Nourishing Families: The Power of Whole Foods

In this conversation, we explore the principles of whole food plant-based nutrition, emphasizing the importance of family meals, common sense in dietary choices, and the challenges of accessing healthy foods. They discuss the role of education in nutrition, the impact of marketing on food choices, and the need to empower families to make healthier decisions. The conversation highlights the significance of creating healthy habits for children and the importance of being present in our eating experiences.

In this episode of Illuminating Being, Dr. Keith Somers and I took a moment to breathe, pause, and reflect on something that seems so obvious—and yet has become overwhelmingly complicated: feeding ourselves and our children.

From catchy cartoon mascots and processed snack marketing to the busyness of modern life, the conversation explored how far we’ve drifted from common sense. We didn’t offer a new rulebook or perfect system—because that’s not what this podcast is about. Instead, we shared stories, science, and soul around reconnecting with food as nourishment, culture, and connection.

Family Meals Still Matter—Even Once a Week

In a society obsessed with performance and efficiency, sitting down for a meal can feel like a luxury. But it doesn’t have to be perfect or Instagram-worthy. As Keith shared, simply sitting together—even once a week—can be an act of grounding and love. Let the table be a place for presence. No phones. No guilt. Just connection.

Cook Your Own Food, Even Just a Bit

We’re not saying you need to spend hours in the kitchen. But when you prepare food, something shifts. You see it, touch it, smell it. You share it. You model it. These are the quiet rituals that shape lifelong habits and memories. And for children? You are their role model—whether you’re aware of it or not.

Whole Food, Plant-Based Eating Is Common Sense

This isn’t about perfection. It’s not about being vegan or rigid. A whole food, plant-based lifestyle is about choosing foods close to their natural form, free of ultra-processing and hidden chemicals. It’s about slowing down and asking: How do I feel when I eat this?

Beware of the Myth of “Not Enough Time”

Time is a form of wealth. And the idea that we’re too busy to nourish ourselves or eat together is one we’ve been sold. The truth? You can prepare a healthy meal in 20 minutes. You can have a conversation while cooking. You can reclaim your time—starting with intention.

Small Shifts Can Lead to Big Changes

Smaller plates, cut-up veggies, apples with peanut butter—these aren’t radical steps, but they’re powerful. And they matter. Children eat what they see, and what they touch. If we make fruits and veggies accessible, colorful, and shared—they get eaten. Not out of guilt, but out of joy.

Root Your Choices in Love, Not Shame

We’re not here to shame families. Life is messy. Kids can be picky. We’ve all bought hot Cheetos or relied on frozen waffles. But what we’re after is trust. Trust in your own intuition. Trust in food as fuel. Trust in wisdom passed down—and in wisdom emerging now, from both science and lived experience.

As Keith said, “We don’t need a consultant to tell us how to collaborate—we just need to get to know each other.” The same goes for food. We don’t need another diet trend. We need to remember what we already know. And share it, with love.

Let’s stop feeding shame, and start feeding our families—with presence, joy, and real food.

One Small Step This Week:

Pick one meal. One moment. One habit. Make it intentional. Prepare food together. Eat without distractions. Be curious—not perfect. That’s where the wisdom begins.

The Senses: A Journey Through Nourishment

In this conversation, we delve the profound connection between our senses and our experiences with food, nourishment, and relationships. We discuss how sensory experiences shape our memories and interactions, emphasizing the importance of community and shared knowledge in parenting. The conversation highlights the need for mindfulness and presence in our daily lives, encouraging listeners to create sensory-rich environments for themselves and their children.

In this episode of Illuminating Being, we reflect on the rich tapestry of our sensory experiences and how they shape our relationship with food, our communities, and ourselves. Over the past several conversations in this series, we’ve explored the deep interplay between mind, body, and spirit — and how our senses help us live more awake, more aware, and more connected.

Reclaiming Our Senses to Reclaim Ourselves

From taste to smell, sight to touch, sound to that elusive sixth sense—our conversations uncovered just how powerful our senses are in shaping our relationship with food, our bodies, and ultimately, our identity. As Dr. Somers said, our sensory experiences aren’t just fleeting inputs—they become memory, emotion, anticipation, and connection. They are how we know the world—and how we create home, community, and joy.

Whether it’s walking into grandma’s house and being met with the familiar smell of roast and potatoes, or planting seeds with our kids and watching their eyes light up as green shoots emerge—these small sensory experiences root us in something profound. They ground us in the now.

The Family Meal: A Sacred Ritual

Dr. Somers reminded us that one of our earliest and most formative memories is often the family meal. It’s not just about nourishment; it’s about relationship, ritual, safety, and identity. It’s also an invitation—to listen, to be seen, to be valued. Around the table, through the questions we ask, and the stories we share, we model presence for our children.

And let’s not forget the unseen forces that shape our patterns: the habits we inherit, the fears we unconsciously pass on, and the information overload that tells us there’s a “right” way to eat, parent, or live. Dr. Somers emphasized something we too often forget—fear should not be the driver of how we feed or raise our children. Curiosity and presence should be.

Presence Over Perfection:Embracing the Now

One of the most powerful insights we circled back to was the idea of the arrival fallacy—the belief that happiness or fulfillment will arrive once we’ve “made it,” reached the goal, lost the weight, gotten the promotion, or raised the kids. The truth? Life is happening right now. It’s in the breath. It’s in the sensation of the morning air, the birdsong, the crunch of carrots at the table, or the sticky fingers exploring mashed avocado.

We are not waiting to arrive. We are already here.

Wisdom in Community

These conversations reminded me—and hopefully reminded you—that we are communal beings. We are not meant to figure it all out in isolation or rely on Instagram feeds to learn how to raise our kids. We are meant to lean on one another, to reclaim the art of storytelling, to listen and be listened to. The wisdom of the village still matters. We just have to choose to rebuild it.

Simple Sensory Practices for Everyday Life

So here’s our invitation to you:

• Sit at the table tonight and ask your child what their favorite scent is.

• Go outside barefoot and feel the earth.

• Make a meal and savor the texture of every bite.

• Turn off the podcast and listen to the birds for a moment.

• Read with your child. Plant a seed. Laugh out loud.

These are not trivial acts—they are the essence of Living Awake.

Recommended Reading

Dr. Somers shared a current favorite: Better in Every Sense—a book exploring how our senses shape our stress response, joy, and overall well-being. It’s a reminder that the tools for grounding ourselves are already within us.

Closing Thought

From both of us, thank you for journeying through this series. May you continue to explore, to connect, and to live awake—one breath, one meal, one shared story at a time.