Welcome back to Rebuilding Trust With Your Body, I’m Katy Harvey your host. I don’t know how it is where you live, but around here in KC it feels like everyone is sick right now. My aunt who is an RN in Chicago said she was working at the children’s hospital the other day and it was full.  I hope you’ve been able to avoid it, but reality is that at some point we all get sick, so we’re going to start rapid fire today with some questions that probably go through your head when you’re sick:

• “What if I lose weight while I’m sick?” or “What if I gain weight while I’m sick?”
  → Bodies fluctuate during illness; nourishment and recovery matter more than numbers.
• “What if I only want carbs for days?”
  → That’s okay. Variety returns naturally.
• “What if I don’t feel hunger at all?”
  → Gentle nourishment and fluids are enough until cues return. It’s ok to listen to your body. Truth be told, the most important thing is staying hydrated.

If you’ve been trying to do intuitive eating, sickness can really throw you for a loop. What was working for you before might feel like it’s not when you’re sick, or it might stir up fears of not getting good nutrition, or thoughts about calories or weight. 

In fact, this episode was inspired by someone inside my community, Brittany, who asked about how to navigate IE while sick, because when she was sick she noticed that all she wanted was carbs and things like chips, and she had no desire for fruits or veggies. And she asked is that ok, or are there things she should be doing from a gentle nutrition standpoint when sick, even if it doesn’t sound good.

So we’re going to get into all of that today! 

Really quick, if you’re not a member of my free Facebook community, you totally should be. It’s called IEME and it’s such an incredible space full of wise and compassionate people who support each other where you can ask questions and reach out for support when you’re struggling. It’s nice because it’s a place where people really “get it” – whereas the people in your everyday life might not understand or support the IE approach. So click the link in the episode description to come on in and join the fun if you’re not inside already!! I share extra tips and resources in there, and I periodically do free mini-trainings on specific topics to help you, so if you’re trying to do IE and make peace with food, don’t skip this community. 

Before we dive into our main topic for today, you know what time it is…We’ve got some Wellness Woo to talk about. 

Wellness Woo is the stuff that diet and wellness culture tells us we should do in the name of health, but it’s really based on pseudoscience, exaggerated claims, or just nonsense. 

Today’s Wellness Woo is a juicy one: The new Food Guide Pyramid

Let me just preface this by saying: I’m not going to get political here about it – I purely want to break down the nutrition science behind what it says.

Really quickly, let’s first break down the history of the food guide pyramid so that you have some context. 

The very first pyramid was created in Sweden in the 1970’s, and the US didn’t come out with one until 1992. From what I understand, it came to be because food prices were so high in Sweden at the time, that they wanted to give the public some guidance on what nutrition they could get from affordable food, and what actually mattered nutritionally in terms of the more expensive foods to fill in the gaps. So their basic food groups that they started with were bread, cheese, milk, margarine, cereals and potatoes. Which kind of makes me giggle because of how horrified our current society would be by this – but the context matters. This was what people could access and afford, and this is still true for a lot of people today. We need to make sure that when we’re talking about nutrition we’re recognizing the socioeconomic factors involved, and the role that the SDOH play. 

So back to Sweden…they had their basic foods that people were eating that were cheap. And they were using their pyramid to guide people towards also including supplemental meat, eggs, fish, fruits and veggies – because these foods contain key nutrients that the basic foods don’t have. 

In 1989, the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization published public health nutrition guidelines that were based on data from a large meta-analysis. They put it out as a chart, and not a pyramid, and their recommendations even break it down into what types of fats (noting the role of unsaturated fats in health), specific fiber targets, and they break down carbohydrates into different types. One thing that I think is noteworthy, is that even in the updated version of this that came out in 2002, the carbohydrate recommendation remained the same that 55-75% of a person’s total calories are coming from carbs. This is coming from large scale population data about what the human body needs for health. Now they’re also recommending that half of those carbs be complex, and therefore quite a bit of fiber – so it’s not saying to just eat baked goods all day. But I want you to understand that what’s actually healthy for the human body with basic nutrition hasn’t really changed from what we knew back then. AND that the current guidelines that demonize carbs are problematic. We’ll come back to that in a minute. 

So, here in the US we got our first food guide pyramid in 1992. It’s put out by the USDA and Dept of Health and Human Services based on their Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the first one that was released was the original triangle pyramid that you probably remember (the one now is an upside down version of it). The DGA is updated every 5 years, and periodically we’ve gotten a new food pyramid or visual guidance with it.

In 2005 it was revised to be called MyPyramid with up and down lines, and there was also a person standing beside it which was supposed to represent physical activity

In 2011 we got MyPlate

Fast forward to now in 2026, where we just got the inverted food pyramid. 

It is an upside down triangle, with a tiny bit of carbs from grains at the bottom, the middle part is fruit, nuts, butter, and a few foods that I can’t even tell what they are. And the top is meat, vegetables, and full fat dairy. 

Here are the issues I have with this:

• First of all, the actual graphic looks like my 4th grader made it on Canva without any help from an adult. And frankly, I think this diminishes the credibility. 
• As I mentioned above, some of the things on here it’s not even clear what they are – so what’s a person supposed to do with that?
• Now let’s get into the nutrition advice being offered here (and I don’t want this to come off as good/bad food – I want to just look at this with factual information about what we know about human nutrition science, knowing that all foods absolutely can fit into an overall balanced and healthful way of eating):
  • The demonization of carbs, and putting protein on a pedestal like this implies that the vast majority of your food should be protein, when that’s factually not true
  • Actively encouraging more red meat, butter, and full fat dairy (high sat fat, giving carnivore/paleo/keto vibes)
  • Telling people to “eat real food” and avoid processed food is a really privileged thing to say. It’s also not practical, and it is a vast oversimplification of how food and nutrition work.
  • Actual human behavior change in regards to nutrition is not going to happen as a result of this pyramid.
  • It perpetuates the good/bad food judgment that creates food guilt and ironically sets up bingeing on these foods, and it encourages rigidity and all-or-none thinking about food that’s neither necessary nor sustainable. This pyramid lacks any nuance, and it’s not even good nutrition advice rooted in what the actual science says – and for that reason I’m calling it Wellness Woo.

My nutritional advice for my clients is not changing based on this. And I’m very open to changing my guidance and practices based on the latest science. I’m constantly reading research and doing CEUs to stay up-to-date. This doesn’t do that for me. 

And if you’re trying to make peace with food and practice IE, then frankly I would just ignore the pyramid and continue working on trusting your body, neutralizing your fears and judgments about food, and practicing gentle nutrition that’s tailored towards what YOUR body needs.

If you have an example of Wellness Woo that you want to share, DM me!

Ok, that’s enough of that. Moving on to today’s main topic…

How to Do Intuitive Eating When You’re Sick With a Cold or the Flu

• “If you’ve ever been sick and suddenly thought, ‘I should eat cleaner right now,’ this discussion is for you.”
• Common fears:
  • “What if all I can tolerate is toast or crackers?”
  • “What if I eat ‘junk’ and delay my recovery?”
  • “What if I dont’ have normal hunger and fullness signals?
• I also want to name a common fantasy: “I hope I’ll lose some weight.”
• Let’s remember:
  • Being sick is not a test of your intuitive eating skills.
  • Your job when you are sick is to support your body, not optimize your nutrition.

What Intuitive Eating Looks Like When You’re Sick

Intuitive eating during illness is about flexibility, gentleness, and responsiveness, not balance or nutrition perfection.

Mindset shifts to explicitly name:

• ❌ “I need to eat ‘healthy’ to get better.”
  ✅ “I need to eat what my body can manage and use.”
• ❌ “I should force myself to eat normally.”
  ✅ “My body’s needs temporarily change when I’m sick.”
• ❌ “This will mess up my progress.”
  ✅ “Responding with compassion is the progress.”

Reassurance:

• Appetite changes during illness are biologically normal
• Temporary food patterns ≠ habits
• Rest and hydration are the main forms of nourishment

I’m going to give you 5 practical tips for when you’re sick:

Practical Tip #1: Honor Hunger and Lack of Hunger (Without Stressing Out)

Normalize both ends of the spectrum

Talk through scenarios:

• No appetite at all
• Low-grade hunger
• Hunger but food sounds unappealing

Coaching points:

• Hunger cues may be muted, delayed, or inconsistent
• It’s okay to:
  • Eat smaller amounts
  • Eat more frequently
  • Eat the same foods repeatedly
  • Not eat any protein or vegetables
  • Skip a meal if your body truly says “no” and come back later

Listening to your body doesn’t mean just hunger and fullness. You might not really have hunger when you’re sick. Listening to your body also means taking care of your body with the wisdom of what will be most supportive – such as staying hydrated, eating easily digested foods, and potentially NOT eating high fiber, or really rich or spicy foods if your stomach has been upset. 

