What is the difference between Primary Food and Secondary Food?
My training consists of balancing and optimizing each part of your life that nourishes you. A first thought by many when hearing the phrase “Primary Food” is to jump to modern, ordinary food, dietary theories, and nutritional concepts. This, however, is what we call “Secondary Food”. Secondary food is the scientific source of nutrition for your physical body. If we are not starving, what we put in our mouth is generally secondary to the other dimensions of the human experience. The nutrition labels, the macros, the planning, meal prep, the cooking, the input vs. output, etc. don’t give us the meaning and fulfillment Primary Food gives us. It isn’t just about food.
It is the understanding that there is so much energy that comes from all other parts of living this life that nourish your body as well! These elements are called “Primary Food”. Finding true wellness and abundance requires you to look at the integrated pieces, rather than one or more of the separate parts in order to fulfill a hunger, to find the root issue, and to build empowering and long-lasting change. They are equally important but for different reasons. Below are a few examples of Primary Food elements:
Spiritual: Spirituality looks different for all people. Humans search for meaning in life; so whatever force you believe makes this universe move and brings you closer to feeling one with the world, that, is your spiritual journey. It helps satisfy the longing related to purpose, openness, and sensitivity. Spirituality nourishes you on a profound level and can open you to the synchronicities of this life. Life is happening for you. Awareness to alignment through simple practices can deepen your connection so you may relate in a loving and joyful way while you journey your individual path.
Intellectual/Education & Learning: Growth, knowledge, challenging yourself, and continuous forms of learning are essential to well-being. Changing your perspective, understanding and updating your values as you go through phases of your life, listening and empathizing with others’ are all ways to spark new ideas, build confidence, and increase happiness and engagement. Mental stimulation in ways of breadth and depth are a necessity to thriving.
Social/Relationships: Throughout our lifetime, we are in an endless amount of relationships; some close and intimate while others pass through depending on our choices, phases, and stages while on life’s journey. Friendships to partners to coworkers to family. Everyone has different social needs. The balance between togetherness and aloneness in one of importance. We all, though, have a need to give and receive love. In today’s society, people often lead more isolated lives. Assess how you engage in social interaction. In which ways can you develop and maintain high-quality relationships that add depth, meaning, and positive support to your life and within a community?
Physical: The human body thrives on movement. In a time where hyper inactivity is common, it becomes all the more important to be intentional about choosing ways to be active. Common, every day forms of movement such as, walking, taking the stairs, playing with your children, stretching, dancing, and doing chores are all ways to move within your day. Adding a variety of physical movement to your routine each week connects the synergies within the body and mind to keep you agile in every stage of your life. Start where you are and grow in strength – your body is capable of far more than you know.
Career/Work: Finding meaningful and rewarding work that makes you feel confident and stimulated is one of life’s great blessings. Being of service in a way only you can be with your personal gifts is a way to nourish yourself and those around you. So much of the 24 hours you have in a day is spent “at work”. It is important to know that the extent in which your life improves if you are doing work you love, is tremendous. Stress, burnout, unsatisfactory conditions, etc. are things you can try to change. It is up to you to ask for what you need. You may be surprised at what you can adjust if you simply ask. Feeling happy and productive, while you work hard each day, will increase your general sense of well-being. Each person requires different strategies to reach contentment, satisfaction, and flourishing work; some enjoy a routine in a corporate office while others enjoy the flexibility of any hour, any day structure. Job satisfaction (whatever that looks like for you!) is greatly linked to health, weight, and chronic disease. Be conscientious about how and where you spend your time.
Joy/Creativity: Your creativity is unique because your life experience is unique. Art is therapy; it allows you to see yourself. It brings relaxation and thought-provoking awareness. Creativity and joyful expression are an essential component to human happiness. Imagination, innovation, independent thought, and novel ideas are all part of joy and creativity. It’s not just for artistic pursuit; in any field of interest and any fluid, natural form of expression that comes to you is creativity. Journaling, reminiscing, coding, dancing, simple solving problem games loosens your flow and allows your “right-brain” to come alive.
In each area of life, we must dig deeper into the path of least resistance. Retrain. Find more. New skills take us beyond our comfort zone to expound our capacity in life. Specialization is rewarded, but may not allow for a broad, thoughtful, novel, yet sensible, existence. Grow beyond! In each avenue of your life.
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“We hunger for play, fun, touch, romance, intimacy, love, achievement, success, art, music, self-expression, leadership, excitement, adventure, and spirituality. All of these elements are essential forms of nourishment.” – J. Rosenthal (IIN)
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Until next time!
xo,
AC
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