Mind, Body, Spirit: Primary vs. Secondary Foods + My Golden Mylk Recipe
I want to talk about the concept of “Primary vs. Secondary foods,” a concept I value strongly and something I felt I needed to share. Many integrative health programs promote the primary vs. secondary food philosophy, but I decided to share this concept because majority of people not enrolled in these programs have either never heard of this idea or haven’t realized the importance of this concept.
What are primary foods?
Primary foods are foods that feed you beyond your plate, they are the foods that can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger & cravings for life.
Primary foods consist of:
Healthy Relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and school mates
Daily exercise & a flexible fitness routine
A meaningful & fulfilling career
A hobby or side hustle you’re passionate about
Any sort of spiritual practice
Sometimes we aren’t fed by the food we eat, but by the energy in our lives. When your primary food is balanced, your life automatically feeds you, making what you eat secondary. If you’re high on life, you’ll likely forget about food and you’ll be less likely to turn to food as an emotional cure.
Keeping a balanced life is key
Your passions, spiritual connections, hobbies, career, relationships, and fitness are all foods that feed your soul. They sustain you and give you a sense of purpose in life, and as a result they have a huge impact on your emotional and mental well-being. When you’re leading a well balanced life, food isn’t your outlet like it is when you’re stressed. It becomes secondary, hence the term primary vs. secondary foods. You may even find yourself forgetting to eat or eating much less when you’re living a balanced, busy, or fulfilling lifestyle. When you’re being fed by primary foods, the food on your plate may result in a smaller portion size.
However, the opposite is also true: The more secondary foods we consume (edible food), the less room we make for the primary foods to flow into our life. This imbalance could lead to overeating or not eating enough, which could effect the way you manage your mental & emotional health and stress which could result in an unhealthy diet. Once any of your primary foods are out of balance, then that could manifest itself into a secondary food craving.
I notice that if I’m so consumed in whatever I’m doing, whether it be traveling or writing this blog post, then I tend to feel less hungry or even skip meals. Now I’m not trying to promote skipping meals or starving yourself in any way, but what I’m trying to say is that the key to living a healthy-balanced life is to really listen to your body and only eat when you need to. This takes time and practice, but once your primary foods are in full alignment with your core values it will eliminate emotional eating & the unnecessary cravings that come along with it. This will promote fluidity in your physical body, allowing the balance to flow into your mind and you’ll be able to move forward in a much clearer way. Where attention goes, energy flows.
How to balance your life + Feed your soul:
Exercise daily! I know I probably sound like a broken record when I say this, but it’s so important. You don’t have to lift weights or run ten miles a day, but as long as you move your body in some kind of way each day then you’re golden. Our bodies are designed to be on the move, so think functional: Yoga, Pilates, surfing, running, swimming, kayaking, rock climbing, boxing, or biking. Get creative with your workouts and think intuitively, and ask yourself what your current mood is. Make your workouts functional, flexible, and fun so you don’t get tired of the same routine everyday and aim for twenty to forty minutes of getting sweaty daily.
Find a hobby or side hustle you’re deeply passionate about and excited to do. Maybe it’s photography, film-making, baking, painting, music, sports, gardening, reading, writing a book, creating a small business, or even volunteering. Whatever it may be, choose something you’re excited to do and that leads you to achieving an empowering, innovative and creative lifestyle.
Pursue a fulfilling career! We all need money as a form of energy in this world to survive and thrive, and we need a good job so money can flow our way. But since we spend so many of our precious hours working, it’s extremely important that at the end of the day we feel fulfilled and as if we’ve made a difference in this world. Since I am deeply passionate about health, nutrition, and helping others I plan to pursue a career in either integrative nutrition & dietetics or Naturopathic medicine. I believe that by pursuing a career that fulfills, excites, and empowers you will help you create a successful & balanced lifestyle and the monetary abundance will naturally flow your way.
You must have strong connections and healthy relationships with people that are meaningful and that you trust. You don’t need to have a lot of relationships, but the ones you do have need to be the real deal.
A strong connection with God or another higher power is essential in maintaining a balanced lifestyle. A strong spiritual connection, whether that be through prayer or meditation, is about having a deeper connection with a higher power that you can pray to for guidance and clarity.
Food isn’t the only form of nourishment you should be providing your body with. By incorporating these five primary foods into your life you’ll automatically feel a sense of purpose, fulfillment, happiness, and satisfaction. Don’t let food be your outlet in relieving mental or emotional health conditions, and instead allow a healthy diet to be the sidekick to your primary food balance. This will promote a well-balanced & overall happy lifestyle!
Benefits of a Balanced Life
Mind: Ability to think more positive thoughts, set ambitious goals and interact in deep conversations frequently.
Body: Improves your physical health through daily exercise, healthy eating, and promotes better sleep. You’ll be able to practice self-love and accept yourself where you are in this exact moment.
Spirit: Ability to be present, pray often, express gratitude daily, and turn your dreams into realities.
My nourishing Golden-Glow Mylk Recipe
This is my go-to healing + nourishing Turmeric mylk recipe! I love making this golden concoction because of the many anti-inflammatory properties turmeric & ginger have on the body. This is something I've been making for the past few years and I love its nourishing effects. Golden mylk is creamy, calming, slightly sweet & spicey and full of vitamins and minerals. It’s a great night time treat or an afternoon pick-me-up on a chilly day.
Benefits of Golden Mylk:
Contains loads of antioxidants + anti-inflammatory’s
Promotes glowing skin
Neutralizes free radicals in the body
Promotes restful sleep + relaxation
Nourishes your mind, body, and spirit
Warming. Healing. Nourishing
Now onto the golden goodness!
I don’t typically use exact measurements for most of my personal recipes, but here are some basic ratios that work well for this recipe.
Golden-glow mylk:
Makes 1 serving-
1 c. unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 tsp. of organic ground Turmeric
1 tsp. of organic ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. organic ground Cinnamon
Pinch of organic ground black pepper (activates the Turmeric which makes it more absorbable in the body)
1/2 tsp. organic Ashwagandha powder-Mood booster & regulates thyroid health (checkout my super-foods & supplements page for more in-depth benefits on this healing adaptogen)
1/2 tbsp. Extra virgin raw coconut oil
Two pitted dates or 1/2 tbsp. of maple syrup (all depends on the level of sweetness you prefer)
If you’re using dates to sweeten the drink, start by blending all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. If you’re not using dates, simply whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Once everything’s mixed, transfer to a small saucepan and heat your golden mylk over medium heat. Let the mixture warm up, but don’t boil it. You can let your mylk simmer for a few minutes to enhance the flavors, then whisk until it’s frothy and transfer to a mug and enjoy you’re healing + nourishing golden mylk!
Checkout more facts & benefits of my favorite adaptogens, herbs, and healing foods:
