Did you know that diet culture is worth almost 70 billion dollars?
Yes, billion.
Diet culture is the outdated, yet ever-so-popular belief that being thin is the ultimate measure of health. That eating behaviors exist in a binary world, with certain foods labeled as “good” or “bad”.
Where one’s eating habits and external appearance defines their personal worth.
“Diet culture creates harm and I’m focused on dismantling that as a health coach. “
Nellie Brau
Haus of Ojas
This belief system is not only incorrect, it’s extremely dangerous and relentless.
“You can imagine with that kind of money on the table, diet culture is going to find a way to keep you in the cycle,” says Nellie Brau, founder of Haus of Ojas, “I find it radical and necessary, almost an issue of justice, to ensure that people know [their coach] isn’t keeping them there.”
During an interview for the Well Connected Twin Cities Podcast, Nellie explains the role of holistic health coaching and, more specifically, the role Haus of Ojas plays in the dismantling of diet culture. Listen to the full episode.
During the conversation, Nellie shares her own battle with disordered eating, a serious symptom of diet culture.
She explains that she was underwhelmed by the support she had received from conventional medicine and has designed her career as a holistic health coach to fill in the gaps.
Health is more than the absence of disease.
Nellie explains that while conventional health professionals play a critical role in healing, they typically hold a mindset that defines health as the absence of disease.
Whereas a holistic health coach is trained to look beyond the challenge or diagnosis and lead the person to discover opportunity for, what she calls, “human flourishing”.
“Coaching is pushing you toward realizing your wellbeing vision,” says Nellie, “How can we help you thrive?'”
This alone will not dismantle diet culture, but is fundamental.
Getting to the root of the belief is essential.
Diet culture is a belief. A belief you may have been cultivating for a lifetime. To begin to heal, you’ve got to move beyond solving the symptoms (external appearance, weight, muscle mass, BMI) and focus in on the root cause of food behaviors and beliefs.
In the conversation, Nellie describes how powerful and pervasive foundational beliefs about food can be. In fact, she explains how food behaviors can be unknowingly passed down and impact future generations.
Haus of Ojas uses holistic health coaching tools to discover the deep believes around body image and food. It’s through this discovery that the relationship with body image and food can heal.
Healing the relationship with food and body is crucial, and so is sustaining new behaviors.
Developing self trust is the key to sustainability
What stands out about the work Nellie Brau is doing with Haus of Ojas is her emphasis on creating a clear exit strategy out of the coaching experience.
“My job as a coach is to work myself out of a job. Graduation is an integral part.”
Nellie Brau
Haus of Ojas
To facilitate this skill development, Haus of Ojas uses Ayurvedic tools to help clients get to know and trust themselves throughout the process.
Nellie explains that each body has intuitive wisdom, and that by developing an ear to listen, you can be empowered to sustain a much more positive relationship with your body and with food.
Nellie explains with passion that the power to reclaim your hunger, food, and body is your birthright.
Holistic health coaching gives tools and resources to build skills and self-efficacy to effectively break the cycle that diet culture depends on.
Make sure to listen to the full episode to hear Nellie’s tips to starting your own journey to owning your relationship with food + body image.
“Reclaim your birthright to hunger, food, and body.”
Nellie Brau
Haus of ojas