Healthy Living |Eating Well, Living Well
- Planted Press Writer
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
Healthy living entails many things. From proper rest, regular exercise, a good community, self-awareness, mental stability, security, and consistently navigating life's transitions, our health reflects our sustainability. As health should always be viewed from a holistic perspective – mind, body, and spirit, what we "consistently" eat is an essential part of the holistic health spectrum.
Food can be medicinal or detrimental to our health. Numerous scholarly studies and medical research have been conducted, linking healthy foods to the well-being of individuals and unhealthy foods to the decline of one's health.
Eating well is living well.
Eating Well by Educating Ourselves
It's no secret that many of the foods marketed today are jam-packed with preservatives, additives, high levels of sodium, sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Specifically observing American culture, there are also countless numbers of fast-food restaurants to get a quick, easy, and most times "cheaper" bite for our money. With such temptations and easy fixes constantly placed in front and around us, eating well to live well has become a challenge for many.
One of the best ways to start eating well is to educate ourselves about healthy eating habits. Simple research online from an accredited source or a visit to a primary care provider, clinical dietitian, or nutritionist can help with making changes to eat well.
As mentioned earlier, many "unhealthy" foods are linked to the decline of individuals' health. Harvard Public Health found that substances in ultra-processed foods cause chronic illnesses. From heat-and-eat meals, such as frozen pizza, to sweetened breakfast cereals, ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations of ingredients derived from substances extracted from foods or synthesized in laboratories (Harvard Public Health, 2023). The Mayo Clinic (2023) also shares that a consistently unhealthy diet or food intake can have serious consequences and can increase one's risk of dying.
The more we educate ourselves on the foods we consistently consume and their effects on our health – physically, mentally, and emotionally the more we can position ourselves to eat well.
To eat well is a form of self-love. Gaining access to healthy food resources and information is a crucial step in achieving a healthy lifestyle.
Dieting vs. Lifestyle | Building Balance & Moderation
It's all about building balance. While there is a wealth of information and resources online to help you begin or maintain a healthy eating habit, these sources of information can become overwhelming. From tracking every calorie in our food, eating only at a particular time of day, withholding treats from ourselves, or purchasing only healthy items at the grocery store, perfection can begin to take a toll on us.
Establishing realistic goals and expectations is crucial when starting to eat well, especially if you have been eating unhealthy for a long time. Perhaps starting the day with a healthier breakfast or adding a salad to your dinner can make a significant difference—small, consistent steps matter and aid in achieving the ultimate goal of eating well over time.
The nutritional fundamentals accepted by the World Health Organization and most nutritional authorities today include vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruit as healthy foods and salt, saturated fat, and excess sugar as disease-causing (Fuhrman, J., 2017).
By not focusing on a set diet but creating a lifestyle through balance and moderation, eating well to live well becomes a "devotion" rather than a strict "discipline".
Joel Fuhrman, MD (2017) found that with good information, emotional support, increased food availability, and food preparation instruction, people are enthused and willing to work together for change.
This change, of course, is focused on eating well – eating well to live well!
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