Roots of Radiance

A Whole Body-Mind-Spirit Approach to Health

Time to Say Goodbye

Nutrition tips if you're having a hard time letting go of grief and sadness.


Do you ever have a hard time letting go?  Is it a person, relationship, event or thing?  Or all of the above? Have you been unable to process the grief of losing someone you love? By not expressing ourselves fully or completely ignoring emotional discomfort, we can make ourselves sick.

Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes the importance of emotions and their role in our physical well-being. Each emotion that goes unprocessed can affect specific organs. Difficulty letting go or grieving is detrimental to your lungs and/or large intestines.  So if you have issues with digestion, going #2, asthma, or weakened immunity, take some time and see what old hurts or non-supportive patterns you might be holding on to. Maybe your health issues haven’t been alleviated or even diagnosed with Western medicine. Holding on to sadness can contribute to physical issues. I’m not saying you’re at fault, but if you haven’t dealt with past hurts and let them go, they will eventually make you sick.

Eating the right foods to support your healing process is key. You might have been given some great nutritional advice in the past. But maybe some of your health concerns just won’t go away. Or that last ten pounds you need to lose refuses to come off. Those sinus headaches keep coming back.  Tweaking your diet just slightly could be all you need.

 What to eat?

 * If you’re experiencing a runny nose, coughing up phlegm, sinus congestion

  Kelp, turnips, flaxseeds, garlic, pears, watercress, garlic, and papaya

  * Shortness of breath, coughing, easily catches colds and flus, asthma

  Brown rice, oats, carrots, almond, lima beans

 * Dry, hacking cough

 Miso, pears, apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, strawberries, and spirulina

Several studies have shown a link between suppressing emotion and disease, as well as how expressing negative emotions and releasing tension can lead to physical healing. Now isn’t time for you to let go once and for all?

Live natural.  Live well.



Heather Lounsbury, L.Ac., is an acupuncturist, holistic healthcare provider and the author of Fix Your Mood With Food.


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