April 16, 2025 • 43 mins
In this continuation of last week’s episode, we return to FLOWS — Fresh, Local, Organic, Whole, and Seasonal — not as a rigid rulebook, but as a flexible, feel-good philosophy to support your health in real life.
In Part 2, Dr. Wendy Bazilian explores the science behind FLOWS: how whole and fresh foods interact in the body, why texture and food form matter, and how patterns of eating can support long-term health and vitality. You’ll also hear personal reflections — from weekend crafts with her daughter to the story of a woman’s daily routine of collecting water in her bucket — reminding us that nourishment isn’t just what’s on the plate, but also how we move through life.
You’ll also take away simple, practical ways to apply FLOWS in everyday moments — from grocery shopping to meal prep — and end with a calming Mindful Minute to carry this sense of flow into the rest of your waking minutes.
WE DISCUSS:
(1:47) A quick reminder of what FLOWS means — how it’s a framework, not a checklist
(7:47) A personal moment about “what flow means” from Wendy’s 6-year-old daughter
(11:05) The woman and the bucket of water
(15:44) Whole foods, nutrient bioavailability, and the food matrix
(19:41) Satiety, texture, and what helps manage hunger and blood sugar
(21:35) Dietary patterns and why what’s on the plate matters more than isolated nutrients
(25:15) Positive nutrition and the power of focusing on what to add over calories or avoiding
(28:38) A Mindful Minute
(31:24) Practical tips for applying FLOWS at the store, in your kitchen, and dining out
(38:26) Final thoughts and a reminder that FLOWS is about rhythm, not rules
CONNECT WITH WENDY
Follow on Instagram: @1000WakingMinutes
Visit the website: wendybazilian.com
Email: 1KWM@wendybazilian.com
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Thank you for being part of this journey — together.
A huge thank you to our amazing collaborators including our production and marketing teams, Gabriela Escalante, the ultra-talented Beza for the theme music, Pearl Preis for photography and design, Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell — and of course, Wendy’s family and everyone working behind the scenes.
HEALTH DISCLAIMER
The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individual medical or health advice. Always consult with your trusted healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medical treatment.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
There's a saying that the
river doesn't complain about the
rocks in its path, it
simply flows around them.
And that's a good reminder
for us today as we
continue exploring FLOWS, and how
our daily choices can move
with ease, even when things
aren't perfect.
In this episode, we'll look
at what the research shows
(00:20):
about these small choices, plus
a few simple ways to
bring FLOWS into your life
each day.
We experience 1,000 waking minutes
on average every day.
How are you spending yours?
I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and
you're listening to 1,000 Waking
Minutes.
I can't wait to connect
with you here with practical
(00:41):
ways to eat well, move
daily and be healthy, to
optimize every waking minute you
live for a happier, healthier
life.
Thank you for sharing some
of your waking minutes with
me today.
Let's get started.
(01:12):
Hello and welcome back to
1,000 Waking Minutes.
I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and
I'm really glad you're here
with me today.
If you're just joining, you're
actually in the perfect place.
And if you caught the
first part of this conversation,
well, you know what we're
talking about today.
And that's FLOWS.
(01:33):
It's an idea of a
flexible food philosophy.
It's more of a rhythm,
if you will.
And it falls within eating
well, eat well, move daily,
be healthy is the name
of the game.
In the last episode about
FLOWS, we explored what FLOWS
stands for fresh, local, organic,
(01:55):
whole, and seasonal.
And maybe more importantly, what
it feels like to flow.
Because flow is not about
perfection.
It's about feeling guided, but
not confined.
And it's a little bit
like having a road map,
so to speak, but still
enjoying the scenery along the
(02:17):
way.
So think of that.
It's like the map, but
you're allowed and you're able
to look around and enjoy
the scenery.
And you might have even
started to notice FLOWS showing
up in your own life,
maybe at the grocery store,
noticing the berries that are
actually starting to be in
season, or just having a
moment where you pause and
(02:37):
think what's one small choice
that I can make today
that feels good within sort
of the FLOWS philosophy.
So I think about flow,
not just in food, but
in life.
There's a psychologist who wrote
an incredible book called FLOW.
And his name is
(02:57):
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
I'm sorry, I'll spell
it out in the show
notes for you.
I've never been good at
that name, but a beautiful
name.
He's a psychologist.
And he talks about moments
of flow, when we're completely
immersed in what we're doing,
when time almost slips away.
(03:20):
And while he's not specifically
talking about what's for dinner
or food, in this case,
I'm certain that there's a
connection there.
Those times when things seem
to shift distractions fade away.
And there's a sense of
effortless momentum in life.
That's flow.
(03:40):
There's something about these moments.
And when it comes to
mealtime, when everything sort of
comes together without overthinking it,
you pull together what you
have, it feels nourishing, you
sit down and you eat
maybe with a sense of
ease instead of stress and
like chaos that can be
mealtime at times.
(04:01):
And that's flow.
It's a pretty great feeling
if you've experienced before, and
I'm sure you have.
But maybe you haven't always
paid attention or called it
flow.
Because let's be honest, we've
all had exactly the opposite
of that.
I know I have days
where meals feel rushed.
Choices feel sort of like
(04:22):
a chore at times.
And we can get caught
in the endless loop of
what should I be eating?
What should I avoid?
What do I have in
the refrigerator?
All these micro decisions and
choices in front of us.
FLOWS really is about something
to soften your internal dialogue
(04:42):
there.
It's not about getting every
letter of FLOWS every time.
It's about helping us sort
of adopt a purposeful philosophy
gently to guide you and
to make food feel like
a part of life's flow,
part of it, instead of
something you have to wrestle
with.
(05:02):
So today in part two
of talking about FLOWS, I'm
going to build on that
foundation with you.
F, fresh and flavorful.
L, local and lovely.
O, organic.
W, whole, as in whole
foods and whole grains.
And S, seasonal, while also
(05:23):
being satisfying and sustainable.
Yes, for the planet, but
also sustainable, something you can
do ongoing.
Flows, fresh, local, organic, whole,
seasonal.
So today we'll talk a
little bit about the research
because yes, there's actual science
that sort of led me
to this approach and some
(05:44):
updates there that I think
will be fun to share.
We'll look at what happens
when we choose whole foods
and fresh foods, show how
they work together in the
body in ways that isolated
nutrients don't or can't.
The way that heavily processed
foods just don't work the
same at times.
We'll talk a little bit
(06:05):
about satiety, that good, satisfied
feeling after a meal or
as you're engaging in food.
And even the exciting concept
of the food matrix, something
I love to talk about,
not the matrix, the movie
series or franchise, but it's
almost as interesting as that,
(06:26):
maybe more interesting.
I'm going to put a
hard line on that.
The food matrix is just
as interesting as the matrix
movie franchise.
I'll also share some practical
tips because at the end
of the day, to bring
FLOWS into your life, I'm
going to paint some scenarios
that you might recognize, some
moments at the store at
home that you might wonder,
(06:48):
you know, what's the right
choice here for me?
And of course, we'll take
some time together to be
in the moment, to carry
the sense of flow beyond
conversation and into your day.
Before I get into the
research, though, I wanted to
share a little story.
I've been thinking about this
(07:08):
idea and when to share
it for a long time.
And, you know, since, well,
I've been teaching this for,
gosh, I have a handout
probably that's back in the
early 2000s with FLOWS, just
FLOWS.
And it said at the
top, adopt a food philosophy
that FLOWS and left it
open so that when we
used to use pen and
paper more often, we had
(07:29):
the opportunity to write it
in with some notes.
But anyway, I was thinking
about this episode and planning
for it and thinking about
how FLOWS shows up, not
just in science, but really
in our everyday moments, as
I mentioned.
And I was having a
conversation recently that really stayed
(07:50):
with me.
And this conversation was with
my daughter, who's six years
old.
We were doing some crafts
together.
Sometimes on Saturday morning, we'll
get up early.
We'll sort of lay out
a whole bunch of craft
supplies and just sort of
let our minds and hands
meander after a long week.
And so we were sitting
there.
It was like one of
those wonderful, easy Saturday mornings.
(08:12):
We were chit-chatting.
And I asked her, what
do you think FLOWS means?
Or when you hear the
word flow, what do you
think of?
