Good and Bad

I'm very sensitive to caffeine so coffee is bad. Alcohol stresses the liver so, alcohol is bad. Organically grown meat contains lots of protein, minerals and vitamins so, meat is good...unless you're a vegetarian. In that case, meat is bad. We seem to be culturally or maybe even genetically programmed to judge. Instead of good or bad, right or wrong, what if we thought in terms of balance? Sometimes my entire system feels depressed and a cup of coffee brings everything into balance. I feel instantly better and I know it was a wise thing to do. Sometimes a glass of wine is just the right aid for relieving stress. Other times, meditation or exercise may work better. If I don't know ahead of time which is the best choice, I can at least pay attention to how I feel afterward. Then I learn something. The key, I think, is paying attention. That leads to knowing (or feeling) when I need a particular food, supplement, activity or therapy. When I am in touch with my body, I can follow my own inner guidance. When I'm not in "touch", I have to rely on the advice of someone else. Sometimes I even internalize the advice (beliefs, rules, laws) of other people because they are "experts". We all have developed or adopted ideas and judgments about diet or certain foods. Could those beliefs be keeping us from healing or from reaching our full potential for health?