Consulting with people is an interesting insight into human behavior, physiology, and habits. Obviously the heart of my work is nutrition and wellness, but much of this work involves coaching, support, and being able to relate to people and their concerns. Being accessible. Here are a few things I’ve learned over the past six years of my career as a nutritionist:

-everyone loves cheese
-most people drink coffee
-about half of you crave salty and half crave sweet, a pretty even split
-most people do some kind of exercise
-most common complaints: insomnia, fatigue (interesting correlation there), digestive issues
-it takes about a month to change a habit. If you’ve gone 3, you’re pretty much golden. It takes the brain that amount of time to ditch one behavior and fully develop another.
-it takes about 5 days for sugar cravings to disappear once you cut it out of your diet
-everyone benefits from cutting out gluten, dairy, and soy for a couple of months, regardless of whether or not they are sensitive to these foods
-most common food sensitivities: eggs, dairy, gluten
-we’re not getting nearly enough minerals like magnesium & potassium, essential for cardio & blood pressure regulation, muscle contraction and nervous system regulation
-there is so much info out there that it’s easy to get confused. Like Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” Eat real food. Stay away from boxed crap that is “low fat,” “sugar free,” whatever.
-the body really thrives on routine. Try it for a week: get up and go to bed at the same time, and eat at regular intervals every day.
-everyone has a pretty hefty amount of stress to handle. It’s your ability to cope that will dictate your level of wellness. I’ve learned the stress really is the “gateway” to illness–the first step to imbalance. Learn to identify, handle, and let go of stressors.
-the human body is incredibly resilient.
-being healthy and well is as much in the mind as the body
-a lot of people really don’t like nuts. What gives?
-practicing some kind of spirituality–anything you identify with–is a necessary part of the wellness model, along with diet, exercise, and stress relief
-most common addiction: sugar
-every single person i’ve ever tested has had some kind of parasite or bacterial overgrowth in their digestive tract, even if they don’t have pronounced digestive symptoms. These can create real problems, like IBS, Crohn’s, or even hormonal imbalance/infertility. Shocking, huh?
-people really love their chocolate (myself included)
-the majority fare better and are more successful making a huge sweeping change all at once versus a little at a time (e.g. cutting out a food cold turkey vs phasing it out slowly)
-sometimes it’s hard for me to take my own advice
-rest is as essential to health restoration as anything. We work way too much. Spend more time with your family & friends, and take naps. Famous last words: “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.” I think not.

Mary Vance, NC

Mary Vance is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and author specializing in digestive health. She combines a science-based approach with natural therapies to rebalance the body. In addition to her 1:1 coaching, she offers courses to help you heal your gut and improve your health. Mary lives in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in Northern California. Read more about her coaching practice here and her background here.