Not only is February the month of love, it’s also the official month for heart health. Which is so perfect! Because love and heart health are made for each other.

One of the most important concepts I teach my clients is the difference between Primary Food and Secondary Food.

Primary Food is all the food that feeds our soul. It’s our spirituality, our relationships, our physical activity, home environment and career. These are all the things that give us meaning and purpose and make life rich. Without these things, life would ultimately be totally unsatisfying. These are also the things that bring us true health.

Secondary Food is equally important. This is all the food that we actually consume to fuel ourselves like what we eat and drink. Food is a beautiful gift and one of the great pleasures of life. Food is medicine and fuel. But food cannot fill our deeper needs as humans. Let me put it this way, kale does not make you a generous person or a more loving person.

The Bible said it, The Beatles sang it and Sonny and Cher lived it. There’s more to life than food and material things.

 

Secondary Food will never satisfy a Primary Food Craving

We have to have a healthy respect for both our Primary and Secondary food. Understanding the unique differences between the two helps us to understand our true cravings and desires. Are you really hungry or is something eating you?

When you fill a Primary Food need with a Primary Food, it makes knowing what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat so much easier. In short, you’re not reaching for chips to fill the need to make cool art or read a book. Cravings for sugar might be satisfied by quality time with your partner or a simple massage. Cravings for salty foods might be filled by walking barefoot in the yard.

Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Primary Food:

• Take the love languages quiz to increase your knowledge of yourself and your partner
• Get a massage or give yourself a body oil massage
• Watch P.S. I Love You in your jim jams with a box of tissue
• Give hugs and kisses to your loved ones – receive hugs and kisses from your loved ones
• Write a handwritten note of appreciation to a friend or loved one
• Soak in the bath with epsom salt, lavender oil and coconut oil
• Clean your toe nails
• Let go of old resentments and forgive
• Go to an animal shelter and boost your serotonin – try not leave with all the kitties and puppies

 

Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Secondary Food:

• Eat 70% organic dark chocolate to support a healthy heart and build strong blood
• Eat maca root powder to naturally boost your libido
• Consume several handfuls of walnuts to get your love juices flowing
• Have a nice glass or organic red wine – polyphenols are good for your heart, pesticides are not
• Take a nice Vitamin D supplement like this one to boost your heart health
• Eat some E3Live Blue Green Algae – contains the “love” molecule

What about you? What are some ways you can celebrate love with both Primary Food & Secondary Food?