Integrative Wellness w/ Amanda Taylor

Primary and Secondary Food in Health and Wellness

When we think about food, our minds often go straight to the meals on our plates. However, nourishment of the mind, body, and soul extends far beyond what we eat. In the world of holistic health, the distinction between primary and secondary food portrays the bigger picture of what fuels our well-being. This is a concept that I have learned during my Health Coaching Certification course through Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and I believe it to be an especially important concept to share. Let’s explore what these two terms mean and how embracing this concept can transform your approach to health.

Primary food extends beyond what’s on your plate. This is a type of nourishment that you get from non-food aspects of life and that supports your emotional and mental well-being. Per the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the twelve areas of primary food are social life, joy, spirituality, creativity, finances, career, education, health, physical activity, home cooking, home environment, and relationships. Using the Circle of Life tool below, place a dot in each section to indicate your level of satisfaction in that area. A dot towards the outside of the circle indicates satisfaction, and a dot towards the center of the circle indicates dissatisfaction. Once you are done, connect the dots to see your results. This visual representation of your primary food will help to identify where you need to spend more time and energy in your life to cultivate balance. When our primary food is balanced, we feel satisfied and grounded and less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors when it comes to secondary food.

Secondary food is the actual food we eat – the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and nutrients that keep our bodies running. While the food we eat is critical for our physical health, focusing solely on secondary food without considering primary food can leave us feeling empty or unfulfilled, no matter how well we eat. For example, someone eating a nutrient-rich diet but experiencing loneliness may still feel unwell.

To achieve true health and wellness, both primary and secondary food must work in harmony. Finding this balance can help with the mind-body connection, stress reduction, preventive health, and improved quality of life.

Amanda Taylor has been a resident of the Lake Norman area since 2001. She graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro with a B.S. in Biology and Health Sciences. After college, Amanda worked for a local nutraceutical/pharmaceutical company as a Chemist, Validation Specialist, and Engineer. After ten years of climbing the corporate ladder, Amanda and her husband, Justin, decided to leave corporate life behind and become local business owners. Amanda is currently the owner of Serenity Now Massage Therapy and a co-owner of Waves Entertainment. Amanda has had an interest in holistic health for many years, but this passion increased after dealing with her own health issues which came to a head at the beginning of 2023. Amanda is a current student in the Health Coaching program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is excited to discuss the importance of focusing on health and wellness in an effort to help others lead a long, joy-filled, high-quality life.

USE THE CONNECT BUTTON BELOW FOR AMANDA’S COMPLETE COLUMN OF INTEGRATIVE WELLBEING ARTICLES