Healthy Habits Series Cultivating Healthy Habits

Day SEVENTEEN: Nutrition Revolution

When we consider health and nutrition, food or diet often comes to mind first. After all, as we have been learning, what we eat impacts how we feel and how our bodies function.

But what if I told you that there is more to a healthy diet than just the food we put into our bodies?

When I was studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, we learned about the concepts of Primary and Secondary Food which was totally revolutionary and novel to me.

Secondary food is related to the food and drinks we consume. The carbs, protein, and fats. It pertains to our dietary habits and this notion of using food as our medicine. With this philosophy food is considered a secondary source of energy.

PRIMARY FOOD GOES BEYOND THE PLATE, NURTURING US ON A DEEPER SOUL LEVEL.

Primary food are non-food sources of nourishment. They are the things that really fuel us and nourish at the soul level.

Some examples of Primary Foods:

Regular physical movement
Positive, uplifting experiences and connections
Fulfilling work, career, and/or being of service
Passions, hobbies, and interests
Non-dietary forms of self-care
Playfulness, creativity, and fun!

Primary food is your need for meaningful relationships, love, movement, happiness, pleasure, spirituality, purpose, and ultimately, FULFILLMENT. It’s what you do to satisfy your HUNGER for LIFE.

When these aspects of your life are in balance and harmony, when they are regularly nourished, what you eat is secondary in your mind.

However, when primary needs aren’t being met, we may try to fill that void with food and distraction. Humans have a tendency to use secondary food to relieve the hunger for primary food (emotional hunger).

The more primary food we provide ourselves, the less we depend on secondary food. Conversely, when we fill ourselves with secondary food, the less space we leave for primary food – which is our true source of nourishment.

Take some quality time to assess your personal balance between primary food and secondary food (without too harsh of judgement). Explore what truly nourishes you OUTSIDE OF FOOD.

Think back to a time when you were so enthralled, so engaged that food was the last thing on your mind. Children are masters of this!

Which area of Primary food (see circle below) could use more love & attention?

Frequencies for Soul Nourishment