Positive Health Online

Which Food Sources could Help Me Awaken to Life’s Treasures Within?

Owing to the broad scope of this subject, I have focussed more on community living but the principles of awakening the treasures within, as yet unvalued in the hurley burley life of a culturally determined mind set, is applicable to all those in the autumn years of life.  From fully active over 90s to years younger but living alone, there is always potential to step outside the familiar box of life’s repetitive patterns to discover the one person most of us have been perpetually avoiding.  Leaving this to the latter part of life is all too common but there is an enjoyable and much better way.

 Time, determined by seasonal, sun and moon cycles, is the historical record of the continuum of now.   Future is our belief in this historical record continuing.  The autumn years of life can bring joy in realising that what we have on the inside is far more important than the outside, whilst enjoying to the fullest the all-important now.  When deciding to make changes, expectations have to be realistic according to personal circumstances with potential for flexibility either way.   For example, tweaks have to be made if mobility or sensory abilities increase or decrease. 

Living Laws

All life is governed by living laws which apply to all three food sources, spiritual, mental and physical.  Response to circumstances is a mandatory choice: if not actively made, it is made by default, rarely with an outcome we would prefer.  Some of these living laws can be briefly summarised:

What is Spiritual Food?

Ethics, morals and resulting behaviour are based on our belief system which initially we inherit from parents, carers, peers and culture.  Later in life, that belief system is ours to validate or change.  Principles of accepted right and wrong are broadly grouped into good, evil and a grey middle ground and varied somewhat from culture to culture.  For example, most people profess that stealing is not good.  However, in a situation where one steals bread to feed starving children, with no other option of obtaining food, most people would say stealing is justified in such a situation.  This shows that there are two aspects to law, the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.  Conscience and integrity are usually the adjudicators in deciding which is relevant for any given circumstance.

There is one proviso in agreeing with the above.  It is the definition of good, evil and grey areas.  Those who are self-righteous will have definitions which vary greatly from those of the liberal “why does it matter” person.  “It’s ok if you don’t get caught or let it bother you” sits just fine with many and progressively so from after the 2^nd World War.

So, how to decide what is good spiritual food given only subjective ideas?  The only answer to that is with information and awareness about all spiritual food sources.  What is good, and what is not, is made clear by the Creator who is the only authority on his own creation.  The Bible outlines spiritual, mental and physical food unfit for human consumption.  Denial by way of subjective opinion, does not alter the truth of what actually is.  Regardless of opinion, whether we choose to do that which is good, ‘grey’ or evil, the bottom line is that we are each accountable for what we hear, speak, know and do.  Sometimes doing what we know is right costs us something but a clear conscience is worth its weight in gold. 

Why is it important to consider anything to do with our spirit?  After all, we can’t see it and we can deny any violation consequences as caused by some other reason.  Our flesh, made from the earth, is the vehicle we travel our life experience in.  Our minds connect flesh and spirit.  Our spirit within is who we really are.  This is our life-line: when this is gone, we are gone from a fleshly existence. What we build in our spirit is all we take with us.[1]   

 What is Mind Food?

Mind food fuels the “circuit board” of  that secret internal ‘us’ both to see ourselves and show to the world outside.  Mental, emotional, intellectual and creative aspects are first in our ‘mind’s eye’ and then made manifest into reality.  For instance projects achieved whether creative or intellectual, good or bad, are always conceived first in the mind and then made into something tangible.  Nothing exists which was not first conceived in the mind.

Beliefs and attitudes can make or break the process described above and hamper the revelation of that secret internal ‘me’ by sabotaging expression of talents, abilities and constructive attitudes.  Beliefs formed in childhood are where many of these dampeners are planted but sadly left there, and even confirmed by the adult who now has the authority to oust them.  Negative emotions such as depression, bitterness, anger, hopelessness, victimhood, and the like, often misunderstood as personality traits, are from embedded beliefs which are basically lies against the person.  Without these joy, hope and vitality would have free reign.  Most of us can identify our negative attitudes and emotions if we are honest with ourselves and not using “it’s just the way I am” type excuses.

We can’t stop them coming but we can refuse to give them any space.  A positive replacement is necessary so this has to be planned out ahead and put into action each time a negative temptation raises its head.  It takes time and consistency to break the habit of entertaining a wrong belief.  The mind is intimately connected to the brain and body and therefore share a lot of food requirements in common.  These involve movement, clean water, good nutrition, adequate sleep, sunshine and fresh air. 

