by Anna Karam
As the owner of a health food store and an active student of Universal Medicine, I would like to respond to the recent articles regarding Serge Benhayon and the suggestions he is ‘leading a cult’ in which members are supposedly asked or forced to make drastic changes to their diets.
In all my years of studying nutrition, never have I seen a food philosophy that is so freeing and yet so loving and supportive to the body as that which Universal Medicine offers. It is a philosophy that allows one to feel for themselves a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body. Call me crazy, but isn’t this something we all truly want?
Along with this, Universal Medicine simply presents and offers the potential harming affects that certain foods and beverages have on the body, most of which have already been proven by scientific studies and with many of these actively felt by each of us on a daily basis in the form of bloating, constipation, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), eczema and lethargy – the list goes on.
The foods here on issue include:
Gluten: known to have a sluggish or slowing affect on digestion, as well as being one of the leading causes of inflammation to the gastrointestinal tract which precedes mal-absorption issues (as is the case with Coeliac disease and Gluten Intolerance). Both of these conditions are escalating amongst the young and old: each day I see more and more people come into our store suffering from a medically supported condition and wanting advice on gluten-free eating.
Dairy: known to congest the lymphatic system leading to numerous problems, from weight gain and fluid retention to cellular toxicity. Also, and much less known, the high levels of calcium found in dairy are not readily absorbed by the human body – here big business and misleading advertising have us fooled. More and more people are claiming how much lighter and more joyful they feel in their body after stopping the intake of dairy.
Alcohol: a known toxin and poison to the liver, the organ in our body that is responsible for the removal of the toxins we accumulate in our bodies (through our indulgent and excessive ways), bringing greater harmony within. It is crazy that we still need to speak about this, when in truth we can all feel that alcohol is not in any way supportive or loving for the body, yet it continues to be used and abused by a great many. And lastly,
Caffeine and Sugar: both affecting the nervous system through over-stimulation, which then works to deplete the endocrine system and contributes to an exhaustion greater than that which we were already experiencing prior to needing the caffeine and sugar – a mouthful yes it is: the nervous system feels it this way also.
So there you have it, simple facts based on various scientific and nutrition-based studies. They are also simple truths that one can easily feel through the body for themselves if they so choose. What Universal Medicine does is present these simple facts / truths. It never preaches them, it is simply an offering.
For myself I can say this: in working with my diet in this way, my body feels amazing. And not just here and there, but the majority of the time. I feel lighter, more energised, more vibrant, more sexy (dare I say it), and more brilliant then ever in my life since discovering Universal Medicine. And yes, I still get the occasional craving for sugar at the end of the day, but I deal with it. The point here is that the choice is my own, and not Universal Medicine’s.
In all my association with the philosophies in question, I have never heard anyone be told what foods to eat or not eat. What is offered simply to those who are seeking a more true and loving relationship with food is to feel for ourselves, by working with our own body and its responses to our dietary choices. This asks of us a level of honesty, commitment and responsibility to our bodies and to ourselves.
It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
Anna, I started to let go of some of these foods well before I met Serge Benhayon or Universal medicine. My body had signalled countless times over the years, and one day I had no choice but to experiment with what worked and what didn’t, for my body.
It wasn’t easy at first because I’d think what other foods would I be able to eat and there were countless things out there, there were so much unadulterated foods and in some respect purer than what the supermarkets feed us. If we really take the time and read the labels, there is nothing pure in the ingredients. There’s always something in there and I am speechless with some of the ingredients they add to a simple dish that can be cooked from our own kitchen.
I feel the answers to our health and wellbeing lies with many things, and food plays a massive role. We feed our bodies things that isn’t meant for it.
Science doesn’t always prove what a body is going through. Do we really need to live our lives from what the scientists tell us, or what the body is communicating?…
Apply common sense and look after yourself – why does this recommendation cause such an uproar when someone shares this with genuine intent and care for all? Could there be vested interests in foods that do not support us?
Sometimes I feel we have given our common senses away to what others say via social media, magazines, TV etc. When something works for our bodies, we don’t need another saying it’s wrong because it’s not scientifically proven. So of course they would attack another. Our earthly science is prescriptive, whilst universal science is very much different. It’s wise, loving and for the all.
I too can share that after years of studying nutrition and exploring various diets, there are some very strict diets out there that are concern due to health risks. However, what has been presented by Serge Benhayon, such as considering the effects of caffeine or sugar on the body is not a dangerous or strange and new suggestion to try out at all. Caffeine and sugar are not essential nutrients to the body and the effects of sugar in terms of insulin resistance and diabetes alone is a known factor in aggravating both conditions severely, not to mention how much it can impact other conditions too. Removal of gluten and dairy is not new either and is known to alleviate symptoms of over 120 illnesses and diseases… there is much here that has been presented for many years now, and Serge Benhayon simply offers us an opportunity to reflect on how the body feels from certain foods and to confirm what we have felt and what research is now also showing when it comes to the effects of foods in our body.
Awesome sharing Anna and one of a simple message of saying listen to your body and use some common sense too when choosing what to eat! 😉
Most people accept my food choices when I explain that it does something to my body. Often it’s not the giving up of the food that makes people balk, but the dealing with the feelings underneath the food choices is what narks people and gets them upset if they don’t want to and see another who has done so/doing so.
Yes, we are being reminded to listen to our body and honour what it is telling us, that is empowering us to be true to our body’s innate wisdom, ‘It is a philosophy that allows one to feel for themselves a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body.’
