ELEMENTS OF RECOVERY

How to break food, drug and alcohol addictions, bite by bite.

An Ayurvedic Perspective On Addiction

April 16, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Superfoods In Recovery, Sleep

In Ayurveda (Eastern body-mind-soul health philosophy), addictions are tied to an imbalance in the air element. Everything and every one of us is made up of the basic 5 elements: air, ether, water, fire and earth. When one of these elements get out of balance, we get sick. Modern neuroscience overlaps with classic Eastern medicine, although we use different terms in Western science - but it is all the same: the truth is the truth. Addiction is linked to the air element as it corresponds to our mind. There is too much nervous energy, which leads to an imbalance in our central nervous system. This, in change, causes us to feel disconnected and unbalanced. We are searching through drugs, foods and addictive behaviors in order to feel more grounded - that is the essence of any addiction.

Guess What Drug 2 Handfuls of Cashews Mimick?

April 08, 2015 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Depression, Superfoods In Recovery

Prozac. That's right, 2 handfuls of cashews are the therapeutic equivalent of a prescription dose of Prozac. Consider that antidepressant work by by affecting serotonin. However, with time antidepressants have been found to actually DRAIN brain serotonin and deplete much needed B vitamins - why suicidal rates actually increase on antidepressant ironically. 2 handfuls of cashews provides two thousand milligrams of tryptophan. Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin, which will work as well as prescription antidepressants and without later side effects of draining existing serotonin levels!

Raw vs. Cooked Food

April 01, 2015 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Addictions, Eating Disorders, Superfoods In Recovery

In response to last week's article on the energetics of food, I want to answer a question I get all the time from clients, "should I be eating raw, isn't that superior in nutrient contents to cooked foods?'. The answer is it depends - on your body's current state of health. You need to determine the vessel in which the fuel goes into, before mindlessly thinking that one-size-fits-all fuel will automatically be the best. Energetically, raw foods are very airy, energizing and "elevating". They are NOT nurturing, grounding or calming. This means, if you are sluggish, heavy and toxic as many of us are, who have been living off to much chemical laden take-away stuff, then going raw can be a God's sent to restore energy and vibrancy. However, through an addiction lens, raw foods is not ideal for making out the majority of your meals in nutrition in recovery. The very essence of anyone struggling with an addiction or disordered eating is that the air element is out of whack. In Western science terms, the air element refers to our central nervous system. This means, you want to eat to feel more grounded, calm and connected - not eat to feel even more airy and disconnected, which is what living off a raw diet will do, if your air element is out of balance.

The Energetics of Food and Your Mood

March 25, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Superfoods In Recovery

When you are restoring your brain and body from the damage of intense abuse from alcohol, food and drugs, you want to understand how to eat to best support your recovery. What you eat in recovery can make the process towards thriving again in your body a lot easier. If you want to cure the underlying imbalance, it is essential to understand the dynamics that make for addiction - whether that be food, drugs, alcohol or disordered eating behaviors. What is interesting to me, is that these self-abusive behaviors all have that in common, that the energetics are out of whack in a similar fashion. For those of you who prefer neuroscientific terms - the brain chemistry component; particular serotonin and dopamine. This means that we will benefit from adhering to a strategy that helps to re-align that imbalanced energy in our body, that literally makes our skin crawl and go after self-destruction, self-distraction and acting out. Different foods have different signature energetics. Often we are so focused on what science has proven regarding nutrient and antioxidant value that we are blind to the fact, that foods have a lot more value than simply antioxidant value and glycemic index. What is food energetics you ask? Click to read on.

An ancient time-tested remedy for brain + central nervous system.

March 17, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Superfoods In Recovery

After stress, drugs or alcohol your brain and central nervous system suffers greatly. Many in recovery feel like their nerves are raw. When you talk to them, you can almost feel how exposed they are. They have no filter. They have no tolerance for anymore stressors. They are naked. This is not a great feeling - pretty stressful in itself actually. This explains why many go back to drugs, foods, alcohol to try to numb out again. A key remedy to help restore strength, stamina and satisfaction, including being a memory and intelligence enhancer, is black sesame paste.

