As a gut-heart-mind-spirit specialist, I hear many people express concerns about nutrition. I’ve come to expect this, given how oriented we are toward science in our culture.
I do believe that nutrition has its place. Yet, there’s much more to nutrition than dietetics. We’ve now debunked the myth of counting calories to achieve our health goals. We need to do the same with nutrition. Nourishment is about more than vitamins, minerals, and eating enough macros.
As children, my sister and I used to spend time at our aunt and uncle’s acreage every summer. They had a huge garden, with more raspberries than you could ever eat in one sitting. I still remember those sunny mornings, picking a big bowl of fresh raspberries. It was such a treat to have them with cream and sugar! But there was a secret sauce that made them extra-nourishing. My family’s home was one of the most loving places I’d known, and I was blissfully content there.
Looking at it through the lens of Ayurveda, fruit with dairy isn’t the best combination. Add sugar to it, and… well, you already know I wouldn’t choose the exact same breakfast today.
Yet, the feeling of satisfaction was unforgettable!
This leads me to at least four components of nourishment:
1. The actual nutrients in the food you’re eating.
Science only knows what it knows, and there’s always more to learn. I’m pretty sure we’ll know much more about nutrition in 100 years than we do now. Somehow, the human race has survived for millennia without knowing how much fibre is in an apple. Thank goodness we have all the knowledge we do. Otherwise, we’d never figure out what to eat because we’re so disconnected from our bodies now. If nutrition is your concern, here’s a great place to start. Eat mostly whole, organic foods, with a wide variety of plants. And don’t overeat (according to Ayurveda, the majority of gut issues are because of overeating).
2. Bioavailability.
Sometimes foods have nutrients ‘locked in’, and our bodies can’t get them out. For example, only about 30-35% of the calcium in dairy is bioavailable. This makes another case for variety. It increases the chances that you’ll get the nutrients you need if you choose many different sources.
3. Ayurveda suggests specific food combinations, spices and preparation methods for each type.
This optimizes digestion and your nutrient uptake is much better. When you follow the principles, it enhances bioavailability. This includes cooking foods in some cases, and having them raw in others. It also means choosing the right spices and tastes for your Ayurvedic Type.
Sometimes synergistic foods, like taking citrus with iron-rich foods, play a role. In our culture, food is often too clean (I know, it sounds nuts, doesn’t it?). Traditional cleaning methods were often rudimentary. You could only wash off a certain amount of the microbes and insects. They comprise part of the nutrient value, and they help us digest the food itself.
Moreover, consuming plants that grow near one another often enhances their bioavailability. Using more advanced cleaning methods removes combinations that used to be naturally present. Isolating foods means losing the good microbes and other synergistic plants. We usually don’t receive as many nutrients this way.
4. Then there’s you as an individual.
How well does your body digest nutrients? With nutrition alone, this can be a bit of a catch-22. When your gut isn’t in good shape, your body needs nutrients to repair itself. But to uptake those nutrients, it needs to be digested well. If that’s you, don’t worry, all isn’t lost. Since nourishment is about more than nutrition, there are ways to handle this.
You might imagine that improving your ability to uptake nutrients is a long process. It doesn’t have to be, because your nervous system plays an important role. And your nervous system can change states quickly, especially with the right tools.
The general state of your nervous system often determines how well you digest. Your nervous system is highly changeable, thank goodness. If you’re hiking in the woods and see a bear, you’ll immediately go into fight or flight. With the right tools, you can easily move the needle toward rest and digest, too.
More about the stress spectrum:
We often talk about the two nervous systems as though it’s a toggle switch, but it’s not. It’s a spectrum (or at least, it’s meant to be). That means the more you work with nervous system tools, the more effective they become over time.
One tool you can try today is the breath. I recommend taking three deep breaths before sitting down to eat. This takes your nervous system a little more toward a state of rest and digest. Notice if you feel more satisfied after eating your meal while at rest.
Everyone’s digestion has different parameters, depending on their Ayurvedic Type. For example, your GI tract is designed to work with an optimal amount of moisture. Not too little, and not too much. The same is true for acid. Where imbalances occur, it compromises nutrient uptake. It’s wise to address this issue before considering supplements. It’s possible to compensate for your unique imbalances, using food instead.
Also, nourishing ourselves requires being in a receptive state while eating. You have control over that! Unfortunately, our culture often emphasizes productivity, which tends to have an outward focus. It can feel counterintuitive to change gears and focus on receiving. Yet, that’s one of the best ways to take a break from work.
Only you can change your state from an outward focus to an inward one. I’ll be honest, it’s one of the more challenging things you’ll do every day. Our modern culture is always pulling us in every direction. The quality of your life depends on making conscious choices about how you use your energy.
Journal Questions
Here are a few journal questions to illuminate how that’s going for you:
- How nourished do you feel in life?
- Are you comfortable with receiving?
- What is your relationship to enjoyment?
The answers will reveal much about how well-nourished you are, both with food and life.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Would you like to know more about nourishment and nutrition? Join me at the Wellness Universe’s event, Mental Health Awareness 2025: Wellbeing For All, on May 10. It’ll be a full day of expert-led sessions exploring emotional balance, spiritual connection, rest, nourishment, stress relief, sound healing, and tapping into calm. You’ll walk away with tools that restore your center—and a renewed sense of what’s possible. I’m an invited panelist, and I’ll be sharing more thoughts on this topic. Register here.
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Holly Blazina’s Gutsy Type Method is an alchemy of the Yoga and Ayurveda traditions, Embodied Vision™ Coaching, and her work as an author, flamenco guitarist, composer and recording artist. She helps empaths solve their gut issues, amplifying their personal power in service of their life’s purpose.
What a beautifully holistic take on nourishment, Holly! I loved the reminder that true nourishment goes far beyond calories and macros—your raspberry story warmed my heart and really brought home how love and joy are key ingredients too. Thanks for weaving together science, Ayurveda, and soul so thoughtfully.