So she thought for a
second and her hands were
twisting pipe cleaners.
And without looking up, she
said, "it's like water."
(08:34):
It's so simple, so true.
"It's like water," she said,
something that actually FLOWS, something
very tangible.
And then she went back
to doing her pipe cleaner.
I think we were making
flowers or something like that
and making curly twists on
a pen.
But then I asked her,
"well, then what's the opposite
of flow?"
(08:55):
And she seemed to give
that a little more thought.
And then she said, "well,
maybe it's like not being
okay with something."
And that was the part
of the statement that she
said, and sort of had
a little bit of a
question mark on the end,
if you know what I
mean, like her voice lifted
up as if she was
both clear on it and
(09:16):
checking in with me.
And it really landed for
me at that moment.
I wasn't expecting not being
okay with something to be
the opposite of like, it's
like water, the flow.
And I was a little
surprised.
But as I thought about
it, so much of what
gets in our way is
like that, not being okay
with something, the feeling of
(09:37):
resistance or feeling stuck, or
not okay with how something
is or not quite knowing
how to navigate around or
out of something as happens
in life.
And it happens also with
food FLOWS is really about
softening those moments and not
forcing and not aiming to
(09:59):
have a singular new and
flexible approach, but allowing our
choices to sort of unfold
with a little more ease
and to flow a little
bit more like water.
So I took that in
my mind.
And I've been thinking over
the last many weeks and
thinking about this episode.
And as I was doing
that and preparing and writing
(10:20):
down some thoughts, and I
thought about what my daughter
said several times.
And out of the blue,
you know how we old
stories, you sort of unearth
them, or you remember them
later.
This is what happened.
I was thinking about I
was writing, I was like,
Oh, my gosh, I remember
a story, a fable of
sorts.
I've heard years ago, it
(10:41):
just seems it just came
to mind.
And it seemed to be
like seem to fit.
It's something that I've always
loved.
So I took pause and
sort of collected my thoughts
on it.
And I think that this
actually captures the idea of
FLOWS so well, too.
So I wanted to share
it with you briefly, not
perfectly, it's out of my
my recollection, and someone's read
(11:01):
it to me, and probably
people read it to them
before.
But there's an old story,
a fable, and maybe you've
heard of it, of a
woman who walked to town
every day to collect water.
She carried her bucket faithfully
down the hill to the
well, filled her bucket up
and proceeded to march back
(11:22):
up the hill to supply
her needs, her family's needs.
But over time, the bucket
developed a small hole, just
a little hole.
And day after day, as
she passed other people going
up and down the same
hill, water trickled out in
small drips along her path,
until the point where other
(11:44):
people were noticing that she
was wasting or losing some
of her hard earned work
in that bucket.
And it seemed like almost
wasted effort to others, all
that water lost before she
even got home.
But one day she noticed
something beautiful.
Along that path where the
water had spilled, flowers had
(12:06):
started blooming without even realizing
it.
I always get emotional at
stories like this.
Are you with me?
I'm sure that there's some
fellow sympaths or empaths or
whatever this is, but without
even realizing it, her daily
effort, even though it felt
imperfect, it looked imperfect, it
(12:27):
was consistent, and it had
been nourishing the earth along
her way.
It was making the path
beautiful for her and her
community.
And that's really, to me,
what FLOWS is about.
Also, it's not about getting
everything perfectly.
It's not even about having,
you know, all the exact
right tools to make it
(12:47):
happen.
But it's about daily effort,
simple practices to nourish ourselves,
even if the path or
our tools like the bucket
aren't perfect.
Because these are the small,
steady choices we make every
day that add up.
They're watering the path that
we're on.
(13:08):
They're quietly supporting our health,
our well-being.
And sometimes, in a way,
we don't even see that
right away.
We don't even see the
results, the outcomes that add
up over time until one
day, things blossom and we're
aware.
And actually, that's where I
want to take us today.
So what does the research
(13:28):
say about these small daily
efforts?
What's the return on investment,
as I call them, the
ROI of FLOWS?
What's blooming beneath the surface
when we follow this kind
of approach to eating and
living?
So returns on investment, to
accomplish any goal, we need
(13:50):
a plan in life.
Teachers make lesson plans, architects
draw building plans, pilots make
flight plans.
I'm sure you can name
some others.
In business, think about that.
Strategic planning keeps teams and
workers, worker bees, the me's
and you's of the world
in sync.
(14:11):
And it points us all
toward that positive outcome, toward
the goal and the task
at hand.
So our FLOWS philosophy is
a plan with a similar
end or similar benefit.
By following your own roadmap,
by checking in with yourself,
whether something's fresh, local, organic,
(14:31):
whole, seasonal, not all of
the above all the time,
but some of the above
most of the time, and
the associated terms that go
with it, as we talked
about flavorful with F also,
satisfying with S also, you
can start to streamline your
decisions about your food choices.
And you can have a
(14:52):
template to drive your self
-awareness, keep you on track,
and keep you in the
spirit and mindset of FLOWS,
which is such a nice
term, I think, about thinking
about how we can move
through life.
So let's take a look
at those ROIs, the benefits,
so to speak, of FLOWS.
(15:12):
And of course, they're not
financial, although they may feel
like it, because you may
gain life and vitality.
And I think that that's
almost like a financial win.
But it's the kind that
matters really deeply to our
energy, our vitality, and how
we feel our minutes of
our daily life as we
(15:32):
live them.
These are the benefits that
show up in small ways,
and sometimes surprising ways, mind
you, when we follow a
path that's fresh, local, organic,
whole, and seasonal.
So here are just a
few of the ROIs and
benefits that the research supports.
So number one, we can
(15:52):
get better nutrient absorption, bioavailability,
better nutrition overall, thanks to
the food matrix.
So there's that word again.
When we eat, it's not
just about the nutrients, like
just making sure that you
tick the boxes on nutrients,
or the nutrient facts label.
Those are important if you're
(16:12):
reading packaged foods to maximize
the quality, along with the
nutrition.
But it's about how our
bodies actually use them.
You know, reading with our
mind or digesting the information
is not the same as
how we digest the food
and the nutrition.
Researchers from Chile, these are
researchers from different studies from
Chile and France, have shown
(16:33):
that nutrients in foods like
fruits and vegetables and whole
grains are better absorbed and
used by the body when
they're eaten in like their
natural form.
They may be minimally processed,
or they may be cooked,
but the more toward the
food matrix form, the whole
form, they do better.
Our body assimilates them better.
(16:56):
In the Chilean study that
I mentioned, Dr. Aguilera emphasized
how the physical and chemical
structure of foods, like fiber
and vegetables or protein lipid
bonds in dairy, how those
can enhance the bioavailability of
different nutrients.
They can help slow digestion
in a beneficial way.
(17:17):
And meanwhile, French researchers Fardet
and Rock have done extensive
work, many, many published papers
looking beyond nutrients to the
food matrix and a holistic
look at foods and food
patterns beyond the nutrients themselves,
the way our food is
naturally structured and the benefits
(17:38):
on its health they've looked
at.
So in one of their
more recent papers, they propose
that it's not just about
those individual key nutrients or
the calorie count, but really
the integrity of the food
itself that matters most.
They explained that the natural
food matrix can be degraded,
like with heavy processing.
(17:59):
So they talk about the
ultra, ultra processing and heavy
processing, and that we can
lose some important health benefits,
such as better nutrient absorption,
or some of the benefits
that would help us feel
more satisfied, the satiation effects
of certain foods, and even
lose some of the blood
(18:19):
sugar regulating effects of foods
in their more matrix or
full form.
And they even introduce a
concept called the 3-V
index, which describes the value
of foods that are real
and plant-based and varied.
And as they put it,
and this is in quotes,
(18:41):
the calorie quality matters more
than the calorie quantity.
I thought that was an
interesting way of putting it
so we could appreciate it,
that the calories, the energy
that comes from it, but
the calorie quality matters more
than the calorie quantity.
And they also posit that
foods really aren't like drugs
(19:02):
where isolated ingredients alone can
solve an issue or target
something in the pathway.
It is really the whole
structure of the food that
makes the difference.
So it's not a stretch
to understand really that when
we disrupt the structure of
a food through heavy processing,
we can break the flow
(19:23):
literally and figuratively.
