Why d0 pleasure rebels live longer?

Hope you and your loved ones are safe and sound. It is Cinco de Mayo and the craving for Mexican food is full on. Whether you support your local restaurants or enjoy a home cooked burrito, the secret is to receive the full pleasure of the experience. 

One of my favorite women to follow is Dr. Christiane Northrup, her book Goddesses never age is so relevant. This blog is inspired by her work along with the Blue Zones. The Blue Zones research is focused on why certain areas of the world have more Centarians. 

Centarians live longer because they have RITUALS of PLEASURE EVERYDAY. Also, they are usually a bit rebellious and may be the black sheep of their family or community. They do things their way with full respect toward others and their community. 

Rituals of Pleasure are NOT from an addiction, but a mindful act. If you grab that chocolate and are mad that you are craving it, this is not driven by pleasure. But if you squeal with delight and take a bite with your tea, you are having a ritual of pleasure.

Shame and guilt releases an inflammatory compound called IL-6. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an endogenous chemical which is active in inflammation. It is a good thing when it participates in the short-term defense against infection or injury, and warns the immune system against the source of inflammation. However, defective regulation of this molecule results in disease.​ Our thoughts, stress, and overload of inflammatory foods cause the defective regulation and then the inflammation is stored in your fascia, a thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or other organ.

Have you ever had a massage and when someone touched you in a spot you had an old memory come up and it caused you to cry or have a strong emotion? This is your body holding on to past trauma, shame, unworthiness and hurt. When you feel this feels, the inflammation becomes mobile and unstuck. 

Humility, doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. ~C.S.Lewis

I am a pleasure junkie and have tendencies to become addicted when I do NOT feel the feels first and FILL up and try to replace the pain and shame.

We need to add in RITUALS of Pleasure everyday. Health is contagious, and focusing on the causes of health will help us add in more pleasure and less toxic inflammation. 

Some ideas for pleasure rituals

• cup of tea before everyone wakes up and listening to the birds sing
• reading your favorite book in bed in the middle of the day for a mini reset. 
• happy hour with a loved one consisting of whatever fuels your spirit
• a NAP!
• a bath with candles
• when you have an Italian dinner you always light a candle. 
• chocolate in the sunshine

Take 5 deep breaths before your ritual to release CO2 and take in more oxygen. What would be your rituals of pleasure? 

If your mind is ‘shoulding’ on you all of the time, this negates the pleasure and joy. I had tacos this weekend for Cinco de Mayo week and loved every bite, then the next day my body needed a respite and I made this version of my RESET shake. Check out my video for the ingredients and reasons why to give your digestion and liver a break and why to ALWAYS shake up your ingredients.

If you are struggling and can’t decipher between the pleasure and the ‘shoulding’ on yourself addiction, I have a private community where we dive deep into what is holding you back from eating for pleasure. Please email me back and we can set up a time to chat. 

Love from your nourishment leader,

Heather Fleming, C.C.N.

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