In medical school, my education in nutrition was compressed into a single hour-long lecture that addressed the complexities of biochemical reactions in our blood and digestive systems. While it provided insight into digestion, it did not prepare me to answer my patients’ regular questions about eating for their individual needs. As the questions continued, I became increasingly discouraged by my inability to offer more than a vague “it depends,” forcing the extra step of making an appointment with a nutritionist.
In an effort to better support my patients, I started studying Lifestyle medicinea branch of medicine that promotes well-being through healthy lifestyle choices and behavior changes.
Creating healthy habits
Lifestyle Medicine underlines the importance of promoting healthy habits as a fundamental nutritional principle. Within this framework, intuitive eating can be a powerful tool, emphasizing conscious awareness and responsive attention to the body’s cues for a sustainable and nourishing relationship with food. By embracing intuitive eating, individuals can develop positive and sustainable habits that contribute to overall well-being. The question then arose: How can I guide my patients in cultivating these habits and promoting intuitive decision-making?
Food and us: a mind-body relationship
As I learned, I had more and more questions and the opportunity to attend a nutrition-focused retreat Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa arose. My experience allowed for a deeper understanding of the connections between our dietary habits, food selections, and our body’s needs, while taking into account the multitude of factors that shape these elements. Of the several nutrition classes I attended, a Lunch and learn session on intuitive eating stood out. Miraval’s dietician, Makenna Baum, delved into various aspects of intuitive eating. One participant defined it as consuming food that makes her “feel good” and resonates with her sense of well-being. This led to the question: Does intuitive eating mean unlimited indulgence? (The general consensus on this is no.) Another participant courageously shared her struggle with anorexia, revealing how restrictive eating provided a sense of control over her life, and her subsequent, powerful journey to trusting her hunger and contentment cues body. Another explained that he overcame emotional eating through breathwork and found comfort in relieving stress. These diverse perspectives revealed the complicated nature of intuitive eating: it is difficult to define.
A nuanced approach
Exploring diverse experiences has highlighted for me the practical aspects of intuitive eating; it is an approach that considers personal food history alongside one’s physical condition, emotions, family, culture and religion. Although eating is a universally shared act, it is characterized by a tangle of individual experiences. Intuitive eating is about meeting the body’s true needs – whether it’s enjoying company over dinner, satisfying hunger or enjoying something delicious. It highlights food as essential nutrition and encourages us to align our understanding of what we really need with the choices we make about what, when, where and how we eat.
During a Just cook for me workshop, Miraval’s chef de cuisine, Lee Ann Evertsen, shared practical skills and invaluable insights on intuitive eating: prioritize fresh, quality ingredients and embrace simplicity. She emphasized that enjoying aesthetically pleasing food is not only instinctive, but also an essential aspect of our intuition. “Making it visually appealing fuels our desire to engage all the senses and fully enjoy our experience with the food,” she explains. This can be as simple as adding a vibrant green herb to your protein or serving a meal on your favorite dishes.
Love your farmers
Fostering a conscious awareness of food origins and production deepens the connection between food and our values. This allows us to make informed choices that align with our well-being and principles. On the same Just cook for me As the aromas of fresh herbs and roasted vegetables filled the air, conversations flowed, including one memorable one Prentice Onayemico-owner of Fog lamp farms in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Onayemi considers himself an “accidental,” but now very intentional, farmer. He started his farm after purchasing a piece of land to live on, and driven by the sheer curiosity of how soil supports life, he sought to best honor the land by planting it. Foglight Farms now operates a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, fostering connections to seasons, local culture and the dedicated individuals behind our food. Onayemi emphasizes the importance of working with local farmers, whether through volunteering in community gardens or supporting nearby farms. These actions not only promote appreciation for food and food systems, but also deepen our understanding of nature’s rhythms, regional flavors and community bonds – all in organic alignment with the principles of intuitive eating.
Trust your feelings
As I embraced new insights into intuitive eating, I recognized its potential benefits for my patients – and for myself. But like many people, I was also faced with the same question: where do I start? In a session organized by Baum entitled Trust your feelings: your intuitive path to healthwe started with a mindfulness exercise similar to a body scan. We closed our eyes and looked at the food in front of us, practicing gratitude for its mere existence and the care it took to bring it to our plate. Baum called this an “observational practice,” to help us get out of our heads and into our bodies, moving us away from overthinking and into a state of bodily awareness. By practicing this level of mindfulness during meals, you can “foster a deeper connection with your body,” says Baum, “and become more aware of the impact different foods have on your well-being.” This insight forms the basis of intuitive eating: know your food and how it affects you.
It was during this session that I realized that we often use the terms ‘gut feeling’ and ‘intuition’ interchangeably, and I wondered how we seem to have separated the two, despite still using this analogy in our use plain language. To truly understand our relationship with food, it became clear that recognizing the connection between our physical sensations and intuitive responses is a crucial starting point.
The breakthrough
In my pursuit of finding concise answers to guide my patients’ nutritional questions, I have come to realize that after all this research, my answer is still, “It depends.” But now I’ll follow it up with another question: “What would it be like for you to eat intuitively?”
This question often provokes surprise and pause, but it is enlightening to hear the diversity of answers from my patients. I encourage them to embrace their unique perspectives and apply techniques that help them be present, whether it’s a mental body scan, breathwork, mindfulness, aesthetic presentation, or connecting with those who provided their food – including chefs and farmers.
This kind of intuitive eating (and intentional thinking) allows us to honor our personal backgrounds while promoting a curious mindset about better nutrition and, ultimately, the joy we derive from food. Farmer Onayemi eloquently described intuitive eating as, “cultivating a sense of what best serves the body while inviting the mind to get out of the way.” I thought his definition was worth sharing; Maybe I’ll use it on my patients too.