When it comes to facilitating the healing of the physical body, heartache and other deep emotional wounds—and truly developing our bodies and minds—I believe it’s absolutely critical to cover all bases. That’s why I keep coming back to the importance of addressing every part of ourselves: not just emotionally, but physically, mentally, and spiritually. Because the truth is, if your body is inflamed, your mind foggy, your energy depleted, and your nervous system blown out from a diet of ultra-processed garbage, you’re in no position to heal from heartbreak—let alone show up in a new relationship as your most radiant, grounded, and connected self.
Yet this is the state so many people are in—subsisting primarily on junk. Hamburgers, fries, pizza, soda, beer, and all kinds of processed foods loaded with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and a wide range of chemical additives. And it doesn’t stop there. I walk through aisle after aisle in Walmart or any major supermarket and see shelves packed with brightly colored boxes of breakfast cereals loaded with sugar, artificially flavored chips, microwaveable meals filled with preservatives, frozen pizzas, instant noodles, sugary yogurts, energy drinks, and so-called “health bars” that are little more than candy in disguise.
Most of it isn’t even real food—it’s engineered in labs, stripped of any nutritional value, and designed to hijack not just your taste buds, but your brain’s reward system. As Dr. David Kessler points out, these hyper-palatable combinations of sugar, fat, and salt trigger powerful dopamine hits, conditioning you to crave more while overriding natural signals of fullness—fueling a vicious cycle of overeating, inflammation, and emotional instability.
Much of the United States is what I would call a “food desert.” Unless you grow your own, it’s hard to find truly healthy food. Produce is often expensive, picked before ripening, and shipped across long distances—while hyper-processed junk is everywhere, aggressively marketed and deceptively convenient. And it’s not even cheap. A bag of chips, a bottle of soda, a frozen dinner—these things add up quickly, especially when you're getting little to no nourishment in return. It’s no wonder so many people are inflamed, exhausted, and emotionally unstable. You can’t build a strong mind, nervous system, or heart on a foundation of garbage.
While staying in Albany, New York for a few nights, I stood in line behind a young African American woman and her daughter at a local supermarket. Her cart was filled with nothing but sugary snacks and soda—there wasn’t a single item with any real nutritional value. And it was just as bad, if not worse, among the Native American communities where I lived. One of my Native friends once joked about the Indian staples: pop, potato chips, Twinkies, and Ding Dongs. Actually, “fry bread” is a favorite among many tribes—a flatbread made by deep frying dough in lard, Crisco and other cheap vegetable oils. The only vegetables I ever saw during my time there came out of a can.
Even in places like Sri Lanka and India, where some of the spiced curries can be incredibly nutritious, many people are consuming massive amounts of white rice—hence the term “rice belly.” Add to that the roti, dosas, and other starchy, oily fried foods, along with all the sugary tea, and you begin to see the bigger picture.
We’re seeing the consequences everywhere. Obesity is now the norm in many parts of the world. Rates of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer have exploded in recent decades—all directly tied to diet and lifestyle. Even conditions like fatty liver disease, once seen mostly in alcoholics, are now rampant among people who don’t drink at all. Children are developing insulin resistance and prediabetes before they even hit puberty. The body can only take so much before it begins to break down. And what’s most tragic is that so much of this is preventable.
Standard American Diet (SAD): Burgers, Fries, Pizza, Microwavable Meals, Cereals…
It’s no secret that we live in a culture that normalizes junk food, binge eating, and the numbing effects of sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. But when you’ve cleaned up your diet—when your system is clearer and more attuned—it becomes impossible not to see and be repulsed by it. The burgers, fries, pizza slices, soda, and beer combos we see everywhere aren’t just meals. They’re slow-acting poisons that deaden awareness, dull emotional sensitivity, and erode both physical and cognitive vitality.
Let’s break down what that seemingly harmless fast food + soda/beer combo is really doing to people’s bodies, brains, and emotional wellbeing:
These foods are typically loaded with:
- Refined carbs and sugars → cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, disrupting mood, focus, and energy regulation.
- Trans fats and repeatedly heated vegetable and seed oils (like soybean and canola) promote chronic inflammation—contributing to anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative conditions.
- Processed meats and chemical additives → linked to increased cancer risk, cardiovascular strain, and pervasive brain fog.
- Low fiber → weakens the gut-brain axis, disrupting digestion, immunity and emotional regulation.
Coke, Pepsi, Sprite and Other Sugary Carbonated Drinks
- Spikes blood sugar and insulin levels rapidly, only to lead to a crash that heightens irritability, cravings, and anxiety.
- High-fructose corn syrup promotes insulin resistance, fatty liver, and long-term cognitive decline.
- Caffeine and phosphoric acid leach vital minerals (like magnesium and calcium), weakening your nerves, bones, and brain function.
