Intuition is Science

Measuring intuition is being studied and becoming more accepting in the scientific community. “Intuition is a process that gives us the ability to know something directly without analytic reasoning, bridging the gap between the conscious and non-conscious parts of our mind, and also between instinct and reason.” –Francis Cholle from Psychology Today.

Definition of Intuition:

The ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.

Non conscious, emotional, information from the body or brain.

An instinctual feeling or sensation.

How does this relate to our bodies?

Vagus Baby!

The vagus nerve is one of the larger more important nerves in the human body. One key role that it plays is to counteract when our alarm system has been set off resulting in the infamous fight and flight or freeze response. The vagus nerve tells the body and brain, it is safe now and the threat is gone. All bodily functions can return to normal now. So many people’s nervous system is stuck in fight and flight and they do not feel safe. (Resource: “Gut Vagal Afferents Differentially Modulate Innate Anxiety and Learned Fear” and was published May 21, 2014 in the Journal of Neuroscience.)

There is a lot of discussion regarding the mind-body connection, and this nerve could be the key to it all.

• The nerve is bi-directional, meaning it sends messages from the brain to the body and vice versa.
• It’s how the body talks to the brain. 80% of its capacity is directed towards channeling information from the body to the brain.
• It is the “vagabond” nerve that wanders around and surrounds our heart and core area.
• It is heart-centered and noted as the nerve of intuition and the nerve of compassion.
• When we feel safe, without threat or anxiety, these abilities and inclinations are free to expand.

How does this apply to food? Completely. Food is how we nourish and connect with ourselves and others in times of celebration. There is ALWAYS  food available at every social function. If you are heart centered and connected to your calm nervous system, choosing your food and meals will become effortless without ANY thought. You get to be a human BEING vs always being in your mind and being a human DOING.

In a recent blog I shared the voices in my head and my inner critic’s name, A**hole. I remember what I was wearing the day I stopped letting my inner critic rule my head and body in regards to food. (however, there a couple of subjects that the critic is still thriving on, but we are getting even better at those too).

The conscious mind is an expert in being rational and logical and it is RELENTLESS. Your unconscious mind has a different filter, and deciphers through information from past, present and future to connect with our gut feelings in a nonlinear way.

What if we relieve the inner critic to lead and have a brand new voice in our head to help us choose food (& life) that supports our soul, body and mind. Often times we rationalize away those voices within, NOW we are going to listen without judgment. How do we allow these inner dialogues to happen without fear, shame or ridicule?

I began studying nutrition and teaching only the science, because that was what I believed how I would help people the most. Now, I truly believe it is a combination of knowledge with knowing. My rebel has wants and desires while my critic is judging and criticizing it. And all we want is to do is enjoy some flipping gelato fully without battling these voices.

I am creating a new process to help others connect more toward this knowing. Wayne Dyer said it best, “Everything you go against weakens you and everything you are for empowers you”. So if we wake up everyday with our list of foods we judge, resist and stress against, we have given our power away instantly. Instead, we are going to practice waking up with acceptance by listening and finding your yes, and not letting those voices rule.

The process will be launched on October 2nd, it is called The Intuitivarian Process, nourish your body and bare your truth. A 22-day process toward self-exploration and acceptance by feeling your yes and living passionately. My personal objective with this program andwas to observe EVERY thought, action and vocabulary I direct towards my body. I want to be present on this earth by practicing loving my body fully, every inch, wrinkle, dimple, laugh line of this 44 year old body.

If you have worked with me in the past this new program is a combination of working with me while you journaled and received feedback, along with the the group programs I conducted such as the RESET and Jump Start. This process can be done alone or with feedback support. Please stay tuned for further information on the details of this process.

I will be sending out blogs more frequently these next two weeks, so if you are not interested in learning more, I totally trust you, please unsubscribe if my new process doesn’t resonate with you.

Thank you for being a part of my personal and professional evolution and I hope to be a part of yours.

With joy and nourishment,

Heather Fleming, C.C.N.