Sustaining a Whole Foods Lifestyle

There has been a lot of talk lately about sustainability. We put a lot of strain on our planet and every effort helps preserve our environment and resources. Specifically in the food arena, we have learned that organic food helps sustain the soil and keeps dangerous chemicals from polluting the surrounding environment, locally grown food uses less energy to transport, and all of these things generally deliver to us food products which are healthier for us than the “food industry” counterparts.

But often the discussion of sustainability stops at our own personal front doorstep. In our concern for sustaining the planet we forget to sustain ourselves. Not that we haven’t tried, but our efforts are usually too extreme and out of balance with our true needs, not only from a nutrition standpoint, but from a complete being standpoint.

I’ve tried being on a diet, it just doesn’t seem to work

Most dieters approach a new regimen as just that, a regimen. The desire to succeed makes us try in the extreme at the start, but this effort is not sustainable. Imbalance in other areas of life are created. After a period of time (days, weeks, even months), these imbalances creep in and throw the diet into disarray. There is a sense of personal failure and a “so what” attitude prevails. But it wasn’t you that failed the plan, it just wasn’t a plan that was broad enough to account for other, vital areas of your life.

Not just a food issue

Sustainability is about our whole being. Being aware of ourselves as an holistic self can be key to understanding those areas of our lives where we have difficulty. Building self-awareness allows us to better understand the why of our behavior. We are driven and influenced by powerful forces: biology, current and past experience, education, relationships, our personal understanding of our place in the universe, and so on.

We often sacrifice an aspect of ourselves for gains in another. Or so we think. If the imbalance is too great, it is not sustainable and the whole being suffers.

Perspective is key

Sometimes we need help getting perspective. There is truth to the saying that we can’t get out of a problem using the same thinking that got us into it. There are times when we can make that paradigm shift ourselves. Other times it helps to have a coach or a mentor, one without any agenda for your life other than to see you on your true path as a whole being.

We hope that your experience here can help give you some perspective on your relationship with food, for a more sustainable… You!