Beer
- Temporarily boosts dopamine and serotonin—then drops you off a cliff. The result: low mood, brain fog, and poor sleep.
- Wrecks your gut lining and microbiome, which impairs both immunity and emotional balance.
- Interferes with deep sleep and neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to heal and grow.
Cognitive & Emotional Fallout
Regular consumption of these foods creates an inflammatory state in both body and brain. Over time, this manifests as:
- Brain fog
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and depression
- Reduced memory, focus, and mental clarity
- Addictive tendencies and poor impulse control
Once you’ve make positive changes to your own diet, it’s shocking to realize how deeply embedded self-sabotaging food choices are in our social fabric. It’s not just about weight or willpower. It’s about consciousness. It's about emotional healing. It's about reclaiming your clarity, resilience, and capacity to love and be loved.
You’re Not Just Gaining Weight—You’re Losing Vitality
The modern processed diet is a slow poison. It inflames your gut, ages your cells prematurely, and damages the very architecture of your brain. Diets high in refined sugar and industrial fats shrink the hippocampus—a part of your brain responsible for memory, learning, and emotional regulation. But it doesn’t stop there. Chronic blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance impair communication between neurons, disrupt neurotransmitter balance, and dull the brain’s reward circuitry, leaving you more anxious, more irritable, and more prone to depression.
When your gut is inflamed, your brain suffers. The gut and brain are in constant communication through what’s known as the gut-brain axis. Over time, a diet of ultra-processed foods damages the gut lining, compromises your microbiome, and allows inflammatory compounds to seep into the bloodstream—a condition often referred to as leaky gut. These inflammatory signals travel through the vagus nerve and bloodstream, triggering immune responses in the brain. This neuroinflammation dulls cognition, impairs emotional regulation, and increases your risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
You are literally dumbing yourself down. You’re sacrificing your clarity, emotional stability, and capacity for presence—all of which are essential to healing, intimacy, and resilience. And the worst part? Many people don’t even realize it’s happening. They’re living in a fog, not knowing that what they’re eating is keeping them stuck, inflamed, and emotionally unwell.
The Deeper Issue
Let’s go even deeper. A lot of people are self-medicating with food and alcohol. Fast food and empty calories aren’t just bad habits—they’re coping mechanisms. Most people don’t realize it, but they're using these substances to suppress emotional discomfort, to distract from loneliness, heartache, or a lack of purpose. And in doing so, they’re shutting down the very systems within their body and mind that could help them heal.
These foods and substances numb the brain. They dull consciousness. They deaden emotional sensitivity. And in that state of low awareness, people lose connection—to themselves, to others, and to the deeper truths that could set them free.
You Can’t Heal While You’re Sedating Yourself
Healing from heartbreak and other deep emotional wounds requires presence. Sensitivity. Awareness. A willingness to sit with grief, longing, anger, and the entire range of emotions. But you can't access that inner space when your system is overwhelmed by processed food. These substances deaden consciousness. They numb you. They rob you of your ability to feel—not just pain, but joy, connection, and meaning.
Heartache is a wake-up call. It’s life inviting you to upgrade. To come home to yourself. To stop numbing and start nourishing.
When You Let Your Body Go, You Let Your Life Go
This isn’t about vanity. This is about vitality. How can you expect to build a conscious relationship or navigate heartbreak with grace when your biochemistry is in chaos?
If you’re letting your body go to hell—sedentary, inflamed, overfed and undernourished—you’re not showing up for yourself. You’re aging faster. You’re dulling your senses. You’re blunting your intuition. And yes, you’re becoming less desirable as a romantic partner—not only because you're not looking as good, but because your energy is low, your system is clogged, and you’ve become disconnected from your own aliveness.
Unless you want to be with someone else who’s just as slovenly and checked out, something’s gotta change.
You Don't Need to Be Perfect. But You Do Need to Be Intentional.
Healing is a full-spectrum process. If you're doing the emotional work but trashing your body, you're short-circuiting your progress. You deserve better. Your heart, your brain, your future partner—they all deserve the strongest, clearest, most grounded version of you.
Let your heartbreak or any life or health crisis you may be facing be your catalyst. Let this be the moment you stop numbing and poisoning your body and start nourishing. Clean up your diet. Sharpen your mind. Reclaim your power.
Your healing starts now.
Nourish to Flourish: Brain-and-Heart Supporting Foods
Ready to move beyond processed garbage and fuel your healing from the inside out? Here’s a foundational guide to high-vibrational foods that support your nervous system, stabilize your mood, and help your body process emotional pain more effectively.
Clean Proteins & Fats
- Wild salmon, sardines, mackerel – high in omega-3s, support brain health and reduce inflammation.
- Pasture-raised organic eggs – rich in choline for memory and focus.