Do You Have Leaky Gut?

March 10, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing

I talk a lot about brain chemistry when dealing with health issues. The thing is, a major part of our neurotransmitters are found in our gut. So if something is up with our digestion, our mental health + emotional stability will be affected to some degree. What does this have to do with nutrition in recovery? Well, I've never met an addict who didn't have leaky gut. Drugs - whether street or prescription matters not - is the no. 1 major culprit involved in the epidemic of digestive disorders we are seeing today. What other factors trigger leaky gut?

The 3 Aspects of Nourishment

March 03, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Addiction is one of the greatest health issues facing Western society today. When I say addiction, I do not mean necessarily hardcore drug or alcohol addiction. The term addiction encompasses almost all self-destructive patterns or behaviors. We are experiencing a lack of control in some area of our life. Some kind of behavior that provides instant relief or distraction to escape the fact, that we are not feeding all 3 aspects of what defines us as a human being - that is why we are not thriving in this skin we are in. What are the 3 aspects of being a human?

Sleep timing for optimal recovery.

February 24, 2015 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Sleep, Addictions, Eating Disorders

You might know that 8 - 9 hrs sleep is recommended for general health. However, what you might not know is that WHEN you sleep is absolutely vital during recovery. We know that physical recovery and healing takes place from 10 PM - 2 AM. What is the science behind this time you might ask? Well, approximately 3 hrs after dark the output of ACTH of the pituitary decrease, allowing the cortisol to come down. Elevated cortisol is an inhibitor of Human Growth Hormone (early adrenal stage insufficiency where cortisol is chronically elevated). This puts your body naturally in the perfect biochemical state for cellular repair mode. Only if you are sleeping, though.

CARROT JUICE TO RESET YOUR BLOOD CHEMISTRY

February 17, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Superfoods In Recovery, Binge Eating

Did you know that carrot juice is almost identical to healthy blood? This is critical information to apply to any recovery program. Drugs and alcohol severely affect blood chemistry for the worse, thereby also increasing cravings and decreasing nutrient absorption. Healthy blood chemistry is the flow of life through your body. When your blood chemistry is compromised, every organ is too. Carrot juice acts therapeutically to restore and replenish healthy blood.

Beyond Yoga: Bridging The Body-Mind-Soul Gap.

February 10, 2015 by Christina Santini in Body Image, Eating Disorders, Meditation, Yoga Tools, Transformation Keys, Addictions

Feeling, sensing, embracing are all essential skills for living creatures to survive in this world. Dancers, actors, musicians, race car drivers, surfers and athletes usually have incredible kinesthetic awareness. This body awareness is something that most of us had as kids. Everyone who goes down a path of self-destruction disconnects from this awareness - and feels, well, disconnected, lost and without any sense of inner guidance; thus spiraling out of control.

Why our BRAINS get ADDICTED

February 03, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders, Binge Eating

The pull of addiction is beyond human control. Neuroscientist Nora Volkow is a pioneer in addiction medicine and director of National Institute of Drug Abuse at NIH. In this talk which was taped at TEDMED 2014, she applies the lens of addiction to eating disorders and obesity; describing the brain chemical issues at play. TEDMED features the brightest minds in health + medicine at their yearly conference.

HOW do you change habits?

January 27, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Faith, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

So there is a lot of advice out there telling you WHY you need to change beliefs, habits and lifestyle to achieve the life you truly desire to live. And that's great and all. Many of us are aware that we need to change. Many of us are painfully aware of the self-destructive things we do, that we wish would just vanish. Every Monday we start a new. Every year we set the same resolutions. And days turn into weeks that turn into months, years. The story of our life. If we think back on all those years - decades even, that we have tried and tried and yet we are exactly where we started; it can seem quite depressing. The question most of us are left stuck with is HOW. As in HOW do I change - I understand I need to, but HOW do I do it? There are 5 qualities that facilitate change. Without them you will stay stuck in Neverland. So what are the 5 qualities that will facilitate the change you want? Let's dive in.

