Are You a Sensitive Nutritional Soul? – with Marc David

Are you the kind of person who’s a little more sensitive to food? Do you notice that your body seems to be more affected by the world when you compare yourself to others? Or perhaps you know someone who falls into this category. Well, consider that some of us may very well be “Sensitive Nutritional Souls.”

In this video, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating discusses this fascinating phenomenon and looks at some of the hidden metabolic and psychologic factors that drive the sensitive nutritional soul experience. This is a topic that’s becoming more and more important these days. This brief video comes with some great insights.

Greetings friends, this is Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating.

Today’s topic: Are You a Sensitive Nutritional Soul?

For the longest time, since I’ve been in the business of coaching, counseling and teaching in the fields of eating psychology and nutrition, I’ve noticed something that’s consistently caught my interest: there’s a certain group of people that seem to be what I would call a sensitive nutritional soul.

Meaning, they feel things. They have a more sensitive body, a more sensitive chemistry, they feel things more in their digestion, they might have more food sensitivities than the average person, they might be more sensitive to chemicals, perfumes, irritating music, loud sounds, poor air quality, and more.

Sensitive nutritional souls need to be continuously aware of what they’re eating. They oftentimes know what foods don’t serve them, and they’ll react very quickly when they consume something that doesn’t serve their body.

If this doesn’t describe you, it may very well describe someone you know, someone close to you, or a certain portion of your clients if you’re a professional.

In its extreme, such people are diagnosed as having multiple chemical sensitivities, and often live a very challenged life. And there are many people who don’t fall into this extreme end of the spectrum but are still quite sensitive.

In addition, many sensitive nutritional souls can pick up on the feelings of others, they don’t fare so well with stress, and people around them don’t always quite get it. They might have additional symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, joint or muscular pain, sleep challenges, breathing issues and more.

Sensitive nutritional souls don’t have it so easy. If you know someone like this, in my experience it’s important to understand that they might not be blessed with the same kind of constitution or strong immunity that others have. Sensitive nutritional souls might simply be born this way, or they grow into their sensitivity over time.

Many people who are supersensitive have had a past history of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Others may have a past history of drug use, prescription drug use, alcoholism, intense eating disorders, or were raised on a very poor diet, and even exposed to poor quality foods or toxic substances while in utero.

But let’s talk about the good news of being a sensitive nutritional soul.

First – if this describes you or someone that you know – there may be absolutely nothing wrong with you. There are all different kinds of people, body types, metabolic types, and personality types across the globe. Some of us are more sensitive than others. Some people are very sensitive to animals, some people have an exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, some people are excellent at picking up on other people’s feelings, others have a sensitivity to children, to the elderly, you name it.

The sensitive nutritional souls often need to simply embrace their sensitivity rather than see it as a ball and chain. Granted, their plight isn’t necessarily easy, but in a strange way they are like the canaries in the coal mine. Meaning, such people are quite aware and sensitive to the very substances and toxins that over time, could eventually take the rest of us down. The sensitive ones are simply the first responders. Sensitive means smarter, more aware, more sophisticated, and more exquisite in picking up details and nuances. How cool is that.

The bottom line is this: it’s okay to be one of the sensitive ones.

That’s a compliment. It means that we can sense things better than most others. So again, whether this describes you or someone you know or a client, it’s time to honor the sensitive ones, respect them, embrace them, learn from them, and even throw a little love their way.

Now of course, it’s also possible for sensitive nutritional souls to strengthen themselves and create a better immunity in the world. There’s a long list of ways to do this. I’ll mention a few of the strategies and distinctions that we teach here at the Institute and our premier professional program – our Eating Psychology Coach certification training:

Sensitive nutritional souls often need to be tested for food allergies or food sensitivities. Strong allergies or sensitivities to certain foods such as gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and others can often be contributing to their metabolic challenges.

For others, they often need to check for mold in the home or in the workplace. This is often an extremely potent, debilitating, and hidden immunosuppressor that’s more common than most people realize.

Of course, it’s important to work on digestive health and gut ecology, as a compromised digestive system, such as in the condition called leaky gut, can often lead to what we describe as the highly sensitive person.

Others may be living in areas that have been affected by industrial pollution, whether through the air or the soil or the water – and they need to notice if indeed they feel better when they’re away for extended times from their home or workplace.

And lastly, even if you’re not a sensitive nutritional soul, it’s always a good idea to be a little more sensitive – again meaning more alert, aware, and open to receiving feedback from the body, and feedback from our environment. Notice how the world impacts your body. Notice the places that are healthy for you. Notice the foods that give you energy. Notice the people that uplift you and help you feel more empowered. Notice the kinds of music that makes you feel better. And notice the kind of relationships and the ways of communicating that help you feel stronger.

I hope this was helpful my friends.

In the comments below, please let us know: What factors do you believe are influencing your own sensitivities to food? We love hearing your thoughts!