- Grass-fed organic beef and organic poultry – supports tissue repair and hormonal balance.
- Avocados, olive oil, flaxseed oil – healthy fats for mood and cognitive function.
- Raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, chia, hemp) – provide protein, minerals, and steady energy.
Brain-Boosting Vegetables
- Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard) – packed with magnesium, iron, and B vitamins to support energy and mood.
- Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts – rich in sulforaphane to support detox and cognitive health.
- Beets and sweet potatoes – help oxygenate the blood and provide steady carbs for brain function.
Antioxidant-Rich Fruits
- Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries – protect the brain from oxidative stress.
- Pomegranate and cherries – support heart health and reduce inflammation.
- Bananas and apples – support gut-brain balance and provide steady energy when paired with healthy fats or protein.
Mood-Stabilizing Grains (if tolerated)
- Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat – gluten-free options rich in protein and minerals.
- Steel-cut oats – provide slow-burning energy and support serotonin production.
Healing Beverages
- Herbal teas (chamomile, ginger, tulsi, rooibos) – calm the nervous system and reduce cortisol.
- Green tea or matcha – antioxidant-rich with mild caffeine to enhance focus.
- Cacao (in moderation, ceremonial or raw) – contains theobromine and magnesium to open the heart and uplift mood.
- Plenty of filtered water with minerals – essential for cellular repair and detoxification.
Eliminate (or Seriously Minimize)
If you’re serious about accelerating your healing and reclaiming your mental clarity, these need to go—or at the very least, be drastically reduced.
- Processed foods with long ingredient lists
- Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
- Seed oils (canola, soybean, corn)
- Soda, beer, and sugary cocktails
- White bread, pastries, and fried foods
- Chemical-laced “diet” products
Superfoods to Support Healing, Clarity, and Emotional Resilience
Certain nutrient-dense foods offer powerful support for the brain, heart, gut, and nervous system—especially when you’re healing from heartbreak or deep emotional wounds. These “superfoods” can help reduce inflammation, stabilize your mood, and sharpen your mental clarity.
- Chlorella and Spirulina – These freshwater algae are rich in chlorophyll, iron, B vitamins, and antioxidants. They help detoxify heavy metals, reduce inflammation, and support cellular regeneration.
- Flaxseeds and Chia Seeds – High in omega-3s and fiber, they help regulate hormones, reduce brain fog, and support gut health.
- Moringa – Often called the “miracle tree,” moringa is packed with antioxidants, amino acids, and anti-inflammatory compounds that nourish the brain and body.
- Turmeric (Curcumin) – A potent anti-inflammatory that supports mood, brain health, and joint function—especially when taken with black pepper or healthy fats for better absorption.
- Raw Cacao – Rich in magnesium and flavonoids, cacao supports heart function, boosts mood, and increases blood flow to the brain.
- Fermented Foods – Sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, and other fermented foods promote a healthy gut microbiome, which is critical to emotional balance and cognitive function.
- Wild Blueberries – Even more antioxidant-dense than regular blueberries. Excellent for reducing oxidative stress and supporting brain function.
Reclaim Your Health, Reclaim Your Life
If you're serious about healing your heartache and other deep emotional wounds, if you want to move through your pain and emerge stronger, wiser, and more connected, then cleaning up your diet isn’t optional—it’s essential.
If you've started seeing this more clearly, that’s a powerful sign. You’re waking up. You're seeing through the illusion. You’re becoming more embodied, more aware—and more capable of making choices that nourish you.
Clean up your diet. It’s not just a lifestyle upgrade. It’s a profound act of emotional self-care. It will sharpen your mind, regulate your emotions, restore your energy, and help you stop chasing love in all the wrong places. It’s also one of the most underrated—but absolutely essential—steps in preparing yourself to attract and maintain a healthy, connected relationship.
You’re not here to dumb yourself down, to numb your pain, or to age before your time. You’re here to heal, to rise, and to become the best version of yourself—clear-minded, emotionally grounded, and ready to love from a place of strength.
Let’s get to work!
Want to go deeper?
Having trained with a traditional Native American doctor (medicine man) and gone through so many vision quests, I work as a conduit—allowing an extraordinarily powerful presence to move through me to facilitate healing within the body and mind. In our work together, you’ll begin to digest your lived experiences and the emotions attached to them. The fragmented parts of yourself start to integrate. Your awareness deepens. Old emotional wounds begin to heal.
You develop the capacity to truly love and nurture yourself in a way you may never have experienced before. The addictions, compulsions, and habits that once ran your life begin to fall away. And without forcing anything, you may find yourself naturally reaching for the foods that truly nourish your body, sharpen your mind, and support the radiant, grounded life you're here to live.
If you're ready to do the deeper work, reach out to schedule a session: (332) 333-5155.
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