Dieting, Weight Loss, And Eating Disorders In Dr. Bach’s system there are no set rules as to what food is good or bad for us, and nothing we fundamentally should or shouldn’t eat.  Our brain and body knows what is best and most appropriate for us, and by listening to what they tell us and by eating what they make us crave, when we are craving it, we are led to just what our body needs to become healthy.  In addition, since there is no one single remedy for any physical manifestation of a problem, there are none specifically for weight loss.  But they all could help, since as we eliminate the health-damaging outlooks from within us we automatically get closer to true and perfect health, and automatically tend to get in better shape and look and feel the way we are meant to.  In this way, our diet will be specifically tailored to us, to exactly what we need at any given time far more so than any fixed diet ever could.  Sometimes our body may need fats or something sweet, and by following through on these urges we’ll be better off than if we excluded them on principle.  Of course, we need to learn what is a craving out of habit or simply taste (or addiction), and filter these out when sorting out what our body is telling us.  The better we get at learning to see how particular cravings match up to particular foods—as shown by their leaving us feeling satisfied and nourished and in a positive state of mind afterwards—the more we’ll enjoy our meals and the healthier we’ll tend to become.  To this end, it’s worth questioning all the foods we eat by looking closely at how our body responds to them physically and emotionally—by the appearance or elimination of the 38 different mental states listed in this guide. Though this isn’t a diet book, I’ll say it may be especially important to watch for the effects grain-based foods, processed foods, and foods containing refined  sugar have on us, since these are relatively recent additions to the human diet.  Some people can handle these types of foods better than others, but if you find certain negative states of mind repeatedly returning—despite feeling they should have been eliminated and addressed by now—these foods might be to blame.  Interestingly enough, Dr. Bach spoke in his early career of the vast importance to health of harboring the right kinds of intestinal bacteria, and how modern diets tended to support the damaging kinds of gut bacteria as compared to the “Paleo Diets” of the past (as they are now referred).  At any rate, eating the right type of foods for our body in the first place certainly makes intuitive sense.  By really listening to what our mind and body tell us after we eat, we can “reverse-engineer” what is best for us individually—leading to a healthier and fitter body.   To that end, there can be lots of reasons why we eat things our body doesn’t want or need and why it seems hard to exercise and stay active.  Luckily, these things can be counteracted by the remedies, leading us to naturally and easily do what it takes to become and remain healthy.  Equally important is not worrying too much about how we look or appear, and simply liking ourselves for who we are, regardless of how closely we match what others think is attractive...so Crab Apple, Walnut, Larch, Centaury, or Agrimony. When it comes to exercise, if it’s things like fatigue or trouble getting started that are keeping us back, Olive or Hornbeam can help give us the kick start that we need.  If it’s because the urge to exercise doesn’t seem very important or worthwhile following, Clematis or Wild Rose can help us follow up on the idea and try it.  For responsibilities that seem to keep us from finding the time, Centaury, Oak, Agrimony, and Walnut can get us to break free long enough to make the time.  Pine can help if we don’t feel entitled to time off or that we’re not worth the effort or hassle.  For the fear of getting injured or making something worse, Mimulus can help us to see what is a valid concern and what is just the fear talking.  For perpetually putting off getting started on a new diet or exercise regime for a day or two, Hornbeam can help us to get going.  Gentian can help if we give up on our diet (or exercise routine) too quickly after a setback, such as not losing any weight this week, or thinking it’s completely ruined because we ate something we were trying to avoid, or because we took the day off. Sometimes we get stuck with false cravings or have negative motivations for eating.  Remedies like Agrimony and White Chestnut are good if we eat to avoid worries or to help us forget about unpleasant things in our lives.  Mimulus helps if we tend to eat to calm fears; Holly, Beech, or Impatiens if we eat to feel less irritated; and Star of Bethlehem or Sweet Chestnut if we eat to comfort sorrow or grief.  Rock Water or Cerato help when we think something is supposed to be healthy for us and eat it no matter how our body responds to it.  Cherry Plum or Walnut helps keep us from giving into temptation for things we aren’t really craving at the moment, and Centaury is good if we always feel we have to finish our plate, just to be polite or because it’s expected. Once we start feeling good and (perhaps) exercising, it can be altogether too easy to get into a negative Rock Water state.  Since it’s natural to feel excited by getting in shape and feeling healthy, it can be tempting to overdo things and become very strict with ourselves in terms of both diet and exercise regime.  Doing so will not make us healthier or more attractive—since it’s one of the health-damaging outlooks, it will tend to do the opposite.  Of course, that doesn’t mean give in and eat whatever we want and never exercise despite our better judgment, but to be flexible and really listen to what our body is telling us—and Cerato can help us to trust these signals as being right. As for eating disorders, many come from having a negative body image or trying to fit in to what society expects of us, so Rock Water and the remedies listed above at the top of the page may be worth examining for help.  Pine is useful for feelings of self-blame or self-hate over how we look, and Mimulus helps to eliminate fears of eating or of gaining weight.  Cherry Plum and Sweet Chestnut are good for keeping ourselves together when these feelings are most intense and destructive and leading us to a critical situation.  Worries of ostracism and rejection are often involved—so Agrimony, Walnut, Larch, and Mimulus.