Making Peace with Fat
By Anna
A bold headline grabbed my attention from the Christchurch Press: "$67 Million dollar war on fat". The article was echoed in similar stories across the country, describing the Governments strategy to reduce obesity in New Zealand's youth.
Initially this may appear to be a move in the right direction. The battle against expanding bellies is undoubtedly well-intentioned. However I question the war-like language and angle.
In 1971 President Nixon declared "War on Cancer," in the National Cancer Act. In 1908 in the USA one person in 8,000 died from cancer. Today in the US, one in three people die from cancer. New Zealand and Australia unfortunately boast similar statistics. Two and a half trillion dollars have been spent on fighting cancer in USA. The incidence of cancer has gone up 18 percent and the death rate 7 percent since Nixon declared war.
An aggressive campaign against any undesirable condition often has the result of increasing the strength of that condition. Does a hostile approach to terrorism appear to be reducing the threat? In the same way that fighting terrorism may be increasing global fear and experience of terrorism, fighting fat increases our fear and experience of fat.
One basic truth of human experience is that ‘whatever you resist persists'. The more you push away that which frightens you, the more you will be confronted by it. If we constantly reinforce the idea that obese people are everywhere and growing, that is exactly what will happen.
When fat is a part of your body, then the more you hate, resist and fight it, the more you will hate yourself. When society condemns and struggles against fat, not only do obese people feel more miserable and entrenched, but all people tend to judge fat wherever they see it. However when you approach your fat and all parts of your body with compassion and a willingness to take care of yourself, then you can begin to experience true wellness.
Contemplate the language used in the War on Fat Article: "Young people will be targeted in an aggressive campaign to combat obesity, amidst fears that the current generation will die younger than their parents". What sort of conditioning is being imposed upon the minds of New Zealand children? What seeds are being planted? Gautama Buddha said ‘In this world hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible'.
A key to positive change is coming alongside those in need, and educating through empowerment. I like Jamie Oliver's style. Working alongside the kids and cafeteria staff he showed them some more healthful alternatives. Because they related to Jamie, because it was fun, and because they were involved, they were empowered to make change.
So what are the real issues causing obesity. Good nutrition and exercise are important. However the secret behind having a happy healthy body lies in the emotions of the mind.
It has been my personal and clinical experience that excess weight is intimately connected with low self-esteem and deep rooted emotional issues. At times in my life I have relied on food to numb-out unacknowledged emotional pain. I remember one trip to India, during which I managed to put on weight, even though I had a bout of Delhi Belly! I recognize now that I was miserable in an unhealthy relationship, my self-esteem was in tatters, and I constantly compared my body to the ‘skinnier yogis', eating my way to very temporary pleasure through mountains of tasty Indian cuisine and sweets. In practice as a natural health practitioner, I have found that fat protects layers of hidden emotional injury. I call these emotional wounds our "Black hole".
Every person on earth has a black hole to heal, even if they pretend they are indestructible, or if they are frightened to acknowledge their vulnerability. Most people use food, drugs and alcohol to self-medicate uncomfortable emotional states. Simply feeling uneasy and using a habitual behaviour such as pouring a wine or snacking, is avoiding our real potential to heal.
Some people spend their whole lives avoiding the rewarding journey of healing the black hole. Thankfully it is possible for everyone. It is also an inspirational fulfilling process, which I recommend from personal experience. Emotional healing is a vital part of becoming a mature adult, and provides the ground floor of total wellbeing.
Alongside nutrition and lifestyle education, healing our minds and emotional lives is pivotal.
Like many health practitioners, spiritual teachers, counselors and therapists, I work with individuals who wish to heal their ‘emotional black holes'. As they do so, they are naturally able to invite all the injured parts of themselves home into a more unified whole. This is an indescribably fantastic feeling. Personal work may be challenging at times, but it's worth every moment. I am happier and healthier now that ever and am grateful to have opportunities to ‘put myself back together again'. When you feel more whole, you feel loved and no longer need unhealthy habits to make life bearable. From this confident place it is easy to make wise decisions about nutrition and exercise. It is easy to choose healthy options because we intrinsically know we are worth it.
I encourage individuals, the government and the media to take a gentler, but more effective, approach to obesity, including sensitive and accessible programmes for emotional healing.
Just imagine if that title had said "67 million dollar fund promotes fit healthy bodies".
Sure it has less of a sensationalist punch, but it would make people with fat bodies feel optimistic and interested, rather than ‘the target'. Who wants to be the target of a war-campaign? Rather, be a person seeking increased wellness and a body which feels good.
P.S One of the techniques I use with myself and clients to increase self-esteem and 'heal the black hole' is called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It works quickly and effectively for most people, and I highly recommend it. Roger and I use EFT almost daily for physical and emotional issues we wish to heal. It works! Read my article on EFT.
Or you can book a personal online EFT session with me. It's fun, confidential and it can work for you, wherever you are in the world. You will need to download Skype (easy!) and have a computer camera. Have a look at my website to learn more about this amazing technique.
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