Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Understanding The 6 Foundations Of Health
Health can be an overwhelming topic, especially when you are just starting out on your journey. Just knowing where to begin and what to believe can seem impossible tasks when faced with the mounting information on the internet, and growing number of differing voices on the topic. It shouldn’t be this way though – it should be exciting, and even the fact that you are attempting to do this research is something you should be proud of! You have taken the first step, and it’s an important one.
I’ll be honest, it is unlikely that there will ever be one totally unified view on how good health is achieved and maintained, but I believe balancing the following 6 foundations, as taught by the NTA, can help to simplify this somewhat daunting topic. I very much hope this helps!
1. Nutrient-Dense Diet.
Such a basic concept, but so incredibly fundamental! Although we are lucky enough to be living in an era where we can walk into a supermarket and find ourselves with a huge number of options at our fingertips, unfortunately a significant percentage of this ‘food’ does not provide the kind of nutrients our body needs and deserves. We are flooded with pre-packaged, heavily processed goods, a lot of it masquerading as health food options but with a long list of ingredients we, and our bodies, do not understand. Modern agricultural practices have left even whole foods lacking the same nutrient density it once had. Growing your own food, even simply herbs on the windowsill, can be a wonderful way to add some extra nutrients into your cooking.
A nutrient-dense diet is one with whole foods at the forefront. Whole foods are foods in their original form, containing no added ingredients, such as fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. Exactly what this diet includes will vary from person to person, as there truly is no one size fits all when it comes to diet. However, there is no escaping the fact that a store bought ready meal will not provide the body with the same deep nourishment as a home cooked meal, full of fresh, seasonal produce. “The answer isn’t found in a supplement bottle, gained at the gym, or contained in the latest blog post or book; the nourishing life force of wellness starts in the kitchen. The sacred art of growing and sourcing our food with care, preparing and cooking each ingredient with intention, and relishing each bite with gratitude—this is the origin of the wellspring of vibrancy we all seek.” (Nutritional Therapy Association [NTA], 2020, p.1)
A nutrient-dense diet is the primary foundation, and primary step to healing the body – as an FNTP, I will always advocate for a food first approach. I cannot emphasise more strongly that there is no supplement or medication that can truly make up for a diet devoid of nutrients!
2. Digestion
I was taught that digestion is a north to south process – this means digestion begins in the brain and continues down south through the body from there. For optimal digestion we must be in a parasympathetic state, which means our body is primed to rest and digest. If we are stressed, digestion gets put on the backburner. There are so many parts of this intricate and finely balanced cascade that are vulnerable to malfunction, and even a seemingly tiny issue is likely to have consequences. You wouldn’t believe the domino effect of not chewing your food properly, or quickly scoffing it down whilst distracted. There’s a very real reason why pharmaceuticals reducing the symptoms of digestive dysfunction fly off the shelves. Constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, stomach cramps, the list goes on – none of these digestive issues are normal, but have become so commonplace we barely pay them any attention. Instead of investigating the true cause, we are taught to mask the symptom.
Hippocrates is quoted as saying “All diseases begin in the gut” ((Nutritional Therapy Association [NTA], 2020, p.3) – this is true of the vast majority of diseases. Our gut health is of the utmost importance to our overall health and ability to stave off disease. When our digestive systems are not working properly, we cannot take in the nutrients we need to fuel us and our cells. Without being able to absorb and utilise the nutrients we should be gaining from a balanced, whole food diet, our gut health can become seriously impaired.
3. Blood Sugar Regulation
As with all the foundations, this is an extremely important process to keep in balance, but also one that is proving increasingly difficult in the modern world. I am sure the majority of us have at some stage in our lives, at varying levels of regularity, experienced the joys (or not) of the blood sugar rollercoaster. Signs you have been on the rollercoaster include but are not limited to fatigue, headaches, waking through the night and afternoon refined sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Even what we now describe flippantly as ‘hanger’ is a sign of pre-hypoglycaemia, meaning low blood sugar.
One common reason we might experience this rollercoaster is due to our breakfast choices. Although marketed to seem like a healthy choice, the majority of cereals, and other standard Western breakfast options like bread and pastries, are simple carbohydrates that are high in refined sugar. A sugary hit may give us a quick burst of energy, but we are likely to come crashing back down within a few hours, leaving us craving that quick, but ultimately unfulfilling, fix throughout the day in an attempt to stabilise our faltering energy levels.
As well as a diet high in sugar and refined foods, stress, lack of sleep, coffee and toxins are also contributing factors to dysregulated blood sugar. Our hormones are sensitive to a whole host of stimuli, and it is imperative we do our very best to keep them working harmoniously through proper metabolic function. Optimal blood sugar levels, and thus stable energy levels, are achieved through a balanced lifestyle, and balance of macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat. This balance will vary between individuals – as I highlighted previously, there is no one size fits all when it comes to diet. FNTP’s honour bio-individuality but maintain there is no substitute for a balanced, nutrient dense diet inclusive of all macronutrients in varied quantities.
4. Fatty Acids
This is likely to come as a shock for many people, but fat is absolutely your friend. It is an essential building block of every cell membrane and hormone in your body, and a key component of inflammatory responses. Despite a myriad of bodily functions associated with adequate fat intake, fat phobia has become epidemic and resulted in widespread fatty acid deficiency. Symptoms of this include fatigue, joint and muscle pain, allergies and skin issues.
We have been flooded with the misleading narrative that fat makes us fat, and we should therefore consume low fat alternatives. Unfortunately, low fat products are often high in sugar, unhealthy trans fats and other chemicals our bodies have not been designed to utilise. A bio-individual blend of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is required for our bodies to function optimally. I find this to be great news, as fat not only increases satiety, it’s also a delicious addition to food!
5. Mineral Balance
Composing approximately 4% of the body, minerals are responsible for carrying out a number of essential roles. They act as cofactors for enzymes, help transport nutrients across cell membranes and aid in the maintenance of nerve function, amongst a host of other roles. The most abundant and important mineral in the body is calcium, of which 99% is stored in the skeleton. Although it is one of the easier minerals to ensure we ingest adequate amounts of, there are multiple other factors that determine whether our bodies are actually able to absorb and utilise it. Hydration, fatty acids, hormonal function, other minerals and digestion must also be in balance within the body to properly support calcium levels. We cannot produce calcium or any other minerals, so it is vital we obtain them through a varied, nutrient-dense diet.
6. Hydration
Another extremely basic but incredibly fundamental foundation. I’m sure by now you have gathered I think a nutrient-dense diet is important – well this is nothing compared to the importance of water! We can go 1-2 months without food, but only days without water. It plays countless roles in the body, including transporting nutrients, regulating our body temperature, flushing out toxins, aiding our digestive process and so on... It is undoubtedly the most important nutrient in the body, and as only 8% of the water we need can be internally produced, we must obtain the remaining 92% through food and (primarily) drink. Unfortunately, chronic dehydration is an extremely common issue. Early signs of dehydration include thirst, fatigue, headaches and muscle cramps. Chronic signs include heartburn, constipation and joint pain. As so many bodily processes require water, maintaining an adequate hydration status is key to maintaining a healthily functioning body.
There is so much more that could be said, but I hope the above has provided a manageable summary of how each foundation is instrumental in supporting proper function and overall health in the body. “Though the journey looks different for everyone, the destination most of us strive to reach is a place of total wellness: a clear, sharp mind; a strong, capable body; energy to follow our passions; and time to spend with the people we love.” ((Nutritional Therapy Association [NTA], 2020, p1). I believe balancing the 6 foundations is the key to helping you achieve this. I hope you are as excited as I am for you to embark on your health journey!