Introducing perhaps the most satisfying diet of all:

The Media Diet

By guest writer Diane Letchworth

No, I’m not talking about the typical “media fast” we hear so much about.

I mean something more along the lines of “Eat This, Not That.”  Obviously, I don’t mean “eat” in the literal sense, but we do ingest and digest more than just food….

So here goes:

Instead of consuming mainstream Magazines found on your average newsstand or at your local Barnes & Noble, consider being more Mindful of what you’re putting in your brain.

So many of these magazines are designed as vehicles to sell you stuff, encouraging our never-ending consumption of all sorts of unnecessary consumer goods.

Fashion magazines sell clothes most normal men and women can’t wear – or in my case, wouldn’t wear.  But beyond that, they promote a distorted view of beauty and body image, which can be extremely detrimental, especially to young women, who often struggle with body dysmorphia and eating disorders.

Celebrity magazines are just as bad.  They either set up celebrities as people with perfect lives that we should all envy or emulate, or indulge in scandals and gossip, wallowing in the setbacks of the rich and famous.

There are so many resources for accessing higher-quality media.  We just need to pay a little more attention to what we’re reading or watching.  We need to be conscious in our consumption – not just succumbing to the popular (especially with local news outlets) “if it bleeds, it leads” model.  We don’t have to give up media – we just need to be more mindful of what we’re consuming, and how much.  It also helps to be aware of the source, and whether they have a specific agenda to push or advertisers or investors to please….

If you live in the United States, you’re aware that our political Election cycle seems never-ending….  It starts earlier every time, wastes more money and sinks ever lower.  “Civil discourse” has become an oxymoron in today’s political landscape.

So why not consume Educational media instead? 

One of my favorite sources for feeding my love of lifelong learning is The Great Courses, produced by The Teaching Company.  These are college-level lecture series on a wide variety of subjects – from Philosophy to Literature, Science (all sorts) to Business.  There are even a few high-school level courses.

Another way to educate yourself is to listen to informative podcasts online.  There are also webinars on a myriad of subjects.  There is bound to be something for everyone!

I’m kind of on the fence about this one – it’s not really all bad, but….

Maybe we should start avoiding Diet books.  The thing is, I’ve read a lot of them, and I’ve gotten some really useful information from … some of them.  But I’ve also gotten discouraged by most of them.  Why?  Because most diet books take the approach of “My program really works, and solves (fill in the blank) problem.”

There’s an underlying message of:  If my diet didn’t give you the results you wanted (and I promised), you must have done something wrong.

I don’t know about you, but if I try a new diet, I’m all in – I follow the plan to the letter.  If it didn’t work, I didn’t fail the diet; the diet failed me….

So instead of focusing on this or that diet, why not spend a bit more time connecting with Divinity?

This doesn’t have to mean joining a church and listening to sermons every week – although if that appeals to you, go for it!!  It can also mean getting in touch with your own inner Divinity, that spark some call a Soul that connects you to something greater.  It might even help you find your true purpose in life. 

There are so many ways to do this, and I encourage you to find a spiritual pursuit that appeals to you and make it a central part of your life.  After all, there’s more to good health than just what you eat!!

This is another double-edged sword:  the Internet. 

There’s a lot of really awesome, high-quality information available on the Internet.  But there’s also a lot of junk.

But what I really mean here is the danger inherent in social media.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m a huge fan of social media in many ways.  I use it to connect with friends and family who live far away, and I have a lot of groups that are loving and supportive.

But a lot of people focus on how much better their Facebook friends’ lives are than their own.  Never mind that those folks might be posting the stuff that puts them in a great life, and carefully avoiding any struggles or problems.  They might even be trying to practice positive thinking and putting their focus on gratitude for their blessings.

However, humans are hard-wired with a negativity bias, and so we see our friends’ photos of vacations in exotic locations, or read about their latest promotion or their new sports car – and we focus on the fact that we can’t afford to travel or just got fired from our crappy job (the one we hated but didn’t quit because it helped pay the bills).

So sometimes we need to approach our Internet time with a bit of caution, and maybe some of that mindfulness I mentioned earlier….

We can apply that mindful mindset to searching out useful Information instead, the kind of information that can enrich our life or even help us improve our situation.  Whether it’s information on nutrition and health, or courses to take to aid us in our personal growth, there is a lot of great information available.

And if it’s hard for you to be mindful about searching out information on the Internet, there’s always your local public library – there’s still a lot of information available in good old-fashioned books!!

Here’s something to consider:  Those “good old-fashioned books” also don’t tend to contain the next media “food” I recommend avoiding – Advertising. 

We’re bombarded with advertisement everywhere:  television, magazines, billboards, the Internet….  It’s pretty much impossible to avoid seeing it, but seeing it doesn’t mean you have to read it.

I learned several years ago that the first television shows were actually created to be vehicles to sell products.  Have you ever seen some of those old black-and-white ads?  The actors – or in the case of The Flintstones, cartoon characters – were actually shown using the products advertised during the commercial breaks.

Yes, I’ve seen an old advert of Fred Flintstone smoking a specific brand of cigarette….

And then there are the products most often advertised:  pharmaceutical drugs (and their over-the-counter counterparts), cosmetics, expensive and impractical clothing, potentially toxic toys, fast food and processed junk food … all stuff we generally don’t need, and all stuff that is considered by many to be unhealthy or even dangerous.  (Yes, there is a place for pharmaceuticals and other drugs, but Direct-to-Consumer advertising has created a host of problems in the two countries where it is allowed, the US and New Zealand.)

How about we pursue Authenticity instead? 

Rather than searching for our inherent value in designer clothes, or trendy “food fads,” or anything outside of ourselves, why don’t we conduct that search deep within? 

We need to make peace with the still, quiet Self within, instead of placing our value in the hands of others, or society’s expectations.

We need to get in touch with our authentic selves – and then we won’t need to find our worth in things outside. 

The latest, greatest, newest … whatever will never make us whole.  It won’t make us better individuals, and it won’t make us a better society. 

Of course, I’m sure that promoting a particular brand of “Authenticity” would make a really effective advertising campaign…. *sigh*

Hmm … maybe that “media fast” isn’t such a bad idea after all….

More about the author: Diane Letchworth

Diane is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, a Certified Gluten Practitioner and a Certified Reiki Master/Teacher.  She is currently studying Aromatherapy and Nutritional Endocrinology, the latter with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo.

She has been interviewed by Steph Jackson (for her Core Reset Home Learning program), Lynn DeBuhr Johnson (for Dr. Ritamarie’s radio show) and Trent Childers (for his Fight:  Heart, Body and Soul podcast).

Diane has written a guest blog article for Dr. Ritamarie’s website, as well as two for Josh Trent’s Wellness Force website.  She is also a regular contributor – of recipes as well as articles – to the online magazine “Live, Love and Eat,” published by fellow CTNC Bernadine Otto.

She blogs regularly at her own website, www.letchworthsisterswellness.com, the business she runs with her sister Debra.

If you would like to contact Diane, please email her at diane@letchworthsisters.com