Positive stimulation is important because it improves mental outlook and physically changes the structure of the brain as new connections between neurons (brain cells) are formed extending neuronal circuits which expands our experiences. This process is called neuroplasticity.  If these circuits are used and expanded they will become established but if they are neglected after being formed, they will dwindle. This is explained very well by various authors covering the effects our minds have on our health and wellbeing.   Dawson Church[2] covers gene and DNA involvement and clears up previous false conclusions about the role of genetics in health and illness.  This is a natural progression, of course, as knowledge increases.  An important take away is that genes are not set in stone.  They are the ‘hardware’ which is active (turned into a function) or inactive depending upon what signals are given to them by either internal or external epigenetic factors, the mind being the most powerful signalling mechanism.  An easy read book connecting childhood beliefs, traumas and stress with various illnesses is The Body Language of Illness.[3]  Life-changing experience stories are outlined in Quantum Change.[4]

Mental stimulation doesn’t have to be just reading, of course.  Stimulation can be through sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.  A great way of stimulating mental processes is by laughter and having fun.  Making up and sharing poems based on experiences can be very funny, quiz nights and drawing competitions can result in lots of fun.  An ideas box and activities to look forward to can start the ball rolling for lots of untapped ideas.  Joint creative projects of all sorts have the potential to be productive, maybe donate to those in need, and bring to life new ideas.  These are only random ideas.  Outside trips and interests add another layer of mental stimulation.  Apathy and passivity are friends to no-one.

What is Physical Food?

Real food is that which was at one time alive, vegetable or animal, fit for human consumption, mostly seasonal, unpolluted by chemicals, pesticides, hormones, toxic processing and genetic modification.  Good food needs to be varied and in balance both in nutritional terms and volume.  Dietary needs, likes, intolerances and digestive processing are individual and no one size fits all.  If real food is the bulk of the diet, it is likely that appetite will be a good guide to suitable foods needed on a daily basis. 

This could present difficulties with a pre-planned menu in community homes, for example, but understanding basic and individual food needs means that those responsible for menus, food purchase and cooking could contribute a great deal to culinary enjoyment and health.  However, an interest in those same physical food factors, by those who consume it, is as important.  For a happier and healthier physical food environment, the dynamics between providers and community needs incentive from both directions, like any human relationships. 

As we age, nutritional wherewithal for digestion diminishes.  Supplementing with basic food state vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes[5] is a relatively easy step and shouldn’t be too costly.  Food state means that the nutrition is readily utilised and not a burden to be eliminated, which synthetic vitamins mostly are.  Perhaps requests for a talk by a nutritionist would be an interesting plan, especially homing in on the needs of older people who might benefit from nutrition conducive to good quality sleep, for instance.  Organizing a monthly talk on various topics of interest could be of benefit to staff and community.  Active involvement can add a great deal of interesting participation to otherwise regulated days.  Nurture the courage to ask questions.

Energetic Life Source

The impetus for spiritual, mental and physical existence is energetic in nature.  The energy system is not detectable using blood tests, CT or MRI scans, for example, but is detectable via things like electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), electrical feedback systems and quantum technology.  The energy system is disrupted by incoherent frequencies, electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) from mobile phones, smart meters and microwave ovens,[6] for example.  Incoherent frequencies adversely affect natural biological coherent states and can lead to health problems.

The lymphatic clearing system, like everything else, is dependent upon its energy supply. Learning basic lymphatic stimulation[a] and simple emotional stress release[b] techniques is not complicated and it would be ideal to invite a therapist to give a group demonstration of both [a] and [b].  These simple procedures done on a regular basis will aid the feeling of wellbeing and help with detoxification. 

Summary

No matter what time of life you are in, it is better to meet the delightful, individual person you really are.

“You are what you eat” applies to the whole integrated person, spirit, soul and body.  You deserve to give yourself only the best.  If you can encourage others as ‘travelling companions’, you could have fun seeing ‘hidden treasures’ of other ‘applies past their prime’.

There is one who is always contactable, who knows your background, ups and downs, disappointments, needs, talents, joys and desires intimately.  Your Creator/Saviour is always at the door waiting for you to invite Him to join you on life’s journey.[7,8]

References

1. Ecclesiastes 12:6 Remember your Creator while you are young, before the silver cord snaps… (Writer’s comment:  the silver cord refers to your spirit and the Bible is full of admonitions to seek your Creator/Saviour no matter what age or what circumstances you find yourself in).     12:7:  Your body came from the earth. And when you die, it will return to the earth. But your spirit came from God, and when you die, it will return to him. 
2. Dawson Church, The Genie in Your Genes, Energy Psychology Press, ISBN 978-1-60415-243-2. 2014.
3. Eleanor Limmer, The Body Language of Illness, Freedom Press, USA, 3^rd Edition, ISBN 0-9678183-1-1. 2004.
4. Wm R Miller & Janet C’de Baca, Quantum Change, The Guilford Press, New York, ISBN 978-1-57230-505-2. 2001.
5. Examples of excellent quality food supplements can be found at https://timehealth.co.uk/
6. Microwave radiation disrupts the coherent states in food and any biological entity. Using traditional cooking methods instead of solely using microwaves maximises readily available nutrition to the eater and ‘brings a kitchen to life’. There are also ready meal food distributors that traditionally cook food and deliver locally or regionally.  Such providers are more likely to select better quality food sources.  https://waveguard.com/en/microwave/
7. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… 
8. 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries to Him (God) for He cares for you.