AstroWellbeing outlook for March 12-26, 2017.
The Full Moon this month appears in Virgo, as the Moon reflects the light of the Pisces Sun. Pisces and Virgo represent the interrelationship between the body and mind and their mutual influence on one another. Virgo is the material, and Pisces the non-physical aspect of wellbeing. Biologist Candace Pert says, “the body is the subconscious mind.” Physical and mental/emotional wellbeing are inseparable.
The sign Virgo rules the small intestine and its helpers, the liver and pancreas. Together, they perform the everyday magic of disassembling food into components we can absorb while keeping toxins and unwanted materials from contaminating the blood. This is Virgo’s gift of discrimination and fine tuning at its finest.
If your small intestine is chronically inflamed or isn’t functioning well, it doesn’t matter that you eat well and take supplements. You’re still malnourished because you’re not properly breaking down and absorbing the nutrients you eat.
People with gut-related conditions may really be feeling it now, as the Full Moon opposes the planet Chiron, the Wounded Healer and ruler of chronic illness. It also squares Saturn, ruler of the bones, joints, and gallbladder, which may bring some stress or sluggishness to those areas.
The Virgo Full Moon, the GI tract, and autoimmunity
As I continue my holistic nutrition studies and begin to work with clients on their health issues, I understand autoimmunity in a way I never did before.
The GI tract (Virgo) is the home of the immune system (Pisces). 70% of the immune system is located in the gut. This is by design– it’s there to keep unwanted microbes from reaching the bloodstream. A well-functioning gut is a selectively permeable barrier between the body and the stuff coming in from the outside world (your food) that intelligently controls what gets into the interior of the body– unless something goes sideways.
The underlying problem in much of autoimmunity is intestinal permeability (Pisces). When the gut lining is chronically inflamed, eventually it becomes porous, allowing partially digested nutrients and other materials to leak out of the digestive tract and trigger the immune system, which then sends out SOS signals to the rest of the body. This is how symptoms that originate in the GI tract can show up just about anywhere– the small intestine itself (celiac), thyroid (Hashimoto’s), joints (RA), skin (psoriasis), brain, nerves, connective tissue, and others. (Usually, the weak point shows up in the natal chart.)
An issue that complicates recovery for many people is that we tend to become addicted (Pisces) to the foods that we are allergic (Pisces) to. The incomplete breakdown of these foods in the GI tract produces opioid-like compounds that the brain habituates to– so there are unpleasant withdrawal symptoms for a while when you stop eating them. People often feel a little worse for a while before they feel better. That’s why the call to get healthy (Virgo) often requires some deeper work with painful emotions (Pisces).
Fixing the gut – first steps
How can we calm an overactive immune system, 70% of which resides in the gut? You guessed it– changing our thinking about food! That’s why I recommend, as the Full Moon in Virgo reflects the light of the Pisces Sun, that you make the most of this opportunity by journaling. Keep a record of what you eat and how you feel. See if a connection shows up between food intake and chronic disease flare-ups, sleep, moods, or cravings. The top food allergens are wheat, dairy, corn, and soy.
Some of you may be way past this step and still having troubles. Other allergies can be trickier to identify because reactions can take hours, or even days, to show up. This is where lab testing can be helpful.
Chiron and the inner doctor
I believe that every human body has its own intelligence that works separately from the conscious, logical mind. Chiron governs this kinesthetic awareness. It’s up to each of us to check in with that awareness and listen to those “gut feelings.” Conjure up your inner healer in your mind’s eye, and have a conversation. Listen to what your gut tells you about what it needs.
This inner healer is a wonderful ally we should all be listening to. Take good care of her, and check in often! Trust her to guide you to the right doctor, food, or activity. She carries the wisdom of the ages, the wisdom of nature and our ancestors.
By Molly Gauthier, CNTP
Are you struggling to find the right supplements or diet to calm an overactive immune system and feel better? Consider working with my holistic health practice. I’m here to help.
