Friday, February 6, 2009

eating the angel way - part eight

today is GO RED day - a day designated by the american heart association to bring attention to the fact that heart disease affects millions of women. heart disease in women can manifest differently from the way it does in men, and so it is particularly important that women are not just aware of the symptoms, but also of their own bodies.

shortly after i began Listening to the Angels, i asked Them why it was that recommendations, diets, food plans, etc, all seemed to work slightly differently in everyone i knew. some found success on weight watchers, some followed the zone diet, others seemed to experience only limited success no matter what they tried. so what's up, i asked the Angels. why do things that work for me - like eating a lot of yogurt - not work for others?

because, They explained gently, men are like raindrops, while women are like snowflakes. what the Angels meant was that men vary across a much narrower spectrum of what's "normal." that's why it's easier to ascertain the amount of nutrients men need, and one reason why most research is - or was - routinely done on men. this is one reason why heart disease in women needs more attention. women are different and not just from men.

women are different from each other, too, rather in the way snowflakes vary. this is why what satisfies me and fulfills my nutritionl requirements is not exactly the same as any other woman i know - even my dear sister-in-spirit, laura, and we're remarkably alike in build and size and body shape. this is why some women have success on various commercial plans - and some don't. women vary across a much broader range of what is normal than men.

what happens for many women, however, is that when a one-size-fits-all plan doesn't work for us, or not as well as for someone else we know, we tend to blame ourselves. we tend to assume there's something wrong with US, or that we just aren't doing whatever it is we're supposed to be doing well enough. so we berate ourselves, beat ourselves up, resolve to Do Better Tomorrow.

but what if the prescribed diet plan is antithetical to YOUR own body chemistry?

it's not a question of fault, say the Angels - it's a question of figuring out what nourishes you, what satisfies and delights you and what feeds, not only your physical body, but your soul as well.

this is why you need to create your own personal lists of white (or complete protein foods) and rainbow colored foods - the ones you absolutely love and crave and/or are willing and can afford to eat. no one else can tell you exactly what it is your body needs. no one knows but YOU. the Angel Way of eating is really as much about learning how to listen to yourself, as it is about listening to the Angels.

the Angels encourage all of us to embrace our idiocyncrasies, to celebrate our differences, not condemn them. these are not flaws - they are evidence - down to a cellular level - of the uniqueness of the Divine Manifestation that we truly are.

and furthermore, the war must end.

18 comments:

lynette355 said...

"the Angels encourage all of us to embrace our idiocyncrasies, to celebrate our differences, not condemn them. these are not flaws - they are evidence - down to a cellular level"
then do we also remember to accept who we are in the bodies we are in.
Yes I need to lose weight. No argument there. But I will never be small. If I fight that and demand to be small I will lose the battle before I start.

I am enjoying your series on eating the "angle/rainbow" way.

Unknown said...

exactly, lynette!!! the angel way of eating is NOT a diet. it will not make you anything than what you are - just a healthier version. i have plateaued at a much higher weight than i would EVER have believed i felt comfortable. but i feel healthy and energetic and i heal quickly and my hair grows like a weed and i have very few menopausal symptoms. the Angels don't want us to be anything other than what we truly are!! you are wise you already know this :).

Granny Annie said...

I'm putting this post on my "I Love Your Blog" link. Thanks for supporting "Go Red"!

Unknown said...

thank you, granny annie!!!

April said...

You never disappoint with your thought-provoking posts and this certainly is one of them! I'm all about women accepting themselves for who and what they are, rather than always trying to conform to what society tells them they should be. In my eyes, that's where the real problem lies.

Following a diet plan, to me, is almost senseless for the simple fact that it ususally leads to a feeling a failure. Everyone has to get to know their own bodies and what they can and cannot eat...and how much! It's all about finding a balance between quantity and quality. You have to get up and moving, too!

Thanks for sharing...hope you have a great Friday!

Divaeva said...

*embraces* Thank you!

Laura Rose said...

I truly believe the world is a better place now that there are two grannie annie's in it!! :)

sues2u2 said...

This was very interesting. Gave me something to think about too. Thanks.

TuTu's Bliss said...

My wise grandmother used to say "Men are the same. God just put different faces on them so you could tell your apart". I know it is off topic but this article reminded me her. Thanks for triggering her fiesty memory.

Aunt Julie said...

Thanks for the thoughtful post. My Dad died of a stroke, but had heart problems for years. Go, Red!

Martha@A Sense of Humor is Essential said...

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of the Angel way of eating.

Kristina said...

I love the comparison to snowflakes!
Great post as usual. The way you focus on eating in connection with your mind and body and not necessarily focusing on the jean size you WISH you were seems like the best approach.

Grace said...

angel way of eating? hmm,this post has really gave some realization to my senses. :)
Thanks for this, Annie. I am so excited about the next part. :)

Tudor Rose said...

I am so glad I found this site! Many moons (years!) ago I emailed you telling you how much I loved your books and asking if you had a website. You were so nice and responded to me, telling me you were trying to get a page together. It has taken me this long to find it, lol! Love the books, and hope there will eventually be another Shadowlands novel. Now I have to get to reading... lots of posts here to catch up on and enjoy.

Blessings to you and yours~
Shay

Kim said...

That makes so much sense. And the older I get the more I listen to myself - those voices that speak to me. I know what feels good and right for me. I know when I am out of balance and what foods are "bad" for me. Each morning I must choose to listen to my body and its needs. The rewards are boundless.

Mindy said...

Very well put Angels! I am all about doing what I think is best for me, even if it goes against what others think is good for me =)

Especially when it involves chocolate!

The Skinny B said...

Ok. Here is a questions then. Why are the foods that I love and crave always not good for me. Why don't I ever crave crudiferous vegies or whole grains. I don't get it.

Shades of Scorpio said...

Annie, I need to call the angels in to make me blind to potato chips. I am a sucker for all flavors.