Module 3: Clearing the Fog — Core Truths About Food & Eating

the Heart of It

You’ve likely heard dozens of messages about what’s “right” to eat. But beneath the noise, your body holds wisdom—and food is about more than nutrients. This module invites you to slow down and rediscover the truths that often get drowned out by diet trends and expert debates.

Here, you’ll reconnect with your own sense of clarity by exploring four essential truths—grounded in both science and lived experience.

Let’s begin.

Key Concepts to Ground You

This module invites you to slow down, question assumptions, and reconnect with some often-overlooked truths about food and eating. These insights will help you begin to loosen the grip of confusing diet rules and reawaken your own internal clarity.

1. Food is fuel — and also emotional, cultural, and personal.

Food nourishes more than the body—it can connect us to memory, culture, emotion, and community.

Example:
You may crave soup not for nutrients, but because it reminds you of your grandmother. That craving isn’t just physical—it’s emotional. Honoring that is part of true nourishment.

Journal Prompt:
What’s one food that carries emotional meaning for you? When was the last time you allowed yourself to enjoy it without guilt?

2. Nutritional science is evolving, not absolute.

Nutrition advice changes as research develops. It’s okay to let go of old rules when new evidence or experience shows you something better.

Example:
Fat used to be demonized. Eggs were once off-limits. Now both are often considered part of balanced diets. Science evolves—so can your thinking.

Journal Prompt:
What’s one nutrition “rule” you used to believe that you’ve since questioned or changed your mind about?

3. Your body has unique needs, rhythms, and preferences.

There’s no universal plan that works for everyone. Honoring your individuality is key to sustainable well-being.

Example:
Your friend thrives on early breakfasts and salads. You feel best with a slower start and warm, protein-rich meals. One isn’t better than the other—they’re just different.

Journal Prompt:
When during the day do you feel most energized or sluggish? What patterns in your eating might support or disrupt that rhythm?

4. Marketing is loud. Your body is quieter—but wiser.

Food marketing thrives on creating urgency and trends. Your body’s cues are more subtle—but far more trustworthy.

Example:
You might scroll past an ad for a trendy “cleanse” and start questioning your choices—even though your body was asking for something grounding and familiar.

Journal Prompt:
What’s one recent food choice you made based on external influence (social media, a friend, an ad)? What might you have chosen if you had tuned into your body first?

Popular Diets: An Overview

The world of nutrition is full of popular diets, each promising health, weight loss, or vitality. From Keto to Mediterranean, Plant-Based to Intermittent Fasting, these approaches often reflect different priorities and philosophies about food and the body.

In this section, we’ll unpack some of the most well-known diets—exploring what they are, the science behind them, the benefits they offer, and the challenges or contradictions many people experience.

No diet is perfect or universally right. Instead, this exploration invites you to stay curious and compassionate, recognizing that what works well for one person might not suit another.

Your goal here isn’t to pick a “winner,” but to understand the landscape, identify what resonates with you, and move toward an eating approach that feels sustainable and aligned with your unique needs.

Low-Carb / Keto

What it is: A diet very low in carbohydrates, high in fats, and moderate in protein, aiming to shift the body into fat-burning “ketosis.”

  • Benefits: May support weight loss and improve blood sugar control short term (Hallberg et al., Diabetes Therapy, 2018).

  • Challenges: Common side effects include fatigue, mood swings, difficulty sustaining long term, feelings of deprivation or social isolation.

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I lost 15 pounds quickly and my energy improved.”

  • “I felt foggy and cranky after just two weeks.”

  • “I had great blood sugar control but gained weight when I slipped up.”

Plant-Based / Vegan

What it is: Eating primarily or exclusively plant foods—fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds—with no animal products in veganism.

  • Benefits: Linked to lower risk of heart disease, some cancers, and improved longevity (Ornish et al., JAMA, 1998; Tuso et al., Permanente Journal, 2013).

  • Challenges: Some struggle with energy or nutrient deficiencies (B12, iron) without planning; sensitivity to oxalates and antinutrients possible.

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I feel vibrant and energized since switching to vegan.”

  • “I’m constantly tired and dizzy unless I take supplements.”

  • “I lost weight easily but found social meals more difficult.”

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

What it is: Cycling between periods of eating and fasting, often restricting eating to certain hours or skipping meals.

  • Benefits: Can support metabolic health, reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity (Patterson & Sears, Nutrition Reviews, 2017).

  • Challenges: Can trigger anxiety or disordered eating, especially for those with prior food struggles.

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I have more mental clarity and less cravings.”

  • “Skipping breakfast made me binge late at night.”

  • “I lost weight but felt constantly hungry and stressed.”

Mediterranean Diet

What it is: A flexible, balanced diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, moderate fish and poultry, limited red meat and sweets.

  • Benefits: Associated with longevity, heart health, reduced inflammation (Estruch et al., NEJM, 2013).

  • Challenges: Can feel vague or hard to implement without concrete recipes or structure.

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I enjoy varied meals and feel full after eating.”

  • “I want to follow it but don’t know what to cook.”

  • “It’s healthy but I didn’t lose weight as expected.”

Blood Type Diet

What it is: A theory that eating certain foods depending on your blood type (A, B, AB, O) optimizes health.

  • Benefits: Some feel better eating simpler whole foods or eliminating processed foods as recommended (D’Adamo, Eat Right for Your Type).

  • Challenges: Reviews find no solid scientific evidence to support it (Cusack et al., AJCN, 2013).

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I felt more energetic following my blood type diet.”

  • “I didn’t notice any difference but enjoyed trying new foods.”

  • “It was confusing and hard to stick to.”

Weight Watchers (WW) / Point Systems

What it is: Behavior-based program assigning points to foods to encourage calorie control and balanced eating, combined with social support.

  • Benefits: Supported for weight loss and behavior change (Johnston et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2014).

  • Challenges: Tracking points may increase food guilt and focus on numbers over mindfulness.

Contradictory Examples:

  • “I lost weight steadily with the community support.”

  • “Counting points stressed me out and made me obsess over food.”

  • “I learned better portions but felt guilty when I ‘cheated.’”

Bottom Line

There’s no perfect diet, no one-size-fits-all. Each method has successes and challenges—and individual experience varies widely. Being curious and compassionate with yourself helps you navigate these contradictions toward what works best for you.

Journaling Prompt: Integration Reflection

Which of these core truths or diet experiences feels most relevant for you right now?
What’s one small step you can take to honor your body’s wisdom this week?

Final Thought

You don’t need more rules—you need space to hear yourself think, feel, and eat. These truths aren’t new—but they’re often forgotten. Reclaiming them is a quiet kind of power.

Let curiosity guide you, not certainty. You’re doing that now.