You Are What You Eat!
March’s Integrated Spotlight
BY JODI DIEKER
“You are what you eat!”
At least that is what everybody says. However, being healthy is so much more than just what you put into your body. Your mind and heart also play a key role. Keeping all of these in mind when striving to be healthy is called taking a holistic approach. It doesn’t have to be a scary or complicated process! One just needs to focus on being attentive to their own needs, which includes the body, mind, and soul.
When making our meals, we need to make sure we are getting all of the food groups. This means including protein, fruits, veggies, and grains, all in one meal. Fruits and veggies often contain many vitamins that we will not naturally get anywhere else. Protein provides essential amino acids our bodies need to function. Grains are carbohydrates, our body’s favorite source to get energy from. Here are some good tips on how to pick out food from each group:
Fruits and Veggies
Get lots of color and variety! Different colors have different vitamins in them. For example, bright yellow and orange fruits have high amounts of Beta-Carotene (our body’s natural source for Vitamin A) in them! Leafy greens often have lots of magnesium that our body needs.
Some produce is best only in certain seasons. Here is the USDA’s seasonal produce guide. This will tell you when specific produce will be most ripe.
Grains
Grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and other whole grains contribute healthy starches, folate, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. Some grains can even be good sources of protein!
Protein
Proteins that carry all 9 essential amino acids are called complete proteins. A great complete protein source, that is also easily digestible, is eggs!
Besides creating and picking healthy things to eat, it is also important to create a healthy and calm environment to eat in. Studies have shown that watching tv and being on devices can negatively influence digestion. There is also a correlation between watching tv while eating and obesity. Scientists believe this may be because when we are distracted, we are not aware of the natural signals our body sends us when it is full. This can lead to overeating.
Now that the atmosphere is set and the food is picked, it is important how one eats their food. Eating slowly and fully chewing bites helps us to be aware of what we are eating and enjoy the little things. Rushing and gobbling down one’s food can cause indigestion. Posture also plays a key role in digestion. Sitting up straight places less pressure on your organs, your stomach in particular, and allows the food in your esophagus and digestive system to flow more easily.
So in conclusion, you really are not just what you eat, but also how you eat and where you eat too!
References:
Brown, Jessica. Is Eating in Front of the TV Really That Bad for You? 31 July 2024, www.bbc.com/future/article/20240730-is-eating-in-front-of-the-tv-really-that-bad-for-you. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Capritto, Amanda. “Why You Shouldn’t Scroll Through Your Phone While Eating.” CNET, 22 Oct. 2019, www.cnet.com/health/is-it-really-that-bad-to-watch-tv-or-scroll-on-your-phone-while-eating.
Cnc, Brooke Lewis Cwc, and Brooke Lewis Cwc Cnc. “Your Guide to Holistic Eating for Beginners.” The Goodness Well, 18 Oct. 2024, thegoodnesswell.com/holistic-eating-for-beginners. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
The Connection Between Posture and Digestion – IronMag Bodybuilding and Fitness Blog. www.ironmagazine.com/2024/the-connection-between-posture-and-digestion. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Robinson, Eric et al. “Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating.” The American journal of clinical nutrition vol. 97,4 (2013): 728-42. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.045245
Shoemaker, Sarah. “What You Eat Literally Becomes You — Holistic Approach Nutrition.” Holistic Approach Nutrition, 29 May 2020, www.holisticapproachnutrition.com/blog/what-you-eat-literally-becomes-you. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
