Creating a Personalized Food Map

[NutritionHealer]

Creating a Personalized Food Map

By Dr. Celena Hadlock, M.Ed., CNC, NAT
Founder, Nutritionhealer

One of the most joyful and self-empowering activities that I have the privilege of doing in my Nutrition and Transformation practice with clients is creating a personalized food map. With so many books and theories on the market, it would be nearly impossible for the layman to make his way through the food jungle without a bit of personalized guidance.

In this article, I would like to offer some basic thoughts and suggestions for how to go about creating a food map that works for you. Before we begin, allow me to present some fundamental concepts, upon which I shall elaborate, and even further in my upcoming book Food Poets, the Art of Nourishment.

I offer personalized sessions for clients that include a Food Map created together, along with gentle herbal supplements. You may consult www.nutritionhealer.com to set up an appointment.

• A food map is mutable and changeable, and will grow and expand as you try different foods and see how they feel in your body.

• No matter which foods you choose, I do suggest investing in the best quality that you can afford, as continuously eating low quality or packaged foods with hydrogenated oils does take its’ toll on the body.

• There may be periods during your transformational process (especially for those pursuing a Lightbody experience) where you consume unusual foods for detoxification or rebuilding purposes. It is important to stay in self-awareness to sense when enough is enough and not put your body under stress. Also, we need to be able to digest the food that we consume, hence there are many herbs which support this process, so that we can absorb the wonderful nutrients we are preparing with love.

• Nothing is set in stone. Keep in mind that during changing times, changing [Light]bodies, and a planet experiencing mutation, the key is to stay in joy. If eating a slice or two of gourmet pizza or a steak which you do not normally consume in the company of soul family is pleasing to you, by all means, carry a small bottle of alcohol-free digestive bitters in your pocket, and enjoy. (The exception would be for an individual who is medically diagnosed with Celiac disease or Chron’s disease, and eating certain foods would cause a serious situation).

• The key to enjoying food is appreciation, honoring, joy and nourishment.

• Food is sacred, no matter where you are in your journey. I invite you to bless your food before meals, pausing for a small minute to take a deep breath and appreciate the bounty that has been provided.

• There is a difference (sometimes subtle) between free choice and engaging in self-abusive patterns. If you feel that you may be using food in a way that is self-abusive, feel free to contact me for specialized counseling.

• Food is not about rules and regulations, but about wisdom. It would be foolish to go to one of two extremes: neither living in a set of rules and regulations that spoils our desire for food, nor abusing food in a way that is vibrationally harmful to our beings.

• Thankfully, there are ancient medical systems such as Ayurveda which understood food as a balancing act with the seasons, constitutions and current states of beings. This is one more resource that we can look to gently and lovingly to provide recipe ideas, culinary herbs, and a loving and natural approach to eating.

• Last but not least, food is art. The more you can embrace the art of food preparation and delectability, and play in those realms, the more nourished you become. Just think, the Creator, or Spirit, or God, has provided this bounty just for us! What a blessing.


Creating a Food Map – How to Start

I always suggest to my clients that awareness is the best place to start, as opposed to random lists of “good” and “bad” foods. Go to your closests grocery store and health food store, and stroll around, taking your time to be near a variety of foods. Come back to certain sections again and again, based on where your internal guidance takes you . I invite you to delete the concepts of good versus bad from your food database, and instead begin to ask the following questions, with no self-judgement:

1. Does this food appeal to me? Why? What might it contain that my body is seeking?

2. When I get near or touch this food, can I feel it vibrating? How does it feel? Is there anything that intuitively tells me to stay away from this food?

3. Does this food enliven me? Does this food make me feel heavy or dull?

4. Is there a way I could prepare this food that would feel nourishing to me with where my body is at this moment?

5. Am I eating this food because I was told it was “good” or “correct”? If I got rid of that label, how would this food feel to me?

6. How does this food feel inside of my mouth? Does it make me smile with true joy after I swallow it? (As opposed to fulfilling an addictive need or making me feel more emotionally upset afterwards).

7. Does this food leave me feeling bloated, damp or cold?

8. Do I know how to cook this food in terms of culinary preparation, or do I need assistance?

9. If I buy this food, what I am planning to do with it when I get home?

10. Do I need some tasty herbs to spice this food? What would taste good in combination with this?

11. Is there a local restaurant or carry-out where I could get this food pre-prepared?


Comparing Foods – Understanding Food Types

It is very helpful for clients to have a general idea of how foods are classified. I have found this actually helps to diminish confusion and allow for more freedom of choice, given that we can have the best of all worlds. My personal food map includes recipes from many of the groupings listed below. Below I have given a very brief description of some general food style groupings, which may also help you in selecting cookbooks or surfing the internet for ideas.

Macrobiotic – A system derived from Japanese cooking which is all slow-cooked, except for a handful of fermented products. Example items include seaweed, dried radishes, pickled ginger, tofu, vegetables, wasabi, and tamari.

Ayurvedic – An ancient system based on three doshas or constitutions: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Food is prepared for balancing one’s dosha as well as other imbalances which are occurring in the body. Dishes would include mung dhal, kitchari, kanjee, curries, stewed foods, ghee, and boiled milk. This diet includes grains, which the Ayurvedics believe is a foundation for life and nourishing the essence of the body.

Raw Foods Vegan – A system in which only raw, non-animal products are consumed. A dehydrator is used for many dishes, as well as nut bags, and fermented nut cheeses. This system emphasizes soaked and dehydrated nuts and seeds, vegetables, fruits, and some sprouted grains and legumes.

Raw Foods Omnivore – The above system is expanded to include raw meats and raw dairy products, which can be eaten fresh or fermented.

Wild Foods – A focus on all foods which can be hunted or collected. Very much a part of the Hunter-Gatherer type diets. Would include foods like dandelion greens, wild greens, quail eggs, wild boar sausage, venison, blueberries, wild salmon, and perhaps small amounts of sheep cheese. This diet would be low in grains.

Paleodiet – Similar to the wild foods diet, except that the recipes are primarily generated around all foods that are not in the following categories: any form of dairy, legumes, and all grains. The belief is that modern farming practices have introduced foods that are not suited for the body, and that man has not evolved enough to eat them.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet – This diet studies the inflammatory qualities of each particular food, and eliminates all foods which cause inflammation in the body. It reduces starches, as the belief is that many starches are inflammatory and cause weight gain. Foods such as walnuts, berries, and salmon are emphasized.

Specific Carbohydrate Diet – This diet was specifically created for individuals experiencing an intestinal bacterial infection that lead to the development of Colitis and Chron’s Disease. The diet is strict, and eliminates all polysaccharide starches which feed inflammatory bowel bacteriae. Foods are cooked with almond and other nut flours, and specific instructions are provided for fermenting milk so that all double sugars are broken down before ingesting. For these conditions, the diet has almost a 100% success rate in controlling bacterial overgrowth.

High Protein – Low Carb – The most famous of the current popular diets, this diet emphasizes eating lower fat proteins such as chicken breast, turkey breast, and salmon along with a high quantity of vegetables. Starches such as rice, potatoes, and bread are eliminated. Many time this diet is used for weight loss efforts and a candida-control diet.

So where does this leave us? Well, I vote for choosing the yummiest and most nourishing of all of the styles. To further our understanding, let us look at basic food groups and understand that “variety is the spice of life”.

PROTEIN

Animal protein can be consumed in a variety of ways. The human body does need protein as a building block for growth and basic structures. There is debate as to how much protein we need. When building a baby during pregnancy, between 70-100 g of protein per day is generally recommended. Animal protein includes foods such as venison, beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, cheese, eggs, and dairy products. Protein is also contained in legumes, nuts, and seeds.

FATS

Lipids provide energy, fuel, and stamina. Our brains are 60% fat, so a long-term fat-restricted diet is not recommended unless an emergency medical situation requires it. Fat is contained in animal products such as butter, cheese, milk and yogurt. Fat is contained in plant-based oils such as olive oil, pumpkin oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, etc. Fat is contained in nuts and seeds.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbos are starch, and are used in the body for “neutral” energy. Examples of starches include bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and root vegetables. Legumes and grains contain starch. Fruits and vegetables are simpler carbohydrates. Sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, cane sugar contain carbohydrates as well. Refined carbohydrates cause spiking in blood sugar levels.

SAMPLE FOOD MAP SELF QUESTIONNAIRE

I shift my food consumption from week to week and month to month. The following are some of the foods that I have access to or have in my cabinet. I ask myself intuitively for guidance.


Venison – YES

Turkey – YES

Chicken – currently a NO

Beef – currently a NO

Lamb – currently a NO

Cous-cous - YES

Millet – YES

Barley – NO

Brown Rice - NO

Small white beans - YES

Garbanzos – YES

Black-eyed Peas - YES

Polenta – currently a NO

Sourdough bread – currently a NO

Sushi rice – YES

Jasmine and basmati – currently a NO

Rice noodles – currently a NO

Steamed veggies (then from there get specific)

Asparagus – YES

Artichokes – YES

Turnips – YES

Kohlrabi – YES

Sunchokes - YES

Broccoli – currently a NO

Cauliflower – currently a NO

Green beans – currently a NO

Apples – YES

Pears – YES

Cranberries - YES

Coconut milk – YES

Cow dairy – currently a NO

Goat feta - YES


Leafy greens:

Kale - YES

Mustard greens - YES

Raw Juices – currently a NO

Digestive Aids:

Homemade Ayurvedic Kapha Tea

Ayurvedic Digestive Tablets

Amazon herbal Gallbladder remedy to clear bile ducts

Turmeric