Yes, ALL Foods Really Do Fit

March is National Nutrition Month, so I thought I would take this opportunity to share our nutrition philosophy here at Focus Integrative Centers. I can sum it up in 3 words. ALL. FOODS. FIT. Yes, you heard that right! Isn’t that such good news?!  We strongly believe that all types of food can fit into a balanced diet. 

 “But, what about Carbs, aren’t they bad?” Nope, you actually NEED carbs.

 “I thought the keto diet was the way to go these days?” Well, some folks do believe that and it works for a little while…. until it doesn’t work anymore...

“Isn’t gluten BAD for you? You’re not supposed to eat gluten, right?”  The primary medical reason to eliminate gluten is if you have diagnosed celiac disease. If you don’t have celiac disease, you can eat gluten. 

Diet Culture loves to send us these kinds of messages. We hear it on the news, see it on social media, and even hear about it from friends or coworkers. This makes it hard not to believe Diet Culture’s claims that if you “eliminate this food and that food, you’ll lose XXXX amount of weight in 1 WEEK!” Well, take a guess what restricting and eliminating favorite foods does for most people? Restricting favorite foods or food groups just makes us WANT those foods even more. In fact, eliminating or limiting entire food groups can set us up for a very unhealthy relationship with food. Often what will happen is that people can be “good” for a week or two, sometimes longer, then it happens. The trip to the convenient store to pick up every brand of chips, candy, and other snack that was not allowed on the diet. There’s a binge, then the guilt and shame creep in. “Can’t believe I just did that.” Sigh…. and then the cycle of “being good again” begins tomorrow, or maybe next week. We see this happen quite a bit with some of our clients.

Here’s some good news however —there’s another way!! Yes, there sure is. Despite what you’ve been told, our bodies need carbohydrates, protein, and fat to function optimally. Each of these food components provide unique nutrients that are essential to our health. Restriction or limiting any of these food groups can lead to an unbalanced diet and disordered eating for some individuals. Carbohydrates are essential for providing the quick energy our bodies need. Protein contributes to building muscle, supports your immune system, provides fullness and fluid balance. Fats provide satiety, and they are necessary for processing many vitamins and minerals, that help to keep our skin and hair healthy just to name a few.

One of the approaches our dietitians at Focus take with clients is sharing Intuitive Eating principles and how they can bring freedom and a healthier relationship with food and self.  We teach balance and how to incorporate all foods groups, how to honor both hunger and fullness, and how to let go of restrictive habits surrounding food. It takes time to learn new ways to approach food, but it is so worth it in the long run. 

When we were kids, we chose to eat or not eat foods because we either enjoyed or didn’t enjoy them - it was that simple. Just think about what it would be like to enjoy cookies or salads without rules or guilt - it’s as good as it sounds! Now let’s celebrate National Nutrition Month by taking steps toward all foods fitting in your diet.

Ready to start practicing our nutrition philosophy but need a little guidance? We would love to help you. Call our office at 865-622-7116 or email us at info@focusintegrativecenters.com for more information on services or to schedule a nutrition consultation.

Contributed by Lisa Davis, MS, RDN, LDN, Registered Dietitian

 

Archive

Categories

Lauren Sterritt