The human body’s healing capability is far beyond what most realize
With years of abuse, the immune system starts to become overwhelmed and the ability to heal ourselves lessens. For thousands of years, cultures all over the world have used meditation, fasting and energy work to heal body, mind and soul. In recent years, ancient wisdom has been resurfacing; powerfully backed by legitimated science. While these practices can have a huge stigma around them, it is no longer just ancient tradition to meditate or fast; they are both scientifically shown to alter the internal workings of the body and mind for the better.
It wasn’t until very recently that I started to come around to the potential for healing these practices had. I had carried weight around my midsection for over 20 years that just wouldn’t budge. Intermittent fasting combined with a cycled ketogenic diet changed that. I carried limiting beliefs about my physical abilities, self-worth and potential but meditation and reiki has shifted that unimaginably. The fact that I am a yoga teacher, wellness educator and reiki master is beyond comprehension. If you knew me in my 20s and early 30s, the person I am today is almost unrecognizable. I’m not just referring to the physical transformation, which is significant but the mental transformation is something that amazes me daily. Yes, I’m physically stronger than I have ever been in my life. At 38, I weigh less that I did at 10 years old. What allowed all of that to be possible was the internal shift. I started to believe my body could change. I started to acknowledge how changes to my eating habits and allowing myself time in stillness noticeably shifted the way my brain functioned. Happiness isn’t just connected to the external workings of your life and environment, it’s much more deeply rooted in your own perception of yourself and what you believe to be possible.
Fasting… The word alone can stir up all kinds of emotions. The fact is, most cultures around the world have some form of fasting protocol in their religion or tradition. Yet there is so much negative stigma associated with restricting food intake. We have been programmed as a society to think our bodies need to be constantly fed. This concept is flawed and only goes back a couple hundred years at most. For tens of thousands of years our species would have experienced extended times of intense caloric restriction. Until modern medicine and nutrition science got in the way, humans knew the power of fasting to heal the body and mind. When our bodies are put under the stress of calorie restriction, healing begins at a cellular level and science is showing all kinds of amazing things can happen. Beyond autophagy, when our body begins to consume old and mutated cells for energy, fasting has been shown scientifically to:
- accelerate weight loss
- boost metabolism
- reduce insulin resistance
- fight inflammation
- boost brain function
- have potential in preventing neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s
- naturally increase growth hormone production
- protect against muscle wasting
- have promise in slowing aging and fighting many forms of cancer
With all the potential benefits, why don’t more people do this? When you are programmed to eat 5-6 times daily, the idea of going 16 hours without eating sounds horrendous. When the concept of only drinking water for a few days comes up, the clear majority of people shut down and go over all the reasons why that’s crazy would be impossible for them. The whole concept of hunger, one could argue, is a learned physical reaction. Are you hungry because you need to eat, or because it’s the time of day you are used to eating? If you never give your digestive system time to do its housekeeping, it begins to revolt. If you let it function the way it is supposed to, the gut’s ability to heal our body and affect our health is truly profound.
Reiki is an energetic healing method that can activate the natural healing process of the body and restore physical and emotional wellbeing. My first experience with energy healing was during 2014. I didn’t understand it and thought it was kind of weird. Despite that, I was drawn to it and months later found myself getting attuned as a Reiki practitioner. Reiki became part of my daily meditations and tapping into this energy brought a sense of peace and understanding that was truly profound. In 2016 became a Reiki Master and started working with clients more frequently. Reiki made a huge impact in my life and the lives of my clients; humans and dogs alike. If you feel stuck, lost or blocked off from your best self; Reiki can help clear away old energy and shift perspective. In some instances, it has been known to help alleviate physical pain.
