Lunar eating!
Being a nutrition and weight management specialist I find that many people ask me about my own eating habits. I think they expect me to say something sensible, so when I respond that I eat in tune with the moon they are often bewildered. I have tried to give quick explanations to my eating patterns and found them still looking confused, so for those of you that are interested I have decided to detail some of the ways I eat according to the cycle of the moon and how it works for me. This is not a ‘you should try this’ or ‘a new diet phenomena’ this is just my opinion, it is not scientifically backed up and if you wish to try it that is your own choice. We have to remember we are all different and what works for me may not work for you.
All beings and foods are made up of the five elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Space. Each of us contains a mixture of the five elements; this is not usually in balance. All foods fall into the categories of the five elements as well. For example my body is mainly Air and Space therefore I need to balance my constitution using more Earth and Water foods. So my diet is consists mainly of root vegetables and watery fruit – this makes my body happy!! But say your constitution was mainly Earth and Water you would need to eat more Space and Air foods like bread and beans. Incidentally if you tend to get a busy mind or struggle with anger and restlessness you could try cuting down on ‘fire’ foods as this can help. Fire foods are onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and hot spices. I find that cutting out these foods really helps with my meditation practice.
So to the lunar timetable: after the new moon when the moon starts waxing the body becomes more and more absorbent right up until the full moon when the body holds in as much as it can. Then, when the moon is on the wane the body starts to give out more and more until the new moon when the body reaches it’s maximum potential for detoxifying. So, in the two weeks of the waxing moon the body is more likely to retain water, it may feel heavier and weigh more, foods will sit heavy in the stomach and the foods you are used to eating will fill you up quicker than normal. On the two weeks of the waning moon you may feel more thirsty than normal and sweat more, you may need to eat more food than normal but the body may feel lighter, you may also weigh less. So if you do have trouble with your weight you may wish to observe your eating patterns when the moon is waxing.
During the two weeks of the waxing moon I try to eat quite light, mainly eating soups, smoothies and lots of fruit and vegetables. During the two weeks of the waning moon I will eat more solid foods like rice, lentils, bread and cereals. This however may not be the same for you; it may be the other way round; more solids on the waxing moon and more fruit on the waning moon. We have to learn to be in tune to the way our body responds to the moon. On both full moon and new moon days I usually observe a ‘fruit only’ day. Sometimes I will fast; this depends on how much physical exercise I have to do that day (I will usually only fast if new moon or full moon falls on a weekend when I have no classes because I need the energy when I am doing exercise!). I find it important to observe these ‘fruit only’ days on full moon because the body is at its most absorbent and I wish to provide it with quality natural food and be sure that it is not receiving any ‘bad’ food. Observing a ‘fruit only’ day on new moon is even more important for me because this is when the body is detoxifying, to get the maximum from this natural process I only give my body gentle food to digest, fruit also helps aid the natural detox.
I think it is important to mention mental attitudes to food and cravings. The body will tell you what it wants when it wants it we just have to listen. If the body craves chocolates we obviously need something that is in the chocolate so we should have it. If we think to ourselves ‘Cake is bad, I shouldn’t eat it, it makes me fat’ then it will have negatives affects on the body and it will make you fat – the mind is a powerful thing. If we feel the need for cake we should think ‘I fancy cake, I will have it and enjoy it because I like cake’ without the guilt and bad feeling the cake will sit a lot better with the body. It’s like the saying ‘I only have to look at a cake and I put on weight’ well of course you do because that’s what your telling body to do, it is only following your instruction!
The trick is to becoming more mindful with food and your response to it, there is no set way to ‘lunar eating’ only your personal observations will benefit you. Practicing Pilates helps us become more aware of our body movements. We can take awareness into all aspects of our life. Before you eat just think about what it is that you want – listen to the body, it is speaking to you no one else. Try not to eat past hunger and when you have finished eating listen to your body again and see if it is happy, is it too full? Does it want more? Does your head ache? Does the stomach feel bloated? With this new awareness you can build a repertoire of knowledge about what your body needs and when. When we take responsibility for our own senses we begin to show ourselves love and compassion. We eat love, thoughts, feelings and atmosphere. When we start to attune ourselves to our own pattern we realise that we are showing ourselves care because we are making our body happy (weather eating cake or fruit). Listening to the body in this way is more important than eating a rushed ready meal from the supermarket without giving the origin or process a second thought.
So, this is not a new fad diet and it doesn’t come endorsed or recommended by me, it is more about getting in tune with your own body and responding to what it tells you. I personally find that it works for me and I find great pleasure in being in tune with the moon. As a woman I find attuning myself to nature is imperative to my femininity and of great importance to my personal wellbeing.
Although I am not an authority on this strange subject if you do have any questions please ask. Or post comments if you wish.
For the current moon phase click:
http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases/phasenow.php
For a moon calendar visit:
http://www.astrocal.co.uk
For a great book on the moon and how it affects us including lunar gardening, lunar living, biorhythms, detoxifying much more read:
Moon Time – The art of harmony with nature and lunar cycles
By Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe
