ELEMENTS OF RECOVERY

break free from disordered eating, addiction, or destructive cycles — and step into lasting clarity.

What does healthy LOOK like?

June 24, 2015 by Christina Santini in Body Image, Eating Disorders, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Size is not a reflection of health, only our vanity obsession. Thus each one of us is responsible for asking whether our lifestyle is centered around vanity and disconnectedness, rather than wholeness, happiness and acceptance... savoring the flavors of life vs. depriving ourselves. Deprivation always leads to soul hunger and most of us will binge later to compensate anyway. Or just grow emotionally unstable as we suppress our true needs. Living a life that is centered on nourishment and acceptance is health - in whatever shape, form or size that may be.

What are your TRUE needs?

June 17, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Every addiction, every act we do that inflicts self-hate and suffering is a desperate cry for love at the bottom of all the dysfunction. Addiction is love hunger. A hunger to be accepted for what we are at our very core. Every tale of addiction and self-destruction tells the same story of trying to fit in. Sacrificing who we are at our core: hoping to be worthy of love in some shape or form. When we don't express our needs, we stay stuck, disconnected and stagnant in our addiction.

How do we move past our trauma?

June 10, 2015 by Christina Santini in Transformation Keys, Self-Worth, Addictions

Trauma is a fact of life. What differs is how we cope with trauma. Trauma doesn't have to be our destiny. Most of us find it very difficult to separate what happens to us from what we are. We often base our belief system and worth around factors that happen to us. This makes us very vulnerable in this skin we are in. We are not our trauma. Only when we realize that, can we move past it. Only when we let go and decide to rewrite our story every new day, will we move past our past. The key to master our destiny is......

How To Detox Your Mind

May 14, 2015 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Meditation, Self-Worth, Yoga Tools, Transformation Keys

An untamed mind runs like wild horses. As scenic and romantic as that might sound, I can assure you that is not so, when it comes to our internal mind chatter. Quite the contrary. So we know that our mind controls our emotions, and that our emotions affect our physical state of wellbeing and organ health. The logical question then is: what controls the mind? Breathing. Breathing is the king of the mind. Breathing instantly takes us from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system response. Our reptilian brain is in charge of our response to life when we are in the sympathetic nervous system. Our reptilian mind is like a snake. It's sneaky and wants to attack and react. That's why many of us get lost in running after things like power, sex, binge behaviors and money.... always more, more more.

Are you Relaxed or Relapsed? +FREE Chemical Calorie Guide

May 06, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Intuitive Eating

In recovery we reach a point, where we want to relax a bit more. We get tired of structure and the rigidness of treatment, accountability and showing up everyday without numbing out via our preferred drug of choice. Many books talk about intuitive eating and "just listening to your body". And while I agree with this concept at large, the crucial issue here is, that timing matters for this concept to work in reality. It is far to easy to go from relaxed to relapsed - especially when it concerns disordered eating behaviors. Simply because every day we make choices surrounding foods, whereas with drugs and alcohol it is cold-turkey for a recovering addict. There are especially 3 things that can make it difficult to "listen to your body"...

Transcending our limiting beliefs.

April 30, 2015 by Christina Santini in Depression, Addictions, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth, Emotional Management

I was at The Longevity Conference in Anaheim, California last week with a bunch of health nuts like Dr. Mercola, Ron Teeguarden, Dave Asprey and David Avocado Wolfe - as charismatic as they are, not much health nut news there. However, what really stood out was this guy whom I happened to stumble upon. He is absolutely brilliant in the field of transformation and transcending limiting belief systems. Check out below video where Kute Blackson talks about the importance of dyeing once before we die. This is crucial for anyone who is in recovery - we must let go of all the mental blocks that have held us chained to our past limiting beliefs.

Addiction in Hollywood is a reflection of world wide soul hunger.

April 22, 2015 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Each one of us has a battle, that we fight in this lifetime. That is why it makes no sense to compare us to each other. The battles are different, yet our perception is what makes for the pain experience. And that is what matters: our perception. We all hurt the same and go through the same pain, yet the triggers and the way we deal with it differs greatly. What may trigger pain in one person, may seem like a piece of cake to another. And for some, the piece of cake is the trigger. The bottomline here is not the cake, although I do love cake. The point is, that it doesn't matter what the trigger is. The only thing that matters is our filter. In other words, our resilience and ability to deal with what is our unique weakness. Our willingness to be excruciatingly honest with where we are right now, in order to determine the next step to progress at a soul level.

An Ayurvedic Perspective On Addiction

April 16, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Superfoods In Recovery, Sleep

In Ayurveda (Eastern body-mind-soul health philosophy), addictions are tied to an imbalance in the air element. Everything and every one of us is made up of the basic 5 elements: air, ether, water, fire and earth. When one of these elements get out of balance, we get sick. Modern neuroscience overlaps with classic Eastern medicine, although we use different terms in Western science - but it is all the same: the truth is the truth. Addiction is linked to the air element as it corresponds to our mind. There is too much nervous energy, which leads to an imbalance in our central nervous system. This, in change, causes us to feel disconnected and unbalanced. We are searching through drugs, foods and addictive behaviors in order to feel more grounded - that is the essence of any addiction.

The 3 Aspects of Nourishment

March 03, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Addiction is one of the greatest health issues facing Western society today. When I say addiction, I do not mean necessarily hardcore drug or alcohol addiction. The term addiction encompasses almost all self-destructive patterns or behaviors. We are experiencing a lack of control in some area of our life. Some kind of behavior that provides instant relief or distraction to escape the fact, that we are not feeding all 3 aspects of what defines us as a human being - that is why we are not thriving in this skin we are in. What are the 3 aspects of being a human?

Beyond Yoga: Bridging The Body-Mind-Soul Gap.

February 10, 2015 by Christina Santini in Body Image, Eating Disorders, Meditation, Yoga Tools, Transformation Keys, Addictions

Feeling, sensing, embracing are all essential skills for living creatures to survive in this world. Dancers, actors, musicians, race car drivers, surfers and athletes usually have incredible kinesthetic awareness. This body awareness is something that most of us had as kids. Everyone who goes down a path of self-destruction disconnects from this awareness - and feels, well, disconnected, lost and without any sense of inner guidance; thus spiraling out of control.

HOW do you change habits?

January 27, 2015 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Faith, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

So there is a lot of advice out there telling you WHY you need to change beliefs, habits and lifestyle to achieve the life you truly desire to live. And that's great and all. Many of us are aware that we need to change. Many of us are painfully aware of the self-destructive things we do, that we wish would just vanish. Every Monday we start a new. Every year we set the same resolutions. And days turn into weeks that turn into months, years. The story of our life. If we think back on all those years - decades even, that we have tried and tried and yet we are exactly where we started; it can seem quite depressing. The question most of us are left stuck with is HOW. As in HOW do I change - I understand I need to, but HOW do I do it? There are 5 qualities that facilitate change. Without them you will stay stuck in Neverland. So what are the 5 qualities that will facilitate the change you want? Let's dive in.

What Are You Running From?

January 20, 2015 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Body Image, Depression, Emotional Management, Self-Worth, Transformation Keys

Everyday we are either running towards something or away from something. Think about it for a moment. What drives your actions.... even in the small every day behavior. Why do you buy diet pills, why do you drink alcohol, why do you obsess about diets, why do you avoid talking to those you are most attracted to, why do you avoid taking up a new sport, why do you always have to spend hours getting ready - and yes, this goes for men too, cos God knows vanity knows no gender. Most of us have centered our lives around our very fears. We are busy running away from something - using our energy and power to focus on what it is we do NOT want in our life. I.e. we don't want to be fat, we don't want to be shamed while speaking our mind in public, we don't want to feel unloved, we don't want to be rejected, we don't want to be alone, we don't want to feel stupid, we don't want to feel insufficient etc. etc.What do you think you get when you busy yourself with your fears? Drumroll please....

How to make 2015 AWESOME.

December 30, 2014 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

Life is not easy, and that's why the most important thing we can do is to begin mastering our thoughts and our perception. This way we become more resilient and can just go with the flow instead of fight, scream and in vain hang on to toxic things, that are not working for us, even if we feel that we NEED that person, that habit, that food, that drug etc. Sometimes we need to let go of things we love too.

How To Create A New Habit

December 23, 2014 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys, Addictions

The biggest downfall when trying to break bad habits is to rely on willpower to carry you through the storms and emotional turmoil that comes with every change. Simply because willpower is fragile and emotions change with the wind. It's only human to give into pleasure as we are hedonistic creatures baseline. You want to understand the WHYs of what it is that is driving your current self-destruction and then create a constructive habit to take over the former destructive - this is the science of neuroplasticity in action.

You will never go any higher than you THINK.

December 16, 2014 by Christina Santini in Emotional Management, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

Most of us tend to have these beliefs that we repeat over and over again - in our own heads and in conversations with others. Repeating like a mantra that we want to come true. Well, it just so happens that whatever we think - whether we can or not - we are right.

What is your weakness trying to teach you?

December 09, 2014 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth, Emotional Management

Recovery often feels like two steps forward and one step back - and sometimes one step forward and two steps back. Again and again. We often feel like the world is against us. that we have no willpower. That we are the victim. We just can't go on anymore. We have tried every possible way. We feel weak, exhausted and full of self-pity --- and self-hate. And we often look for something or someone to save us. Someone to save us from ourselves before we drown. Drowning in the rivers we have created with our tears, blood and sweat.

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

December 03, 2014 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Eating Disorders, Depression, Faith, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth

One of the reasons why we don't change, let go of addictions, stop disordered eating behaviors and just being self-destructive, is that we simply don't believe we can. And whatever we believe, we will act upon. Our actions are a reflection of what we think - the things we tell ourselves day in and day out. If we tell ourselves that we can't, we won't even try - and if we try, we will self-sabotage.

Exercise to Lower Stress: Nose-breathing vs. Mouth-breathing

November 25, 2014 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys, Addictions

It is well-known in addiction research that exercise can increase endorphins, which help take the edge off withdrawal symptoms and elevate mood. In other words, movement is a core component of every human beings health. When we were kids, we would spill over with energy and zest for life - like we were in a room without ceiling. We needed not be told what was good for us, we were so connected to our body, mind and soul, that we instinctively did what felt good. Addiction is a hunger for happiness, for wholeness, for meaning.... for something more. However, exercise can both REDUCE or INCREASE stress and the risk of relapse - in this article I go through 5 exercise styles that will help you thrive in recovery and actually achieve your body and mind goals faster. And no, the key is not harder, longer, faster.

What does it mean to be recovered from an Eating Disorder?

October 28, 2014 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Transformation Keys, Body Image

Any type of eating disorder takes your identity. The more you have an eating disorder, the more you lose your identity. There is a fundamental essence of you that is the same, but apart from that eating disordered people are very much alike during their illness.

10 Benefits of Walking Barefoot

October 14, 2014 by Christina Santini in Transformation Keys, Sleep, Biochemistry Balancing

Now you may be thinking what on earth does walking barefoot on the earth have to do with any type of recovery from drugs, alcohol or food. Well, any type of self-destructive behavior is a disconnect from our soul and the most basic things in life that help us to thrive. It is about tapping into our basic instincts. Walking barefoot helps to re-connect us with body-mind-soul in a way that any talk-therapy will not be able to copy. When we connect with nature, a profound level of healing takes place. For every ailment there is already invented a cure in nature - we just need to utilize it.