autoimmune conditions.
Do you struggle with the idea of life and the process of living? Individuals with root chakra imbalances find everyday life to be difficult and not worth the effort. They can lack motivation and appear lazy to others, and may enter a deep depression. When root chakra imbalances along these lines exist, the individuals can appear spacey, flighty, or “not all there.” In fact, it is almost as if the individual is not in their body. And truly, they are not in their body—or their root chakra—on an energetic level. Without being fully present, we are unable to live life fully and to manifest our dreams.
Do you fear having “enough,” especially when it comes to food? Are you preoccupied with your food resources—how much you have at any one time, or how much of your finances you allocate to food? Some of us have had strong messages about lack rather than abundance and guilt instead of gratitude programmed into us even as children (remember hearing, “Kids in Africa are starving so you better eat everything on your plate!”?). These built-in messages make us fearful about our existence. Since the root chakra is about survival, and food is fundamental to our physical functioning, it follows that most food issues can be traced back to the root chakra.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE ROOT CHAKRA
Because the root chakra connects with the physical nature of a human being, several supplements are associated with this chakra. Often, our root chakra is the aspect of us that most needs healing, and, fortunately, it is responsive to physical substances like food and supplements.
MACRONUTRIENTS AND MACRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTS
Protein
Protein is the main macronutrient associated with the root chakra. It provides the building blocks (amino acids) for the body's gross anatomical structure: bone, muscle, and skin. We obtain most of our protein through our diet when we eat animal-based foods like meat, yogurt, milk, eggs, and cheese, and hearty plant-based foods such as beans and nuts. We can also get protein through high-quality, protein-based supplement powders. Due to its animal origin (which is highly grounding, or brings us back into the present moment, helping us to focus) and ability to support muscle tissue and the immune system, one of the best supplement powders for the root chakra is whey protein; however, other protein powders (rice, soy, or pea protein) are also effective. When you are feeling particularly spaced-out or flighty (which I like to call “ungrounded”), try drinking a shake made in the blender using whey protein powder and red fruits like raspberries or strawberries. (Red is the color that feeds the root chakra.) For individuals who may have difficulty digesting protein, partially degraded proteins, like hydrolyzed whey protein, are an option. All individual amino acids, particularly those that are essential because the body cannot make them (including isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine) in a supplement support the function of the root chakra.
When protein digestion is a problem: People with imbalanced root and solar plexus chakras may have difficulty digesting and assimilating protein; this difficulty is indicated by stomach bloating immediately or shortly after eating. As we advance in age, our stomach tends to make less hydrochloric acid, a strong acid produced in the stomach to denature and digest proteins. Without this acid, our ability to digest and take in protein is significantly impaired. Bacteria could cause the undigested food in the stomach to ferment, which results in bloating. A chronic lack of stomach acid coupled with a more permeable (“leaky”) gut caused by bacterial overgrowth results in a lack of discrimination as to which molecules get absorbed. This is especially problematic since the absorption of large, undigested proteins may result in a heightened immune response.
For those with low stomach-acid production (a condition referred to as achlorhydria), hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplements are useful. In some cases, they can be beneficial for individuals with food allergies and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. HCl supplements are usually found as betaine HCl; betaine is a carrier for the HCl. An HCl supplement must be taken carefully. For example, it should not be taken if you are taking an NSAID (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as aspirin or ibuprofen) or corticosteroid (such as prednisone), since the combination may cause severe gastric upset. Betaine HCl, in the form of tablet or capsule, is to be taken midway through a large, protein-containing meal. Various dosage recommendations exist. You can start at the minimum dose (600 milligrams) and see whether you experience less bloating and stomach upset. If you do not, try gradually increasing the dose until your symptoms are relieved. Taking too much betaine HCl can lead to a sharp heartburn sensation so ensure that you start slowly to be sure that you find the dose that is right for you.
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