Confessions of a Holistic Nutritionist: I don’t eat healthy and neither should you.
I crave fruits, but I don’t eat healthy.
I enjoy vegetables, but I don’t eat healthy.
I cook legumes and beans, but I don’t eat healthy.
I promote the consumption of whole grains, but I don’t eat healthy.
I’m an insane lover of quality meat and cheese, but I don’t eat healthy.
I’m an advocate for nutrition, but I don’t eat healthy.
I don’t eat healthy, but I do eat clean.
I remember, there was a time when I would look at the people around me and pinpoint the health freaks. ‘Not my style’ I thought to myself. It’s humorous (ironic, really) that, all these years later, I identify myself as a health freak.
Literally. I point out every unhealthy habit of any person’s lifestyle; including my own!
As a nutritionist, I’ve particularly developed an open eye to consumerism. I’ve become familiar with all the healthy fads that have popped up over the years; non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free, raised without antibiotics, keto-friendly, and the list goes on. It grinds my gears, to think, that corporations are profiting from hard-working families who innocently feed off false promises and common misconceptions.
As a nutritionist, it’s my job - no, it’s my oath; my core value, to guide my clients, open and honestly, toward the healthiest options consumerism has to offer. Sometimes, my own choice in food might be extreme and hit every single natural nutrition rule-of-thumb that exists. Other times, I might enjoy a generous serving of fresh pasta with the company of my family or curl up in front of the television with a big bowl of popcorn.
My dietary choices might not always necessarily be gluten-free or dairy-free, but they are almost always clean. Instead of stressing over the food itself, example: pizza or pasta, I honour my values (and my body) by selecting quality foods. Sure, they might ‘cost more’ but, to off-set, I’m also mindful of my purchases.
I often observe patrons of supermarkets loading their carts with refined sugar + processed foods such as chips, frozen waffles, pancakes, fries, chicken nuggets, conventional meats, and dairy; that will only compromise the immune system’s ability to fight disease rather than strengthen it. Personally, whenever possible, I practice mindfulness and reach for ingredients that are: whole, fresh, local, and organic; offsetting the cost by reducing the junky extras and only purchasing the bare necessities.
When creating meals, I might opt for a pasta dish prepared using quality durum semolina wheat, homemade tomato sauce, fresh garlic and basil, and real dairy cheese - not the kind made from ‘modified milk ingredients.’ Another night, I might keep it vegetarian with a curried chickpea dish poured over organic basmati rice.
There is meaning behind the saying ‘everything in moderation.’ At the core, it truly means just that - moderation. Once every so often, not once or twice a week or even a month.
It’s imperative to note the purpose of this confession is not to boast. It’s to exemplify my core values and offerings to clients; teaching them how to practice my very own rules of thumb. An “organic” bag of chips or “gluten free” ice cream doesn’t make something healthy. This is simply a marketing tactic to grasp the consumer’s attention and influence them into buying the product. Also, since when did ice cream ever have gluten anyways? Ah-hem, marketing scheme point proven!
Eating “healthy” has become a convoluted and confusing concept. Thanks to mass manufacturing, western societies have been influenced to believe they are eating healthy without fully comprehending the potential harmful risk to their overall body and health profile.
At times, healthy options can in fact be damaging. For this reason, I promote clean over healthy; eating foods sourced from local and organic environments, with minimal exposure to toxins, and nutrient dense foods grown straight from the earth’s soil; just as nature intended. This is how one can be sure they are not being provoked by false marketing.
The best advice I can give to any person attempting to better their health is: do not pressure yourself.
Be mindful. When it comes to choosing what you eat, make educated (rather than emotional) decisions.
Be honest with yourself. If you choose to eat pizza one night, ask yourself - what healthy options will you commit yourself to eating for the remainder of the week? Then, use will-power hold yourself to it.
Ensuring you are being fair with yourself by allowing yourself to deviate from your healthy dietary lifestyle from time to time, and without feeling guilty about it, will provide you the peace of mind and happiness that you need to quickly switch back to the healthy options in between.
There is nothing more rewarding than remaining true to your goal.
When working with clients, I help to keep them on track. I cheers a glass to them, when they choose to pamper themselves, but I’m also the first to call them out when things turn overboard.
The reality is, I know myself; I know my body. I know how I feel when I choose to eat something nutritious. And, I know how I feel when I choose to eat too much of something that isn’t nutritious. The treat is indulging once or twice, but it can be considerably damaging time over time. When I deviate, I am the first person to call myself out. I am the only person who has the interest (and choice) to pull myself back together.
As a nutritionist, it is my service - my oath - to remind you when you are treating yourself and when you are deviating, too much, from your goal. I promise, I will keep you on track.