So choosing whole, that W,
and minimally processed food, like
in FLOWS, choosing fresh when
it makes sense, helps us
get the full benefit of
the nutrition that mother nature
intended.
So benefit number two is
(19:43):
about satiety and metabolic support.
So the texture, the form,
and our real fullness, how
we can be impacted by
FLOWS.
So if you've ever wondered
why chewing a crunchy carrot
seems more filling than sipping
a smoothie, we have research
from wagging, and I have
(20:04):
a lot of wordplay in
this episode, and it's incredible,
Agriculture University, and I always
trip on the name, Wageningen
University in the Netherlands, and
they found that food form
matters, and it matters a
lot.
In one major review from
the Netherlands, they analyzed experimental
(20:25):
studies showing that solid foods
with more intact structures, like
whole vegetables, grains, and legumes,
think fresh and think it
was the local and think
of the whole and maybe
seasonal, they slow the rate
of eating, they can promote
earlier fullness, and they can
even help regulate blood sugar
even more effectively than soft
(20:47):
or liquid forms.
So the textures naturally enhance
satiety signals, they slow us
down, they help contribute to
healthier metabolic outcomes, and this
is independent of calorie count
or the macronutrient breakdown.
The macronutrients are your carbs,
fats, protein, the key macronutrients
(21:08):
in our diet.
So this is really the
power of foods form, you
know, and FLOWS encourages us
toward fresh and whole foods,
not just because they're nutritious,
but because they help our
bodies respond in real time.
It sort of honors our
hunger and satiety cues and
(21:29):
helps us keep feeling good
as a result of the
foods that we choose and
how we eat.
So the third benefit is
that whole dietary patterns, not
just individual foods or even
individual meals, but whole dietary
patterns can improve health outcomes.
That's like the long-term
benefit and impact of how
(21:49):
we choose our food now,
today, at this meal, and
this afternoon, and this evening,
and tomorrow.
So instead of the focus
on sort of cutting a
macronutrient, like cutting carbs, or
even of counting calories, which
is a little bit out
of fashion, but people still
keep an eye on calories,
what if we focused on
(22:09):
the pattern of what's on
the plate?
In a global symposium a
couple years ago that was
held in Washington, D.C.,
and a paper came out
of it from Dr. Martini
from the University of Milan,
from Dr. Mattis from Purdue
University, from researchers out of
Baylor and Leeds, and a
(22:30):
university in Salvador, Bahia in
Brazil.
The message here was clear,
that public health guidance is
really shifting from those isolated
nutrients to whole dietary patterns
and their impact on health.
So while it's important to
know what a nutrient does,
how it functions, what we
might be deficient in, really
the impact on whole health
(22:51):
and on health promotion really
depends on whole dietary patterns.
And research, our population research,
and what we're finding is
that that really does matter.
The evidence has pointed and
shown that.
So the work from the
symposium really encouraged us to
really think about the meals
as a sum of their
parts into other meals, and
(23:13):
emphasizing variety and quality and
the cultural relevance over specific
numbers at any given single
meal.
So this was really important.
Then in tandem with that,
a review in 2022 that
was published in the European
Journal of Internal Medicine explored
how nutrition and lifestyle changes
(23:35):
influence our health overall.
And these findings were really
powerful, and they sort of
underscore some of the information
I've shared in other episodes,
that healthy eating patterns like
the Mediterranean diet, there we
go again, can make a
real difference.
They can help as a
pattern lower the risk of
chronic diseases, support heart health,
(23:56):
boost life expectancy, or help
us with vital longevity.
And they do so by
the combination of their natural
anti-inflammatory nature and antioxidant
properties.
They focus toward getting some
total of better fiber, fruits
and vegetables, and sort of
steering and veering away from
(24:17):
the, again, ultra-processed, not
just processed because processing is
a normal part of how
we treat our food to
get it ready to eat,
but the ultra-processed, highly,
highly processed foods.
So veering away from that.
This way of eating, this
pattern of eating has shown
to help reduce sort of
systemic or chronic inflammation and
(24:38):
keep the immune system healthy
and supported over time.
So together, these studies and
these types of studies, these
are just a couple, show
the power of how we
eat really, how we eat,
not just what we eat
is relevant.
And FLOWS gives us a
simple way to approach those
patterns, building your meals with
(24:59):
at least two of the
FLOWS elements in mind.
And if you get to
there, you're on the right
track and you can feel
good about how you're eating
toward a well-lived and
well-nourished day and life.
So another benefit I want
to share with you, and
this is one of the
most encouraging shifts in modern
(25:21):
nutrition is focusing not on
what to cut or restrict,
but what to add.
I have been talking about
this since the start of
my career.
And similarly, in the symposium
that I mentioned just a
moment ago about patterns, the
collective summary, really the researchers
came back to multiple times,
(25:43):
but the summary came back
to the move toward positive
nutrition.
Isn't that positive?
Isn't that optimistic?
Isn't that wonderful?
But that there's evidence to
support that the foods on
the plate matter at least
as much, if not more
than things that you're trying
to restrict and highlighting foods
that not only support health,
(26:03):
but joy, enjoyment, nourishment in
the broader sense, rather than
avoiding harm or limiting foods
because you don't want to
get something, but putting positive
spins and not spins.
I mean, literally making your
plate spin with healthy nutrition.
And the takeaway again, was
(26:24):
super clear that people are
more likely to thrive when
they're offered flexible frameworks.
And hopefully FLOWS will give
you that.
We know that instead of
rigid rules, it offers that
not about that you hit
every letter at every meal,
but it's about a mindset,
fresh, local, organic, whole, and
seasonal.
And I talk about that
(26:45):
in part one, in the
episode that preceded this, of
using this as a guidepost,
not as an absolute.
It's something that you just
sort of must meditate on.
It's a way to navigate
your day when you're looking
at your food choices.
And ultimately to bring this
all back into flow, FLOWS
gives you freedom.
(27:07):
Psychologists at the Masi Kampo
lab at Wake Forest showed
that having specific plans for
a goal and free up
some mental space, um, it
allows you room for other
pursuits in effect.
So in addition to helping
us make healthier food choices,
the FLOWS acronym guide roadmap
(27:29):
that allows you to enjoy
the scenery can let us
have room for other beneficial
stuff, other great things on
the eat well, move daily,
be healthy journey, other ways
to maximize our waking minutes
each day.
And once FLOWS becomes more
of an unconscious habit for
you, you might find that
(27:50):
you can actually stop focusing
so much on it and
make room for other health
enhancing tools and approaches as
well.
So whether it's improving how
we absorb the nutrients, how
full and balanced we feel,
how we nourish our bodies
over time, or how empowered
we feel in our choices,
(28:12):
FLOWS is not a rigid
rule book.
It's really about the rhythm
of our meals that work
through our days, the rhythm
of the meals that may
turn into snacks and may
then turn into movement and
then may turn into rest.
It's a way to gently
guide your meals and your
snacks through the lens of
(28:33):
possibility and nourishment.
So now let's take a
pause, a moment to reflect,
not just on our food,
but maybe on how we
move through our waking minutes.
And we're going to share
a Mindful Minute together, as
we often do in episodes,
especially after we just took
(28:54):
on a lot of research
and things to think about.
We want to get back
into flow.
So first, find a comfortable
position, put your feet connected
to the ground in some
way.
You could do this standing,
but if you're seated, your
feet flat on the ground,
your legs uncrossed, rest your
hands gently in your lap,
(29:15):
soften your gaze.
If you choose to or
wish to, you can close
your eyes.
And before we begin our
Mindful Minute together, let's take
one steady grounding breath.
So we'll inhale deeply through
our nose, exhale through your
mouth.
(29:38):
As we settle into our
mindful minute together, I invite
you to let the word
FLOWS, drift through your mind
like a gentle current about
the guides our breath.
Okay, let's begin.
As you breathe in, think
(29:59):
of F for fresh and
flavorful.
Imagine the vitality of the
food straight from nature.
As you exhale, bring to
mind L for local.
Feel the connection to your
surroundings, community, the soil.
(30:25):
Inhale, think of O for
organic.
Mother nature's pure expression, food
grown with care.
Think of the farmers.
Exhale, reflect on W for
whole.
