Thinking of Food as Medicine with Isa Kujawski – Episode 39

by | Oct 6, 2022 | Podcast

My friends, I loved this episode and I can’t wait to share it with you!

When you hear “medicine,” what comes to mind? Is it pill bottles and doctors? If so, you definitely aren’t alone. In western culture, we associate medicine strongly with these images, but rarely do we consider what we eat as medicine that will either help or hurt our bodies. That needs to change.

Isa Kujawski, my guest today, is at the forefront of changing our perception of food, believing it should be viewed as medicine for our bodies. She is a functional Registered Dietitian, author, Navy veteran, and founder of Mea Nutrition. In today’s episode, we talk about all things functional nutrition, mind-body connection, and the importance of physical and mental detox.

Let’s jump in! ❤️

Resources Mentioned

Things to Remember

1) It’s important to learn how to work with your body’s natural mechanisms. While we may be on a diet to get healthier or to feel better about our bodies, biologically those motivations don’t translate. Our bodies already have mechanisms in place to tell us when to eat and how much. We are often putting food into our bodies, or not enough food, that shorts out those natural mechanisms rather than helping them.

2) Start where you are at, and make small improvements. There are so many good steps you can take for better health that were mentioned in this episode. But I don’t want you to miss what Isa pointed out: Start with where you are at. Even if that means all you do today is drink more water. You are not going to change all your habits overnight and it’s okay to just take one small step for better health.

3) Learn to listen to your body’s hunger cues. We often wear “I’m not hungry” as a badge of honor and pride when in reality it is a sign that our body is short-circuiting. It is healthy to eat when we are hungry and not eat when we aren’t. If your body isn’t giving you hunger signals, seriously consider working with a nutritionist to find out why. 

4) Normalize doing only one thing at a time and taking breaks. Zoning out has been labeled as “lazy” and counter-intuitive to hustle culture. Taking breaks and setting aside time to be away from our phones or just going for a walk, is good for our bodies. We were not designed to go, go, go 24/7. Instead of neglecting your body to try to squeeze in a few more minutes of work, find ways to be still and let your body zone out.

The Wellness Wrap-Up

A new rhythm, perspective, or change you’ve made in your life to achieve a life that’s more wholly well.

Isa says, “Give yourself permission to do one thing at a time. That is something that has changed my life recently. Trust that will bring about an effective and profound change to your life.” LOVE this. 👏

Meet the Guest

Isa Kujawski

Isa Kujawski holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). She is also a Navy veteran, author, and founder of Mea Nutrition. After her own experience using food to cope, Isa decided to make it her mission to transform herself and build healthy habits. Her passion is helping others who struggle to balance their mind and body. Isa connects nutrition with mental well-being in order to help people find true wealth through vibrant health. Isa has helped hundreds of people including veterans with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD, individuals with depression & anxiety, and ex-NFL players with post-concussive injuries.