There is so much information now from qualified health experts, governments, books, the internet, social media, etc, on what is healthy to eat, and what is considered a healthy diet. In addition there are multitudes of weight loss diets which aren’t questioned even though weight loss diets have been proven to be ineffective. There are whole industries based on weight loss diets where you are told what to eat, even though research has proven they don’t work. Over the years I’ve been exposed to much information about nutrition and diet, yet what’s been the simplest for me is to listen to my own body and make adjustments for what works for me. In a world saturated with information around food and diet it seems quite common sense to consult with the very thing we wish to keep healthy – the body.
It is amazing when something is just simply presented as lived truth and we can see it as our truth too, it becomes part of our livingness – I wonder if that’s the bit some people find ‘cultish’ because there is consistency that many people cannot simply live with, so they want to blame it on being ‘brainwashed’. There are so many diets that seem to have come in and out of fashion and people’s attitude and relationship with it is usually not short-lived and inconsistent to say the least.
Anna, the info you wrote about the different foods is so interesting and highlights how some of our highest consumed foods can be very toxic and harmful to our body and health.
As you say, we know what is truly good for us or at least we know what does not sit right with us when it comes to food.
Thank you Anna for sharing all of this information about food, as it is very supportive for anyone who is wanting to make wise changes in their diet.
We do not realize the extent to which we live live in jails of our own making. Therefore, it is not surprising that we cannot truly value a philosophical approach to life that liberates us from…. us and our creations.
The facts are all there, it is our unwillingness to be honest about the simple cause and response conversation with our bodies that muddies the waters.
There is the myth with a lot of things that a little bit of everything is ‘good’ for us. Including all that is mentioned here. I know I once thought that. But now when I have a little bit of something, that I don’t ordinarily, I can feel the difference instantly. Discerning everything we put into our bodies is not only wise but will ensure a level of vibrancy and wellbeing that a little bit of everything simply won’t deliver.
Anna I agree our body is great at letting us know when we eat things that are difficult to digest or don’t actually support us, I have the experience of feeling bloated, getting mouth ulcers, or even feeling sick, especially when I have already clocked that a certain food is not supportive, yet I carry on eating it and my body firmly tells me it doesn’t want it. The one thing I have noticed is how much less food I actually need to eat.
Food is part of a package we choose to relate with our own body. By and large food cements the way a body that is locked in a specific way, seeks more of it. Breaking away from it requires us to start somewhere. Food is a great start once we have established that food does more than help us to keep going. It helps us to keep going in a specific quality of being.
Anna I love what you have shared: “It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.” So the question is: Will we give us this time to listen?
Our bodies are amazing, it will let us know when something doesn’t feel right or when certain foods are not supportive. We have the best guide in the world which is our body letting us know what foods are supportive and what is not.
In my experience of studying Natural Medicine, including nutrition modalities, anatomy and physiology and a vast array of dieting lifestyles etc., I have not ever come across a more supportive philosophy than that of The Way of The Livingness. You cannot get more loving than honouring and listening to your own body as to what foods support you best to live with greater vitality and well-being. The key is to develop a loving and honest relationship with your body, through which no-one else can tell you what feels true in your body. Through exploring this for myself I have re-discovered the greatest friend, guide and radar for truth not only with food but also with life in general, a guide that I now know was always with me from the day I was born.
Hear hear Carola – amazing the body is in its innate knowing.
The body absolutely knows what nurtures it and allows it to flourish, mind body and soul. When we allow ourselves to be aware of the body we soon get to feel what supports this and what doesn’t. Then we discover that some of the food or drink that we think we love is not actually loved by the body. Us or the body? But who is this us if it goes against every cell of our body?
Our relationship with food is such a big topic, we humans do 2 things that affects all our inner systems; we overeat, ( we indulge) and we comfort eat, which means we leave ourselves wide open to choose all the heavy, dulling and numbing foods which becomes an every day ingrained pattern until something shakes our world and we waken from our stupor, to make more loving choices around food.
The more we make choices that are loving for us the stronger we are at deflecting the cravings that present themselves to trip us up and send us on a wild goose chase that amounts to nothing but more emptiness.
So true Suse, the more connected I am to my essence the less food cravings and emptiness I feel and it is through consistently committing to connecting to myself that supports me to let go of any unloving choices. I find what I eat affects how I feel and I realise every choice I make affects my body.
We are so used to being told what to do and what not to do which is held as an ideal of some kind. Being told to feel and discern for ourselves doesn’t happen very often and yes it is totally liberating and empowering, and inevitably calls for responsibility.
We do like being told what to do – there have been so many diets that have been advised over the years by various authorities including the government and with more research to date, but of this has been discovered to not be beneficial and supportive and has now had to be changed. People tend to wait for the evidence based approaches to show something should or should not be eaten, when in fact the common sense of the body will speak loudly and well before a peer reviewed study has come out. This common sense is what Serge has been sharing over the years.
The truest facts that can ever be presented are those that come from our bodies. Through the presentations of Universal Medicine, I have been inspired to develop a loving relationship with my body through which I have re-discovered how empowering it is to be led by the truth that lies therein. Bringing awareness to the choices I make and the effects they have on body has given rise to a way of living that is far more steady, connected, honoring and loving with my health, well-being and vitality better than ever.
Agreed Carola, it is through the courses and workshops with Universal Medicine that I have attended that I have come to learn that my body is incredibly honest and willing to have that conversation with me. Actually it has it whether I am listening or not!!
