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Writer's pictureMelissa Shelton

Holistic Nutrition

Our body can heal itself. Work with your body, not against it. Practice wellness everyday. Use safe, non-toxic holistic treatment protocols.

What we eat, think, and don’t eliminate, we become tomorrow!


  • Whole organic foods over processed foods

  • Food is our best source of nutrients, but some supplements are inevitably needed

  • Local and seasonal foods are preferable

  • Good nutrition requires balance and moderation

  • Good nutrition requires planning and intention

  • Eating should be pleasurable



Holistic nutrition and general nutrition both have to do with the process of consuming foods into our bodies and the absorption of the nutrients that those foods contain. What separates these two types of nutrition is the terms holistic and general. Holistic is based on the word holism, holism is the belief that everything in nature is connected in some way (Petersen, 2022). According to the Merriam-webster dictionary, general is defined as pertaining to most people, or the most common idea (Merriam-Webster, 2024).


Holistic nutrition is set apart by it’s whole-life approach. Not only are foods looked at but the entire lifestyle includes food, water, sleep, supplements, medicines, daily habits, movement, social, psychological, etc. There is not a one size fits all when it comes to holistic nutrition. Foods, supplements, and herbs work with our bodies in different ways and provide different benefits. For example, local grass-fed organic dairy products provide plenty of vitamins and minerals for most, but it would not be suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or have specific dairy reactions. When it comes to holistic nutrition, organic whole foods, seasonal produce, grass-fed lean proteins, clean water, herbal supplements, and an overall balanced lifestyle and diet is key. Holistic looks at the whole person to determine the best strategy for overall wellbeing and often births a new lifestyle full of healthy choices with rewarding benefits that connects us with our true nature.


When it comes to general nutrition I interpret this as the “general” nutrition guidelines that are provided by our health departments and governing bodies. This method is often a one size fits all and generally does not have our best interest in mind. A lot of the general guidelines market processed foods and they do not consider the many circumstances or lifestyle of the specific person reading it. Organic foods and herbal remedies are generally not promoted, and the toxin filled tap water provided by our government shows proof of how little they are concerned with our health. The most recent dietary guidelines for Americans released by the USDA, shows that about 74% of adults are overweight or have obesity, and it shows that heart disease is the leading cause of death (USDA, 2020). The general nutrition guidelines do not bring awareness to stress, sleep, psychological wellbeing, creativity, etc., which all play a huge role in our overall wellbeing and can contribute to weight gain and poor food choices. Lifestyle and mental health also play a big part in the choices we make, things that are generally cheap and convenient are the first choice for people living busy routines with no time for selfcare.


Overall, I feel that the need to separate holistic nutrition with general nutrition shows that there is a lack of awareness when it comes to nutrition as a whole. We are human beings, we are a part of nature, and if we look at the lifestyles and eating habits of our ancestors we can see how simple living from the land has now turned into highly processed foods with little to no nutritional value and there are countless studies that show how the separation from nature has affected us negatively.




References


USDA. (2020). Dietary guidelines for Americans 2020 -2025. In Dietary Guidelines for Americans. USDA. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf

Petersen, D. (2022). NUT 308: Holistic Nutrition (21st ed.). American College of Healthcare Sciences.


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