Read

September/October 2006 Alternative Health
Weight Loss Benefits for Spiritual Seekers

by Vicky Thompson

Spiritual seekers desire to balance the body and spirit, but often the physical body doesn’t match the evolution of the soul, according to Caroline Sutherland, a medical intuitive and author of The Body Knows.

Many people battle food allergies, uncontrollable cravings and hormonal imbalances, leading not only to a weakened physical system, but also to difficulties with maintaining an ideal weight. Sutherland believes that the key to ideal weight lies not in spiritual development, but in dealing with the physical symptoms directly through diet and exercise.

“When you work on the physical, you have more physical stamina and mental clarity to follow your inner guidance and purpose,” says Sutherland, a former allergy-testing technician who began receiving intuitive impressions about patients in the 1980s.

In The Body Knows, Sutherland cracks the code on weight loss, presenting a sensible and attainable five-step weight loss plan:

1. Food allergies–most overweight people have food allergies, particularly to common foods eaten every day: dairy, wheat, corn, soy and yeast. When you’re sensitive to certain foods, your immune system views the substance as a foreign invader, creating a histamine reaction. Your body swells up and you retain weight.

Solution: When you stop consuming irritating foods, you lose weight.

2. Chronic Candidiasis–most overweight people are afflicted with Candida albicans yeast syndrome, which can trigger tremendous cravings for starches and sugars. This strain of yeast occurs naturally in the digestive tract, skin, mouth and nose. But overuse of antibiotics can disrupt hormone balance, disturbing normal intestinal flora and allowing yeast to proliferate.

Solution: Candida albicans yeast feeds on starch and sugar in any form. By eliminating your dependence on these items, the yeast can’t survive and cravings disappear.

3. Excessive carbohydrate consumption–carbohydrates (starches) convert quickly to sugar. Excess sugar is stored in the fat cells.

Solution: Sutherland recommends lowering carbohydrate intake to 60 grams per day. A well-balanced low carbohydrate program focuses on the consumption of animal protein, or proteins in the form of beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as plenty of green leafy vegetables and fruit.

4. Exercise–get the body moving, move the lymphatic system, tune and tone up muscles, and increase the heart rate.

Solution: Sutherland encourages moderation, choosing a simple exercise that you can commit to every day.

5. Hormone imbalances–overweight people often have thyroid problems and related endocrine problems. Symptoms of a low thyroid include sluggishness, cold hands and feet, thinning hair and a sallow appearance.

Solution: Hormones require careful balancing. Sutherland recommends seeking help from a local practitioner.

Sutherland has found that correcting these physical challenges brings people back into balance emotionally and spiritually. “I want people to feel encouraged. You can have the stamina to execute your unique purpose and complete it in this lifetime.”

Caroline Sutherland will be presenting three workshops in Portland on October 13-15. Visit www.carolinesutherland.com.