I agree Anna, when it comes to food . . . “The point here is that the choice is my own, and not Universal Medicine’s.” . . . Universal Medicine presents the common sense approach of listening to our body as the body tells us precisely what is needed and what is affecting it’s function. The choice to listen and respond is solely up to us.
A diet philosophy that asks us to listen to and respond to our own bodies as the master guide should not be a revolution but our everyday normal – unfortunately, it’s not. We, as a society have given over our bodies and power of choice to diets and fads driven by results and not the honouring of how the body actually feels.
I love the fact that people are inspired to listen to our body re our diet, I don’t know of anywhere else that supports people to feel empower in this way. Often we are told what to eat, how much and when according to a lot of dieting books and programmes but none of them truly support people to listen to their body and to feel empowered to make more loving choices.
Great breakdown Anna, of what the affects of the various foods on us, and how we can often choose to ignore those affects. I knew long ago that wheat and gluten didn’t work for me, I experimented for years and found that every time I stopped them I felt clearer, lighter and my stomach wasn’t constantly aching and bloated. With dairy I used to feel completely clogged up in the throat, like I had excess phlemgm and it was super uncomfortable, and over time I dropped it. Alcohol, one day after someone bought me a drink I realised that I didn’t like the taste of it and asked why I was drinking something I didn’t like, so I dropped it and didn’t miss it, and in fact remembered that I’d first started drinking to fit in with my friends and how I’d actually taught myself to drink, having to put loads of mixers with the alcohol to actually drink it; now looking back my body was very obviously showing me that alcohol and me did not mix, but I so wanted to fit in, to be with my friends that I over-rode what I was feeling, and it was only later I was able to step back. All of this before I came across Universal Medicine, and the thing I love about them is there is no dictates about food, it’s about people finding their own way, and it’s great to understand and have a wider context on the impact of food, and while I’d dropped many foods years before, having the understanding of the energetic impacts of those foods, and why I might be reaching for them has really allowed me to address patterns and hurts in me, so that I do not just reach for food as a filler or something to push down what I am feeling but I choose food that deeply nourishes and supports me. It’s been a revelation to explore this and live in this way and my life has changed utterly.
We are a living experiment in every moment should we choose. What we eat always has an effect on us and if we take one step back from that action of putting the food in our mouths, the conversation starts when we get an urge to eat something. As you share, why do I want sugar when I know it harms my body, why do I want bread etc. Since choosing to become more aware I am finding my body is keen to share why it wants certain foods and then I have a choice to deal with the feeling I am getting or to numb it with particularly effective foods and behaviours. Always my choice but thank heaven for sending messengers into my life who have shown me there is another way.
“a philosophy that allows one to feel for themselves a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body.” No dos or don’ts just an awareness of the effect of what you put in your mouth has on your body and the choice is open for anyone to try it for themselves .
The way you have broken down the consequences of eating the foods mentioned in this article is what I have found – no question. Why is it abnormal to put health and wellness first? Surely that is down to marketing and income and not to considering a persons true health as important? The only person who can turn that around is ourselves. A simple yet powerful choice.
The more in touch we are with our bodies, the more they can communicate with us, they help us know what to eat, and we become more aware of what happens in our body when we eat certain foods.
‘It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.’ I am learning that when I go to misuse food there is something I’m not wanting to accept about life.
Food is a biggie to master as it is so easy to give our power away to the comfort food because it is a quick and easy ‘fix’ to not feel what is there to feel..When we take control again of our vessel ( the body) in other words being present in our bodies, the body communicates very clearly what foods have to go and what foods truly nourish it which can change on a regular basis thus it is important to keep discerning and ‘feeling food’!
Agreed, food is a staple to keep us alive, therefore we can justify eating as part of our health and wellbeing, yet discerning what our body is asking for and what it is reacting to is a more honest relationship that simply justifying eating something that our body is having trouble processing.
Choosing what to eat is a personal choice. No ‘one size fits all.’ Since listening to Universal Medicine presentations I have learned a lot and experimented with my food choices. Leaving out gluten and dairy for starters made a huge difference to my body. I felt lighter and had more energy. The beliefs and consciousness in society that we have around food are very strong. Those who stand out from the conventional viewpoint get attacked. Time often proves the lone wolf to be true in the long run. Then others enjoin when it is safer to do so.
Well said Anna, what I also love about what Universal Medicine presents about food is it’s taken to an energetic level. It offers one to go even deeper into their food choice and feel why certain foods are craved, and what is it about the effect of this food that you wish to have in your body. We begin to see that there is much more to our food choices than just nutritional value.
As you say Anna, we know and many things have been proven already, but we still choose to find arguments that let us do what we want to do with no regard to our true health and well-being. It is simple if we let our inner voice speak and learn to bring our mind in line with what we deep down feel.
Brilliant Anna. Put so simply and clearly, it’s any wonder why we are not all jumping on this! And you’re so right, why are we still talking about alcohol when even those that drink it daily know it’s harming them. Seriously, what are we waiting for before we all wake up!
Everything you say here makes sense – we know food effects our bodies, but it’s a personal choice whether or not we pay attention to the way food effects us and whether we make changes so that the food we eat truly nourishes us – rather than slows us down or makes us sluggish.
Sugar is now taking its true place as an addictive substance that causes people to over eat because I feel sugar is simply empty and lack nutritional value and statistics are proving it causes raciness, diabetics, obesity and heart disease.
The teachings of Universal Medicine are not about what to eat or not to eat but how to eat for our evolution and return to who we truly are, check it out under School of the Livingness.
