Question: I need help. I am hardly eating one week, and the next, I can't seem to stop eating. I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I am very out of balance. What can I do to regain my health?

Answer: Most of us learned early in life that if we had no control over anything else, we could at least control what we put into our mouths. Our associations between food and emotions can be either health promoting or health damaging.

You have a nourishment disorder, which requires that you tap into the deepest archetypical mother available within your awareness. The primary concern of every nurturing parent is that his or her child eats in a healthy balanced way.

Ayurveda suggests that the body has an innate intelligence to choose foods that are nurturing, if we can simply quiet down our mental turbulence so that the natural intelligence of the body can direct the course of our diet.

Begin by making certain that you have all the six tastes in every meal. This will satisfy any cravings and ensure that you are getting the optimal nutrition you need. Check out the Chopra Center Cookbook, which is full of delicious recipes that provide a balanced nutritional plan.

How you are eating is equally important. Tune into your appetite by putting your hand on your belly, closing your eyes and asking yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, "How hungry or full am I?" When you are at a level 2 or 3, which means you are quite hungry, this is the time to eat, but eat consciously, without distractions so you can stay in touch with your feelings of hunger and satiety. Learning to meditate will also help you to quiet the mental noise that is keeping your mind from being connected to your body.

If you are unable to bring balance quickly into your relationship with food, seek out professional help from a counselor who works with these challenges. Tapping into your soul, you can re-establish a healthy relationship between your mind and body.