Intuitive eating

Intuitive eating and how we long ago gave up control to others instead of maintaining our own

Psychology 101, the introduction of human behavior and conditioned responses were made prevalent with the fame that spread when Ivan Pavlov, a physiologist (an expert in or student of the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts), noted that the dogs in his lab would start to salivate when they saw the lab assistants walk in. This is one of the first and easiest experiments that we all came across at some point in our lives, how these dogs began to associate the white lab coats with food and would salivate in anticipation of a meal. Now, let’s apply that to our world today. Endless commercials have resulted in what can really be described as food pornography, the perfect burger layered with fresh lettuce, dripping in sauces as the gooey cheese pulls apart slowly and the happy actor sits contentedly with big mouthfuls satiating their hunger. Hungry? Grab any of these endless supplies of fast food, easy and convenient, from the corner store to the store next door to that store, the food supply and that which is around us is always there. 

So, I ask, how are we at this point any different from the realization that an outside stimulus is controlling us? The most contentious discussion can be started with breakfast and cereal. Cereal itself was actually “invented” by a doctor, and followed up with more creations, by the 1950’s baby boom, cereal became sugary and packaged brightly, to this day, I can walk into a supermarket, through the cereal aisle and be hit with nostalgia for “breakfast”. While I am no longer in the cycle that was predicated, with an outside eye I can recognize the symptoms it produces in me, and acknowledge that it is emotional and not true hunger. 

We’ve lost the ability to listen to our own cues, and who can blame us? Billboards, advertisements, commercials, music, it’s all swirling around us, and with thousands of options to choose from when do we accept that in reality we are being overwhelmed? In the United States, everything is “bigger and better”, or is it? Refrigerators built largely, food laden with preservatives to keep it lasting longer, ready to heat and eat have allowed us to transition with our fast-paced lives. 

So let’s get into the science, with the enormous leaps we’ve made with technology, our food choices have also transcended. One of the most neglected aspects of these studies is the correlation of a steep rise in medical conditions. Our choices, or rather, the choices that have been made for us, have actually been obscuring what’s simply in front of us. Everybody, that is, EVERY BODY (every physical body) is different. Those standards with dietary values apply to a “general” population, and not for your individual needs. 

So where does the idea of intuitive eating fit in? Begin at intuition, another word or label that should be taken for face value, as defined is the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. This can be further broken down into one word: instinct. Instinct is something that we do involuntarily but we still need to learn to TRUST that instinct. Breaking the cycle of years and years of external influence will actually lead to SELF CONTROL. We all have the innate and humane right to be in control of our own actions, including what we choose to fuel our bodies with. 

Intuitive Eating is essentially accepting that your own body is just that, your own. The same set of standards that apply to the person you are looking at or thinking of do not apply to you. Through my program, we will identify who you are not only biologically (in order to have a better understanding of how your system is functioning), but also emotionally. Learning to listen to the right cues in your body will allow you to regain control and strength, making the choices that you chose to make instead of those that have been conditioned on you.