As a mom of three active and rambunctious boys, my close friends and family have officially dubbed me “chaos coordinator.” I didn’t realize it until I started writing this that “chaos coordinator” is also a role I find myself in as a holistic health coach. Talking to people all day, every day about food, it is abundantly evident just how much chaos and confusion there is in the world of food and nutrition. 

Today I’d like to make sense of the confusion, so we can get back to the basics and access true health. Why is everyone so confused about what to eat? Why do so many people disagree about the best diet for the human body? How do we access the most accurate source of information when it comes to diet, nutrition, and healing the body? These are the questions I hope to tackle today. 

In the 20 plus years that I’ve been in natural health, I’ve studied well over 200 different dietary theories. I’ve also worked with countless men and women who simply want to feel better in their body. They come to see me after they’ve tried everything – raw, vegan, paleo, keto, plant-based. You name it, they’ve tried it. But they still don’t feel better. They wonder if it’s the oxalates, or the lectins, or fruit? Now, instead of feeling better, they’re confused and frustrated. They’ve lost their way in the forest of nutrition, bumping into trees in the form of this new superfood or that new diet program. They can’t see the forest through the trees, and they don’t know how to eat at all any more.

For many centuries we have functioned under a conventional paradigm of nutrition that is materialistic, mechanistic, and reductionistic. This is a perspective that focuses solely on the physical aspects of food, breaking it down into isolated nutrients and viewing the body as a mechanical system. This is the classic “calories in, calories out” viewpoint that was developed during the late 1780s. Since that time we’ve discovered that food is much more complex than simply calories. We know food has additional factors like protein, carbohydrates, fat, and certain vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients. These discoveries have only reinforced this original paradigm of nutrition, and now we are a culture obsessed with protein, fats, carbs, and superfoods. Every other day there is a new diet or nutrient that promises to fix America’s growing healthcare crisis. Open up any social media app and you’ll find a feed loaded with nutrition “gurus,” six pack abs, weight loss supplements, shakes, and programs. It’s enough to make your head spin. 

And we’re still not getting any healthier. In fact, a recent nationwide survey revealed that obesity rates have tripled in one generation. Healthcare costs have exploded to $4.3 trillion dollars, which is a number that is almost impossible to comprehend (it’s 20% of our GDP, or for $1 out of every $5 spent is on healthcare costs and disease management). Obviously it’s not paying off and what we’ve been doing isn’t working. Life expectancy in the US is at a 25 year low. Today we rank 51s in life expectancy, where we ranked 12th in the 1950s. These are astonishing statistics if you stop and think about them in contrast to our access to information, food, and clean water. 

Modern nutrition science is complicated. It’s the only science where two researchers can prove two different dietary theories that are diametrically opposed to one another. Have a preference for eating meat? You’ll find many studies to back it up! Do you prefer to eat vegan? You’ll also find many studies to back up that way of eating! Now, with the advent of personalized nutrition, people now know they can optimize their diet and lifestyle choices based on their unique genetic makeup, health goals, and nutritional needs. But it still doesn’t mean these choices are clear. Nutrition confusion is something different altogether. 

So how do we right this ship? How do we make sense of contradictory nutrition guidelines and learn to eat in a way that is not just not harming us, but adding to our vitality and longevity?  

For the past 5 years, I have been marinating with the idea that there is a new paradigm of nutrition. One that focuses on the holistic nature of food, including the interconnectedness of various factors such as lifestyle, emotions, and spirituality in determining overall well-being. Embodied Nutrition is that new paradigm. It’s one that focuses not just on the physical food or the physiology of the body, but rather includes how to feed the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Embodied Nutrition does not toss out conventional nutrition, but rather it combines it with what we know about our innate ability to tap into our intuition. This is a superpower that every human possesses and I believe it’s the way to cut through all the confusion and chaos in the world of food and nutrition.  

In my next post, I’m going to dive deeper into this new paradigm and how you can start to cultivate your superpower and be well on your way to food freedom forever! 

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Have you tried several different approaches to eating but still feel confused and uncertain about what to eat or how to heal your body? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone! Leave me a comment below and tell me more. 

Many blessings, 

Jules