‘The point here is that the choice is my own, and not Universal Medicine’s.’
There is an extensive list of what I could thank Universal Medicine for – but one point in particular is learning to give myself permission to re-develop a relationship with my body. From here, I am more aware of my choices, why I’m making them and how I can change them.
Same for me Rachael, and this is deeply empowering to learn to listen to my body and to honour it to the best of my ability. I have managed to let go of so many unloving patterns and behaviours that I thought I was never going be able to drop, but due to listening to my body and from embracing a more self-loving and deeper self-care approach to life, dropping unloving choices has become super easy. This is thanks to the inspiration I’ve receive from the amazing people I met at Universal Medicine and they continue to deeply inspire me every day.
What Universal Medicine has always presented is common sense based on observations from our bodies. Nothing whacky or weird about that.
No, nothing weird or wacky about it unless you have a vested interest in not seeing anything change. I have learnt that we are where we are in our health because of the choices we make and therefore, with the current trajectory of physical and mental health looking pretty dire, surely it is intelligent to consider why we do what we do if what we do harms our bodies?
I agree that everything Universal Medicine has presented has always been open to testing it out for myself, using my body as the barometer of truth. And every time what has been presented, when I have tested and observed for myself, has turned out to be true.
A super informative blog on the harmful effects of gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar and alcohol. A blog everyone would benefit reading from if only to get people thinking that what we put into our body has consequences and is either harming or nourishing…… but it is essentially always our choice what we put down the hatchet!
It’s pretty simple when you set it all out like this but who want’s the truth and as they say why let it get in the way of a good story. I’d rather stick to the facts or the truth as the rest is a never ending side show of opinions. We can defend whatever we want but in the end everything will need to go through the truth meter and this summary stands up easily. From what I see a lot more people are seeing the benefits of eating lighter for their bodies and some are being forced to. As always there is a choice which rests with you and this article maybe older but nothing has changed in the facts it presents.
It’s a travesty that the foods and beverages you list here Anna are considered staples in most peoples’ lives – propped up and peddled by their respective industries, and by the advertising industry overall. Yet we can all choose to ‘vote with our feet’ and give these products a wide berth – which becomes simple to do once we see and feel the wisdom in doing so and develop a level of self-love and care… enough to empower us to break free of the imposition of media and social beliefs, and to choose a way that honours the body first and foremost.
‘What Universal Medicine does is present these simple facts / truths. It never preaches them, it is simply an offering.’ Spot on Anna, the teachings are an offering that make complete sense to our bodies if we apply them – no brainwashing or rules with anything Serge Benhayon presents on .
It’s common sense – eat what supports the body and don’t eat what doesn’t. The complication only comes in because we aren’t absolutely honest with ourselves about this.
What Universal Medicine and Anna has presented are simple truths about certain foods. I ate all these foods before UniMed however, once I felt and choose to connect to my body I could feel for myself the effects on my body. The feeling of being lighter was the best medicine that I’d ever felt. Food plays a big part in how you feel about yourself.
On one hand we have studies regarding the negative effects of gluten and dairy, alcohol and sugar on our body and yet when you go to the supermarket there are isles and isles with products full of them as are the trolleys of the people consuming them. This is because on the other hand there are other studies that report that gluten, dairy are ok for our body as is alcohol in moderation. These mixed messages are very confusing for the consumer but ultimately we all must come to the proverbial fork in the road and begin to listen to our body for its wisdom will tell us what foods it can tolerate and what foods it cannot.
What Serge has presented about food is most definitely a philosophy and never a dogma… allowing those who choose to look at their body and health, the ability to choose to feel for themselves what supports them or not and adjust their diet accordingly…. but always based on a feeling rather than an instruction.
Food – has to be one of the biggest topic of our time. I would assume that the diet that is best for our body is the diet that is best for our body.
What is so surprising about Universal Medicine is that so many people would make the free choice to cut out certain unhealthy foods from their diet. We all know these foods and beverages are unhealthy and I know many who try to reduce them or leave them out, but without long-lasting success. The most inspiring thing about Universal Medicine therefore is that people are actually successful in making different food choices and that is because it is not an act of rule or discipline but a choice and the real teaching behind it is how to make different choices in ones life and not what to eat or not eat.
Beautifully the point you have shared Judith is that the real teaching is how to make different choices in one’s life that truly support us, and we are all equal in our power to choose.
Love it Anna! “I feel lighter, more energised, more vibrant, more sexy (dare I say it), and more brilliant then ever in my life since discovering Universal Medicine.” I can sign this too – and not because Universal Medicine or Serge Benhayon came with ‘the magic pill’ that I swallowed and all became good. But by me being inspired to take responsibility again, to become aware and accept my feelings, sensitivity and power! The world I grew up in did inspire me to dull and avoid my feelings and awareness, which ended up with me withdrawing from responsibility and an active life. It is always my choice that I follow – And what does the world get from students of Universal Medicine, people who love their life and shine? A bit more light into the world. That this light shines maybe also into the corners where the dirt and mess hid is maybe uncomfortable, but just for those who do not like to clear up this world and bring a true change. I know the uncomfortable feeling of being exposed in ‘my dirt’ by the light of another – but hey, to blame the other and maybe also hope that they dim their light again so the dirt is not seen anymore, does not makes the dirt go away….
Anna I really love your simple summary about the effects like gluten can have on our bodies. I am wondering why this is not a normal everyday knowing as it seems to be that there are many people who are more or less suffering from it.
