I have been fascinated by body typing for a few years now.  There are several books and authors on the subject and the one I have been drawn to is the Body Typing Diet by Abravanel and King-Morrison. 

(http://bodytypes.com/)  The premise of body typing is that there are different body types (in this case, based on dominant gland) that

dramatically affect what foods and exercise are good for you.   It’s

important to know your type as the recommendations are drastically different for each type.  While I have worked with several different systems based on blood type and metabolism, this system appealed to me the most.  (That doesn’t mean I think it’s the best; it’s just the most useful for me.)

 

After taking the tests and working with the pictures, I thought I was the thyroid type that needs protein for breakfast and needs to avoid

sugar and caffeine at all costs.    However after following that diet

approach for about a year, and gaining weight and staying grumpy, I realized I needed more help and consulted with Elizabeth Morrison, one of the authors.  (If you are at all interested, I highly recommend her. 

You can reach her at ekmorris@pacbell.net <mailto:ekmorris@pacbell.net>.  Her fee is very reasonable at $75 for a 90 minute assessment.)

 

Turns out I am an adrenal type who needs a light breakfast and can tolerate a bit of sugar and caffeine.  Ironically enough, I was absolutely convinced that I wasn’t the adrenal type.  However, after looking at pictures together and talking it through, I can now see how I

am an adrenal type.   I an not sure why but discovering this has

absolutely boosted my confidence.  ***I feel a huge sense of relief like I’ve discovered what I’m getting for Christmas and I really really like

it.***

 

This process of discovering my body type has strengthened my commitment to conscious parenting and homeschooling.

 

As I look at my children and see them eat totally different foods, I am in awe that they instinctively know what their bodies need.  One child needs eggs daily, another eats very lightly for breakfast with fruit, and another flourishes on dairy.

 

As I hear all those rules about food, (sugar and caffeine are bad for you, you must eat a hearty breakfast, avoid dairy, eat dairy, avoid red meat, eat red meat) I can realize that while those rules might work for one person, it doesn’t mean they work for me or my children or

husband.   What my mother told me isn’t true!  So what works for me is

not necessarily what my children or husband need.  I can stop nagging them to eat how I think they should eat …..

 

As I hear all those rules about exercise (you must do strength training three times a week, you must exercise 60 minutes a day, you must stretch …), I realize that each person has a way of exercising that supports their body and it looks very different for each type.

 

As I realize how distorted my view of my body image was, I can ponder what caused me to discount my own inner wisdom and criticize myself so

harshly.   And as I think of my three children, I wish them a continued

sense of security and confidence in their bodies and hope they don’t lose track like I did.

 

So here’s to knowing that we are all different in what we need for food and exercise, that we have the wisdom inside ourselves, and that it’s okay to ask for help.

 

Cheers!

 

 

–

 

Deborah Donndelinger, EFT-ADV

 

*/www.energeticmothers.com <http://www.energeticmothers.com>/*

 

*/As we parent our children, we change the world/*

 

I saw my maternal grandfather last week for the second time in my life. Considering I’m thirty-eight years old, I realize this is somewhat unusual. My mother’s childhood could be written as a Shakespearean tragedy:  parents divorced when she was two, her father remarried and moved to Florida when she was five; her mother dead in a car accident when she was 10; her father and grandparents fought a bitter custody battle, which her grandparents won; and her father left her. Completely. He did not contact her for the rest of her childhood.

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I’m reading a fascinating history of parenting called Parenting for A Peaceful World by Robin Grille, available at the great site

www.naturalchild.com.    The author describes the evolution of parenting

over time in cultures around the world.   The history of parenting is

rather brutal, with children once considered non-entities that could be discarded, killed, and used at the parent’s whim.  He takes us through

the different modes of parenting and shows us where we are today.   He

sees our collective approach to parenting as evolving and developing, which is good news indeed.  He also sees how we collectively parent as the leading force that shapes how we are as a country, whether we perpetrate violence or encourage peace.  It’s a fascinating read, I don’t normally enjoy social-history books, but this caught my attention.

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