H E A LT H Y Y O U
Wellness Reboot 3 STORY MICHELLE JOHNS
MA, LPC-MHSP (TEMP), NCC, 200 HR E-RTY, 500 HR RYT
This month, we continue our Wellness Reboot with a part 3 focus on food. The winter is moving on and spring is before us expanding our opportunities for self-care to include outdoor events. With warmer months ahead our bodies naturally start to move from winter hibernation to spring fever mode We continue our focus on how money, time, comfort, knowledge and desire create obstacles when making decisions to care for ourselves. Hopefully, you found some valuable take aways in last month’s article regarding making space in your daily life for movement. Now let’s consider making food a priority in your self-care. Food is one of the most important elements of daily life. It also seems to be one of the most confusing topics of conversation. There seem to be so many thoughts from “influencers” on how to manage our relationship with food. Additionally, many of us get caught up in busy schedules and take for granted the ways food affects our overall wellbeing. Food
68 | At Home Memphis & Mid South • March 2023
nourishes our body and brain in significant ways. The aim of this article is to give you practical information you can use to make your relationship with food meaningful and intuitive. STOP DIETING!!!! unless your doctor has given you an eating protocol specific to your health needs. There are hundreds of dietary theories floating around and thousands of books written on diets and food. Most diets are not sustainable. According to research, most diets fail because they are too restrictive. Diets may limit the amount of food you eat, the types of foods you eat, and how often you eat. Diets may restrict in any one of the aforementioned ways or all. Food is important to our biological health in that it becomes a part of the blood that runs through our veins and sustains our physical wellbeing. It is also a part of our biological wellbeing in that food is communion and a shared meal connects us to others. Holidays, family time, friend time, work meetings and many other communal events take place around a table and a shared meal. Eat intuitively and intentionally. Factors that influence our food intake are similar to the factors that influence our physical workouts. Time, enjoyment, cost and benefits all influence our relationship with food. Intentional eating helps you ensure you get all the health benefits you need in your meals.