Returning to Your Design – How Whole Foods Nourish Body, Mind, and Spirit
- Brainz Magazine
- Apr 30
- 6 min read
Updated: May 2
Jasmine is an exceptional Trauma-informed Emotional Eating Holistic Health and Wellness Coach who gracefully manages her roles as a dedicated mother, wife, and leader in various church ministries. Her journey is marked by notable accomplishments, such as co-authoring two Amazon number 1 Best-Selling books and attaining the esteemed title of a number 1 International best-seller.
Have you noticed how confusing food has become these days? One expert tells you to cut carbs, another says fat is the enemy, and your friend swears by the latest cleanse that "changed her life." Meanwhile, you're just trying to figure out what to eat for dinner without feeling guilty about it. If you've been on the diet roller coaster and struggled with emotional eating, you're walking a path many women know all too well.
“Then God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”– Genesis 1:29
Have you noticed how confusing food has become these days? One expert tells you to cut carbs, another says fat is the enemy, and your friend swears by the latest cleanse that "changed her life." Meanwhile, you're just trying to figure out what to eat for dinner without feeling guilty about it. If you've been on the diet roller coaster and struggled with emotional eating, you're walking a path many women know all too well.
The truth is, your struggles with food probably have little to do with willpower or discipline. Instead, they might be about rediscovering something profound…how your beautiful, God- created body was originally designed to be nourished.
The wisdom of original design
When God created humankind, He provided specific foods to sustain us. Long before food manufacturing facilities, drive-thrus, and ingredient labels with unpronounceable additives, people ate what naturally grew from the earth. This wasn't coincidental; it was intentional design.
The further we've moved from this original blueprint of eating, the more our bodies and spirits have struggled. Today's modern diet bears little resemblance to the unprocessed, whole foods our ancestors consumed. This disconnect has contributed significantly to not just physical health challenges but also emotional disconnection from our own bodies.
Understanding whole, unprocessed foods
But what exactly constitutes "whole foods"? Simply put, whole foods are those that remain close to their natural state, minimally processed and refined, free from additives, artificial substances, and preservatives. They include:
Fruits and vegetables in their natural form
Whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa
Legumes including beans, lentils, and peas
Nuts and seeds in their natural state
Herbs and spices directly from plants
Quality animal products (if you choose to include them) like eggs, fish, and meat from well-raised sources
These foods contain the complete package of nutrients, fiber, enzymes, and
phytochemicals that work in harmony within our bodies. When we consume them in their whole form, our bodies recognize and process them efficiently, utilizing their nutrients as they were designed to do.
The hidden cost of processing
In contrast, heavily processed foods have been transformed from their original state through various manufacturing methods. These foods typically contain refined ingredients, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and chemical preservatives. While they may offer convenience and momentary pleasure, they often lead to:
Blood sugar imbalances that trigger cravings and mood swings
Disrupted hunger and fullness signals
Inflammation throughout the body
Altered gut bacteria that influence food cravings
Compromised mental clarity and emotional stability
Most significantly for many women, these processed foods can hijack our natural appetite regulation, leading to cycles of emotional eating that feel beyond our control. The artificial flavors and perfectly calibrated combinations of salt, sugar, and fat are specifically engineered to override our body's natural satisfaction signals, creating dependency rather than nourishment.
Breaking the emotional eating cycle
Many women find themselves turning to food for comfort, stress relief, or emotional regulation. This pattern isn't simply a matter of poor willpower; often the result of physiological disruptions caused by processed foods combined with cultural messaging about food and body image.
Returning to whole foods can help break this cycle in several important ways:
Stabilizing blood sugar prevents the crashes that trigger cravings and emotional eating
Providing true satisfaction through genuine nutrition rather than temporary stimulation
Rebalancing hormones that regulate hunger, mood, and metabolism
Restoring gut health which directly influences brain chemistry and emotional wellbeing
Reconnecting with natural hunger and fullness cues that processed foods override
As Psalm 139:14 reminds us, you are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Your body possesses innate wisdom about the foods it needs and when it's truly satisfied. Years of processed food consumption and diet mentality may have muffled this inner guidance system, but it can be restored through consistent whole food nourishment.
