Introduction
Good nutrition is foundational to maintaining and improving overall health, impacting everything from our daily energy levels to long-term disease prevention. In this article, I’ll look at Dr James L. Chestnut’s model of wellness, as his comprehensive approach to eating well offers a blueprint for nourishing the body and supporting its natural healing ability. There are many aspects of health, so I’ll also show you why I chose Dr Chestnut’s model. Understanding ‘why’ is a fundamental aspect of understanding and implementing the broad spectrum of knowledge that exists out there.
The Chestnut Philosophy: Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well
If you’re unfamiliar with it, Dr Chestnut’s wellness philosophy is built on three core pillars: Eat Well, Move Well, and Think Well [1]. This holistic approach encourages a balanced lifestyle that integrates nutritious eating, regular physical activity, and mental health care, all promoting overall well-being. Proper nutrition supports all aspects of this triad by ensuring the body has the resources to perform optimally, maintain health, and recover from stressors. Now it’s all good to say you should eat well, but what does ‘eating well’ entail?
Quality Nutrients: Macronutrients & Micronutrients
Quality of Ingredients: Organic and Whole Foods
Choosing high-quality ingredients is pivotal in nutrition. In fact, a relatable way to think about this is to compare food to phone cables, particularly the cables that end up fraying at one end that you still use anyway (unless that’s just me?). Stick with me, though, when you use these dodgy cables, your phone can charge on and off, and you might even get zapped as you plug it in – you never really know what you’ll get, right? In comparison, that fresh new cable feeling is a seamless and uninterrupted power supply with no risk of shocks – truly bliss. Organic foods, which are grown without harmful pesticides and chemicals, and whole foods, which are minimally processed to retain more nutrients, provide purer and more potent nutritional benefits – like new cable supplies charge to your phone. The highly processed foods that are full of preservatives and additives that you can find on every shelf in a supermarket? Think dodgy phone cable – an unreliable, mixed bag of energy that your body often stores as fat because it’s not quite sure how to process it.
Before we move on, one powerful statement I’ve heard regarding organic vs non-organic foods and the number of chemicals used in modern-day farming is this: either you buy ‘filtered’ organic food, or your body is the filter [2]. So, you might be wondering, what do you need to put in your basket?
Balanced Macronutrients
· Proteins: Essential for tissue repair and immune function, proteins support muscle recovery and joint health and are crucial for physical wellness. Good sources include chicken breast, fish like salmon, legumes, and quinoa.
· Carbohydrates: Complex carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source. They help maintain stable blood sugar levels and sustain physical energy and can be found in foods like whole grains, oats, sweet potatoes, and a variety of vegetables.
· Fats: Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats are vital for reducing inflammation and supporting neurological and cellular health. These are abundant in avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish such as mackerel and sardines.
Essential Micronutrients
· Vitamins and Minerals: Important for bone health, nerve function, and cellular processes, micronutrients like vitamin D and calcium are fundamental for maintaining structural integrity and preventing diseases. These are readily available in dairy products and leafy greens for calcium and vitamin D, red meat and beans for iron, and citrus fruits and berries for vitamin C.
Now, have you heard of the gut-brain axis?
An essential aspect of optimising nutrition is understanding WHY it is so important, so here’s the real kicker – good nutrition supports the gut-brain axis. What is that you ask? Well, it is a bi-directional communication pathway that links the enteric nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract with the central nervous system (CNS). A really sciency way of saying that your gut health impacts your brain health and vice versa. Good nutrition supports a healthy gut microbiome, which is crucial for this communication. A well-balanced gut microbiota not only aids in proper digestion and absorption of food but also plays a significant role in modulating inflammation and immune function via its connection to the CNS. Not to mention the effects that the energy from our food has on our overall mood and cognitive function – almost like our gut is a ‘second brain’ that processes what we feed it and sends that feedback to the brain [3].
Conclusion
Embracing Dr. Chestnut’s triad of Eating Well, Moving Well, and Thinking Well and acknowledging the gut as our “second brain” empowers us to make informed decisions about our diet and lifestyle. Prioritising balanced macronutrients and micronutrients from high-quality, organic, and whole foods ensures that every aspect of our being—from our muscles to our mood—is optimally supported.
If you choose to adopt these principles into your daily life, it is important to also consider spinal health and mobility as a key element that ensures your body can exercise and function effectively. Spinal health is crucial, as it supports our body’s structural balance and movement abilities, which are integral to our overall health and vitality. Book an appointment with one of our chiropractors to see if chiropractic care could be of benefit for you. Together, we can ensure that your journey towards health is as robust and dynamic as the interconnected systems within each of us. The connection between Eating Well, Moving Well, Thinking Well—and ultimately, Functioning Well—is not just a goal; it is the very essence of a vibrant, healthy life.
One last thing, throw out that dodgy phone cable!
References and Suggested Reading
[1] Book: “The Wellness & Prevention Paradigm” by James L. Chestnut
(This book is a comprehensive resource that outlines his philosophy on health and wellness, detailing how lifestyle choices directly impact health outcomes. It is a key text explaining his wellness model’s basis.)
[2] Narelle Grant-Stegehuis, & Jessica Simonis. (2023). Industrialisation and the environmental exposome: The role in microbial dysbiosis and obesity. The Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, 42(2), 18–23.
[3] Cleveland Clinic. (2023). The Gut-Brain Connection. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/the-gut-brain-connection
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