“As you ought not to attempt to cure
the eyes without the head, or the head without the body,
so neither ought you to attempt to cure the body without the soul…
For the part can never be well unless the whole is well.”
(Plato, Charmides)

True health begins with being true to your self. This means understanding who you are and making choices from the understanding of all that you are, equal with every one and with every thing. If we are in stillness and make our choices from here, our choices will be true and loving for us.

Choose your breath

Start the day in stillness.
Sit quietly with yourself.
Make the choice to breathe in gently.
Breathe in gentleness
Breathe out gentleness
Release the body - Be in gentleness
Move gently through the day.
Return to the gentle breath throughout the day.
Bring yourself back whenever you feel disturbed, before acting or reacting - be still, then make all choices from here- think, speak and act from stillness.

Choose what you drink

The earth is 70% water.
The human body is on average 70%.
We begin life as 90% water and die when we dry out to 50%. Our food intake should be 70% water- preferably in fresh food, which means fresh vegetables and fruit.

Choose what you eat

“Let food be thy medicine.” (Hippocrates)

Eat fresh foods- seasonal, local, organic and whole when possible.
Eat fruit and vegetables with a high water content.
Eat whole foods- fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts.
Use natural oils- vegetable oil, olive oil coconut oil- for cooking.
Use cold pressed vegetable oils- flax seed oil, virgin olive oil- in your food.
Essential fatty acids- omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids- are in a natural balance in these whole foods.
Eat concentrated and processed (“refined”) foods in moderation, if at all.

Remove from your diet

Engineered fats and oils- trans fatty acids as found in margarine.
Refined carbohydrates – sugar, flour, bread and pasta.
Toxic animal protein- from animals fed the wrong food (cows eat grass!).
Chemicals used to process and preserve foods for a longer shelf life.

Add to your diet

Supplements may be of benefit, as our ancient soil is depleted of nutrients and our lives are stressful. Antioxidants when used wisely, may enhance cellular metabolism and minimise oxidative damage, free radical formation, and degenerative disease (all formerly known as ageing and regarded as inevitable with the passage of time).

Antioxidants include:

Vitamins - the water soluble vitamins A, C and E
Minerals and trace elements, especially selenium and zinc;
Glycoproteins - cherries and berries, chlorophyll, marine phytoplankton.

Consider

Being free of gluten, dairy and sugar, which do not heal and do harm.
Being able to look into the eyes of animals, fish and birds again- if you choose to eat them, be sure they have lived and died well.

Choose what you do

"First, do no harm." (Hippocrates)

Stress will harm you- be aware of it and gently take steps to reduce it.
Smoking any substance is a poor substitute for the gentle breath.
Alcohol and other drugs numb you and take you out of your body.
Food can be a drug if it is processed and full of sugar or fat.

Be gentle with your self.

Listen to your body - it is wise.
Drink water when you are thirsty.
Eat fresh whole food when you are hungry.
Rest when you are tired.

Choose rest

Sleep heals you. The hours between 9pm and 1 am restore most deeply - rest when you are tired instead of eating and drinking to keep yourself going.

Choose life

Life is meant to be joyful- balance work that you love with play and rest. Spend your time wisely with people you love, including yourself!

"The Truth Shall set you free" (John 8:32)