I’ve noticed the care Serge Benhayon takes to not tell others what to do or impose, he’s always been like that, and it’s inspired me to be more careful myself with people and support everyone come to their own answers.
I love how simply you present this Anna, in a very factual and common sense way that brings it all back to how we are choosing to eat. More often than not people eat in a way that does not support their body, but simply in a way that they were brought up to eat. When we stop, listen and feel the effects of the food we eat on our body what it offers us is a whole new awareness of how our body works and what truly supports our body. As you share Universal Medicine simply offer the facts, it is then up to each person to feel for themselves what food supports them.
Serge Benhayon presents from his own lived experience the effects of certain foods on the body and then it is the choice of each person to be aware of how their body feels and responds when they eat different foods. I have chosen to refine my diet gradually over the years that I have been a student of Universal Medicine and my body is my dietitian as I become more aware of what foods support me and which do not.
These are simple truths and they do not need reacting to but rather experienced and judged on an individual basis.
We all require different events for our own unfolding.
A great saying to insert is “live and let live”.
Well expressed Anna. There is no need for fuss and hysteria – all we are being asked to do is to feel what different foods do in our bodies when we eat/drink them and then decide for ourselves if we want to continue using them. It’s not complicated or mysterious – just a personal choice.
A simply beautiful blog to read Anna, and what you share is certainly a truth I have come to know for myself as well. The greatest thing I have learnt is to listen to my body and feel what is true or not – the benefits are amazing, I now have more energy and vitality than I did 20 years ago.
So true Anna “never have I seen a food philosophy that is so freeing and yet so loving and supportive to the body as that which Universal Medicine offers.” That’s right it’s a philosophy! Serge Benhayon has never told us what to eat he presents how to feel energy; we begin our own journey in discovering what feels right or not.
A really informing blog that states the facts as they are about many of the foods we consume in the western diet. It is true what you say Anna, that ultimately it is we who are responsible for the way we eat and what Universal Medicine has offered is an opportunity for us to truly feel what our relationship with food is really all about. Is it harming or healing to our body.
Thankyou Anna for the very simple and succinct way you delivered this info, great blog.
Thanks Anna, and yes it really is that simple – to listen to our bodies and make our own decision. I can also appreciate that there is no holding back from Serge Benhayon in presenting the effects of certain foods on the body – and for me these were foods that I already knew were not truly supportive for my body, yet had not made the loving steps to completely get rid of them from my diet.
Thanks Anna for your blog. I too have found that making simple changes to my food choices has made a big difference in how I feel within myself. You are absolutely correct in saying that Universal Medicine never dictates what someone should or shouldn’t eat. An offering is made for us to feel for ourselves. There is no way I could have given up chocolate because someone told me to (I was a chocoholic). The way I gave it up was to feel why I was eating it and also to feel the effects it had. Then it was my choice.
Anna, thank you for your article, I enjoyed learning more about why certain foods are harmful to the body. I had no idea that gluten has a ‘slowing affect on digestion, as well as being one of the leading causes of inflammation to the gastrointestinal tract which precedes mal-absorption issues.’
It is indeed crazy that we cannot accept that alcohol is a poison. It is crystal clear that it is harming on so many different levels yet we continue to fight for it’s health benefits.
One of hundreds of small miracles that happen every day thanks to the support of Universal Medicine.
You put up the facts to back what I have always felt from the foods described. But still sometimes I overwrite those feelings, to numb myself and be in a not so comfortable state to feel comfortable… Quite crazy… I realize while writing.
I love your simple and clear overview and presenting of facts and then it is up to each of us what we choose. We can deny what is there on offer, even attract it, because of what it reflects to us, but our bodies never lie and speak as simple and clear as is your blog if we are willing to listen.
I no longer eat the foods you mention in your blog, have not done so for a few years now and have noticed an enormous difference to my health, vitality, energy level and emotional steadiness. I need less sleep and the digestive issues I once had no longer bother me. I have found my relationship with food is one of constant evolution, learning what to eat and when but a good place to start is to leave behind all the foods you list.
Thank you Anna, I really enjoyed reading your blog and the clear facts you presented here. It made me stop and appreciate how much my own food choices have changed as a result of listening to my body as inspired by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine.
Great blog Anna, it got me to thinking how some friends and family kept insisting I have a glass of alcohol when I had chosen to no longer drink. It had begun to make me sick, even in small amounts (my body speaking very eloquently) but even that didn’t stop the insistence. People feel very uncomfortable about it and I am sure this is because they know very well in themselves that alcohol does not support the body in any way and they are exposed in their choices to continue.
The barrage of information and advice we are fed around food and diet today is incessant.
What Universal Medicine presents is that our bodies are the best barometer of what foods best support us.
“It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.” I love this sentence and yes the body is always telling us if we choose to listen it.
What makes us shy away from feeling for ourselves which food is good for us and which is not is that we do not want to take the responsibility for what we eat. We are brought up to get advice on what to do and then have someone to blame if something goes wrong that way.
Taking the responsibility is not only very empowering, now it is you who does choose what is right for you, but also very beautiful and life changing. For me this meant that I feel incredibly more vital, have established a solid rhythm of sleep and all symptoms that I suffered from for years have simply disappeared.
If we can see food simply as nourishment for our bodies instead of something gratifying and rewarding, or something to be endured or something that is craved, forbidden, desired, necessary, wonderful….etc. we can change our relationship with it so it is then able to do the job it is needed for – no more, no less.
Thank you Anna. I can’t agree with you more. We dull our light with food and then make excuses, we know exactly what we are doing. All done just to avoid and feel how incredible we actually are.
Hear hear Anna, “It is a philosophy that allows one to feel for themselves a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body. Call me crazy, but isn’t this something we all truly want?” I agree it seems at times the way food is mostly used in society is far from a way with food that brings more harmony to the body. I know for myself many foods that are around that do not bring harmony to my body and which I stopped eating because of that. My diet is becoming more supportive almost every day and my body loves it too!
Anna what you present here are simple facts, that these types of foods do affect the body. Long before I came across Universal Medicine I had problems eating dairy and gluten, sugar and alcohol I know affected me but was in denial because I did not want to give them up. Universal Medicine has never told me to give them up, but through the teachings I have become more aware of my body and the affect these things have. Giving them up was a natural progression as my awareness deepened.
Brilliant Anna! Thank you, “The point here is that the choice is my own, and not Universal Medicine’s.” and also “big business and misleading advertising have us fooled”, what a complete disservice, lack of integrity, love and care for people it is, when big businesses make it all about money: and create and promote substances, knowing the ill consequences, the overall obesity problem, but deceivingly promoting them as ‘good’, ‘healthy’ etc. ….ALL ONLY FOR MONEY. When will they ever stop?
In STARK contrast, Universal Medicine is about people, not money, about true health, and isn’t afraid to be in the spotlight for promoting true health and well being. That which, the world has previously been robbed of.
Great article Anna and I really enjoyed your honesty in saying you still have the occasional sugar craving but instead of succumbing to it you deal with it. In general most of society don’t even think about what food and drink is doing to our body, we eat for taste alone. The fact that reaching for the sugary foods or drinks to pep us up is actually keeping us in the exhaustion is one we all should be made aware of, perhaps from a young age in schools when we learn about nutrition.
Great blog Anna, simple and to the point.
From my experience Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon have only pointed out the obvious – drink alcohol and you get a hangover. But science is also telling us this fact, so why is there such an aversion to the way Serge presents what science has been and still is and continues to say? And like you mentioned Anna, having a relationship with food that supports the body into a more energised, vital state of being sounds great and in my work in an organic supermarket that is often an aspect that is used in food advertising: Eat this and feel better – nourish and love your body with giving it this caring food etc. But what if the way we are using food now is giving us something greater than that which we say we would like in our relationship with our body and food. Something greater that overrides the benefits that a supportive relationship with food to leave or allow the body to feel lighter is. What are we trading this support that food can bring for? What do we get from our relationship with food as it is currently that is given more precedence?
Dairy, alcohol, caffeine is that not an Irish coffee. Why should this short list of things be bad for us when combined they make different and better thing.
Milk from something that has four stomaches to digest. Alcohol can kill you, but so can a car but faster if you mix these two. Caffeine if combined with drinking and driving can make you wide awake before the crash. Our body is the best thing to tell us what is good for us.
Serge has always asked us to listen to our body and how it responds to certain foods, when we eat them and how much of them we eat. And that is the best food advice I have ever been given. I don’t believe in diets – diets tell you what to eat, and if they truly worked, there would only be 1 version, not thousands and thousands of them out there for people to experiment with.
So by simply listening to my body – it can offer exactly what is needed to keep working on my food.
Before coming across Universal Medicine I was already very interested in food and what it does to the body. But everything I did was reading it and follow rules and reading it and follow the next set of rules, and although I felt some changes it would never last long before I would go back to my old eating pattern. With what was presented by Universal medicine I felt the truth and the indulgent way I choose to eat. The way it was presented and what Universal Medicine is standing for offered me the choice to become honest and to truly listen to the wisdom of my body. It was and is as simple as that.
“It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.” When we are ready to listen the body speaks volumes. Thank you Anna this is awesome.
Thank you Anna for stating the obvious to those that feel that we shouldn’t or can’t make our own choices to be and feel healthy by listening to what our bodies are telling us.
So great Anna. I love your simple and powerful presentation of the facts. If we are truly honest we can all feel the harmful effects of these foods and as you say these effects are widely known in nutrition circles and conventional medicine. I have tried many diets and followed many ideologies around food. From veganism to Ayurveda. These all came from my head following others beliefs and ideals. I now choose foods that support my body by feeling their effects. I no longer eat dairy, gluten or sugar not because I have been told by another but because my body speaks loud and clear and shows me many signs and symptoms that identify that these foods do not support my health and well being. Connecting to the body and choosing foods that truly nourish and support it is the most loving act I choose on a daily basis, no rules just a commitment to my body and how I am feeling. I have to say it has been truly life changing.
I love this blog Anna.
‘In all my years of studying nutrition, never have I seen a food philosophy that is so freeing and yet so loving and supportive to the body as that which Universal Medicine offers.’
Eating food that makes you feel heavy or ill or is toxic cannot bring us clarity, vitality and health. It is simply not good for the body. This feels like common sense to me. It is up to each individual to feel for themselves and this is what Universal Medicine has inspired us all to do.
I absolutely agree with you kathrynfortuna and Anna: Universal Medicine introduced common sense back into our ways of eating and feeling what support and what doesn’t support us.
What we choose to eat is a big reflection on how we feel about ourselves. To make very loving and nurturing choices simply makes sense if we care about ourselves. This is also very individual and not from the hard and fast rules of a ‘diet’. That said, some foods that have been considered healthy such as grains and dairy impact negatively on the body. Many of us are very attached to certain foods as they give us relief and/or comfort so react defensively to the suggestion they may not support good health. To go so far as to claim Universal Medicine is a cult for doing so is absurd to say the least. Thank you for your informative post Anna.
