WTF is Primary Food?

Nutrition is a fledgling science. Each day, people are discovering new ways, ideas, and theories to eat.

However, primary food trumps secondary food every time. Hear me out.

Primary food is our lifestyle. Secondary food is the food on our plates.

Lifestyle has an enormous effect on the way people eat. For example, you can eat all the kale in the world but if you’re in an abusive or toxic relationship… you will not feel healthy.

So what is Primary Food? I mentioned that it’s basically our lifestyle but the term was coined by Joshua Rosenthal, founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition when he realized that our lifestyle affected the way, time, and how we eat. Which, in turn, affects the way we feel and function. Primary food relates to 12 categories: Spirituality, Creativity, Finances, Career, Education, Health, Physical Activity, Home Cooking, Home Environment, Relationships, Social Life, and the amount of Joy you experience.

The below four are the most influential:

1. Relationships

More people than ever are single. The divorce rate is almost 50% in first marriages, over 60% in second marriages, and half the people who have stuck marriage out, aren’t exactly living their best lives. But it’s not just about romantic relationships. The quality of our lives in relationships also has to do with the amount of passion present in romantic relationships, how supported we feel by friends and family, the strength of the relationships with these individuals including parents, children, and siblings, etcetera.

Takeaway: How are your romantic relationships? How supported do you feel? What do your relationships look like right now? Do you feel isolated?

2. Physical Activity

We all know physical activity is important and good for our overall health. However, we should also enjoy the exercise we’re taking part in. Find what works for your body that you can maintain.

I knew I wanted to stay consistent in a healthy exercise routine. I knew I didn’t like high-intensity workouts like CrossFit or Cycling. I got into yoga, barre, and pilates and haven’t looked back! I didn’t necessarily have a “goal” other than staying consistent. I love what it does for my mind and my energy levels so I’ve been able to keep that on the forefront, instead of burning myself out to reach a goal I’ll never attain (because we keep lifting the goal and “barre”, right?).

Takeaway: Moving your body doesn’t have to be miserable. What type of workouts have you enjoyed in the past? Walking your dog? Cleaning the house? Do you like high-intensity to burn off extra steam? Maybe boxing? Have fun with it!

3. Career

This is huge. It’s what we do almost everyday for the majority of our lives. Either find work that you love, that fulfills you, or, find ways to love what you already do.

Takeaway: What career can you work on all day every day that could help you feel fulfilled? What were you like as a child? What did you enjoy doing? What do you enjoy doing now?

4. Spirituality

Having some type of spiritual practice will make a world of a difference on your perspective in the world as well as your satisfaction with it. Improving your spiritual wellness helps improve overall well-being as well as augments your relationship with food.

Takeaway: Where are you now with your spirituality? Partaking in the religion you were raised with by going to church, finding your own practice, mixing Eastern rituals like meditation in with your religious practice, breathwork, journaling/prayer book, or a mix of it all! You get to decide!

The body doesn’t make mistakes. Given half a chance, the body will heal itself. Thank youuuuu homeostatic system. Due to the homeostatic system in our bodies, the heart doesn’t forget to beat, the eyes open up when it gets dark, women are able to give birth to children. But this computer system sometimes messes up our cravings when the lifestyle is out of balance.

We may be working more than usual, short for time, rushing, so we get into a habit of drive-thru. We could be lacking love in life and using food for comfort, or a dopamine release. We could have drank too much during/after an abusive relationship. Whatever the situation, cravings are a great wake up call that something is out of balance.

Sometimes it’s the diet, but most of the time it’s the lifestyle.

I’ve attached the circle of life tool. The more inward you place a “dot” the less satisfied you are in that area of your life. The more outward and on the edge, the more satisfied you are in that area of your life. At the end, connect the dots. It will help you realize what needs the most attention now.