Food is MEDICINE, Food is FUEL

When it comes to being healthy and well, the first things we tend to think about are diet and exercise. While there is so much more to being FULLY well, like taking care of your mental health, finding purpose in your work, engaging in joyful activities and faith or spiritual practices, good, solid diet and exercise are still huge slices of the whole pie!

I like to stay honest here, so I’ll be the first person to admit that much like physical fitness, I have not always had a firm understanding, or implementation of, good nutrition. I spent years of my life struggling under the literal and figurative weight of Binge Eating Disorder as a symptom of PMDD/depression and trauma from days past. In fact, there is still a B.E.D. part of me (in my Internal Family System), that looks to quell discomfort and shame with a pit stop at Popeyes for some Cajun fries. However…

Overtime, I have done the deeper work to heal the parts of me that look to food for comfort. This is why the Mental Health pie slice is so foundational!

I can now look back the times I would binge eat and understand how that wasn’t a lack of discipline, or motivation to do better, that was happening from an unhealed place. I didn’t have a healthy relationship to food because my mental health was still suffering.

Please know that if you’re in this place, it would be wise to seek help, and do the deep healing work necessary to repair your relationship with food FIRST, before trying to “start another diet.”

Once I had done the deeper work, I still had to learn what to do instead. What did “GOOD” Nutrition look like for me? Today, I can, and will, attest to the benefits of consistently showing up for yourself by implementing good nutritional habits.

One of the first Truths I learned and internalized is that food is MEDICINE.

Much of the American diet consists of high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar foods that create massive amounts of inflammation in our bodies, that when left unchecked, overtime, leads to disease… mood disorders, heart problems, organ dysfunction, adrenal failure, cancer, etc.

Dr. Will Cole writes in an article on chronic inflammation:

“Acute inflammation is characterized by obvious inflammation symptoms like redness, pain, and swelling in the area. You’ve probably experienced this when you’ve suffered a minor injury, like a burn, bruise, or scrape. Chronic inflammation symptoms, however, are a little more elusive, which is why many people suffer from it for years without being able to identify exactly what’s going on with their health.”

He goes on to say that chronic inflammation can look and feel like moodiness, pain in the body, and fatigue. And that, “Food is so important because the foods we eat send our body signals; in fact, every single bite of food we eat influences how we feel on a daily basis — and in the long-term can make the difference between us being healthy or not.”

This is why Nutrition is a slice of the Full Circle Wellness pie.

While the wrong foods can do us great harm, the right foods can greatly improve our overall health and wellness.

For example, when I was diagnosed with PMDD, I started researching healthy and natural ways to not only cope, but improve my health with this condition. I didn’t just want to survive with PMDD, I wanted to thrive.

I found that foods like berries, nuts and seeds, and vitamin-rich leafy greens, could ultimately contribute to improved mood and good brain function - something crucial for someone with a mental health disorder. I also found that seed cycling - eating certain types of seeds at different points in my cycle - could support my hormonal health. I found that the spice saffron, is a natural mood booster, and that lion’s mane mushrooms are natural adaptogens that can help with brain fog and stress. I also came to find that various vitamins and minerals, namely Vitamin D, the B-Complex Vitamins, and Magnesium, could also help to improve my mental health and mood. The list goes on, but the point remains the same - These natural remedies, FOOD I can cook, spices I can use in my kitchen… could help my condition in a medicinal way.

This kind of research takes work, and a full understanding of yourself and your body. The kinds of foods, vitamins and minerals you need, may look different from what I may need. It is worth taking the time to do this kind of research, so that you can apply that knowledge to your life.

The second Truth I learned and internalized is that food is FUEL.

Back to the American diet… most of the time our portions are excessive in size and caloric value, they are carb heavy, fat heavy, and we’re sold an idea that this is normal when it’s not.

I recently took it upon myself to go even further in my personal development and wellness journey by working with a coach on my fitness and nutrition.

Have you ever heard of MACROS?

I had only heard of macros as “something fit people are into”... assuming it was specific to athletes, and far too complex for me to understand.

I was wrong.

While it might be true that an athlete’s macros are going to look very different than those of someone with different goals, the Truth remains the same. Having an understanding of the macronutrients YOUR body needs to function, and in what ratios, can greatly improve your overall health because by adhering to a macronutrient structure, you are FUELING your body appropriately, which means it will function better for all other areas of wellness, i.e. your sleep will improve, your brain health will improve, your physical fitness will improve, etc.

So what are macronutrients? Proteins. Carbohydrates. Fats.

Macros are what your body runs on! Food fuels our body’s processes and our movement, and much more. Carbohydrates give your body energy, while protein rebuilds and repairs your body's tissues. Fat is important for feeling full, balancing hormones and helping your body absorb certain vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K.

Working with a health and wellness coach, or using an app to understand and track your macros, is a great place to start.

Doctors suggest that a macronutrient breakdown of 20%-30% fat, 30% protein and 40%-50% carbohydrates, is a pretty general rule for most people.

While not everyone is going to be “into” macros, my point here remains solid: Food is fuel for the function of your body. If you fuel the machine with garbage, it will function like garbage. If you fuel the machine with whole, real foods, that it knows how to digest, break down and use, it will function like a Lamborghini.

It’s a lot to take in, and it’s a lot to learn. I very much rely on my coach to guide my way. But at the end of the day, anyone can do this.

Maybe it starts with kicking fast food, and drinking more water, before you know it, you’ll be a morning smoothie person, counting macros and checking labels for canola oil (which is deadly, BTW), and carrageenan (a known carcinogen!).

Start small.

Build from there.

Know that you CAN, and you will.

Be well,
L