Whole foods, whole grains, visualize
(30:48):
foods in their whole form.
Intact, nourishing.
And finally, breathe in for
S for seasonal, sustainable, satisfying.
And there you have it.
We can picture the rhythm
of the seasons, the harmony
(31:08):
of FLOWS, how it's something
that we can have together.
And it's one small moment,
one minute that we shared
together of breathing together as
well.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.
So how do we put
FLOWS into action in our
everyday lives?
In the first episode of
(31:30):
FLOWS, part one, I shared
a couple of ways to
start thinking about it.
And I want to build
on that here with some
clear, simple steps and maybe
some scenarios that you can
carry into your week.
So maybe you've already begun
to use FLOWS, the acronym,
as a lens through which
you look at your meals
and your menus.
(31:50):
And I encourage you to
use it as a fluid
yet conscious approach toward nourishing
your body during our waking
minutes each day.
So we talked today again
about how FLOWS gives us
like a flexible framework.
And it's not just a
checklist to follow perfectly, but
(32:12):
rather a guide that helps
us like a map where
we can then check out
the scenery along the way.
So remember what I said
in the first episode.
And I'm going to say
it again here in case
you forgot or haven't heard
that one yet.
But print out or post
the word FLOWS as a
reminder.
Set it on your calendar.
(32:32):
Ping you around meal times.
Maybe set a little ping
or notification of sorts.
Or when you're planning your
grocery shopping, maybe put it
at the top of the
list so you see FLOWS
before you see the other
things on your list.
And in general, aim to
get two or more of
the FLOWS met at each
(32:53):
meal or snack.
So let's imagine just a
few real life scenarios where
FLOWS can sort of quietly
step in and help.
First, the grocery store.
We've all been there when
we're after a full day,
you have to get to
the grocery store.
Or on a weekend day,
maybe you have to fit
it in between activities.
(33:16):
Sometimes you might be standing
there in front of the
produce section, and maybe your
energy and focus are fading
a little bit.
You know the feeling.
We've all been there.
I know this inherently.
And instead of overthinking every
choice, just let FLOWS gently
guide you as you look
at choices that you're selecting
off your list or off
(33:36):
the shelves.
For example, you spot some
apples.
Well, maybe there's a sign
up there.
There's choices.
There's so many types of
apples these days.
But maybe there's a sign
up there.
Obviously, right there, they're fresh,
which is great.
Maybe there's a sign that
says local, local apples.
You know, we're moving into
that season.
That would be also your
(33:57):
L.
Without making it like a
quiz or a checklist, just
let FLOWS sort of point
in the direction, make the
decision and be done.
Next, bring it into your
own kitchen.
Maybe it's lunchtime and you're
staring in the fridge or
pantry wondering what to put
together.
Maybe you've grabbed a pack
of this and maybe one
of that.
But FLOWS can be a
great tool here too.
(34:18):
You can scan and maybe
see a can of organic
beans in the pantry.
Maybe you can go to
the refrigerator, you see some
fresh greens, maybe see a
lemon in your fruit bowl
and you can put them
all together and make a
nice salad.
You've got your O for
organic in the beans, you've
got your F for fresh
in what you've taken out
of the refrigerator and out
(34:40):
of the fruit bowl.
And with the beans and
greens, you're also hitting the
W, the whole food.
So this doesn't have to
be like fancy.
It just needs to flow
from what you have and
where you're at.
It FLOWS in the action
of it too, right there
in your own kitchen.
And more broadly, I like
to think of FLOWS like
that.
Like think of FLOWS like
a river that's moving through
(35:00):
its course.
When you look at a
river, it FLOWS around and
over the rocks and pebbles.
It doesn't see them as
barriers.
In fact, they shape the
water's path, those rocks and
pebbles, giving it character and
energy.
So sometimes the little bumps
or obstacles actually help guide
(35:20):
the flow to something even
more beautiful.
And our days and our
choices, our meals and our
snacks can all be like
that too.
We might not have the
perfect conditions every day, but
we can still move or
flow and move with the
flow and not against it.
Another way to live FLOWS
(35:41):
through planning is by not
making it complicated when it
comes to thinking about the
season or thinking about what's
going to be on your
menu.
If you're curious about how
to do more local or
seasonal in the area that
you live or that's sort
of newer to you, or
maybe it's just a check
(36:02):
-in.
Aha, it's springtime.
I forgot.
Let me get in touch
with the CSAs, the community
-supported agriculture.
And I certainly encourage you
to do that.
Many local farms offer seasonal
boxes of produce and you
literally help support the local
small farmers to bring you
(36:22):
fresh local food right to
your doorstep or nearby pickup
on a weekly basis or
every other week.
There's a simple way to
find a CSA in your
area.
I'll be doing an episode
on farmers markets and CSA
soon, but you can go
to localharvest.org and you
can enter your zip code
and you can find opportunities
(36:44):
there.
So even there's some resources
there to make it easier
for you to live the
local and the seasonal a
little bit easier.
And it's a beautiful way
also to let the season
sort of guide our meals
naturally and a simple way
to invite FLOWS into your
home one box at a
time.
And finally, I encourage you
(37:04):
to keep FLOWS in your
mind even when you're dining
out or traveling.
You might not have full
control over the menu and
that's totally fine and it
can be fun, but you
can still look for the
options and sort of feel
aligned.
Maybe it's a dish that
highlights seasonal ingredients or something
that's built around whole fresh
foods.
So FLOWS can be about
(37:26):
progress and not doing all
things all the time or
all at once.
Even noticing one element can
sort of set you in
the momentum and can help
you feel connected to your
health goals.
It's all about creating the
flow and remembering again that
FLOWS is not about all
five letters at every meal.
(37:48):
It might be even rare
that you hit all five
letters at a meal, but
it is about movement and
it's about creating milestones along
the way and eating the
patterns, recognizing that eating in
patterns can be nutritive and
nourishing and beneficial for your
health.
Even one mindful choice can
(38:08):
make you feel like you're
back in the flow if
you feel like you've stepped
out.
And remember that those rocks
and pebbles can actually help
create the path as well.
So it's a rhythm and
I think that's important for
us to continue to remember.
So as you think about
your day ahead, even the
next meal, remember FLOWS.
(38:30):
Keep in mind the fresh,
the local, organic, whole, seasonal.
Even noticing one or two,
aim for two, along the
way can make the whole
experience better.
It could be a moment
at the market when you
choose something.
It can be the whole
ingredient in your pantry.
It might be just a
simple act of pausing to
consider, does this flow?
(38:53):
Is the choice that I'm
making, does it feel good?
Does it help ground me?
Does it nourish me?
So today in sum, we've
explored a few ways that
FLOWS can support our health
and wellbeing by looking at
some of the science that
sort of substantiates or support
or sort of was a
springboard to me sort of
(39:13):
finding my flow about FLOWS
from the whole fresh foods
and how they work together
in the body, how structure,
the form and flexibly support
us, not just nutritionally, but
also mentally and how FLOWS
can help us feel more
present and empowered in our
daily choices.
(39:34):
And we discovered that FLOWS
isn't just a nice idea.
The research really does back
it up.
How choosing whole fresh foods
can help our bodies absorb
nutrients better, how the textures
and forms can help support
fullness and metabolic health, the
real deal, and how it
can free up mental space,
give us some freedom to
(39:55):
make other nourishing choices in
the eat well, move daily,
be healthy choices and practices
in a well-lived life.
And of course, we wrapped
with some practical tips to
get into the flow.
And I had to get
into the flow.
You heard me say it
pun intended.
(40:16):
So that's the episode for
today of 1,000 Waking Minutes.
I'm Wendy Bazilian, your podcast
friend, and your health supporter.
And we're on this journey
together toward a well-lived
life.
I think that our 1,000
waking minutes are our life's
currency.
And it's a great equalizer
(40:36):
among us.
And if you like this
episode or found something meaningful
in it, I hope you
will write to me and
share it with a friend
as well.
It really does help us
grow helps me know you're
out there and listening.
And I hope that what
I bring to you can
help us grow our community
and make it vibrant.
(40:57):
You can always leave a
comment, which I appreciate.
You can also find me
directly at wendybazilian.com
or email me at one
1KWM@wendybazilian.com
.com.