What Are You Running From?

January 20, 2015 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Body Image, Depression, Emotional Management, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Everyday we are either running towards something or away from something. Think about it for a moment. What drives your actions.... even in the small every day behavior. Why do you buy diet pills, why do you drink alcohol, why do you obsess about diets, why do you avoid talking to those you are most attracted to, why do you avoid taking up a new sport, why do you always have to spend hours getting ready - and yes, this goes for men too, cos God knows vanity knows no gender. Most of us have centered our lives around our very fears. We are busy running away from something - using our energy and power to focus on what it is we do NOT want in our life. I.e. we don't want to be fat, we don't want to be shamed while speaking our mind in public, we don't want to feel unloved, we don't want to be rejected, we don't want to be alone, we don't want to feel stupid, we don't want to feel insufficient etc. etc.What do you think you get when you busy yourself with your fears? Drumroll please....

Our relationship with food is a gateway drug.

January 13, 2015 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Self-Worth

One thing that remains constant for every human being is our need for food. The act of eating. Of nourishing ourselves and those we love. Yes, food is an extension of love. How we eat is an expression of nourishment for our body and soul. If we can't master the art of feeding ourselves in a loving manner that meets our individual and ever-changing needs, every other relationship will reflect this dysfunction to some degree. Whether it is overly rigid, controlling and obsessive - or we binge and suppress our needs and emotions.

3 Supplements That Crush Sugar Cravings

January 06, 2015 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing, Addictions, Superfoods In Recovery

Today I am going to reveal the top 3 supplements that CRUSH sugar cravings. Especially an issue for anyone coming off drugs, alcohol or binging behaviors.

How to make 2015 AWESOME.

December 30, 2014 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

Life is not easy, and that's why the most important thing we can do is to begin mastering our thoughts and our perception. This way we become more resilient and can just go with the flow instead of fight, scream and in vain hang on to toxic things, that are not working for us, even if we feel that we NEED that person, that habit, that food, that drug etc. Sometimes we need to let go of things we love too.

How To Create A New Habit

December 23, 2014 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys, Addictions

The biggest downfall when trying to break bad habits is to rely on willpower to carry you through the storms and emotional turmoil that comes with every change. Simply because willpower is fragile and emotions change with the wind. It's only human to give into pleasure as we are hedonistic creatures baseline. You want to understand the WHYs of what it is that is driving your current self-destruction and then create a constructive habit to take over the former destructive - this is the science of neuroplasticity in action.

You will never go any higher than you THINK.

December 16, 2014 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

Most of us tend to have these beliefs that we repeat over and over again - in our own heads and in conversations with others. Repeating like a mantra that we want to come true. Well, it just so happens that whatever we think - whether we can or not - we are right.

What is your weakness trying to teach you?

December 09, 2014 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth, Emotional Management

Recovery often feels like two steps forward and one step back - and sometimes one step forward and two steps back. Again and again. We often feel like the world is against us. that we have no willpower. That we are the victim. We just can't go on anymore. We have tried every possible way. We feel weak, exhausted and full of self-pity --- and self-hate. And we often look for something or someone to save us. Someone to save us from ourselves before we drown. Drowning in the rivers we have created with our tears, blood and sweat.

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

December 03, 2014 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Eating Disorders, Depression, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

One of the reasons why we don't change, let go of addictions, stop disordered eating behaviors and just being self-destructive, is that we simply don't believe we can. And whatever we believe, we will act upon. Our actions are a reflection of what we think - the things we tell ourselves day in and day out. If we tell ourselves that we can't, we won't even try - and if we try, we will self-sabotage.