Practical steps toward whole food living
Transitioning to a whole-foods approach doesn't require perfection or deprivation. Instead, consider these six gentle steps:
Start with addition, not subtraction. Rather than focusing on eliminating processed foods immediately, begin by adding more whole foods to your meals. Perhaps that means
including a piece of fresh fruit with breakfast or adding an extra vegetable to dinner.
Practice mindful eating. Before meals, take a moment to thank God for the nourishment before you. Eat slowly, appreciating the flavors, textures, and life-giving qualities of your
food. This practice helps reconnect you to your body's signals and transforms eating from a mindless activity into a form of self-care.
Cook more meals at home. When you prepare your own food, you have complete control over the ingredients. Simple home-cooked meals from whole ingredients nearly always contain fewer additives and processing than restaurant or packaged foods.
Read ingredient lists, not just nutrition facts. When purchasing packaged foods, examine the ingredient list. A general rule: the shorter the list, the better. Recognize that
ingredients are listed in order of quantity. If sugar appears in the first few ingredients, that's a red flag.
Honor your body's feedback. As you incorporate more whole foods, pay attention to how your body responds. Notice your energy levels, digestion, mood, and sleep quality. This awareness builds trust in your body's wisdom and reinforces positive choices.
Find community support. Surround yourself with others who are likewise committed to nourishing their bodies as God intended. Share recipes, challenges, and victories. As Proverbs 27:17 tells us, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Embracing freedom beyond diet culture
While the world offers endless restrictive diets and complicated eating rules, returning to whole foods represents something different entirely…freedom. It's not about rigid restrictions or perfect eating, but about honoring your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) through nourishment that aligns with its design.
This approach transcends the debate about specific diet labels. Whether you include animal products or follow a fully plant-based approach, the foundation remains the same: emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods that your body was designed to recognize and utilize.
Remember that transitioning to whole foods isn't about achieving dietary perfection or meeting cultural standards of appearance. It's about restoration, returning to the nourishment patterns that support your complete wellbeing as a whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
The journey back to whole foods is ultimately a journey home…to the original design for nourishment, to reconnection with your body's wisdom, and to freedom from the emotional eating cycles that have kept you bound. As you take each small step on this path, may you discover the deep truth that honoring your body's design brings not just physical health, but genuine peace with food and the freedom to live fully into your purpose.
Jasmine Kelly-Stephens, IIN Holistic Health and Wellness Coach
Jasmine is an exceptional Trauma-informed Emotional Eating Holistic Health and Wellness Coach who gracefully manages her roles as a dedicated mother, wife, and leader in various church ministries. Her journey is marked by notable accomplishments, such as co-authoring two Amazon Number 1 Best-Selling books and attaining the esteemed title of a Number 1 International best-seller.
Jasmine's personal story spans several decades, interwoven with the trials of comfort, stress, and emotional eating. This deeply personal struggle propels her unwavering commitment to addressing the emotional eating crisis, and guiding women towards healing, restoration, and liberation. At the heart of her mission is the empowerment of women, helping them liberate themselves from the chains of shame and guilt linked to emotional eating, all while drawing on her expertise in trauma-informed care. Through this transformative process, women rediscover their relationship with food and their bodies, embracing a journey of self-love and acceptance that brings forth renewed energy, freedom, and confidence to fulfill their divine callings within the Kingdom.
Jasmine firmly believes that the healing experienced by women extends its positive ripples outward, fostering healthier relationships within families and communities. This ripple effect creates a transformative impact for everyone involved. While Jasmine offers personalized coaching tailored for Christian women entrepreneurs, her passion knows no bounds. Actively spreading the message of transformation through speaking engagements and workshops, she aims to reach anyone open to the journey toward healing and well-being.
