When we think about what it means to live a healthy life at any age, our minds usually go directly to nutrition and exercise. There is an infinite amount of scientific research to educate us on what our bodies need to thrive. But there is also an art to living and aging well. The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) teaches the concept of primary and secondary foods. This was a new concept to me and perhaps it is to you as well. According to the IIN,
Primary foods are all those things that feed us beyond the plate — our spirituality, jobs, relationships, recreational and physical activities. These are the “foods” that sustain our life — those that give us the joy, meaning or fulfillment, those that make life worth living.
Secondary foods are the stuff you put on your plate, then into your mouth and body. They are the food you eat, the liquids you drink, the nutrients you ingest on a daily basis. When either one of these life-sustaining “foods” are out of balance, we are not living our healthiest, most fulling and rewarding life.
Live Well,
Coach Linda
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