Thanks Anna, for very clearly and simply presenting what exactly gluten, dairy, alcohol, sugar and caffeine do to the body. A very key question to be asked is: if we know and feel all this, why are they still consumed every day by most people? The fact that so many people who have been involved with Universal Medicine have naturally changed their diet because they have become more in touch with their body, what they feel, and living in a more caring, considerate way, is actually something to be celebrated, surely?
Brilliantly simple Anna – love it. Simple facts and choices, some awareness raised, and the opportunity (from awareness of simple facts) to make one’s own choices.
The source of any furore about this really needs to look itself in the mirror and ask, ‘why such ENORMOUS attack and defence’?
Is truly listening to and caring for ourselves so darn evil? or is it a truly supportive way to loving ourselves in every way, as deeply as we are worth it?
Hmmm… preferring the latter option (and from experience) myself, and BIG TIME thanks to Universal Medicine and the presentations of Serge Benhayon for re-awakening me to the simple facts.
What Universal Medicine presents allows me to make my own decision about how to live my life. And because the teachings don’t leave anything out of the picture, it helps me understand why I made/make choices that don’t support my body without judgment, and this puts me in charge of my own learning. This is a beautiful, liberating process I deeply appreciate.
The food we take in is there to nourish the body. The simple thing Serge Benhayon does is asking us to feel, if the food is truly serving this purpose. It is profound as that, and that’s it.
Thanks for a very informative article Anna that serves to set the record straight about the foods we eat.
“It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen.” Beautiful.
I agree, Anna, it is crazy that we still discuss whether alcohol, sugar, gluten or dairy are necessary and supportive in our diets or the toxins they have been medically and scientifically proven to be. We can read medical journals, attend Universal Medicine presentations or honour what we feel in our bodies – we will all find the one truth.
Beautifully said Carmin it is crazy that we still discuss these issues. It’s very clear for anybody who is willing to feel and hear the truth of the matter.
Foods that harm the body (but reward the senses), are the perfect way to void feeling what is to be felt. Foods that suit the body and that allows it to feel and become more aware of things cannot but be good for anyone. What we eat and drink is an option that goes well beyond the issue of food and drinks. It is about evolution.
Yes Emfeldman I agree. It is all about evolution. And not only with food but with sounds, sights, touch and more. Every choice we make either supports us or holds us back. 🙂
I loved this Anna – awesome and informative. What Universal Medicine has offered in their presentations on food is beautifully supportive for those who want to take responsibility of their choices and as you said, seek ‘a more true and loving relationship with food’. For those who have listened to the presentations and in turn their bodies, the results have been profound.
Until I came across Universal Medicine I hadn’t been taught, or told, or even suggested too that the food we eat effects not only our body but the way we feel. Without ever being told what to do this presentation has initiated much exploration into what foods really feel great AFTER the amazing sensation in my mouth – thanks for presenting the facts that are kept from us!
The body has so much wisdom if we only listen to it. I didn’t for a long time and only since learning to do so have I benefited from its relentless communications. I’ve learnt that it is working with my body and not against it that develops a well being that is based on caring deeply for the vessle that carries me in this life.
Yes food can become a jumping off point to get to know oneself better, because in learning to listen to the body’s wisdom around food we can learn a lot about ourselves as the same time.
We had someone in the family who had eczema, and when we gave up gluten and dairy when she was younger it went away. No mind control, coercion or anything else… just noticing what was happening, and choosing to live differently when we noticed how it improved our health.
Thanks for sharing Simonwilliams8 ….once again this is common sense and very powerful. Choices are key.
Thank you Anna for setting out the facts about the different types of food and their effects. I agree that since attending presentations from Universal Medicine I have found ‘a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body’ which has transformed my life. I had known for over 20 years that gluten did not agree with me but it felt to difficult to cut it out so I had ploughed on and ignored the impact on my body. Within hours of giving up gluten my body felt the benefit and 5 years on my relationship with food continues to evolve and be refined the more I listen to the messages my body is constantly giving me.
Your blog is so clear, very practical, and insightful, which offers the reader simple truths to ponder on and the possibility of looking at one’s own relationship with food in an honest and open way because as you point out ‘it is a philosophy that allows one to feel for themselves a way to be with food that brings more harmony to the body’. Thank you Anna.
Thanks Anna, really simply put regarding the main ‘foodstuff’ choices that are so often in question / criticism / under attack and thereby blame is apportioned to Universal Medicine / Serge as being the ‘teller of what or what not to eat’ – which has never been the case. As you say the facts (the same as you write here) are presented, and the person can choose what feels right for their own body based upon their own experiences or illnesses endured. Certainly my food habits have changed over the past 6 years and with this I do feel lighter, have more natural energy and vitality, wake up feeling brighter and clearer… and also my food choices – continue to change, as do portion sizes and number of times I eat during the day and when I eat. It is all about doing / eating what feels right and correct for your own body without the outside interference or dictation from created belief systems.
Anna, I love that you feel more brilliant than ever, it shines through in your writing. Thank you for sharing the facts about foods too.
Great simple facts Anna. People often ask me “well what DO you eat then if you don’t eat any gluten, dairy and potatoes!?”. It seems almost impossible to imagine because these foods constitute such a huge proportion of the average diet. But I will always let them know the yummy things I DO eat and that in fact I have never enjoyed such delicious dishes, tasty food and scrumptious combinations as those I now cook! (Not to mention the by products… natural weight loss, increased vitality, good health and the greater awareness of what suits my body). I’d happily call it a win win choice!
