The Belly

I am so excited to write about this topic because it is one that is near and dear to many of us. One of the frequent questions asked in my office is, "can you help me get rid of this stomach", and as I walk around town, I see the expanding abdominal girth of many. Whenever I would gain weight over the years, it always went directly to the middle, bypassing my very skinny ankles and calves. My nickname was "chicken legs"! This summer has been a sobering one for me as I dress creatively to manage bloating and stomach discomfort. It is no coincidence that many of the clients referred to me are struggling with stomach distress, bloating and abdominal weight gain as well. Many of these folks have diets that are high in refined carbs or they may be on medications that have compromised gut function, thus creating an environment for the "ugly buglies" to grow - yeasts and bacteria. In my case, the cancer that I have suppresses the immune system, thus allowing the gut to be overcome by these yeasts and bacteria. What is interesting is that I was one of those who struggled with eating excessive carbs and craving sweets. As the years have passed, my eating habits have become very clean and I love my food. It is no longer a struggle to choose greens, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. And yet, the bloated belly is uncomfortable and we must remind ourselves that we are more than our bodies. What I am referring to is the self-esteem that can get caught up in body image. It takes a lot of self-talk to keep one feeling good about other attributes because often the superficial aspects of body image create a false sense of self-worth. As I have further explored digestion, there are other emotional and spiritual factors that can affect one's difficulty with the middle weight gain. According to Louise Hay, author of "Heal Your Body", she correlates diabetes and pancreas issues with a lack of sweetness in life. Other energetic healers look at the solar plexus (the middle abdominal area) as the area where one may hold onto old hurts, old angers, old ways of being. This "holding onto" can create bloating and constipation. One healer that I met with suggested a mantra that really resonates for me - "I release, I allow, I accept, I rejoice". not only If you struggle with belly issues, consider not only looking at the diet, which is certainly an important aspect, but dig deeper into the emotional aspects that might also be impacting your digestion. Are you truly enjoying the "sweetness" in life or are you feeding yourself sweet to make up for it? Are your holding onto old stuff that needs to be let go? Release, allow, accept and rejoice! Julie