The Mindset of Nutrition
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be about strict diets or abusive rules.
It’s not about cutting carbs, eating no fat, counting every calorie, or following the latest trends.
Instead, it’s about understanding what food truly is and what our body needs to thrive.
Nutrition is about building a mindset.
It is a personal philosophy that works uniquely for you, based on your relationship with your body.
When we approach nutrition with this clarity, making decisions is more simple and less stressful.
Decisions are no longer about guilt or restriction.
Instead we make decisions that empower us.
This mindset helps us create a sustainable relationship with food, ensuring that we feel our best physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Why We Struggle with Nutrition—and How to Reframe It
Our modern food culture is designed to disconnect us from our bodies.
Addictive processed foods, heavy advertising, and modern American culture encourage overeating.
This confuses and upsets our natural response to signals of hunger and fullness.
Here’s why this happens and how to shift our approach:
Processed Foods: These lack the fiber, vitamins, and minerals our body needs to feel full and satisfied. They’re engineered to be addictive, leaving us feeling unsatisfied and craving more. Opt for whole, natural foods that nourish and sustain our body.
Disconnected Eating: We often eat on autopilot. While distracted by tv or social media, stressed out, or emotionally overwhelmed. Let’s slow down and pay attention to our body’s hunger and fullness signals. Chewing more thoughtfully and pausing halfway through a meal to check in with ourselves can be transformative.
Low Healthy Fat Intake: The low-fat diet craze led many to avoid fats, but good fats (like those from avocados, nuts, and olive oil) are essential. They promote satiety and support overall health.
Neglecting Fruits and Vegetables: These are the original foods our bodies were designed to thrive on. Rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, they should form the foundation of our diet. Vegetables, in particular, can often be eaten in abundance without restriction.
Dehydration: Hunger is often a misinterpreted signal of thirst. Drinking more water and eating high-water-content foods like cucumbers, apples, and spinach can prevent overeating and support hydration.
Fall into Nutrition: Seasonal Foods to Nourish Your Body
This fall, incorporate hydrating, nutrient-rich seasonal foods into your diet:
Pumpkin (92% water): Hydrating and nutrient-packed.
Carrots (88% water): Crunchy and sweet.
Spinach (91% water): A fall staple for smoothies and salads.
Sweet potatoes (77% water): Hearty and hydrating.
Brussels sprouts (86% water): Delicious roasted or steamed.
Cabbage (92% water): Perfect for soups or slaws.
Pears (84% water): Crisp and juicy.
Cranberries (87% water): Tart and seasonal.
These foods not only support your physical health but also nourish your mental and emotional well-being.
Eating seasonally is a natural way to reconnect with the rhythm of life.
For a full list of each season's high water content foods, click HERE.
Food as Nourishment, Not Stress
Only within the last few decades, food has been framed as something to manipulate for weight loss.
This has led to fear, anxiety and disconnection from one of our life’s most natural processes.
But food was never that and it is so much more.
Food is one of God’s gift to nurture and show love to our body, mind, and soul.
When we focus on whole, natural foods, it supports not only our physical health but also our mental precision, emotional resilience and spiritual clarity.
The irony?
When we stop focusing on diets and restrictions and instead prioritize nutrition and nourishment, the external results we desire (health, energy, fat loss and a vibrant appearance) follow automatically.
Your New Mindset: Nourish, Don’t Punish
Adopt a mindset of self-care and curiosity when it comes to food:
Eat like you love yourself. Choose foods that make you feel good inside and out.
Focus on what serves you. Ask yourself, "How will this food nourish and support me and my goals today?"
Celebrate your progress. Nutrition is not about perfection but about nurturing a relationship with our body.
When we treat food as nourishment, everything begins to align.
So, get excited about how well you’re treating yourself, and watch as your health, happiness, and energy naturally fall into place.
Welcome to The Body Ministry Blog.
In this month of November we explore the 8th Pillar of Wellness - Nutrition.
We are on a journey, learning about sacred self-care, in the Physical Realm, to elevate our consciousness, spirituality, and physical well-being.
Join us for a new Pillar of Wellness every month.
Learn more at OriAra.com.
P.S. We are heading into Week 3 in The Alchemy of Self-Care group. The experience the ladies are having clearly shows this type of space is needed, so I am opening another group in Spring 2025. Joining this group means 6 weeks of support, encouragement, sharing and learning ‘self-care 101’. No more stressful decision making. Just allowing yourself to be poured into. You’ll physically experience your energy and confidence increasing, aligning with the healthier happier version of you. Learn more at OriAra.com.
Namaste,