How To Use Food As Self-Respect When Life Feels Impossible
From trauma to transition, mindful nourishment became my anchor. Now I want to share how it might help you too.
“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” — François de La Rochefoucauld
Have you ever thought about how the way you eat could be a form of self-respect?
What we choose to put into our bodies, especially during hard times, isn’t just about food. It’s about care, attention, and support from the inside out.
There’s a quiet strength that comes from how we take care of ourselves. This is especially important, vital even, when life feels heavy and rather impossible.
We don’t always link to healing to food, but it’s very closely connected.
Not in the trendy sense, but as one of the simplest, clearest ways to say to ourselves, I matter.
Mind: What I’m Learning
I've been doing some research this week. What I’ve found reminds me of what many of us know instinctively: what we eat deeply impacts how we feel.
Studies show that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods can lower the risk of depression and anxiety, while ultra-processed food is linked to poor mental health outcomes (sources: Harvard Health, Mental Health Foundation UK).
When I was struggling the most, food felt like the last thing I had energy for. But the moment I started seeing it not as another chore but as an act of care, things shifted. Making soup. Chopping veg. Pouring a cup of herbal tea.
These small rituals helped calm my nervous system, gave me focus, and created some structure in the chaos.
It’s okay if we don’t know where to start. Start with one thing. Ask: How do I want to feel? Then try eating in a way that supports that. The easiest way to do that is to pause and listen to what your body is telling you it needs.
I learned a very important lesson. Because I already was in a pattern of healthy eating and taking care of my body, it was so much easier to do it when I needed it more than ever.
So the point is, don’t wait until you are going through a challenge or dealing with trauma to make these changes. The chances are that it will just be too much effort when you are simply concentrating on making it through each day. But, if you already have this in place all you need to do is ramp it up a little like I did.
This is why I created my new 4-week reset, Nourish & Ground. It will be released weekly on The Rebuild Compass Toolkit starting this week.
It’s not a diet, there’s no pressure. Just simple, soothing support for your body and mind when you’re ready to rebuild from the inside out.
Because whether you need it right now or not, eating healthily and being aware of what your body needs is a valuable tool to have at the ready and benefits you now anyway.
A Quote:
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." — Hippocrates
This is a well known one, but when you're going through something hard, grief, stress, uncertainty, it hits differently.
Because during those times, the food we eat isn't just about fuel. It becomes one of the few things we can actually control and one of the gentlest ways to care for ourselves.
Body: What’s Nourishing Me
Right now I’m focusing on making sure that the food I eat is as close to natural as possible. Sometimes that means paying attention to the food labels and sometimes it means paying a bit more for quality. Mostly it just means being aware of my choices.
These foods don’t just nourish my body, they comfort me. Eating with intention, even if it’s just once a day, is one of the most stabilising things I’ve found.
A Simple Practice:
Pick one meal this week and turn it into a ritual.
Light a candle.
Breathe before you eat.
Slow down.
Ask yourself how you feel before, during, and after. Notice, don’t judge.
This is how self-awareness begins, and that’s where change begins too.
Soul: A Meditation to Support You
Gratitude for Small Comforts - A calming 12-minute meditation to help you notice and appreciate what’s holding you today.
Gratitude for Small Comforts Meditation
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Music That’s Been Supporting Me
Soft, soulful, and reflective. It’s a reminder to slow down and truly feel. Perfect for cooking a simple meal, journaling, or just breathing deeply for a few moments. This song invites presence, not productivity. Listening to music is a great way to live in the now, and this is a great example of how it can do that.
Being aware of the importance of good nutrition helped me survive the hardest year of my life.
Having this knowledge before it all happened meant I could put it in place straight away.
In what ways do you show yourself care through food?
I’d love to hear, whether it’s a favourite grounding meal, a simple daily habit, or something you’re hoping to change.
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These are the tools that helped me through the hardest year of my life, and I know they can help you too.
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