Overnight, everything is completely covered in a vibrant yellow haze of pollen — Some might call it a marker of a new season, others an annoyance.
Either way, it’s all encompassing, and once you become aware of it, it impacts everything. Nourishment is quite the same way.
Nourishment impacts everything
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized just how much nourishment impacts every area of life — stress, relationships, financials, and even your daily thoughts.
With a desire to take a closer look at nutrition and how to be best equipped for living a well-nourished life, I embarked on an intensive program with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
The value of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment
It’s with excitement I share that I am now a certified health coach, with a much deeper understanding of the role that mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment play in the overall health and well-being of both you and me.1
While this post would be far too long to include everything I learned, these are 35 of the most impactful insights I gained. Not only did many of them expand my perspective on health, but I now feel even more equipped to support and encourage you and this community.
You deserve to live your healthiest, most nourished life so you can feel well and fully live out your purpose. This starts with knowing how to choose nourishment across all areas of life.
35 lessons I learned at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition that expanded my perspective on health
Mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health are all connected, and all are important.
The patterns and rhythms you keep decide who you become, whether supportive or destructive.
Spending time outside, in the natural world, is invaluable for your overall health and well-being.
Mindset carries across every area of life — you get to decide how you show up.
Until you show love and care to your own body, you aren’t going to be able to love and care for everybody else well.
Inflammation is the common pathway for all disease. Movement, nourishing foods, sleep, and sunshine all fight against inflammation.
Nutrition and kindness to yourself support beauty from the inside out.
What you affirm and pay attention to grows. Be mindful of your thoughts.
Sleep, stress, physical activity, and environmental toxins all impact metabolic health.
The demise of home cooking is driving obesity, but a home-cooked meal is nourishing for your physical and emotional health.
Mindfully fulfilling a craving can be healthier than avoiding it, reducing its power.
Moving into something new gently can actually support you in going further.
A flourishing gut microbiome is the key to health. It impacts everything else.
When feelings go unprocessed, the body stores them in cells, organs, and muscles.
Fear is a compass showing you where to go next.
Be clear about what you want and believe you can have it, your actions and behaviors will follow your thoughts.
Reconnecting with your inner child through play, joy, and creativity can calm you in times of stress.
When you feel you need a break, take it — listening to your body helps build trust and resiliency.
3 larger meals at routine times can support your digestion better than small and continuous snacking.
Let go of of false or unsupportive beliefs you have about your body, your health, or your circumstances.
Spend time with people who you feel most connected to and encouraged by.
Nutrient dense foods such as seafood, leafy greens, red bell peppers, black beans, seaweed, clams, and oysters are great for your mental health.
The brain needs exercise, social connection, and good nutrition to thrive.
For every problem you experience, there is an opportunity.
Expressing gratitude is a discipline that helps you build a life of deeper meaning, purpose, and contentedness.
The root cause of most doctor’s visits are due to stress. Deep breathing can directly combat stress.
Support your adrenal health through eating whole, nutrient dense foods.
Creativity is a subtle energy that brings new insights and moves you through processing emotions.
Humans are creatures of habit, but sometimes you have to let go of what no longer serves you to reach your goals.
Elevated cortisol and impaired sleep are common causes of hormonal imbalance.
Healthy fat sources (avocado, raw nuts, salmon) support hormone balance and decrease inflammation.
Tongue scraping can remove toxins that have built up in the mouth overnight.
Moving the body helps to free up the mind.
Eating in a more regulated, simple way can have a positive impact on how you feel.
Your environment is shaping you — look around at what you see and release what’s no longer supporting you.
More support, more impact with 1:1 coaching
The small, daily rhythms of choosing nourishment make an impact — I’m confident of that because I’ve experience myself.
This community will continue to be a space for you to learn, grow, and be more equipped to flourish physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
For even more personalized support, encouragement, and practical resources, I’ve launched 1:1 coaching to help you achieve your goals of living a well-nourished life.
If you're a busy woman who is ready to let go of perfectionism and restriction, or if you have a desire to build healthier habits that work for your life instead of against it, this personalized support was built for you.
It isn’t to add another thing to your calendar or to make your health feel like a chore, but it’s an investment to help you navigate building healthier habits with less stress and more joy, to make positive lasting change in your life.
If you’re ready to feel more energized and build personalized healthy habits that work for your life, I’d love to support you:
What comes next?
While physical nourishment is just a piece of your overall health, it still plays a vital role in flourishing. Stay tuned for this week’s meal plan of nourishing & delicious recipes delivered to your inbox this Saturday!
If you love antioxidant-rich carrot cake, nourishing salmon, and all the bright and colorful Spring veggies, you’re going to love this upcoming Grace & Greens meal plan.
Wishing you a joyful week ahead,
Grace Barker
P.S. Would you give this post a ❤️ or 🔄 if you found it valuable? It helps more people discover Grace & Greens, so they too can live healthier, more nourished lives!
Such great advice! Congrats on your IIN journey!