How Your Diet Can Help (or Hurt) Your Marriage

You are what you eat. It’s as simple as that. The nutrients and junk we place in our bodies have a profound impact on our longevity, our quality of life, and our ability to combat illness and disease.

Not surprisingly, our eating habits and eating patterns have an impact on the quality of our marriages too. In the piece below, we explore how our dietary practices can hurt or enhance the quality of our marriage.

Please note that a lot of our “diet” observations make assumptions about other facets of our lives including exercise regimen, rest, and the like.

On the Helpful Side

If you and your partner can find some common ground healthy foods, you are heading in a good direction.

The decision to place healthy fruits, grains, proteins, and vegetables at the center of your diet will pay dividends to all members of your family.

You may also agree on a common “cheat” day, that is, the day you step away from the typical routine and splurge on sinful delicacies. It may be quite helpful to engage the expertise of a dietician.

Why not speak to a trusted professional about different eating styles and how to control eating habits you both bring into the marriage, how these practices may be adjusted for the good of all, and also how to eat healthy when your spouse doesn’t?

The family that cooks together, stays together

If you develop a healthy couple’s diet and exercise plan with your spouse, you’re on your way to not only cooking high-quality meals together but fostering high-quality time together.

Time in the kitchen together develops shared passions and promotes healthy communication. Get the kids – if you have kids – into the routine of helping in the kitchen, too.

The benefits of a family approach for diets for couples and meal preparation are manifold.

Good foods can lead to great longevity

If we are putting foods in our bodies that create ample energy and fight the rough and tough diseases, we will be more potent in intimacy and may also extend the duration of our lives together.

Good Food selection choices on the frontend lead to good outcomes in the long-term. Some experts advise eating for our blood types, that is, ingesting foods that complement our existing blood chemistry.

Saving costs and saving time are additional benefits of a diet complementary to your spouse’s diet. When we share a common appreciation for specific foods, we are on our way to sharing dietary practices that will benefit everyone.

Who doesn’t appreciate less time at the store and more money in the pocket? I suspect we all do.

A good diet also enhances our mental health

The proper nutritional intake helps our sleep, our serotonin levels, as well as our overall feeling of wellness. If we enjoy a certain sense of wellness and mental health, we will be better equipped to attend to our relationships.

Some foods and nutritional supplements immensely enhance our sense of wellbeing. Talk to a family physician about the foods and nutrients that help in this way.

The don’ts

If your partner has adopted unsavory dietary practices, do not join him/her down in the abyss. A diet rich in sugar and saturated fat may bring a lot of comfort to the individual, but it will not bring good health.

Better yet, try to encourage your beloved to make positive changes to his/her diet. Baby steps are generally the order of the day. What can we do to guard our good health, while also encouraging our loved one to make better decisions?

The list is quite extensive.

Work towards compromises

If you and your partner constantly disagree on the types of food you like to eat, consider ways you can work toward smart compromises.

Compromises may include a “food calendar” that maps out when certain dishes will appear on the family menu.

Remember, compromise is the key to a good life. The good compromise also presupposes that we have been able to engage in good communication.

Find the best meal plans for couples and see what works for both of you by making minor adjustments. 

Don’t shame your loved one’s diet and overall health

Often shame and guilt are the big catalysts in pushing our partners toward further trouble and additional unsavory practices. Encouragement is always the best approach. Encourage your loved one to consider how diet impacts health.

Encourage your loved one to seek medical/dietary help from professionals who know how to listen and provide a good path forward. Be open to hearing your loved one’s point of you and concerns and create a couple’s diet plans to further help your partner. 

Don’t give up on the good practices

When we are discouraged and overwhelmed, we may want to shelve our good practices for methodologies that are easy and accommodating.

In the realm of diet, this may include a backslide into fast-food dining, poor quality foods, and an acquiescing toward our partner’s more unsavory practices.

These sorts of compromises never work out, and we suffer for them. Honor the dietary practices that enabled your wellness in the first place.

Final Thoughts

There’s no downplaying the impact of diet on relational health and vigor.

While we were made for relationships, the relationships in our lives can be hampered or sullied by the choices we make in the grocery store and end the kitchen.

Let’s be cognizant of the practices and procedures that allow us to claim good health for our loved ones and us. As is always the case, we need to communicate about the practices that keep everyone healthy and happy.

When in doubt, seek outside assistance and insight. Happy eating!

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Marriage.com Editorial Team Relationship & Marriage Advice

The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts... Read more to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice. Read less