So as we close, I
leave you with this thought,
just like the river FLOWS
around the rocks in its
(41:17):
path.
It's gentle, it's persistent.
We can also move through
our days with that same
grace, the rocks don't disappear,
but we find our way
around them.
That's the power of flow.
And until next time, be
well, thank you for tuning
(41:40):
into 1,000 Waking Minutes.
A huge thank you to
our amazing collaborators, including our
production and marketing teams, and
Gabriela Escalante in particular, to
the ultra talented Beza for
my theme music, my lifelong
friend and artist Pearl Preis
photography and design, to Danielle
Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell,
(42:00):
and of course my family,
and everyone working tirelessly behind
the scenes.
And to you, our valued
listeners, I so appreciate your
support.
If you enjoyed today's episode,
please consider leaving a comment,
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1,000 Waking Minutes, that's us,
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(42:21):
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Until next time, find some
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1,000 waking minutes each day.
(43:05):
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
There's a saying that the
river doesn't complain about the
rocks in its path, it
simply flows around them.
And that's a good reminder
for us today as we
continue exploring FLOWS, and how
our daily choices can move
with ease, even when things
aren't perfect.
In this episode, we'll look
at what the research shows
(00:20):
about these small choices, plus
a few simple ways to
bring FLOWS into your life
each day.
We experience 1,000 waking minutes
on average every day.
How are you spending yours?
I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and
you're listening to 1,000 Waking
Minutes.
I can't wait to connect
with you here with practical
(00:41):
ways to eat well, move
daily and be healthy, to
optimize every waking minute you
live for a happier, healthier
life.
Thank you for sharing some
of your waking minutes with
me today.
Let's get started.
(01:12):
Hello and welcome back to
1,000 Waking Minutes.
I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and
I'm really glad you're here
with me today.
If you're just joining, you're
actually in the perfect place.
And if you caught the
first part of this conversation,
well, you know what we're
talking about today.
And that's FLOWS.
(01:33):
It's an idea of a
flexible food philosophy.
It's more of a rhythm,
if you will.
And it falls within eating
well, eat well, move daily,
be healthy is the name
of the game.
In the last episode about
FLOWS, we explored what FLOWS
stands for fresh, local, organic,
(01:55):
whole, and seasonal.
And maybe more importantly, what
it feels like to flow.
Because flow is not about
perfection.
It's about feeling guided, but
not confined.
And it's a little bit
like having a road map,
so to speak, but still
enjoying the scenery along the
(02:17):
way.
So think of that.
It's like the map, but
you're allowed and you're able
to look around and enjoy
the scenery.
And you might have even
started to notice FLOWS showing
up in your own life,
maybe at the grocery store,
noticing the berries that are
actually starting to be in
season, or just having a
moment where you pause and
(02:37):
think what's one small choice
that I can make today
that feels good within sort
of the FLOWS philosophy.
So I think about flow,
not just in food, but
in life.
There's a psychologist who wrote
an incredible book called FLOW.
And his name is
(02:57):
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
I'm sorry, I'll spell
it out in the show
notes for you.
I've never been good at
that name, but a beautiful
name.
He's a psychologist.
And he talks about moments
of flow, when we're completely
immersed in what we're doing,
when time almost slips away.
(03:20):
And while he's not specifically
talking about what's for dinner
or food, in this case,
I'm certain that there's a
connection there.
Those times when things seem
to shift distractions fade away.
And there's a sense of
effortless momentum in life.
That's flow.
(03:40):
There's something about these moments.
And when it comes to
mealtime, when everything sort of
comes together without overthinking it,
you pull together what you
have, it feels nourishing, you
sit down and you eat
maybe with a sense of
ease instead of stress and
like chaos that can be
mealtime at times.
(04:01):
And that's flow.
It's a pretty great feeling
if you've experienced before, and
I'm sure you have.
But maybe you haven't always
paid attention or called it
flow.
Because let's be honest, we've
all had exactly the opposite
of that.
I know I have days
where meals feel rushed.
Choices feel sort of like
(04:22):
a chore at times.
And we can get caught
in the endless loop of
what should I be eating?
What should I avoid?
What do I have in
the refrigerator?
All these micro decisions and
choices in front of us.
FLOWS really is about something
to soften your internal dialogue
(04:42):
there.
It's not about getting every
letter of FLOWS every time.
It's about helping us sort
of adopt a purposeful philosophy
gently to guide you and
to make food feel like
a part of life's flow,
part of it, instead of
something you have to wrestle
with.
(05:02):
So today in part two
of talking about FLOWS, I'm
going to build on that
foundation with you.
F, fresh and flavorful.
L, local and lovely.
O, organic.
W, whole, as in whole
foods and whole grains.
And S, seasonal, while also
(05:23):
being satisfying and sustainable.
Yes, for the planet, but
also sustainable, something you can
do ongoing.
Flows, fresh, local, organic, whole,
seasonal.
So today we'll talk a
little bit about the research
because yes, there's actual science
that sort of led me
to this approach and some
(05:44):
updates there that I think
will be fun to share.
We'll look at what happens
when we choose whole foods
and fresh foods, show how
they work together in the
body in ways that isolated
nutrients don't or can't.
The way that heavily processed
foods just don't work the
same at times.
We'll talk a little bit
(06:05):
about satiety, that good, satisfied
feeling after a meal or
as you're engaging in food.
And even the exciting concept
of the food matrix, something
I love to talk about,
not the matrix, the movie
series or franchise, but it's
almost as interesting as that,
(06:26):
maybe more interesting.
I'm going to put a
hard line on that.
The food matrix is just
as interesting as the matrix
movie franchise.
I'll also share some practical
tips because at the end
of the day, to bring
FLOWS into your life, I'm
going to paint some scenarios
that you might recognize, some
moments at the store at
home that you might wonder,
(06:48):
you know, what's the right
choice here for me?
And of course, we'll take
some time together to be
in the moment, to carry
the sense of flow beyond
conversation and into your day.
Before I get into the
research, though, I wanted to
share a little story.
I've been thinking about this
(07:08):
idea and when to share
it for a long time.
And, you know, since, well,
I've been teaching this for,
gosh, I have a handout
probably that's back in the
early 2000s with FLOWS, just
FLOWS.
And it said at the
top, adopt a food philosophy
that FLOWS and left it
open so that when we
used to use pen and
paper more often, we had
(07:29):
the opportunity to write it
in with some notes.
But anyway, I was thinking
about this episode and planning
for it and thinking about
how FLOWS shows up, not
just in science, but really
in our everyday moments, as
I mentioned.
And I was having a
conversation recently that really stayed
(07:50):
with me.
And this conversation was with
my daughter, who's six years
old.
We were doing some crafts
together.
Sometimes on Saturday morning, we'll
get up early.
We'll sort of lay out
a whole bunch of craft
supplies and just sort of
let our minds and hands
meander after a long week.
And so we were sitting
there.
It was like one of
those wonderful, easy Saturday mornings.
(08:12):
We were chit-chatting.
And I asked her, what
do you think FLOWS means?
Or when you hear the
word flow, what do you
think of?
So she thought for a
second and her hands were
twisting pipe cleaners.
And without looking up, she
said, "it's like water."
(08:34):
It's so simple, so true.
"It's like water," she said,
something that actually FLOWS, something
very tangible.
And then she went back
to doing her pipe cleaner.
I think we were making
flowers or something like that
and making curly twists on
a pen.
But then I asked her,
"well, then what's the opposite
of flow?"
(08:55):
And she seemed to give
that a little more thought.
And then she said, "well,
maybe it's like not being
okay with something."
And that was the part
of the statement that she
said, and sort of had
a little bit of a
question mark on the end,
if you know what I
mean, like her voice lifted
up as if she was
both clear on it and
(09:16):
checking in with me.
And it really landed for
me at that moment.
I wasn't expecting not being
okay with something to be
the opposite of like, it's
like water, the flow.
And I was a little
surprised.
But as I thought about
it, so much of what
gets in our way is
like that, not being okay
with something, the feeling of
(09:37):
resistance or feeling stuck, or
not okay with how something
is or not quite knowing
how to navigate around or
out of something as happens
in life.
And it happens also with
food FLOWS is really about
softening those moments and not
forcing and not aiming to
(09:59):
have a singular new and
flexible approach, but allowing our
choices to sort of unfold
with a little more ease
and to flow a little
bit more like water.