This is an awesome piece on self-responsibility, Anna. Thank you.
What if we all really felt the effects of what we eat / consume? What if we listened the first time we had a hangover? What if we honoured the “never again” that came from our lips? What if we stopped to consider the pains in our body (as I had from early childhood – in my shins!) from eating gluten? Or were willing to face the fact that the continual flem / mucous that stopped the freedom of our voices in song, and kept us feeling emotional, was from having dairy? Ahhh… Not rocket science at all, but as you’ve so beautifully expressed, it’s about our own choices – it’s our responsibility.
Inspiring and teaching people to truly listen to their bodies without imposing any ‘shoulds’, is surely one of the greatest gifts we can be given.
Yes, I am so glad I was able to learn at the age of 37 that listening to my body was a worthwhile activity… I had been stuck in only mentally analysing choices that I paid zero attention to the body. Not anymore, I choose foods that leave me feeling lighter, centered and full of energy. When I do feel like some sugar, I use this as an opportunity to reflect on why that could be so, rather than indulging the craving. It’s so liberating!
Anna, I love your comment “call me crazy but isn’t this what we all want” because it’s so true. It IS crazy that having what we all actually want can be so simple… maybe that is the problem?
It’s common sense not rocket science that certain foods disagree with our body, alter it’s biochemistry and physiology and how we feel. Eating to support the body feels incredible and the more you play with it the more you get to see what food choices work for you or not. Eating for optimal health is not a new concept – it is the core of nutritional medicine which advocates a low stress diet of no gluten or dairy, limited sugars, lots of vegetables, protein and very little if no grains. This way of eating helps in allowing the body to self regulate and function properly. Universal Medicine just brings back to us that indeed we are in charge of our own body and what we eat, by presenting facts about food, how it reacts in the body and that by feeling what happens to our body after eating we can become aware of what is in line with the body and what isn’t. This then gives us a base to work from if we choose to make dietary changes that come from the feedback of the body and not what we have been told by society is the best way eat. I tried it and was surprised how I started to become more energised and vital and in tune with myself. I also shed a few kilos, my body reshaped and my moods evened out – plus I’m no longer confused about what to eat as my body soon lets me know what it does and doesn’t like.
hi Rachel, this was my experience too, I also lost weight but not through dieting, but through making changes to my diet that came from the feedback from my body which supported me to feel what truly nourished my body day by day, and like you, my moods my emotions also evened out. Win, win…
I love your comment here Rachel – what you have written makes so much sense, food and the ways it effects our body is definitely a matter of common sense and definitely something worth exploring.
Anna, amazing article. I also chose to stop eating all that you said. It feels much better. I am now reducing the amount of carbs (especially rice), and although it will take some time I am already feeling the difference.
Thank you Anna, I always learn and feel something each time I read about the effect of eating food that does not support my body… For me it is a day to day choice to break the momentum of such ingrained patterns of eating and socialising with food.
Anna, thanks for such a succinct summing up and demystification of the facts. Awesome that you have set the record straight.
I work in the field of Exercise Training and Rehabilitation, to support people in developing a physically fit and strong body, as well as a more healthy lifestyle. Diet is a very important consideration for every client that I see. Many people often say they are confused with different advice from their Dr, Nutritionist or Naturopath or what they read in magazines, online or see on the TV. They will come to me and ask for more answers, asking what should and shouldn’t they eat and what is right?
When I am asked this question “what should I eat”, I say “the only way you will know what to eat or what is right for you is to feel exactly what happens in your body when you eat certain foods”. I say that it’s important to look at the facts of what the doctor, dietitian or health experts are saying, but ultimately that they must feel exactly what is right for them. In this moment, the responsibility is placed on the client, and they can feel empowered to know that they don’t have to rely on another person to tell them what to eat or not to eat. I share this way as this is what has worked best for me, as inspired and introduced to me by Serge Benhayon and my work with Universal Medicine.
Developing the awareness in the body to feel how it responds to certain foods can take some time, because we have been so disconnected and numb to how our body responds to certain foods. For example many of the foods and toxins we consume daily do in fact numb, over stimulate or disconnect us from feeling our body (i.e caffeine, alcohol, gluten, dairy and excess sugar), so it can be somewhat impossible to feel any differences in our body to start out with, even after a few days of cutting out certain foods. However if the ‘body dulling’ foods are reduced over a short period of time, the differences from these foods and others can begin to be felt.
If the opportunity to feel how the body responds to food is fully embraced we can discover that it is an inspiring and empowering feeling to choose what to eat based on what we have felt. It is also much easier to naturally want to maintain a certain way of eating, because we can feel what happens in our body when we don’t choose this. Unlike trying to maintain a diet that someone else has said is good for us, it is driven by will power – not the true inspiration of having felt the difference in the body.
Point well made Danielle – what I’ve learnt from Universal Medicine is to question what I am eating, and then make the choice based on how I feel. Its not about them telling me what I can and can’t do, but giving the choice back to me which is priceless.
The sharing of some facts about certain foods here simply shows the harm certain food can cause on the body. I have chosen to remove the above listed foods from my way of eating and my body appreciates the fact that I am more vibrant and vital because of these choices. My relationship with food, because of the presentations by Universal Medicine, is the most loving and supportive it has ever been. I will definitely be continuing to listen to my body and deepen the relationship I have with it and food.
“It is the simplicity of the body in action if we truly take the time to listen” —— well said Anna thank you