Our approach to nutrition is basically classified under 2 main philosophies, which has shaped our perspective and attitude towards food.
- Reductionist Approach. ( RA )
- Holistic Approach. ( HA )
Reductionist Approach. ( RA )
It is an aspect of reducing things and getting more narrow and detailed with respect to understanding something. Here we break down the food into its smallest compound and quantify / evaluate their impacts and functions. The growth of modern Food Science is hugely attributed to this approach.
Holistic Approach. ( HA )
This is more of the traditional approach towards Food and Nutrition. Here we understand the importance of details, but also start to see the relationships and the intricate way in which the foods interact and intersect together, and how they then impact us.
The Problem.
Both are very important approaches and have their own place.
But in our society, roughly for the last 100 years we have taken Reductionist Approach in all aspects of science. Including the science of nutrition to an extreme, where the more we go into the details, the more we lose sight of the big picture.
For Optimal Health.
Our health, our nutrition does not work this way. We can’t isolate numbers and think this is what is going to create optimal health and wellbeing. Our health is a complex matter, the food in itself is a system larger than the sum of its parts. Hence, we should start looking at food as a whole.
For various health goals and objectives we may resort to different nutrition philosophies from time to time, but for a long lasting healthy and happening life it is suggested to adopt a holistic approach towards food and nutrition, and start making lifestyle changes accordingly.