The current view of nutrition

The dictionary defines nutrition simply as “the act or process of nourishing or being nourished.” Seems pretty straightforward, right? 

We all know that nutrition is necessary not only to survive, but to allow ourselves to thrive and live a fulfilling life.

Hmmm….getting a little less straightforward now. 

If nutrition did simply equate to food, life might be much easier. But, when was the last time you felt 100% “nourished” by food alone?

In the world we live in today, nutrition goes hand-in-hand with protein, veggies, carbs, supplements, water, sleep, maybe a little exercise…but it stops there. Too many influencers we follow on social media talk about health and wellness in a way that reflects what their bodies look like and the physical aspects of nutrition.

Now, don’t get us wrong, physical nutrition is incredibly important. Food helps replenish your energy and restore your focus, so long as you’re filling your plate with healthy choices. Sleep is vital to ensure our body is working properly. But…that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

We live in a society that is teetering on one leg of a three-legged stool.

Why this isn’t enough for a healthy life 

Even if you eat the healthiest meals imaginable, go to the gym every single day, have a perfect sleep schedule, et cetera, do you truly feel like you’ll be fulfilled?

What about your relationships with your family, friends, coworkers, your environment, yourself?

What about your mental health?

These things are not talked about nearly enough in the wellness industry because there isn’t an “easy fix” to improve them. There isn’t a shake that can boost your mental health, there isn’t a diet you can go on to become spiritually well. But, these two components are just as important as your physical health, if not more. In fact, they play the biggest influence on your physical well being! 

It’s not enough to do the workouts and to drink the smoothies. We are human — we need connection, we need to feel loved, we need to feel heard, and we need to start prioritizing the other areas of our health and wellness. 

And so, we decided to do something about it. 

The Transformational Nutrition Model

The Institute of Transformational Nutrition (ITN) teaches Transformational Nutrition, the new science of wellness for the next generation.

More specifically, Transformational Nutrition is the scientific study of health and human wellness in multiple areas including physical nutrition, mental nutrition, and spiritual nutrition so that you can transform your health and life at the same time.

This method has been studied for over 15 years, practiced by thousands and is based on over 1,400 studies. Lightly put, it works!

Gone are the days of ‘eat this, not that’ wellness. If you don’t have the other components of Transformational Nutrition in check, you’ll never truly be healthy.

Physical Nutrition

What you put on your plate is important. Sleep and rest are important. Healthy supplementation and movement are important. ITN is not downplaying any of that. We’re saying there’s more to it than food.

Physical nutrition is just one pillar of Transformational Nutrition, focusing on what actually is on your plate, along with the other components listed above.

This goes deeper into other physical elements such as genetics, the exposome, environmental factors, health history, and more.

Things like your occupation, your commute, education, and even climate play into your physical nutrition, as do hormone levels, aging, and oxidative stress.

Mental Nutrition

Mental health and mental wellness are always in conversation these days. People are finally beginning to see the importance of staying mentally well. Transformational Nutrition views this as a key pillar involved in the nourishment process.

Not only does this include mental health conditions, it includes emotional wellness, mind-body connection when it comes to healing, trauma, and more.

ITN looks at evolutionary psychology, a theoretical approach to psychology that attempts to explain useful mental and psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language as the functional products of natural selection.

We focus on the mental environment, or the psychological lens through which you view the world that is shaped by your experiences, environmental factors, culture, and past trauma.

We focus on trauma, an emotional response to a profound, memorable event such as an accident, physical abuse, or events that were minor, yet still emotionally charged.

All of these components make up how you view yourself and the world around you. Once they can be broken down and each piece worked on individually with the help of a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (CTNC), you can start to reshape your psychological view on life and health.

Spiritual Nutrition

Spiritual nutrition is all about your connection with yourself, others, and the environment. This isn’t necessarily religion, but it can be. ITN views spirituality in three ways: personal spirituality, communal spirituality and environmental spirituality. Let’s talk about each type of spirituality.

Personal Spirituality

Personal spirituality is a relationship or connection with oneself. This seems simple, but the reality of it is people don’t like to be alone with themselves or their own thoughts. That’s why we inundate ourselves with technology and constant distractions, but loving yourself is an important step on the way to total nourishment.

Communal Spirituality

Communal spirituality is the connection and quality of the relationships you have with others. It’s likely no surprise to you how important a support system is, but many people lack these crucial relationships or experience trauma or turmoil in their relationships, where they stay due to the beliefs they’ve created for themselves. Finding and cultivating caring relationships is key.

Environmental Spirituality

Environmental spirituality is a relationship with nature, the physical environment, or a higher being. This is where religion might come in for you, or a simple connection and appreciation for something greater than yourself. This is where you might give thanks to the universe for providing you with food, air, and water, or where you might get out into nature and appreciate its beauty.

This connection to something greater than yourself is such an important component to help you generate a healthy perspective and appreciation for why you’re here.

Our mission for the future of nutrition

You can easily see that Transformational Nutrition takes nourishment to a whole new level, and this level is what will truly help you nourish and heal yourself. Your body is more than a physical body — you have a mind, and you have a spirit. Every piece of you must be nourished, working together in harmony, for you to truly transform your health and your life.

This is why it’s important and necessary to redefine nutrition. Food alone will never fix us, and the sooner we realize that, the sooner we will be able to make lasting changes in our lives. 

Looking to continue the conversation? Let us know in the comments which area of nutrition you think you need to give more attention to and how you plan to do so!