So I took that in
my mind.
And I've been thinking over
the last many weeks and
thinking about this episode.
And as I was doing
that and preparing and writing
(10:20):
down some thoughts, and I
thought about what my daughter
said several times.
And out of the blue,
you know how we old
stories, you sort of unearth
them, or you remember them
later.
This is what happened.
I was thinking about I
was writing, I was like,
Oh, my gosh, I remember
a story, a fable of
sorts.
I've heard years ago, it
(10:41):
just seems it just came
to mind.
And it seemed to be
like seem to fit.
It's something that I've always
loved.
So I took pause and
sort of collected my thoughts
on it.
And I think that this
actually captures the idea of
FLOWS so well, too.
So I wanted to share
it with you briefly, not
perfectly, it's out of my
my recollection, and someone's read
(11:01):
it to me, and probably
people read it to them
before.
But there's an old story,
a fable, and maybe you've
heard of it, of a
woman who walked to town
every day to collect water.
She carried her bucket faithfully
down the hill to the
well, filled her bucket up
and proceeded to march back
(11:22):
up the hill to supply
her needs, her family's needs.
But over time, the bucket
developed a small hole, just
a little hole.
And day after day, as
she passed other people going
up and down the same
hill, water trickled out in
small drips along her path,
until the point where other
(11:44):
people were noticing that she
was wasting or losing some
of her hard earned work
in that bucket.
And it seemed like almost
wasted effort to others, all
that water lost before she
even got home.
But one day she noticed
something beautiful.
Along that path where the
water had spilled, flowers had
(12:06):
started blooming without even realizing
it.
I always get emotional at
stories like this.
Are you with me?
I'm sure that there's some
fellow sympaths or empaths or
whatever this is, but without
even realizing it, her daily
effort, even though it felt
imperfect, it looked imperfect, it
(12:27):
was consistent, and it had
been nourishing the earth along
her way.
It was making the path
beautiful for her and her
community.
And that's really, to me,
what FLOWS is about.
Also, it's not about getting
everything perfectly.
It's not even about having,
you know, all the exact
right tools to make it
(12:47):
happen.
But it's about daily effort,
simple practices to nourish ourselves,
even if the path or
our tools like the bucket
aren't perfect.
Because these are the small,
steady choices we make every
day that add up.
They're watering the path that
we're on.
(13:08):
They're quietly supporting our health,
our well-being.
And sometimes, in a way,
we don't even see that
right away.
We don't even see the
results, the outcomes that add
up over time until one
day, things blossom and we're
aware.
And actually, that's where I
want to take us today.
So what does the research
(13:28):
say about these small daily
efforts?
What's the return on investment,
as I call them, the
ROI of FLOWS?
What's blooming beneath the surface
when we follow this kind
of approach to eating and
living?
So returns on investment, to
accomplish any goal, we need
(13:50):
a plan in life.
Teachers make lesson plans, architects
draw building plans, pilots make
flight plans.
I'm sure you can name
some others.
In business, think about that.
Strategic planning keeps teams and
workers, worker bees, the me's
and you's of the world
in sync.
(14:11):
And it points us all
toward that positive outcome, toward
the goal and the task
at hand.
So our FLOWS philosophy is
a plan with a similar
end or similar benefit.
By following your own roadmap,
by checking in with yourself,
whether something's fresh, local, organic,
(14:31):
whole, seasonal, not all of
the above all the time,
but some of the above
most of the time, and
the associated terms that go
with it, as we talked
about flavorful with F also,
satisfying with S also, you
can start to streamline your
decisions about your food choices.
And you can have a
(14:52):
template to drive your self
-awareness, keep you on track,
and keep you in the
spirit and mindset of FLOWS,
which is such a nice
term, I think, about thinking
about how we can move
through life.
So let's take a look
at those ROIs, the benefits,
so to speak, of FLOWS.
(15:12):
And of course, they're not
financial, although they may feel
like it, because you may
gain life and vitality.
And I think that that's
almost like a financial win.
But it's the kind that
matters really deeply to our
energy, our vitality, and how
we feel our minutes of
our daily life as we
(15:32):
live them.
These are the benefits that
show up in small ways,
and sometimes surprising ways, mind
you, when we follow a
path that's fresh, local, organic,
whole, and seasonal.
So here are just a
few of the ROIs and
benefits that the research supports.
So number one, we can
(15:52):
get better nutrient absorption, bioavailability,
better nutrition overall, thanks to
the food matrix.
So there's that word again.
When we eat, it's not
just about the nutrients, like
just making sure that you
tick the boxes on nutrients,
or the nutrient facts label.
Those are important if you're
(16:12):
reading packaged foods to maximize
the quality, along with the
nutrition.
But it's about how our
bodies actually use them.
You know, reading with our
mind or digesting the information
is not the same as
how we digest the food
and the nutrition.
Researchers from Chile, these are
researchers from different studies from
Chile and France, have shown
(16:33):
that nutrients in foods like
fruits and vegetables and whole
grains are better absorbed and
used by the body when
they're eaten in like their
natural form.
They may be minimally processed,
or they may be cooked,
but the more toward the
food matrix form, the whole
form, they do better.
Our body assimilates them better.
(16:56):
In the Chilean study that
I mentioned, Dr. Aguilera emphasized
how the physical and chemical
structure of foods, like fiber
and vegetables or protein lipid
bonds in dairy, how those
can enhance the bioavailability of
different nutrients.
They can help slow digestion
in a beneficial way.
(17:17):
And meanwhile, French researchers Fardet
and Rock have done extensive
work, many, many published papers
looking beyond nutrients to the
food matrix and a holistic
look at foods and food
patterns beyond the nutrients themselves,
the way our food is
naturally structured and the benefits
(17:38):
on its health they've looked
at.
So in one of their
more recent papers, they propose
that it's not just about
those individual key nutrients or
the calorie count, but really
the integrity of the food
itself that matters most.
They explained that the natural
food matrix can be degraded,
like with heavy processing.
(17:59):
So they talk about the
ultra, ultra processing and heavy
processing, and that we can
lose some important health benefits,
such as better nutrient absorption,
or some of the benefits
that would help us feel
more satisfied, the satiation effects
of certain foods, and even
lose some of the blood
(18:19):
sugar regulating effects of foods
in their more matrix or
full form.
And they even introduce a
concept called the 3-V
index, which describes the value
of foods that are real
and plant-based and varied.
And as they put it,
and this is in quotes,
(18:41):
the calorie quality matters more
than the calorie quantity.
I thought that was an
interesting way of putting it
so we could appreciate it,
that the calories, the energy
that comes from it, but
the calorie quality matters more
than the calorie quantity.
And they also posit that
foods really aren't like drugs
(19:02):
where isolated ingredients alone can
solve an issue or target
something in the pathway.
It is really the whole
structure of the food that
makes the difference.
So it's not a stretch
to understand really that when
we disrupt the structure of
a food through heavy processing,
we can break the flow
(19:23):
literally and figuratively.
So choosing whole, that W,
and minimally processed food, like
in FLOWS, choosing fresh when
it makes sense, helps us
get the full benefit of
the nutrition that mother nature
intended.
So benefit number two is
(19:43):
about satiety and metabolic support.
So the texture, the form,
and our real fullness, how
we can be impacted by
FLOWS.
So if you've ever wondered
why chewing a crunchy carrot
seems more filling than sipping
a smoothie, we have research
from wagging, and I have
(20:04):
a lot of wordplay in
this episode, and it's incredible,
Agriculture University, and I always
trip on the name, Wageningen
University in the Netherlands, and
they found that food form
matters, and it matters a
lot.
In one major review from
the Netherlands, they analyzed experimental
(20:25):
studies showing that solid foods
with more intact structures, like
whole vegetables, grains, and legumes,
think fresh and think it
was the local and think
of the whole and maybe
seasonal, they slow the rate
of eating, they can promote
earlier fullness, and they can
even help regulate blood sugar
even more effectively than soft
(20:47):
or liquid forms.
So the textures naturally enhance
satiety signals, they slow us
down, they help contribute to
healthier metabolic outcomes, and this
is independent of calorie count
or the macronutrient breakdown.
