How to Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition
Gentle Nutrition is a Smarter Way to Make Healthy Food Choices
A Gentle Nutrition Approach to Healthy Eating
Our society is obsessed with dieting and eating healthy, but we often miss the mark when we don’t understand the basics of nutrition science.
It’s common to go out to dinner with friends or family and talk about weight loss challenges and name food restrictions: wheat free, dairy free, sugar free.
We have good intentions—we want to live healthy lives. The problem is, all these food rules and dietary restrictions are based on faulty science; they can cause unhealthy eating habits and negatively impact our mental health—without us even knowing it.
Nutrition is nuanced, and you can find a study to back up almost any claim, which can be confusing and discouraging. All it really means is that our bodies are very complex and respond to different treatment plans.
What is nutrition?
Nutrition is the science of nutrients, chemicals necessary for proper body functioning, and how the body uses them. Food groups like carbohydrates, protein, fats, fruits, and vegetables provide the body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
Understanding the basics of nutrition science is an advantage in making empowered food choices. Instead of counting calories or tracking macronutrients, you can learn what each of them are and how to balance them so you can create delicious and nourishing meals.
Why is nutrition important?
Unlike algebra, learning nutrition is actually useful!
We make hundreds of food choices every day. Understanding nutrition science helps us learn how our bodies use food. Then you can tune out diet culture nonsense and make empowered food choices that leave you feeling good and nourished.
Not only does learning nutrition give you an advantage in making smarter food decisions, it also helps to protect your life. Nutrition plays a significant role in preventing and managing chronic medical conditions.
In the US, poor eating habits contribute to 6 out of the 10 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. Research shows that individuals who follow a healthy diet and lead an active lifestyle significantly reduce their risk of developing serious diseases that contribute to premature death.
Why is gentle nutrition the last principle of Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive eating is a self-care eating framework with 10 guiding principles shown to improve your relationship with food, in both mind and body.
The principles aren’t necessarily in a specific order. However, ‘honor your health with gentle nutrition’ is intentionally placed at the bottom of the list. This isn’t because nutrition science is the least important—in fact, the concept of intuitive eating was developed by two dietitians who knew nutrition was a critical aspect of a healthy lifestyle.
Gentle nutrition means making smart food choices that honor your health without sacrificing the flavors and foods you love. It’s understanding how your long-term eating habits impact your overall health, not stressing about one high-calorie meal or snack.
The principle of gentle nutrition is placed last because it's common for chronic dieters, people who have been on and off diets throughout their life, to have a faulty mindset around food, such as seeing food as binary (either “good” or “bad,” healthy or unhealthy), restricting major food groups, or using calories as a rigid measuring stick.
I have found in practice, when nutrition science is applied too early, before the foundational groundwork of making peace with food has been established, the dieter often uses nutrition advice to fuel their diet mentality. I find with many of my clients, once we establish a basic practice of Intuitive Eating, they’re able to use nutrition knowledge as an ally instead of the food police.
For example, diet mentality might sound like your inner food police scolding you for having white rice instead of brown rice. Your nutrition ally can remind you that rice is a safe carbohydrate and provides energy, and since you eat a variety of foods in your diet you likely consume whole grains and fiber from other foods you consume.
Gentle Nutrition Facts + Tips:
Calories are units of energy found in food. Instead of counting calories, aim to eat a variety of food throughout the day. Try to refuel your body with a meal every 3-5 hours.
Macronutrients are nutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) that provide the body with energy. They need to be consumed in large amounts every day. Instead of tracking your macros, learn how to balance them on your plate.
Micronutrients are nutrients (vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals) that optimize body function and can be commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of plant-based foods often.
Stay hydrated and consume 6-8 cups of fluids daily, mostly water. Keep a reusable bottle of water by your side while you work or travel.
✨Feel confident in your own skin and the food choices you’re making.✨
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