Food as fuel is such a popular yet complex term. You know what food is. Anything that is edible. From Twinkies to Brocolli. Fuel is a supply of oil or gas for power or energy. In this context, fuel is food in order to create energy or power for our bodies. The question is, what is your fuel? What are you feeding yourself to give you power or energy?
Do you think @marshafenwicknutrition Marsha Fenwick, Clinical Nutritionist, and Registered Nutritional Consultant Practitioner and Certified Cancer Coach thought about how to use food as fuel for most of her life? Do you think she was born with a bowl of kale salad in her hands?
Think again.
Hospital Shift Days
25 years ago, before opening up her private practice, Marsha was working as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. She primarily cared for prematurely born children. She really loved her work, but there was one caveat that was making her life a struggle. Her diet “du jour.”
“I used to be someone who lived off chocolate bars, chocolate milk, Double Bubble gum, coffee, and a bucket load of sugary treats. I was definitely not using food as fuel.”
She’s not kidding. Check out the Oh Henry! candy bar!
And how did Marsha feel after eating foods like this? Let us count the ways.
- Sugar cravings.
- A challenging digestive system.
- Lack of energy.
- Poor sleeping habits.
This was not good. At all.
And what about exercise? Don’t even go there. Not even here.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Marsha’s lifestyle was the catalyst that led her back to school to study nutrition. As she began to make changes for herself, she saw significant improvements in her health. Today, Marsha has the privilege to work in private practice, and for the past 9 years, has changed the lives of over a thousand clients.
The ability to educate people about the power of nutrition and its impact on our health is incredibly rewarding, but it also has its challenges.
“I get frustrated at times that nutrition is not approached as a first line of defence or as prevention before taking medications. Optimal Nutrition is complementary to the medical management of numerous diseases. Many health conditions such as heart disease, high cholesterol, and blood pressure, diabetes, hormone issues, digestive health, and weight management can be significantly improved by changing one’s diet.”
It’s All About Moderation
“Life is about living in the moment and enjoying it. I strive for a life of balance by focussing on healthy and enjoyable eating while indulging a few treats along the way.” Marsha says.
What you eat every day is directly linked to your health. The challenge is knowing what is right for you and therefore Marsha enjoys creating personalized nutrition plans. Educating her clients on WHY they need to eat certain foods and HOW it will help them feel their best is her powerful strategy for success, that works. They say the proof is in the pudding, and you can check it out here.
The Dreaded Scale
A typical request of clients is the desire to see a certain number on their scale. Nutrition experts all around the globe will agree that there needs to be a healthy weight range; however, taking care of your body with optimal nutrition is so much more meaningful than a number that may be completely unhealthy and unrealistic to maintain, let alone irrelevant to one’s overall health. Once you execute healthy eating habits and choose the proper food for fuel, one’s improved health dominates the scale.
As for diets, I have said my fair share about it here, and as for what Marsha thinks, “There are many diets and trends that come out each year. Some have beneficial components while others may have restrictions that are unsustainable. Many diets focus on good foods versus bad foods and the worst part – deprivation. Food should be used as fuel for our bodies and for pleasure. Instead of dieting, we should simply be eating more foods that promote health and fewer foods that promote disease. When you eat that way, the struggle with weight takes care of itself.”
We are so lucky to have professionals like Marsha Fenwick to help us lead the way to our best health, but only you can make it happen. “The type of food that you choose to put on the end of our forks can be the single yet most powerful lifestyle change to one’s health.”
I’m so grateful to be able to have the opportunity to write what I’m passionate about and what I think will serve others. If you would like me to write about you and your passions for the Braves The Waves Journal, or for your own company, please be in touch.