08 Jun Your Wise Mind Knows How To Eat

One of the most important ways an Eating Disorder Dietitian can be of service to his/her clients is by helping them reconnect with their natural wisdom around food. Although our clients may feel as if they “don’t know how to eat”, we can point out all the things they do know, and explore what has made them doubt themselves.

Wise Mind, similar to intuition, is a concept used in DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). We all have a wise mind – and we make the most effective decisions for ourselves when we can access this state of mind.

When we have a disordered relationship with food, we have temporarily lost our connection with our wise mind. So when I ask a client what their vision is of how they want to relate to food, often their answer is vague, or rigid, or they are perplexed at the question.

Here are a few things about eating that I believe we all know to be true in our wise minds…

– When we feel hungry, that’s a clear signal that we need to eat
– Eating mostly nutrient dense foods is healthy for mind, body, and spirit
– Being rigid about food is not healthy for mind, body, and spirit
– Carbohydrates are not evil
– Food is meant to be enjoyed – it is not only fuel
– Our food choices have importance but they do not define us
– We were not born to obsess and agonize over what we eat and how much we weigh – we have a deeper purpose

It can be a long journey to reconnect with our wise minds around food. And on this journey we encounter so much advice and information from books, articles, TV shows, blogs, diet books, and well-meaning people in our lives. This information overload often interferes with our ability to find our own way with food.

If you are confused and have lost your way, seek help from someone who values a healthy relationship with food above all else. You will get the gentle guidance you need to get you back in touch with your wise mind.