Pillars of Health: Nourishment for Your Body, Mind, and Environment
- Piece of Cake Staff
- Mar 11
- 6 min read
Written by Lindsay Grohs
This past week, I had the privilege of working the Culinary Health Institute’s Food is Medicine event, organized by 4Roots Farm in Orlando, Florida. I gained valuable insight into the profound impact of a plant-based, whole foods diet on our physical, mental, and spiritual health. I developed an awareness about the interconnectedness of six crucial aspects of our lives that can impact our overall well-being. And I discovered how these methods support both the environment and the food system. These insights not only inspired me to incorporate more of these practices into my lifestyle but also to share them with you so you have the knowledge and power to implement them as you see fit. I hope this information serves as a helpful guide on your journey toward better health and wellness!
Plant-Based Diet: What Foods to Focus On
Dr. Monica Aggarwal, Chief Medical Officer at 4Roots Farm and Preventive Cardiologist and Lipid Specialist, spoke at this event about the power of incorporating more natural plants into one’s diet. The importance of plants in one’s diet is crucial for many reasons. At the core of it, plants aid in regulating nearly all areas of the mind and body. Consuming a great deal of plants in your diet helps in reducing cholesterol, weight, diabetes, inflammation, blood pressure, and heart disease, and heals the gut. So, what are these “plants” I keep talking about? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans and lentils), and nuts and seeds. These foods hold a wealth of nutrients, one being fiber.
Fiber is beneficial in gut health through increasing the diversity of microbiota in the gut. Microbiota, or “gut bugs,” refers to the microorganisms living in the gut. Microbiota regulate digestion, immunity, and mental well-being through the breaking down of foods, absorbing nutrients, and protection from harmful bacteria. When the balance is disrupted (due to factors like poor diet or stress), it can lead to digestive issues and other health problems.
Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are also found in plants. Vitamins help boost immunity, support skin and bone health, increase vision, and support cell growth. Minerals aid in bone, muscle, and nerve function, regulate blood pressure, and assist with energy production. Antioxidants protect cells, reduce inflammation, and support brain health. These are just a few. There are several other nutrients in plants that have additional benefits to the body.
Eating a plant-based diet not only provides numerous benefits to our physical and mental health but also to the environment. Eating a fully plant-based diet can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 90% (Aggarwal, 2025). This is because the agricultural practices that drive animal-based food production contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock are responsible for one-third of human-related methane emissions. I’d like to clarify that I'm not trying to convince you to eliminate meat from your diet. Rather, I encourage you to consider how reducing meat consumption and incorporating more plants into your diet could positively impact both your health and the environment.
From Farm to Table
In addition to the importance of the types of foods we are eating, we also need to be conscious in choosing where we are getting these foods and how they are being grown. Is the food you’re buying being cultivated in healthy soil? Are sustainable farming practices being used to nourish and care for it? Is it sourced locally or transported from far away? These are all essential factors to consider when purchasing your food from grocery stores, farmers markets, and other food sources. To make more mindful choices, I recommend buying locally, growing a garden—even just a plant or two—and gaining knowledge about farms in your area. These small steps can help support a healthier food system while ensuring you’re consuming high-quality, sustainably grown ingredients.
Pillars of a Healthy Lifestyle
Now that we've established a solid understanding of how dietary choices impact different aspects of our health, we can explore how they relate to other areas of our lives. Dr. Beth Frates, Harvard Medical associate professor and past President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, presented about the 6 Pillars of a Healthy Lifestyle. From this presentation I learned how each of these pillars—nutrition, physical activity, sleep, social connection, stress management, and substance use control—work together to create a well-rounded, sustainable approach to health and wellness.
Since we've already covered nutrition, let's move on to the second pillar: physical activity. Exercise produces and releases chemicals that increase mood, aid in regulating organ health, cell regeneration, metabolism, memory, appetite, stress, and fat loss. These chemicals include endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, irisin, BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), and Lac-Phe (Lactate and Phenylalanine). Endorphins and dopamine are the “feel good” chemicals that focus on boosting mood, reducing pain, and increasing motivation. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, sleep, and appetite. Norepinephrine is a chemical that enhances alertness, attention, and response time. Irisin is a hormone that is produced in muscles during exercise that contributes to fat burning, increases metabolism through the improvement of insulin sensitivity, and increases cognitive function (Frates, 2025). BDNF is a protein that plays a crucial role in the growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons in the brain, which aids in mood regulation, cognitive function, and memory. BDNF is also greatly influenced by nutrition and stress. Lac phe is a compound that aids in metabolic regulation, weight control, and balancing the body’s energy. Connecting this back to our first pillar - nutrition: a plant-based, whole foods diet provides the essential nutrients your body needs to move more efficiently, allowing you to fully reap the benefits of exercise.
The next pillar is sleep. Getting enough quality sleep is essential for one’s overall well-being. Sleep aids in brain function and memory, mood regulation, strengthening the immune system, increasing energy levels, improving hormone balance, promoting healthy skin, and many other elements. Going off of our first two pillars, a nutritious diet and consistent exercise aid in sleep regulation. Foods that are rich in magnesium and tryptophan (nuts, seeds, leafy greens, dark chocolate, and whole grains) help promote relaxation and melatonin production, aiding in restful sleep patterns. Regular sleep also reduces cravings, which aid in the improvement of your diet choices as well. Exercise enhances sleep quality by helping regulate circadian rhythms, reducing stress, and promoting the production of sleep-inducing hormones like serotonin and melatonin. Sleep is also essential for muscle recovery, allowing the body to repair tissues and strengthen the immune system. So, it really is a full circle loop; eating right fuels the body, exercise enhances sleep, and quality sleep allows the body to reset!
The fourth pillar is social connection. High-quality social connections increase emotional carrying capacity, resilience levels, and promote open-mindedness within relationships (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003). Strong social ties also boost mood, offer support, and lower stress levels, which are all incredibly important in contributing to a longer, healthier life.
The fifth pillar is stress. Stress can be harmful to both physical and mental health because it triggers a greater realm of biological responses that can negatively affect nearly every system in the body. These include hormone imbalance, immune system suppression, cardiovascular strains, digestive problems, insomnia, mental health issues, and so on. Ensuring you are eating all the proper nutrients, exercising regularly, maintaining social connections, and getting an adequate amount of sleep will aid greatly in stress relief. Other techniques to reduce stress include meditation, yoga, and spending time in nature.
The last pillar is monitoring substance use. Substance use control is a crucial pillar of a healthy lifestyle, as excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances has detrimental impacts on our lives. Overuse of these substances can lead to addiction, impaired cognitive function, weakened immune system, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Substances can also interfere with sleep, emotional stability, and quality of life. So, it's critical that you seek healthier coping mechanisms—such as exercise, mindfulness, and social support—to help manage your stress without relying on harmful substances. Prioritizing a balanced lifestyle with mindful habits promotes long-term health and well-being.
By embracing practices like a plant-based diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, meaningful social interactions, and stress and substance management, we can build a solid foundation for health that supports both our body and mind. Moreover, being mindful of the environmental impact of our choices and cultivating a holistic approach to well-being empowers us to lead healthier, more balanced lives.
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