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Health April 2012

Eat Right Now

The Hungry Heart

By Wendell Fowler

Poets and scholars through history were right -- the heart houses mind and soul. The Chinese associated hearts with the epicenter of happiness, the Greeks the seat of their spirit.

Most assume the chambered heart merely pumps blood. Falling in love or grieving is all in the head. Pump, pump. That's all. Au contraire, mon fraire, it's our "second brain." One cannot live nor love without it; intimacy and laughter are good for it, bad news can break it, and poor nutrition will trash it.

For centuries the valentine-shaped organ had been connected to emotion. Poets and scholars through history were right -- the heart houses mind and soul. The Chinese associated hearts with the epicenter of happiness, the Greeks the seat of their spirit. Early Egyptians understood the connection of the heart to the pulse saying it "speaks in the vessels of all the members."

Since both Satan and Jesus knock at its door, the human heart apparently merits tender, loving care in many ways. How do you feed your heart and soul? The 10-ounce heart beats without stopping 24/7/365, decade after decade, therefore when dietary and spiritual needs go unmet, we feel empty, desperate, lightheaded from a lack of love, proper natural nourishment, and oxygen. The brain needs oxygen and glucose, which, if not received continuously, causes you to lose consciousness. Muscles need glucose, amino acids, sodium, calcium, and potassium salts from clean foods and supplements to function normally.

A muscle beating roughly 72 times per minute, the heart altruistically pumps lifeblood throughout your universe within, shuttling vital materials which sustain mental and physical functions while removing waste products from your ecology. That's why it needs strengthening exercise like all muscles.

Like a starving man seeks food, the soul seeks symbiotic satisfaction; you keep me happy and I'll keep you happy. Regardless of creed, we have commonality -- hungry hearts. We know the importance of feeding the soul with worship and meditation, but what's it require to operate perfectly as creation intended? Real foods like almonds, apples, beans, blueberries, avocado, and fresh fish are awesome additions to your daily fare. Food is one of the greatest issues in today's culture -- questions about the supply of nourishment for the human race saturate the media. Unfortunately we get so preoccupied with the temporary, we neglect the eternal.

The heart, the core of your existence, makes you tick. It houses your health, creator, love, joy, and bliss. It's a source of one's being, emotions and sensibilities as in "an appeal from the heart," or "a man after my own heart." It's the innermost physical core: "It touched my heart," and "in your heart you know it's true." You can also break or touch someone's heart with words or actions. You share sincere heart-to-hearts, and spiritually feed your heart with the Word, then after church, undo it all by eating fried chicken cooked in pork fat and gravy medical science says block blood flow causing “the big one.” Due to this eating tradition, Midwesterners trend above the national average for heart disease and a diseased heart struggles to express the splendor of love.

Laugh at yourself when things get tough and sidestep grumpy people. A hearty laugh warms the soul and rouses increased blood flow for up to 45 minutes after the laugh.

Those who have awakened and pay attention to what they eat are conscious of what they do or do not put into their earth suit impacts their spiritual well-being. The idea is not new. Eastern philosophers and Christian saints have long suggested fasting as penance or to cleanse their bodies, regarded as the temple of their spirit. Many of earth's religions have ancient laws forbidding certain foods or combinations of foods as unholy or unclean, contaminating to the Holy Spirit. Unclean = junk food.

Fall in love with your heart with all your heart; it needs reverence and maintenance as much as you for the beat to go on.

For an entertaining lecture contact: www.chefwendell.com

 

Chef Wendell hosts Eat Right Now on WISH TV 8 CBS Indianapolis. He can be reached at 317-372-2592 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Visit his website at Chefwendell.com.

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