What is Holistic Nutrition?

When I tell people I’m studying holistic nutrition, I often get an “..Ahh..”, followed by a smile - or more blatantly, a confused look. The responses come as no surprise; the field is relatively unfamiliar, and the terms “holistic” and “nutrition” have definitions of their own. In short, holistic nutrition is a practice by which the body and all of its systems are viewed as a whole, with the knowledge that food is only a part of the whole, yet sets the foundation for optimal health.

How we choose to nourish ourselves has a direct affect on our well-being. We can nourish the body to facilitate optimal energy levels, peak mental health, and overall vitality - or we can starve our cells of the nutrients our body so craves, leading to a cascade effect of imbalances, fatigue, depression, and the onset of disease.

We are all unique

As the old adage goes: “We are what we eat." And although there is a large element of truth to this, there are several underlying factors at play - mental health, hormones and genetics, to name a few. While recognizing that each individual comes with their own physiology and set of obstacles, holistic nutrition addresses barriers and offers guidance and support to assist individuals in reaching their goals. Essentially, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't always work. However, the foundation of good health is always the same. Eating a nutrient-dense diet rich in whole natural and unprocessed foods lays the groundwork to overcome any such obstacles.

Preventative Health

Our world is in a chronic state of malnutrition. Whether it's the poverty and shortage of food seen in developing countries, or the overabundance and dietary abuse seen in western society, we are starving our cells of the basic nutrients they need to thrive. (Reference: Guide to Nutritional Symptomatology 1st Edition)

It has been proven that diet plays a direct role in the prevention of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Our amazing bodies are naturally designed to fight off disease, swiftly remove toxins and give us the energy we need to thrive. But when we are not nourishing the physical body (and mind!), we are depleting our cells of the very foundation they need to be able to do their jobs and keep us healthy.

Balance

When it comes to nutrition, we often hear “eat a balanced diet” or “balance your meals”. Balance is key in every aspect of our lives. Work and play. Sleep and productivity. Exercise and rest. And just as much as we strive to maintain external balance, internal balance is equally, if not more, important. Without even realizing it, our bodies are working each and every second to maintain homeostasis - a fancy name for “state of balance”. A great example of this is the secretion of insulin in response to high glucose in the blood. Our bodies want to be in a state of balance and will work tirelessly to maintain homeostasis. Several factors can throw our internal systems off balance and holistic nutrition works to identify these factors individually and recommends small changes to help bring the body, and life, back into balance.

Pro tip: By accepting that we are in a constant flow of balance throughout our lifetime, we can learn to be in tune with our body’s natural flow, and recognize when we need to tweak an area of our lives.

The good news is, that by eating a diet rich in whole natural foods, grown locally, and preferably organic, we can support the body’s multiple processes. It is quite simply a great start towards optimal health. And by focusing not only on the foods we eat but also our state of mind, individual lifestyle, and taking the time to tune into ourselves and what we need to thrive, we are laying the groundwork for longevity and quality of life.

-Stefanie Friend