you will begin to create a new experience.
Have you been making choices regarding your health from a place of doing something to avoid the negative consequence of not doing it?
Let’s chat in the comments.
Jaime Brooks
Certified BestLife Coach, BestLife Ambassador and Instructor, as well as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Early on in her life, Jaime struggled with chronic illness and emotional self-doubt, but through achieving her own personal transformation creating health and happiness, she has developed a burning desire to help others achieve the same. Jaime uses the knowledge and tools she has acquired along her healing journey, including the Freedom Release Method, to help her clients move forward, create success stories of their own, and live their best life.