We tend to focus a lot on what we eat when we think about our health.
But thatâs only one part of whatâs actually shaping how we feel day to day.
đ˝ The Main Course: Didn't Eat Great. Felt Better Anyway.
A few weeks ago I had a long weekend away with some girlfriends. A few of us decided to hop on a plane to go visit another friend who moved away last year.
We planned to play pickleball one day (because, of course), but otherwise it was just unstructured time together. Maybe weâd hike, maybe kayak. We figured weâd play it by ear.
When it was over, it got me thinking about what weâve been taught about our health and what actually impacts it.
Most of us have been taught, directly or indirectly, that what we eat is one of the biggest drivers of our health.
So when something feels off, thatâs where we look.
It makes sense. Food is visible. Immediate. Adjustable.
But it doesnât operate on its own the way we tend to think it does.
The things that shape our health, and how we feel day to day, are more intertwined than that.
Connection can shift stress. Stress affects how you sleep, eat and digest.
Sleep changes hunger, nutrient absorption, and decision-making.
Itâs less like separate categories⌠and more like... everything pulling on everything else.
And yet, what we eat gets most of the attention.
Thatâs where things can get a little off. Because we can be putting a lot of effort into food⌠and still not feel great. Because food isnât operating in isolation from the rest of our life.
That girlâs weekend wasnât âhealthyâ in any food-related way. There were things we wouldnât normally eat, times when food was just whatever was easy or available (yes, ice cream for lunch đ).
And it didnât really matter.
Because there was also a lot of laughing, time outside, moving in nature, and there was actual conversation and connection.
Itâs hard to ignore how different things can feel when those pieces are in place.
Itâs nourishing in a way that has nothing to do with the food.
Yes, food matters. But it was never meant to carry so much of the load on its own.
If youâve been putting a lot of effort into food and still feeling like somethingâs off,
it might be a sign that something bigger needs attention.
𤣠Flavor Boost: Vitamin P
When was the last time you tracked how much Vitamin P you were getting?
Probably⌠never.
Most people have tracked something at some point. Calories, macros, points.
But this?
Vitamin PâŚ.P for pleasure. Just the everyday, often overlooked, kind of pleasure.
A conversation you actually enjoyed.
Snuggles with your canine bestie.
Moments where you werenât rushing through to the next thing.
Most people can tell you exactly what they ate yesterday. But Vitamin P? Not so much.
When youâre low in it, you feel itâeven if you donât immediately connect it to anything.
Just something worth noticing.
đ´ Sweet Moments: That Weekend
What Vitamin P looks like:
Until next time - more dogs, less dogma. Always.
Carol
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