Practical Tip #2: Gentle Nutrition Without Forcing “Balanced” Meals

This is where so many people spiral

Reassure first:

• You do not need:
  • Perfectly balanced plates
  • Vegetables at every meal
  • Protein optimization
  • Anti-inflammatory superfoods
  • To “boost your immune system” (explain)

Helpful categories instead:

• Easy to digest
• Comforting
• Tolerable
• Appealing enough

Examples to mention (non-prescriptive tone):

• Soup, broth, crackers, toast
• Cereal, oatmeal, rice
• Applesauce, bananas
• Popsicles, juice, smoothies
• Ramen, grilled cheese, mac & cheese

Carbs are not bad, unhealthy or a failure when you’re sick. They’re often the most accessible energy source, and your body knows it. Your body is smart.

Practical Tip #3: Hydration Counts as Nourishment

Expand the definition of ‘eating’

Normalize:

• Fluids may be easier than solids
• Dehydration can worsen symptoms and fatigue

Examples:

• Water, electrolyte drinks
• Tea with honey
• Broth
• Smoothies
• Juice diluted with water

Important reminder:

If all you’re managing is fluids some hours or even a full day—that is still supporting your body.

Practical Tip #4: Permission to Eat “Oddly” or “Childlike”

Reduce shame and food rules

Name common patterns:

• Eating the same thing repeatedly
• Wanting bland foods
• Craving cold foods when feverish
• Wanting “sick day foods” from childhood – my grandma used to make me scrambled eggs and toast, and she always had cream soda and ginger ale on hand.

Reframe:

• This is self-soothing and regulation, not regression
• Familiar foods can feel safer when your GI system is stressed

Needing simple, beige, or nostalgic foods does not mean you’ve lost intuitive eating—it’s a normal response to being sick, and it’s what your body needs.

Practical Tip #5: Let Go of the ‘Bounce Back’ Mentality

Prevent post-illness restriction

• “I’ll eat light once I feel better.”
• “I need to reset after being sick.”
• “I’ll cut out all this junk when I feel better.”

Reframe:

• Your body may need:
  • More food
  • More carbs
  • More rest
• Appetite may come back strong after you start feeling better, and that’s normal. Your body is replenishing from being depleted. 

Gentle Return to “Normal” Eating (Without Pressure)

Address the transition period

Normalize:

• Appetite might come back gradually
• Taste may be off
• Energy may lag behind hunger

Encouraging language:

• “You don’t have to jump back into anything.”
• “Your body will guide the pace.”
• “Trust that your body knows how to recalibrate—just like it always has.”

• Reflective question:
  • “How would you feed yourself if your only goal was comfort and recovery?”
• Invite them to:
  • Save this episode and Re-listen to this episode next time they’re sick

If you take nothing else from this episode, I want you to hear this:

You do not need to eat perfectly to heal.

When you’re sick, your only job is to rest, hydrate, and respond with kindness. That’s it. This is not the time for food rules, nutrition math, or second-guessing yourself.

Your body already knows how to get better. It’s done this before — many times — and it doesn’t need you micromanaging it with “shoulds” or guilt.

You don’t need to take tons of supplements or choke down fruits and vegetables in the name of “boosting your immune system” or helping your body heal. That’s honestly not going to do anything helpful for you. 

If all you can manage right now is toast, soup, cereal, or popsicles — that’s okay. If your appetite disappears for a bit, that’s okay too. If eating feels weird, off, or different than usual, that’s not a problem to fix — it’s information to listen to.

Intuitive eating isn’t about doing things “right.” It’s about staying connected and responsive, even when life throws you curveballs — and getting sick is one of them.

And when you start to feel better, you don’t need to compensate, reset, or rein things in. You just keep going. Your body will guide you back into your normal rhythms in its own time.

So please — let this be your permission slip to soften, to trust, and to take care of yourself without judgment, and without worrying that you’re losing progress with IE or gentle nutrition.

That’s a wrap for this episode!

In case nobody has told you today – you are worthy just as you are. We’ll talk again soon.

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