 Have you ever sat down to eat a meal and noticed that there is predominance of certain colors on your plate? Most of us know that a healthy plate should aim for a variety of colors. We call that the ‘rainbow effect’. I’m usually pretty good at that! So, when I noticed I was eating a slice of toasted rye bread with tomato sauce on top, along with ajvar (red pepper pureed with eggplant and garlic) and some cherry tomatoes on the side it caught my eye. Being who I am, I had to wonder if there could be some significance to it. After all, I had read a book by a nutritional expert, Deanna Minich, Ph.D., C.N. who has studied extensively and come up with a system which she calls the ‘chakra foods’. Her book “Chakra Foods for Optimum Health” is quite fascinating, matching food types, identified by colors, with our chakra system.
If the chakras are new to you, a few words about them - they date back thousands of years and were spoke of in ancient civilizations in India, Asia and South America. They are specifically linked to a system of healing called Ayurveda, considered to be one of the oldest healing sciences known to mankind. Everyone has seven main chakras that are connected to specific organs, glands and body systems. Each chakra represents an energy center that is aligned along the spinal column and correlates to our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple and white have been deliberately chosen for the chakra and matched physical body systems because of its frequency of light and vibration. Research indicates that our chakras can become imbalanced by a variety of toxins in our environment, including pollutants ranging from chemicals and additives in our foods, in the air we breathe and even the negative thoughts we think. You can read more about this fascinating system by checking out the explanation provided at Token Rock. So getting back to color and food - the day that I noticed all the red foods on my plate coincided with me feeling very tired and out of my usual routine. I had unexpectedly been away for a few days immediately following Christmas and had just returned. I was taking down the decorations, going through the fridge and cupboards, making order again. Feeling a bit ungrounded, I was seeking to restore order in my life through the physical action of cleaning my home – a basic instinct of survival for me! The red foods on my plate represent what is called the first chakra and/or root chakra. It is physically located at the base of the spine and the main energetic theme is that of our roots, our ability to feel grounded, part of a family or ancestry, tribe and our instinct for survival. Hmm... Red is the color of the frequency and foods associated with this chakra include root vegetables (not always red in color) like beets, carrots, onions, celery and red apples, radishes, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, red meats, red peppers, red onions, red chard and tomatoes, to name just a few. Organs and anatomy associated with this energy center are: adrenal glands, blood cells, bones, DNA, feet, immune system, joints, legs, muscle, rectum, skin, tailbone, reproductive system (male). Perhaps by me choosing those red foods, it was my own intelligence system signaling that I was feeling a bit out of balance. "Aha," you may say… or maybe I just needed to buy more groceries? Well, either way, I do believe that the body does speak and has an inherent wisdom to it, should we choose to listen to the clues it gives. Ultimately, only I can conjecture for myself on this particular example. However, it's not the first time I find myself noticing a predominance of certain colored foods on my plate! In any event, maybe I caught your attention? Perhaps you are interested enough to check back and read more about the other six chakras and associated food types. I plan to post some recipes as well. And, of course, I would encourage you to read much more about this whole concept from the expert - Dr. Deanna Minich at Food and Spirit. References: http://foodandspirit.com/ http://www.tokenrock.com/explain-chakras-11.html Minich, Deanna, M., Ph.D., C.N. 2009. Chakra Foods for Optimum Health - A Guide to the Foods that can Improve your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body, Mind, and Spirit. |
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