The macronutrients are your carbs,
fats, protein, the key macronutrients
(21:08):
in our diet.
So this is really the
power of foods form, you
know, and FLOWS encourages us
toward fresh and whole foods,
not just because they're nutritious,
but because they help our
bodies respond in real time.
It sort of honors our
hunger and satiety cues and
(21:29):
helps us keep feeling good
as a result of the
foods that we choose and
how we eat.
So the third benefit is
that whole dietary patterns, not
just individual foods or even
individual meals, but whole dietary
patterns can improve health outcomes.
That's like the long-term
benefit and impact of how
(21:49):
we choose our food now,
today, at this meal, and
this afternoon, and this evening,
and tomorrow.
So instead of the focus
on sort of cutting a
macronutrient, like cutting carbs, or
even of counting calories, which
is a little bit out
of fashion, but people still
keep an eye on calories,
what if we focused on
(22:09):
the pattern of what's on
the plate?
In a global symposium a
couple years ago that was
held in Washington, D.C.,
and a paper came out
of it from Dr. Martini
from the University of Milan,
from Dr. Mattis from Purdue
University, from researchers out of
Baylor and Leeds, and a
(22:30):
university in Salvador, Bahia in
Brazil.
The message here was clear,
that public health guidance is
really shifting from those isolated
nutrients to whole dietary patterns
and their impact on health.
So while it's important to
know what a nutrient does,
how it functions, what we
might be deficient in, really
the impact on whole health
(22:51):
and on health promotion really
depends on whole dietary patterns.
And research, our population research,
and what we're finding is
that that really does matter.
The evidence has pointed and
shown that.
So the work from the
symposium really encouraged us to
really think about the meals
as a sum of their
parts into other meals, and
(23:13):
emphasizing variety and quality and
the cultural relevance over specific
numbers at any given single
meal.
So this was really important.
Then in tandem with that,
a review in 2022 that
was published in the European
Journal of Internal Medicine explored
how nutrition and lifestyle changes
(23:35):
influence our health overall.
And these findings were really
powerful, and they sort of
underscore some of the information
I've shared in other episodes,
that healthy eating patterns like
the Mediterranean diet, there we
go again, can make a
real difference.
They can help as a
pattern lower the risk of
chronic diseases, support heart health,
(23:56):
boost life expectancy, or help
us with vital longevity.
And they do so by
the combination of their natural
anti-inflammatory nature and antioxidant
properties.
They focus toward getting some
total of better fiber, fruits
and vegetables, and sort of
steering and veering away from
(24:17):
the, again, ultra-processed, not
just processed because processing is
a normal part of how
we treat our food to
get it ready to eat,
but the ultra-processed, highly,
highly processed foods.
So veering away from that.
This way of eating, this
pattern of eating has shown
to help reduce sort of
systemic or chronic inflammation and
(24:38):
keep the immune system healthy
and supported over time.
So together, these studies and
these types of studies, these
are just a couple, show
the power of how we
eat really, how we eat,
not just what we eat
is relevant.
And FLOWS gives us a
simple way to approach those
patterns, building your meals with
(24:59):
at least two of the
FLOWS elements in mind.
And if you get to
there, you're on the right
track and you can feel
good about how you're eating
toward a well-lived and
well-nourished day and life.
So another benefit I want
to share with you, and
this is one of the
most encouraging shifts in modern
(25:21):
nutrition is focusing not on
what to cut or restrict,
but what to add.
I have been talking about
this since the start of
my career.
And similarly, in the symposium
that I mentioned just a
moment ago about patterns, the
collective summary, really the researchers
came back to multiple times,
(25:43):
but the summary came back
to the move toward positive
nutrition.
Isn't that positive?
Isn't that optimistic?
Isn't that wonderful?
But that there's evidence to
support that the foods on
the plate matter at least
as much, if not more
than things that you're trying
to restrict and highlighting foods
that not only support health,
(26:03):
but joy, enjoyment, nourishment in
the broader sense, rather than
avoiding harm or limiting foods
because you don't want to
get something, but putting positive
spins and not spins.
I mean, literally making your
plate spin with healthy nutrition.
And the takeaway again, was
(26:24):
super clear that people are
more likely to thrive when
they're offered flexible frameworks.
And hopefully FLOWS will give
you that.
We know that instead of
rigid rules, it offers that
not about that you hit
every letter at every meal,
but it's about a mindset,
fresh, local, organic, whole, and
seasonal.
And I talk about that
(26:45):
in part one, in the
episode that preceded this, of
using this as a guidepost,
not as an absolute.
It's something that you just
sort of must meditate on.
It's a way to navigate
your day when you're looking
at your food choices.
And ultimately to bring this
all back into flow, FLOWS
gives you freedom.
(27:07):
Psychologists at the Masi Kampo
lab at Wake Forest showed
that having specific plans for
a goal and free up
some mental space, um, it
allows you room for other
pursuits in effect.
So in addition to helping
us make healthier food choices,
the FLOWS acronym guide roadmap
(27:29):
that allows you to enjoy
the scenery can let us
have room for other beneficial
stuff, other great things on
the eat well, move daily,
be healthy journey, other ways
to maximize our waking minutes
each day.
And once FLOWS becomes more
of an unconscious habit for
you, you might find that
(27:50):
you can actually stop focusing
so much on it and
make room for other health
enhancing tools and approaches as
well.
So whether it's improving how
we absorb the nutrients, how
full and balanced we feel,
how we nourish our bodies
over time, or how empowered
we feel in our choices,
(28:12):
FLOWS is not a rigid
rule book.
It's really about the rhythm
of our meals that work
through our days, the rhythm
of the meals that may
turn into snacks and may
then turn into movement and
then may turn into rest.
It's a way to gently
guide your meals and your
snacks through the lens of
(28:33):
possibility and nourishment.
So now let's take a
pause, a moment to reflect,
not just on our food,
but maybe on how we
move through our waking minutes.
And we're going to share
a Mindful Minute together, as
we often do in episodes,
especially after we just took
(28:54):
on a lot of research
and things to think about.
We want to get back
into flow.
So first, find a comfortable
position, put your feet connected
to the ground in some
way.
You could do this standing,
but if you're seated, your
feet flat on the ground,
your legs uncrossed, rest your
hands gently in your lap,
(29:15):
soften your gaze.
If you choose to or
wish to, you can close
your eyes.
And before we begin our
Mindful Minute together, let's take
one steady grounding breath.
So we'll inhale deeply through
our nose, exhale through your
mouth.
(29:38):
As we settle into our
mindful minute together, I invite
you to let the word
FLOWS, drift through your mind
like a gentle current about
the guides our breath.
Okay, let's begin.
As you breathe in, think
(29:59):
of F for fresh and
flavorful.
Imagine the vitality of the
food straight from nature.
As you exhale, bring to
mind L for local.
Feel the connection to your
surroundings, community, the soil.
(30:25):
Inhale, think of O for
organic.
Mother nature's pure expression, food
grown with care.
Think of the farmers.
Exhale, reflect on W for
whole.
Whole foods, whole grains, visualize
(30:48):
foods in their whole form.
Intact, nourishing.
And finally, breathe in for
S for seasonal, sustainable, satisfying.
And there you have it.
We can picture the rhythm
of the seasons, the harmony
(31:08):
of FLOWS, how it's something
that we can have together.
And it's one small moment,
one minute that we shared
together of breathing together as
well.
Thank you for sharing that
Mindful Minute with me.
So how do we put
FLOWS into action in our
everyday lives?
In the first episode of
(31:30):
FLOWS, part one, I shared
a couple of ways to
start thinking about it.
And I want to build
on that here with some
clear, simple steps and maybe
some scenarios that you can
carry into your week.
So maybe you've already begun
to use FLOWS, the acronym,
as a lens through which
you look at your meals
and your menus.
(31:50):
And I encourage you to
use it as a fluid
yet conscious approach toward nourishing
your body during our waking
minutes each day.
So we talked today again
about how FLOWS gives us
like a flexible framework.
And it's not just a
checklist to follow perfectly, but
(32:12):
rather a guide that helps
us like a map where
we can then check out
the scenery along the way.
So remember what I said
in the first episode.
And I'm going to say
it again here in case
you forgot or haven't heard
that one yet.
