Our lifestyle has enormous effect on our health and the health of our family.
Lets talk about all factors in our lifestyle that can create or deteriorate a healthy lifestyle.
In a recent conference I asked a group of about 200 participants “what does a healthy lifestyle mean to you?”
Most of the responses related to food and exercise. But there are other factors that do influence the health of your families life.
At the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the largest nutrition school in the world based out of NYC, they teach a concept known as ”Primary Nutrition”. Other non-related food categories under IIN’s Primary Nutrition concept included things like Relationships, Physical Activity, Career, Spirituality, etc. So going back to the question at hand, Does eating healthy really make a difference?, you can clearly see that the answer is not a difinitive yes or no…….I think the best answer comes from Integrative Nutrition.
The Integrative Nutrition pyramid depicts a balanced approach to nutrition: more high-quality, organic vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, protein and water; less meat, milk, sugar and artificial food.
The pyramid is surrounded with the primary food circle, the parts of life that satisfy our hunger for living and create a balanced life.
Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual practice are essential forms of nourishment.
When these “primary foods” are balanced, what you eat becomes secondary.
A healthy lifestyle is the sum of all parts; holistic in nature.
Relationship:
Physical Activity:
Career:
Spirituality: