We receive nourishment from what we digest

While nutrition is a very new science in Western countries, it has been around for millennia in the East.

Nourishing ourselves, going further. It is impossible to ignore the fact or forget that we are more than a body, that we have a mind, emotions and a spiritual aspect that is all-encompassing. Many of the foods we buy already have an effect on all of this due to not being separate from each other. This has made us aware of the direct repercussions of a healthy diet on emotions and health.  Food excesses are not only reflected on the scales, but also on our body, which ages more quickly. 

One good reference could be to analyse the areas of the planet where people that live the longest with a good quality of life. They are the so-called blue zones. Their diet is based on real food (not eating anything processed). They consume a large amount of vegetables every day as well as fruit, nuts, legumes, healthy fats and quality protein and do not consume refined flour, white sugar, or industrial oils. They season their dishes with spices, aromatic herbs and sea salt in moderation. They stay active daily, mind their downtime, live in a healthy environment and also participate in their community as the social beings that we are. These communities are characterised by having a purpose for living.  

More and more people are choosing to take care of themselves, eat better, and be healthier. Healthy living habits have always and will always involve the same things, namely natural eating, staying active, avoiding toxins, avoiding stress, sleeping well, and having contact with nature.  

While there are a plethora of diets or trends as I mentioned previously, these two premises are all that we really need: Firstly, for our diet to consist of natural, unprocessed good quality food. And secondly, for our entire diet to be analysed if we cut out any one food group so that no essential nutrient is missing. In the case of vegan-vegetarians, for example, vitamin B12 and proteins are a must.  

Keep this phrase in mind: “ Keep this phrase in mind: “We nourish ourselves from what we digest”.  . ”  

Whenever we eat, we are introducing a multitude of components into our body whose digestion, absorption and metabolism depends on many factors, such as stress, exercise, mental state, emotional state, the climate and place where we live, what we drink, as well as diet as a whole.  

Training our children’s palate during their early years of life is very beneficial. They watch their parents and copy what they observe. Without impositions, creating healthy habits with natural foods with their natural flavour. You will appreciate it in the long run as I am convinced that nutrition plays a major part in preventing many diseases.  

  Learning how to listen to the body, I love this phrase from  Thich Nhat Hanh:  

“When we eat mindfully, we consume exactly what we need to keep our bodies, our minds, and the Earth healthy.” Apart from taking into account what we eat, it is also important to be aware of how we eat to benefit from all the nutrients in food and promote correct digestion.  

All this goes hand in hand with doing plenty of exercise. Keeping yourself moving is essential. .  

Gemma Bes Padros

Nutritionist from the Rafa Nadal Academy nutrition department.