When you think of the definition of “wellness”, what do you think of? There are SO many definitions, diets, supplements, and cleanses out there posing as the magic solution. It can be truly confusing to know what’s needed to support your body!
Our bodies are all unique and amazing creations! Each of our bodies has different needs. When we provide what our bodies are missing, balance and wellness can be achieved. In nutritional therapy, we call these missing factors the foundations.
My missing pieces
In my wellness journey, the foundations provided important missing links for me in helping sustain healing. Testing and targeted supplements were very helpful too, but I needed these foundational pillars to support my body’s groundwork and to sustain health for the long run. For those who are still struggling after having had testing done and taken supplements, these can often be the missing pieces. The foundations are non-negotiables when looking to achieve optimal wellness!
So, what exactly are the foundations of health?
- Nutrient-dense diet
- Digestion
- Blood sugar regulation
- Fatty acids
- Mineral balance
- Hydration
I frequently refer to the foundations in my blog articles, and I always address them with clients. They’re that important! I’m going to be doing a series of blog articles in the next few weeks focusing on each foundation so you can learn why you want to be including these in your life, whether you have red flags showing up with your health or not.
Here’s the first foundation we are going to delve into:
Nutrient-dense diet
Food really is powerful medicine! Nutrients from food fuel and build every single cell in the body.1 Nutrients are the chemicals found in our food that keep our bodies running.
Food exists specifically to energize, heal, repair, and uplift us. Every bite you take is a powerful opportunity to create health or promote disease.”
Mark Hyman, M.D.
A nutrient-dense diet is important for these reasons:
- Provides energy for all kinds of important tasks like moving, thinking, rebuilding, digesting, and healing.
- Nutrients serve as building blocks for cells, tissues, organs, and our systems.
- They help our hormones and enzymes function effectively.
Here are four ways to start getting more nutrients into your daily diet:
- Variety: Eat a variety of plant and animal foods. When filling your plate, think about adding more color. Aim for at least three different colors at each meal.
- Local: Try to find food as close to home as possible. This helps with the increased freshness of food and supports local farmers.
- Seasonal: By eating seasonally, you will benefit from a wider range of nutrients and can decrease the risk of developing food sensitivities from overeating one certain kind of food.
- Quality: If able to, find the highest source of animal and plant foods possible. Try to avoid the dirty dozen whenever possible, as this produce contains some of the highest possible residues. Find the dirty dozen list at Environmental Working Group or see my Instagram post. If accessible, choose grass-fed finished meats, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and wild-caught seafood.
There is no one-size-fits-all diet that works for everyone, and it’s essential to personalize nutrition to fit your unique and bio individual needs. However, there are some things that will greatly benefit everyone, such as eating foods as close as possible to how you find them in nature, and including a variety of foods.
Eating a nutrient-dense diet is one of the foundations of health, and the first in our series. When we focus on supporting the foundations, our health and energy can flourish!
Resources:
- Nutritional Therapy Association. Basics of Nutrition-Guide. [PDF File]. 2020. P 4.
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