But print out or post
the word FLOWS as a
reminder.
Set it on your calendar.
(32:32):
Ping you around meal times.
Maybe set a little ping
or notification of sorts.
Or when you're planning your
grocery shopping, maybe put it
at the top of the
list so you see FLOWS
before you see the other
things on your list.
And in general, aim to
get two or more of
the FLOWS met at each
(32:53):
meal or snack.
So let's imagine just a
few real life scenarios where
FLOWS can sort of quietly
step in and help.
First, the grocery store.
We've all been there when
we're after a full day,
you have to get to
the grocery store.
Or on a weekend day,
maybe you have to fit
it in between activities.
(33:16):
Sometimes you might be standing
there in front of the
produce section, and maybe your
energy and focus are fading
a little bit.
You know the feeling.
We've all been there.
I know this inherently.
And instead of overthinking every
choice, just let FLOWS gently
guide you as you look
at choices that you're selecting
off your list or off
(33:36):
the shelves.
For example, you spot some
apples.
Well, maybe there's a sign
up there.
There's choices.
There's so many types of
apples these days.
But maybe there's a sign
up there.
Obviously, right there, they're fresh,
which is great.
Maybe there's a sign that
says local, local apples.
You know, we're moving into
that season.
That would be also your
(33:57):
L.
Without making it like a
quiz or a checklist, just
let FLOWS sort of point
in the direction, make the
decision and be done.
Next, bring it into your
own kitchen.
Maybe it's lunchtime and you're
staring in the fridge or
pantry wondering what to put
together.
Maybe you've grabbed a pack
of this and maybe one
of that.
But FLOWS can be a
great tool here too.
(34:18):
You can scan and maybe
see a can of organic
beans in the pantry.
Maybe you can go to
the refrigerator, you see some
fresh greens, maybe see a
lemon in your fruit bowl
and you can put them
all together and make a
nice salad.
You've got your O for
organic in the beans, you've
got your F for fresh
in what you've taken out
of the refrigerator and out
(34:40):
of the fruit bowl.
And with the beans and
greens, you're also hitting the
W, the whole food.
So this doesn't have to
be like fancy.
It just needs to flow
from what you have and
where you're at.
It FLOWS in the action
of it too, right there
in your own kitchen.
And more broadly, I like
to think of FLOWS like
that.
Like think of FLOWS like
a river that's moving through
(35:00):
its course.
When you look at a
river, it FLOWS around and
over the rocks and pebbles.
It doesn't see them as
barriers.
In fact, they shape the
water's path, those rocks and
pebbles, giving it character and
energy.
So sometimes the little bumps
or obstacles actually help guide
(35:20):
the flow to something even
more beautiful.
And our days and our
choices, our meals and our
snacks can all be like
that too.
We might not have the
perfect conditions every day, but
we can still move or
flow and move with the
flow and not against it.
Another way to live FLOWS
(35:41):
through planning is by not
making it complicated when it
comes to thinking about the
season or thinking about what's
going to be on your
menu.
If you're curious about how
to do more local or
seasonal in the area that
you live or that's sort
of newer to you, or
maybe it's just a check
(36:02):
-in.
Aha, it's springtime.
I forgot.
Let me get in touch
with the CSAs, the community
-supported agriculture.
And I certainly encourage you
to do that.
Many local farms offer seasonal
boxes of produce and you
literally help support the local
small farmers to bring you
(36:22):
fresh local food right to
your doorstep or nearby pickup
on a weekly basis or
every other week.
There's a simple way to
find a CSA in your
area.
I'll be doing an episode
on farmers markets and CSA
soon, but you can go
to localharvest.org and you
can enter your zip code
and you can find opportunities
(36:44):
there.
So even there's some resources
there to make it easier
for you to live the
local and the seasonal a
little bit easier.
And it's a beautiful way
also to let the season
sort of guide our meals
naturally and a simple way
to invite FLOWS into your
home one box at a
time.
And finally, I encourage you
(37:04):
to keep FLOWS in your
mind even when you're dining
out or traveling.
You might not have full
control over the menu and
that's totally fine and it
can be fun, but you
can still look for the
options and sort of feel
aligned.
Maybe it's a dish that
highlights seasonal ingredients or something
that's built around whole fresh
foods.
So FLOWS can be about
(37:26):
progress and not doing all
things all the time or
all at once.
Even noticing one element can
sort of set you in
the momentum and can help
you feel connected to your
health goals.
It's all about creating the
flow and remembering again that
FLOWS is not about all
five letters at every meal.
(37:48):
It might be even rare
that you hit all five
letters at a meal, but
it is about movement and
it's about creating milestones along
the way and eating the
patterns, recognizing that eating in
patterns can be nutritive and
nourishing and beneficial for your
health.
Even one mindful choice can
(38:08):
make you feel like you're
back in the flow if
you feel like you've stepped
out.
And remember that those rocks
and pebbles can actually help
create the path as well.
So it's a rhythm and
I think that's important for
us to continue to remember.
So as you think about
your day ahead, even the
next meal, remember FLOWS.
(38:30):
Keep in mind the fresh,
the local, organic, whole, seasonal.
Even noticing one or two,
aim for two, along the
way can make the whole
experience better.
It could be a moment
at the market when you
choose something.
It can be the whole
ingredient in your pantry.
It might be just a
simple act of pausing to
consider, does this flow?
(38:53):
Is the choice that I'm
making, does it feel good?
Does it help ground me?
Does it nourish me?
So today in sum, we've
explored a few ways that
FLOWS can support our health
and wellbeing by looking at
some of the science that
sort of substantiates or support
or sort of was a
springboard to me sort of
(39:13):
finding my flow about FLOWS
from the whole fresh foods
and how they work together
in the body, how structure,
the form and flexibly support
us, not just nutritionally, but
also mentally and how FLOWS
can help us feel more
present and empowered in our
daily choices.
(39:34):
And we discovered that FLOWS
isn't just a nice idea.
The research really does back
it up.
How choosing whole fresh foods
can help our bodies absorb
nutrients better, how the textures
and forms can help support
fullness and metabolic health, the
real deal, and how it
can free up mental space,
give us some freedom to
(39:55):
make other nourishing choices in
the eat well, move daily,
be healthy choices and practices
in a well-lived life.
And of course, we wrapped
with some practical tips to
get into the flow.
And I had to get
into the flow.
You heard me say it
pun intended.
(40:16):
So that's the episode for
today of 1,000 Waking Minutes.
I'm Wendy Bazilian, your podcast
friend, and your health supporter.
And we're on this journey
together toward a well-lived
life.
I think that our 1,000
waking minutes are our life's
currency.
And it's a great equalizer
(40:36):
among us.
And if you like this
episode or found something meaningful
in it, I hope you
will write to me and
share it with a friend
as well.
It really does help us
grow helps me know you're
out there and listening.
And I hope that what
I bring to you can
help us grow our community
and make it vibrant.
(40:57):
You can always leave a
comment, which I appreciate.
You can also find me
directly at wendybazilian.com
or email me at one
1KWM@wendybazilian.com
.com.
So as we close, I
leave you with this thought,
just like the river FLOWS
around the rocks in its
(41:17):
path.
It's gentle, it's persistent.
We can also move through
our days with that same
grace, the rocks don't disappear,
but we find our way
around them.
That's the power of flow.
And until next time, be
well, thank you for tuning
(41:40):
into 1,000 Waking Minutes.
A huge thank you to
our amazing collaborators, including our
production and marketing teams, and
Gabriela Escalante in particular, to
the ultra talented Beza for
my theme music, my lifelong
friend and artist Pearl Preis
photography and design, to Danielle
Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell,
(42:00):
and of course my family,
and everyone working tirelessly behind
the scenes.
And to you, our valued
listeners, I so appreciate your
support.
If you enjoyed today's episode,
please consider leaving a comment,
writing a review and giving
1,000 Waking Minutes, that's us,
a five star rating.
And please hit subscribe on
(42:21):
Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever
you enjoy your podcasts.
Please follow and stay connected
at wendybazilian.com.
And don't forget to share
with your friends.
Your support helps us grow
and bring you more great
content.
Until next time, find some
simple opportunities to optimize those
1,000 waking minutes each day.
(43:05):
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
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