Beyond the plate...

As you know, I am deeply entrenched in the world of food—it is truly my happy place.

I spend a lot of my time talking, and reading, about anything and everything related to blood sugar, inflammation, and the gut, and how they impact overall health, especially heart health. They are the pillars of my career and my clinical practice, and they remain paramount.

But while the B.I.G. 3—Blood Sugar, Inflammation, and Gut Health™—are the lens through which I begin working with every client, they have never, not once, been a food-only framework in my mind.

Yes, food is the entry point. It's where we have the most leverage, the most immediate control. But I've always known that what we eat is only one input into a far more complex system. The B.I.G. 3 are influenced by sleep, stress, movement, environment—and, as I want to explore today, by the quality of our human connection.

For years, my approach has been rooted in the "whole person." In fact, many of my clients have joked over the years that while they know I'm not a psychologist, they appreciate that I look at the bigger picture.

We don't just talk about getting enough protein to facilitate function, and to build muscle; we talk about why you might not be absorbing that protein in the first place. For example, if your stress levels are through the roof, your body isn't in a state to utilize the nutrients you're feeding it (I've written more about the secrets to protein success here).

I've always worked this way, but a few things I've encountered recently—a book, a quote, a conversation—made me want to act as your RAS for a moment.

Your RAS = A biological filter (of sorts!)

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a technical term for a very simple biological filter in your brain. Think about when you decide to buy a white car; suddenly, you see white cars everywhere. They were always there, but your RAS is now highlighting them for you.

That is my goal with this post. I want to prime your RAS to look for Social Nutrition, and to encourage you to increase your serving! I want this concept to be at the forefront of your mind so that when you smile at a stranger, say hello to a neighbor, or sign up for a pickle or padel tournament (or any other social sport!), you recognize that you aren't just "being social"—you are being mindful of a vital nutrient.

Lessons from the "Irish Blue Zone"

I still have vivid memories of my first couple of trips home from San Francisco to visit my family in Ireland. It was early in my nutrition career, and I was always struck by the vitality of my parents, and everyone in their social circle.

They're not following rigid anti-inflammatory meal plans, or eschewing gluten (or any other food for that matter!), but they are practicing social nutrition daily. There's always some sort of community activity, whether at the golf club, tennis club, or even church - there was always a reason to connect with their friends. And, so I’ve come to appreciate that when the homemade cookies (aka biscuits in Ireland) appear for afternoon tea or a neighbor drops by unannounced, or when dinner with friends involves a glass of wine or two, they're literally feeding a system that no supplement can reach.

More than just a menu

This was reinforced recently when a wonderful Italian friend of mine—also a nutritionist—went on a cycling trip around Sardinia with her sister.

Before she left we wondered (half jokingly) if she'd find any magic ingredient or menu or cooking technique in this famous Blue Zone. Of course the food was incredible, and the weather was delightful too, but what she really struck her was the neighbors leaning over balconies, laughing and shouting across the street to each other. By the end of their trip, she and her sister weren't cataloguing or even commenting on the local cuisine — they were laughing at how impossible it was to look anywhere without witnessing people deeply, unselfconsciously connected to one another.  Every time they saw a group interacting they'd smile and point out "There's the blue zone diet. That's it." It was the deep sense of community, sense of belonging.

On love, literature, and what really heals us

My friend's observation stayed with me. And then, almost by design, a great book, and a show recently "pinged" my own RAS and brought this into sharp focus again.

The first was a book recommended by one of my favorite clients: Theo of Golden by Allan Levi — a quietly powerful story of how one person, despite immense adversity, can ripple outward and change the lives of everyone they touch.

What stayed with me most was Levi's reminder that "nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core."

I've been thinking about that line ever since—not just in the context of storytelling, but in the context of health. A perfectly optimized meal plan, a rigorous supplement protocol, a flawless sleep routine—none of it lands the way it should if it isn't grounded in genuine connection and care.

Levi also draws on a line from Wordsworth which I find myself returning to again and again: that the best portion of a good person's life is the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. Not the grand gestures. The quiet ones. The cup of tea made for someone without being asked. The check-in text or e-mail. The smile across the street or over a fence. These are acts of Social Nutrition—and they nourish both the giver and the receiver in ways our clinical frameworks are only beginning to understand.

This was echoed by a quote from the character Anne in the show After Life:

"Happiness is amazing, it's so amazing it doesn't matter if it's yours or not....'A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in.' Good people do things for other people, that's it—the end."

When we "plant trees" for others—when we contribute to the community—we aren't just being "good people." We are nourishing our own biology.

BTW - I recommend you read the book, more than watch the show!

Why connection matters so much

This is where it gets slightly clinical—and why I want to be clear that my B.I.G. 3—Blood Sugar, Inflammation, and Gut Health™lens was never designed to stop at the dinner plate.

Each pillar is exquisitely sensitive to our social world:

• Blood Sugar: Isolation keeps cortisol high, which directly disrupts glucose regulation. You can eat a perfectly balanced meal and still spike your blood sugar if your nervous system is in a state of chronic stress or loneliness.
• Inflammation: The body interprets social disconnection as a physical threat, triggering the same inflammatory signaling as an injury or infection. Connection, conversely, is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory inputs we have.
• Gut Health: Through the gut-brain axis, your social environment influences your microbiome. Chronic loneliness alters gut motility, diversity, and the integrity of the gut lining. You are, quite literally, a reflection of your surroundings.

If love is not at the core—of our relationships, our communities, our daily rituals—then even our most diligent health efforts are missing their foundation.

TL;DR

• The B.I.G. 3—Blood Sugar, Inflammation, and Gut Health™—are my clinical starting point, but they were never just about food.
• Sleep, stress, movement, and human connection all directly influence these same markers.
• Social Nutrition is the nourishment we get from genuine connection — and it's not a soft concept, it's a biological input.
• Loneliness raises cortisol, triggers inflammation, and alters your gut microbiome. Connection does the opposite.
• Blue Zones aren't just about what people eat — they're about how people belong.
• If love isn't at the core, no meal plan in the world will fill the gap.