In an age where we have access to so much information, why do most people continue to eat burgers and fries on a regular basis? Even more frustrating, why do blue-dye marks surround our youths' mouths after their afternoon snacks? Why do we spend 8-10 hours sitting in front of a computer without any exercise activities in our daily regimen? Is it a question of laziness or lack of awareness?

In the same moment we stand at the counter of (insert fast-food place here), our memory can wander to articles we've read over time stating that dairy is hard on the system, fast-food is full of trans-fatty acids and meat is bad for the digestive system. Yet we're still able to reach into our wallet to pay for the junk that, over time, could do us in. Why do we do this?

One answer is an imbalanced body. Have you ever noticed that people who lead a healthy lifestyle do not struggle with needing junk food the same as those who consistently eat junk food and then try to quit?

One theory for this is that a balanced body craves balanced foods. If this is the case, those of us who are not balanced still have a mountain to climb because we have to fight the cravings while we work hard to balance our systems. Hence the reason "yo-yo" dieting is so common.

In order to understand this further, let's look at the meaning of cravings. Why do our bodies "crave"? A craving is our body's way of telling us that our system needs something. It's a form of communication. As we all know, communication is key to any good relationship and in order to have good communication, we must listen and exchange. In an effort to listen to our bodies, many of us will dump whatever food we can into our body to fill that craving. The problem is that these fast foods are typically not a healthy form of nutrition.

Cravings are a way to let us know that we need NUTRITION. When we dump bad food into our body, it diverts the attention of the body so it can break down whatever we put in. However, once that task is complete, we go right back to being hungry because our body still lacks the nutrition it needed in the first place. If this trend continues, it becomes evident why obese people are starving. I know it's a strange concept but their bodies need nutrition and seek that through "hunger". Instead of being fed the nutrition they need, the body is getting either junky food or food that lacks substantial nutritional value. In addition, the body has to be nourished properly to function the way it was intended so that the many toxins, which are being stored as fat, can be eliminated. A balanced body can cleanse toxins regularly.

Nourish, balance and cleanse are the three main functions that are needed for a balanced body. If you take vitamins, are you certain you are giving your body the right tools to perform these three tasks? If you are not supporting your body with the proper nutritional tools, I would guess not. The body is amazing when it is given proper nutrition. In a balanced state, it can take care of itself very well.

Having worked in a vitamin section of a health food store, I can share with you many insights on 'what vitamins do what' in the body. However, my philosophy on vitamins has changed and I no longer believe that vitamins are the key. It is true that we need vitamins, minerals and more. However, our bodies are designed to consume food which means the form we are taking vitamins in, as isolates, is not something that our bodies register as nutrition and often times is eliminated in the belief that it is foreign. Also, consuming isolated vitamins for specific functions in the body can take on a very similar structure to the thinking behind Western Medicine. In Western Medicine, the typical routine is to treat the symptoms. If I go into a vitamin store and choose Vitamin E for my eyes and Vitamin C for my allergies, how is my thinking any different than Western Medicine? I am still choosing isolated items for a specific issue in my body. Even though the typical vitamin purchaser is probably aware that the body is connected and every element affects the other, the thinking is not always evolved into looking at the body as the 'whole' that it is. We might think that Vitamin C is good for the whole body plus we must need it since we have allergies. However, how can you be sure? You are choosing a vitamin based on a symptom, not based on the understanding of nourishing, balancing and cleansing all of the systems of the body. Listening to our body is important and symptoms help us do that but we must learn to think in terms of the "whole" so that our entire bodies are nourished, balanced and cleansed. Buying vitamins is an enlightened step from not thinking about nutrition, however, there is a next step in understanding.

There is no denying that we need supplementation because our natural food sources are not what they used to be. If isolated vitamins are not the answer, than what is?

Herbal foods are plant-based foods that nourish the body using whole-food nutrition. They are not medicinal herbs. Medicinal herbs do the function for the body while herbal foods nourish the body so that it can do it's own work. One creates dependency in order to have a balanced body and the other creates an actual balanced body. The thinking behind eating herbal foods is based on the philosophy of regeneration. The philosophy of regeneration believes that the body, when fed proper nourishment, will rebuild itself in a healthy manner. Included in this thinking is the scientifically-based knowledge that old cells die off and new cells are born. If the body is balanced, the new cells will be healthy (regeneration). However, if the body is lacking in nourishment, the new cells will be lacking in some way (degeneration). Degeneration is synonymous with aging in our society. How many times have you heard someone say "that happens to everyone as they get older". Most of the things we accept under the guise of "aging" is actually due to degeneration and can be accounted for in proper nutrition. Many of the diseases that are common-place today have roots in improper nourishment.

I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am an educated consumer who has done many years of reading, experimenting and learning to come to a place of understanding with my body. I do not claim to have all of the answers to health but I do claim to have insights. I believe there are certain undeniable facts that exist and if our society had a broader awareness of these facts, perhaps blue-dyed yogurts and grease-laden french-fries might be replaced by whole-food nutrition. This, I believe, is one step in the right direction to create a better world.

About the Author

Havilah Tower-Perkins , MA , co-owns CompleteSelf.com. CompleteSelf.com shares Sunrider foods and products with those seeking health and an opportunity for their own health business. Havilah received her BA and Masters degree from the University of Texas in Austin. Her background is in Psychology and Communications. She has pursued her independent study of holistic health for over ten years. Her passion is fueled by her desire for people to take responsibility for their health and their lives through understanding and education.