Holistic nutrition is about more than what you eat. It’s about your overall lifestyle and the choices you make that fuel your happiness and health. My guest on this episode is Christina Afentoulis, a certified holistic nutritionist who is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about healthy lifestyle and diet choices. In this episode, Christiana shares some simple and seriously easy ways to make your diet healthier even if you don’t cook. She also talks about the role her big, noisy Greek family played in her becoming a wellness expert and addresses the truth that there is a deep connection between health, nutrition, and emotional well-being.
You can either allow your personal pain to hold you back, or you can use it to move forward.
We all have a past that shapes us, but how it shapes us is up to us. Christina grew up in a family where many things were right and good, but there was also a lot of arguing and a certain level of abuse. Her interest in nutrition rose to the surface just as she entered her teen years, the time when she was struggling to make sense of the pain that often existed in her own home. In our conversation, Christina tells how her inner pain mixed with her curiosity and passion for nutrition fed some wrong beliefs about weight and body image as it relates to diet, and how she’s learned to use that experience to help others find freedom and a happier life. She’s a great example of a woman who hasn’t allowed her personal pain to hold her back.
Here’s hope: It is possible to address many women’s hormonal issues through holistic nutrition.
One of the things I was very interested to learn from Christina was how we as women can address the unique physical health struggles we face. Her response to my question didn’t disappoint. She shares how the issues we face are a complicated mess at times and how holistic nutrition can build a foundation from which all the other issues can be addressed. Christina’s wisdom is evident as she explains why a slow, intentional approach, one step at a time is usually the path to better health and a more satisfying life. She stresses how patience and perseverance can address many of the hormonal and health related issues we face.
Why there is no one-size-fits-all diet or nutritional program.
There are so many philosophies out there about the “best” way to eat. There are just as many people decrying those approaches so it’s not easy to know what is true and right. Christina says that there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet simply because as our bodies change our nutritional needs and physical ability to handle foods change as well. She says it’s helpful to think of healthy eating in terms of seasons of life. A new life season may demonstrate that your body does not respond to the same dietary practices you’ve always followed, so you may have to make adjustments. Christina explains it much better, so be sure you take the time to listen.
What are we talking about when we say, “gut health” and why is it important?
It’s quite common these days to hear people talking about the importance of “gut health.” What does that even mean? Simply put, gut health refers to having a digestive tract that functions well, breaking down foods and assimilating and distributing nutrients the way that it is designed to. Christina says gut health is where true nutrition begins. Our conversation about the issue of gut health was very helpful and I’m confident you’ll find at least one tip you can apply to your own situation to improve your own digestive health.
Episode Highlights
- 2:02 – The power of nutrition to support happiness and fulfillment and how Christina became passionate about nutrition.
- 9:58 – Turning down an unhealthy path in her understanding about food and the lessons Christian has learned from her experience.
- 12:40 – The role Christina’s nutritional guidance played in her Dad overcoming cancer.
- 17:09 – Problems Christina encounters frequently in her work as a holistic nutritionist.
- 20:43 – Challenges unique to women when it comes to nutrition and body health.
- 26:43 – What are we talking about when we say “gut health” and why is it important?
- 28:18 – The struggles and mental talk Christina uses to help herself stay on track.
- 31:26 – How Christina’s programs work sequentially to build health and habits over time.
Resources Mentioned
- Christina’s website: www.ChristinaAfentoulis.com
- Christina on Instagram
- Christina’s free book of slow cooker recipes:
- BOOK: Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
- Donna Gates and The Body Ecology
- Michaela Boehm (and a previous episode of Next Fem featuring her)
1. Favorite book for women?
2. Favorite self-care hack?
- “Magnesium. It relaxes muscles, helps balance ph levels, and much more.”
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
- “It’s not a gift if they can’t receive it.” – Given to Christina by a mentor, Micheala Boehm
4. One piece of advice you’d give your 5 years younger self?
- “Keep Going Girl!”
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