An orthorexic lives in the future instead of the now, so has trouble participating in life without thought of future consequences. On a spiritual level, the inability to indulge is a disorder of excess chastity. The essence of chastity is an unwillingness to give oneself completely to something imperfect. Often, such a person shows intolerance to experiencing shame. Chastidy is naturally strongest in young women after onset of puberty.

There is a dynamic tension between one's ability to love what is imperfect (this type of loves is expressed by the soul), and to reach for divine star of perfection (this type of love is expressed by the spirit). The soul, located near the heart, finds satisfaction in connection to people, places, and things. The soul is willing to overlook corruption & imperfection in order to preserve connection, intimacy, and love. This kind of love may be found in a mother's mercy toward a child in jail, etc. The soul embraces mother nature, the symbol of the divine feminine, and thus participates in earthly fertility and abundance.

The spirit, located in the crown, is the home of the divine masculine. It loves the glory of heavenly perfection, and rejects earthly impurity. The spirit loves beauty & refinement, and is symbolized by a gem. When a person over invests in spiritual purity, they may unwittingly repress the soul. To such a spiritual being, enjoying the fruits of Eden feels like an indulgence. The rejected fruit can be food, sensuality of a sexual nature, emotional intimacy, etc.

The seeming perfection of the spirit is a seductive attraction to an orthorexic, who does not recognize that heavenly perfection is etheric only, and lacking in earthiness. A person stuck in the heavenly realms mistakes contact with heavenly perfection and beauty as contact with God. Heavenly beauty is incomplete because it cannot understand God's love for humanity, or the nature of His mercy. True perfection includes a persons ability to love unconditionally, which paradoxically means loving earthly imperfection.

A person who remains overly chaste cannot experience unconditional love, and in the attempt to crush desire and indulgence loses empathy, understanding and human connection. The seed of an orthorexic's spiritual crisis is a loss of faith and hope in earthly desires. They do not trust the life-giving intelligence of the body and its ability to lead them to the happiness and satisfaction they are seeking. The sense organs of the nose and tongue are repressed, as well as the reproductive organs and the gut.

Life lived in rejection of the senses soon becomes dry, barren, and isolated. Reconnecting with earthly abundance requires inclusion of these organs, and re-establishing a belief that these organs are necessary for the success of the individual. The person must face the state of panic that arises around desire and the obstacle it presents. To restore abundance, a person must expose the limitations of the superego and recognize that desire is part of God's perfect plan for us.

AGGRAVATES THESE DOSHAS & QUALITIES

Imbalance Accumulates

Improper food and lifestyle causes balances to accumulate. Ayurveda shows you exactly which doshas and qualities are likely to accumulate in your body. Once these doshas and qualities accumulate too much, they will begin to cause imbalance. You can reduce an imbalanced dosha or quality by removing things that aggravate it from your diet and lifestyle.

V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA

GUNA	FOODS TO AVOID	DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE?
DRY ABOUT DRY GUNA Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY	MODERATE THESE DRY FOODS IF PREOCCUPIED WITH HEALTHY EATING IS CAUSING A PROBLEM	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Dry' guna.
LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT GUNA Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT	MODERATE THESE LIGHT FOODS IF PREOCCUPIED WITH HEALTHY EATING IS CAUSING A PROBLEM	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Light' guna.

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

SEE A DIET WHICH REMOVES THESE QUALITIES

FAVOR DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL EFFECTS

GUNA	FOODS TO FAVOR	CONDITION IN YOUR BODY
SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET	SWEET INGREDIENTS SWEET RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sweet' taste

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE 0

Potential causes increase and disturb your imbalanced doshas and qualities, causing them to accumulate and spiral out of control. For example, if you're overheated and eat a chili pepper, heat may become excessive and cause disease. As a dosha or quality accumulates in your body according to your dietary and lifestyle habits, it is more and more likely to cause disease. You can reduce an imbalanced dosha or quality in two ways, by removing, or lessening the frequency of aggravating causes from your diet and lifestyle, as well as by favoring balancing diet and lifestyle practices. For example, try eating something as cool as a cucumber when you're overheated, instead of a chili pepper.

REDUCE THESE RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE BODY?

What aggravates it? What heals it? Then get your Personal Ayurvedic Body Book! This book, written by founder and director of Joyful Belly, John Immel, is individually formatted for your unique body and will help you confidently choose food that restores your healthy glow to get you feeling like your best self. Just $19.99!

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.

John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.

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Comments & Personal Experiences

What are some of the reasons why you include 'preoccupied with healthy eating' in your life? Is there something you'd like to know about 'preoccupied with healthy eating'?

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- psychanalyste22 , 03-06-18 (Reply)