Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Food Medicine: Balancing the Body & Chakras with FOOD


In past articles, we have discussed a variety of, well, off the wall ways in which one can balance the energy centers in the body like with sound, colour or crystals. However, this is the most natural, tastiest and easiest modality by far, because everyone can do it!!!

FOOD, we all need it, we all eat it, so why not HEAL with it!?

Our bodies are built of an intricately genius mosaic of circulatory, sensory, digestive, reproductive, respiratory and secretion systems. There just so happens to be six corresponding chakras for these bodily functions, with one chakra linking to our brain and connection to the source of all that is. Moreover, each of the seven chakras connects with a specific gland too, plus colour and sound!  Coincidence? I think not, by now, it is fairly obvious that there is no doubt, a link between our physical  bodies and the energetic value of all that we encounter in this world.

Remember that our chakras are like wheels, spinning energy through our bodies, like batteries in the form of a complex system in our body know anatomically as plexuses. Each of these seven main energy centres within the body, deliver our life force energy, ki, prana, chi, you get the idea… For this reason, when we are “off” energetically, or in a negative state of any kind, especially over longer periods of time, we experience or develop specific health issues. These issues are also known as chakra blockages.

Logically and intuitively, that’s right both the left and right brain can agree that, it makes sense that the colour of our foods are a reflection of the light vibration carried from the pure white light of the Sun. Each colour has a specific energy that nourishes its corresponding chakra. Coincidentally, again, we find that the vitamins and healthful enzymes associated with these foods (by colour and chakra), also just happen to be exactly what one would need to physically heal the health issue at hand! Gotta love this grand design by what some Archaics still call a haphazard Universe!!!

Now on to yummy part!! A few pointers, it’s important to keep your meals rockin’ the whole rainbow, even if you are struggling with only one specific issue. This helps maintain all the chakras, so nothing gets left out. Now obviously some of the colours may be harder to include regularly, but you can look to your snacks to nurture the chakras left out at meal time. Now, if you are dealing with some specific blockages that are affecting your health, there are a few methods you can apply to your food. Try including one healthful snack a date that is solely comprised of the colour you need or heavy up the colour you need when plating your meal. You can also colour charge your food, for example you could sit a carrot or a glass of water on an orange coaster or in an orange container, or under and orange light or put carnelian or orange quartz with it, leaving it to absorb the colour frequency for a few hours before consuming, like chromatherapy for your food! The section below runs you through each Chakra and its corresponding organ, gland, colour and food; so you can eat your way into balance and good health.


1st Chakra: The Root Chakra - Red


Physical: The organs affected are the large intestine and the rectum. It also influences the function of the kidneys and governs the adrenal gland. This chakra is located at the tip of our coccyx to perineum.

Energy: This chakra is the foundation of our grounding and our deep connection to the earth. It deals with our survival necessities like shelter, security, safety and even our abundance as it affects our livelihood.

Food Medicine: Root vegetables carry the Earth’s vibrations because they grow within the Earth, and therefore contain the essence that the Root Chakra thrives off of. Root vegetables like beets, rutabaga, or parsnips can be very grounding, but any red veggies and fruits, like red berries, apples, cherries, pomegranates, also support the first chakra. Proteins like red meats or beans can also be associated with this chakra too.


2nd Chakra: The Sacral Chakra - Orange

Physical: Located three fingers below the naval, this chakra governs the reproductive system, the urinary bladder, the kidneys, the ovaries and the testicles.

Energy: The sacral chakra is the womb of creativity, abundance and sexuality. It governs our relationships and emotions, since it cradles our creative force, our expressions of sensuality and sexuality. Through this chakra we connect to the physical world with our desires, feelings and sensory perception.

Food Medicine: Generally most tropical or exotic fruits, seeds and nuts, as they mimic reproductive form and therefore carry the same vibrational resonance that a healthy sacral chakra thrives off of. Of course, orange foods like tangerines, pumpkin, cantaloupe, persimmons, sweet potatoes, carrots. Due to its close relationship with the kidneys and our emotions it is associated with the water element. So it is best to keep fully hydrated, remember we breathe out one full litre of water vapour in our sleep, imagine how much you breath out when you are active. For this reason, daily pure water intake should at least be three litres.

3rd Chakra: The Solar Plexus Chakra - Yellow

Physical: Connects with our transformative function in the body; our digestive system comprised of the liver, spleen, small intestine, gall bladder, stomach and pancreas. This chakra is located at the lower part of the sternum, the top of the abdomen.

Energy: This chakra relates to our self-confidence, our will power, identity and self-esteem. The solar plexus is the throne of our personal power, our motivation and our ambitions.
                                                                                                                                                                
Food Medicine: This is the most commonly off balanced chakra. If your digestive is off, there is usually a domino effect of imbalances that follow. To empower yourself, realize the power in choice and avoid looking outward for acceptance, avoid procrastination,  and eat  yellow fruits and veggies like yellow beets, squash, golden pears, bananas, yellow plums, yellow peppers etc. With this chakra in particular it is important to avoid any processed foods, GMO’s, refined foods like white sugar can be the digestive system’s worst enemy. Complex carbs, like brown rice, spelt, rolled oats are a plus. Also physical activity it is extremely important since it tends to get things moving whether they want to or not.


4th Chakra: The Heart Chakra – Green

Physical: This chakra’s name says it all; related to the heart, the thymus, and the arms. It is located in the centre of our chest.

