By Nathalie Khalaf, Holistic Counsellor
You wouldn’t necessarily think it, but low self esteem and digestive issues are interlinked! No, this isn’t an April Fool’s Day trick, so do read on.
Blocked Energy
Our bodies consist of hundreds of energy points. If you have ever visited an acupuncturist, you would be slightly more familiar about this. Acupuncturists insert special needles into specific points in the body that they feel have accumulated stagnant energy, resulting in an energy blockage.
The insertion of these needles helps to dissipate these blockages and gradually decreases the pain we feel, until we feel none at all.
Similarly, when we are mentally aware of our energy blockages, we are more able to release energy blockages on an emotional and physical level. The needle plays an important role, too; however, awareness of our mental energy blockages helps to locate and tease out the physical ones.
My Story
I remember feeling so small as a child, insecure at so many levels. It didn’t help that I was considered to be ‘short’ and ‘petite’ in comparison to my school mates. I also never managed to understand maths, physics and chemistry, plus I had a challenging time learning things by heart.
Needless to say, my younger years at school and university were a struggle because my habit of constant self-judgement left me feeling inferior and stupid. Why was I not like everyone else?
Stress & My Body
I had constant pains in my stomach and intestines since the age of eight. I suffered through two endoscopies, as the doctors wanted to check whether I had a tumour, or something along those lines! Except no one every comprehended what was happening in my body!
There was so much pain I could hardly stand up, yet nothing physical to show for it until one day, a doctor figured it out. He sat down with me and asked me a few questions, mostly about school, studies and exams. He realised that I was an extremely sensitive child. The answer? My stress levels were so high that they had caused all the pain and issues in my gut. Fast forward into my late 30s, (when I always say that my breakdown and depression were the best things that happened to me) my situation became very concerning. I literally felt paralyzed.
I knew I had to do something about it: I wanted to understand, to have a concrete answer as to what I was going through. By talking to my counsellor and taking my diploma in holistic studies for a period of over 5+ years, I finally learnt why.
My Gut
The thoughts we have of being no good, dumb, useless and not fitting in are directly linked to the main energy centre that controls our digestive system (liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines). Such thoughts alter the flow of energy in that centre.
Because this centre is activated between the ages of 4 – 7 years, it is psychologically here to help us establish our sense of self, our uniqueness, our individuality, who we think we are and our ego.
Coming to Terms with “ME”
It took years, but I finally understood I was not born to be like everybody else. Nobody is born to become somebody else’s clone. Nobody is born to be ‘like everybody else’. Most of us struggle until we fall into place – we fall into our Selves, and that’s what happened to me.
So here lies the wonderful realisation that humans are holistic beings. Once I understood that those very thoughts were causing my physical diseases, I worked hard on stopping all critical and judgemental thought patterns. I gradually replaced them with supportive and loving ones, accepting myself for who I was and am. It’s about being okay with being different: being better at certain subjects and not so good at others, because those ones just weren’t serving my purpose.
Once those thoughts became my default way of thinking, I was able to reverse my Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The energy flowed with ease, which rid me of the physical effects. With my loving, supportive thoughts came the full acceptance of my individuality, my uniqueness. My self-esteem was good, I no longer felt like a fool.
A little over a year ago, in February 2022, I was again reminded of the power of the mind. I had put myself through so much stress trying to perform well at work that I ran myself into the ground once again. I was in so much physical discomfort and my abdomen bloated and felt like a rock to the touch (no, I definitely wasn’t pregnant!).
I met with two medical doctors who both ran many tests, but there was not one mention of the physiological triggers.
Luckily, the pharmacist who assisted me had more of an idea of the full picture. The first question she asked was ‘Have you been a bit stressed lately?’ and a veritable lightbulb moment took place; I smiled and thanked her when she gave me probiotics. She explained that stress washes out the good bacteria from our gut, and when the gut’s microbial composition is altered, the physical symptoms of IBS manifest. I was grateful that the universe and God sent me that pharmacist as a reminder.
Living Your Best Life Yet
Become aware of your thoughts. Change the negative ones about yourself into positive loving supportive ones. Become aware of the way you speak to yourself and your internal dialogue, and challenge your negative thinking habits. Your physical body is listening to your every thought and every word. Be kind to yourself and your body will be kind to you.
You can contact Nathalie Khalaf at [email protected]
