When I first moved to New York, my best friend Olya would cook very elaborate meals very often.  Her days were punctuated by trips to Fairway- then the only real “supermarket” of merit in Manhattan- and stops for cheeses and the very right breads and wines that seemed perfect for the day.  Her orchestration of food as a part of the artistry of life- big bowls of shredded beet salad filled with walnuts (they are a Russian staple brain food) still stand out in my mind over a decade later- was my first introduction to a lavish – yet simple- treatment of food in life.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t (nor does she!) have the time to linger over the perfectly roasted coffee bean at an artisinal shop every day.  But, that philosophy of food as artistry doesn’t need to be scrapped!

We have to feed our bodies.  We need to fuel our dreams.  We have to make every day count.

So today I am asking you: are you feeding your body and fueling your dreams well enough for you?!

Food has been my nemesis and my savior.  As a very anorexic teenager, food was once a tool for control.  Having flipped to the side of food as artistry and fuel, somewhat miraculously, food is the reason that I am well and thriving today despite an autoimmune digestive disorder that I was told would render me on handfuls of drugs for the rest of my life.

We all have ideas about food.  Ideas about skinny.  About beautiful. About what is correct.

Food is energy at its essence. We choose what energy we want to consume if we are lucky.  To have the choice of what to eat is a privledge.  An estimated 870 million people suffered from chronic undernourishment due to poverty in this world in 2010-2012.  That’s 1 of every 8 people alive that are hungry.  You are very very lucky to be able to choose what you eat.

Food is a drug for some.  The sugar highs and crashing lows can mimic serious mental disorders in people who drug themselves with candy, junk food and sugar. In fact, a study revealed that eating a ton of junk food for just a week can cause permanent damage to your memory.  A WEEK!

I am not a fan of telling anyone what is “right” for them to eat.

(gluten dude)

I do know that lots of people suffer from chronic inflammation that is promoted by the wrong diet for your body.  That “gluten free” movement isn’t all hype.  I have seen people become nearly drunk from eating gluten if they are sensitive.

If I ate gluten, there’s a high chance I’d be very, very sick.  I follow a diet called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.  Think of it as a more strict Paleo diet with other tweaks.  Its killer for IBS, UC, Crohns, Celiac and other digestive disorders. 75-90% of people in on the diet (in anectdotal polls) have found major healing in the commitment to this diet. It is not for everyone. Nothing is for everyone where diet is concerned.

That said:  preservatives, pesticides, food dyes, hormone-filled meats and proccessed foods are really not for anyone. That I will stand by as a definitive statement.  However, unless you are forced to avoid them- as I have been- it can be a struggle to get fed in a way that is consistantly more pure.

To make your life more about fuel and to see the energy that you have multiply, you may want to go back to my days with Olya in New York, having an arful time adding flavor to life.

Diets that are forced tend to fail. You can only force yourself for so long.

But if you look at the artistry of eating to bring vibrance to your dreams… if you see the colors, textures, layers of flavors… you can make your lifestyle a celebration of eating in your perfect way.

By the way, in feng shui, a full refrigerator and a kitchen that is active are very much considered the ultimate in prosperity.  So, get your fridge stocked!  I am so excited to expand on food-shui this year, not because I am a masterful chef, but because it is an artistry and a privledge and a way to nourish all of the thoughts and dreams you have for a vibrant lifetime.

And here’s more on my initial start with food-shui exploration…

… for a life that rocks on every level! Take the gift of being privledged to choose your diet and use it to create better energy for you… so you can give more to the world!  xoxo Dana

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And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101.  Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks.  It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do.  Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow.   Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE…   And, as always, please let me know what happens!