Energy: The heart chakra links us to our capacity to love and is the seat of compassion. Love is Light, PURE LIGHT in fact; this is what nourishes our soul and therefore all of our chakras. Through Love anything is possible, including transformational healing for one self and all that is. Above all, Love is the most nourishing form of energy; this is why the heart has the ability to balance all the other chakras with its expression of love.

Food Medicine: Mom always said “Eat Your Greens!” Broccoli, peas, kale, asparagus, spinach, fiddleheads, chard, and pretty well all leafy greens provide a perfect source of balance for this chakra (and many others). Just like love, if it’s good for the heart, green are good for all our chakras. Instantly we know greens are a necessary for our digestion to keep regular and to provide brain fueled nutrients. We spoke earlier about charging your food and water in colour prior to consumption, but what about cooking with love? That’s why my Mom makes the best soup, she it infuses with love for me; she stirs it up from scratch because I caught a cold and she wants to me to feel better. Her intent is the key and that’s why that soup is so tasty, it hits the spot every time because it is made with Love!  This vibration nourishes the body, but also the soul by balancing all of the chakras. Next time, you are preparing a meal, meditate on it, pray on it, thank it, but most importantly, always season it with Love!


5th Chakra: The Throat Chakra – Sky Blue

Physical: this chakra presides over the sensory organs of the body, tongue, lips, ears, nose, mouth, larynx and pharynx. It plays a very important role in our thyroid and affects our metabolic condition.

Energy: This chakra links the heart with the mind, it is the seed of expression and where we house our truth. In good balance, our expressive and communicative abilities are clear and confident. We are able to naturally articulate our thoughts, feelings and emotions through sound in a way that is both genuine and true.

Food Medicine:  Since most foods aren’t naturally blue, this particular chakra is easier satisfied with generous and frequents snacks like blue potatoes, blueberries and blue raspberries. Foods that are just full of good stuff for this chakra, but aren’t blue are kelp, seaweed, fresh fish, artichokes, pineapple, leafy greens, cashews, shellfish, oysters, clams, garlic, onion, coconut oil, brazil nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, turkey. Eggs are also very good for this chakra, and you can always hard boil them and dye them blue, or any colour for any chakra. Plus you could always pull out the crayons and draw some hearts on them too, remember Love your Food!


6th Chakra: The Third Eye (Forehead) Chakra – Indigo Blue

Physical: The third eye chakra governs the pineal gland, eyes, nose, and face. With the crown chakra it maps the biblical referenced paradise, the land of milk and honey. Since it truly does dictate how we feel; commanding our hormones and secretion functions through the pineal gland (secretes a milky white fluid called Serotonin) which affects our mood, energy levels and temperament. The third eye chakra reigns over the eyes and the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Energy: The third eye chakra is our intuitive or psychic center. It is our inner eye and higher wisdom, sometimes referred to as the all-seeing eye, it is the window of our "perception". With the ego integrated, one can tap in to the consciousness of all that is through wheel within the eye of Love’s truth. When in balance, the third eye chakra lights the path of internal visions and dreams with an adept realization of spiritual guidance, intuition, inspiration and awareness.

Food Medicine: Foods like purple or blue potatoes, blackberries, blueberries, purple grapes. However, since it is the Third Eye, why not exercise this muscle with your food? Try an eating meditation, essentially take a 3 minutes to eat one piece of food, like an apple. Connect with it, focus on only it, smell it, feel it, essentially nourishes all the sense you can before you even bite into it, then when you do explore the ways in which it feel as you eat, and ways to eat it or it chew it differently, then express gratitude for the lifeforce exchanged to you in this simple act. Technically, that apple is alive until you finish eating it, Kirlian imaging photography can produce images of an apple’s magnetic field which is proof of its’ lifeforce energy, the same as a living animal or human. So say thank you, this is what “Grace Before Meals” is really all about, rub a dub, dub… clean out your third eye by giving thanks to your grub. Up next pay attention to how you feel, how your body responds to what it is eating, you can even use this meditation to discover what foods you may be intolerant to.


7th Chakra: The Crown Chakra - Violet

Physical: The crown chakra is associated with the pituitary gland. Remember the land of milk and honey, well this is the honey pot, which secrete a yellowish, golden fluid called Aspartic Acid or DMT. This dictates our sleep/wake cycles and it plays a partner role to the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland located in the brain. However, this chakra is related to the whole being, it crowns us and our connection to all that is. It is our master chakra, our halo, yes we all have one!

Energy: The crown chakra is our connection to our higher self, our spirituality, and whatever we feel connected to as the source of all that is.  This chakra infuses the body with vital life force, allowing us to function as a divine creature. Just as the root chakra connects us to the Earth, the crown chakra connects us to the Heavens. It is the grand architect over the entire body, ruling the central nervous system, the energy column of the spine. In scientific terms energy healing is referred to as Epigenetics. This refers to what crowns the body and is the new science that is overtaking medicine. It explains the high success rates of a variety of energy healing modalities, the placebo effect and spontaneous miracle healings which are occurring at higher and higher rates in the past ten years. The key to these healings; is the power of belief, aka mind over matter, put simply; blind faith.

Food Medicine: Plums, eggplant, chokeberries, black figs, boysenberries, purple and black grapes, can nourish this chakra. As stated, the crown chakra is unique, more definitively in some ways more "spirit" than "matter." Accordingly, this chakra blossoms with gratitude from any nourishment that comes from sunlight and love, you can try sun-eating or eat in the sun!

Amber Colbear
The Elemental Arts


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