IIN is fortunate to have a collection of the world’s leading health and wellness experts at its fingertips, and we’re always tapping them for their expertise and insights. There’s so much information out there, and it can be overwhelming and exhausting. What should we make of all of it? What’s noise, and what’s important? What does the future hold? That’s what inspired us to create the 10 Most Critical Health Questions series, featuring a who’s who of health and wellness visionaries.
Below is our interview with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, the founder and lead dietician of Maya Feller Nutrition. Maya is also the co-host of the Well, Now podcast, Slate’s new wellness podcast, and a featured speaker at our upcoming virtual summit, WellBeing 2024: Charting Your Path to Enhanced Health and Vitality. On the second day of the three-day session, she’ll lead a workshop called Grounding the Practice of Self-Nourishment and Wellness Through the Food We Harvest, Eat, and Share.
IIN: What is the single biggest health threat we face as a society, and how can we combat it?
Maya Feller: In my experience as a registered dietitian, the single biggest health threat we face as a society is limited access to nutrient-dense foods. The other side of this is the excessive access to foods with high amounts of added sugars, saturated and synthetic fats, and added salts. These foods exacerbate the already high rates of chronic illness that plague the United States and are spreading around the globe.
To combat the negative impact of these foods, we need equitable and affordable access to nutrient-dense foods. Often, society makes chronic illness the fault of the individual rather than recognizing it as a systemic issue. The systems that are currently in place need to be reworked with the health of individuals at the center, rather than profits as the guiding principles. If the current systems that pump illness into historically marginalized communities are left to continue, we will have a generation of children with shorter life expectancy and more chronic conditions.
IIN: What is the single biggest advancement you’ve seen to support mental health?
Maya Feller: We are experiencing a loneliness epidemic with the rise of smartphones and social media. Anxiety and depression are on the rise, and many mental health experts agree that social media and more time spent alone is exacerbating the problem. One of the biggest advancements I’ve seen in supporting mental health is the call to action from health commissioners and the surgeon general to pay attention to the impact of social media on our collective mental health. Wait Until 8th is an example of an initiative engaging families to wait until eighth grade to introduce smartphones. On the podcast that I co-host, Well, Now, we talked to Dr. Edith Bracho about actionable ways that families can be present for each other and reduce screen time.
Read More: 10 Critical Health Questions With SheLaunch Co-Founder Melissa Ambrosini
IIN: How do you think AI and emerging technology will affect our collective health in the next decade?
Maya Feller: In the next decade, I think AI and emerging technology will change the way we think about personalized nutrition. I believe we will see an expansion, as well as an acceptance, of technology that allows us to track our individual health and make modifications based on real-time information — everything from wearables to ingestible technologies. I also think we will see the increased use of automated systems and robotics to support culinary and farming innovations.
IIN: If you had $1 billion to invest in health and wellness today, where would you put your money and why?
Maya Feller: I would invest $1 billion in farming subsidies that would expand access and affordability of nutrient-dense plant foods. With the growing chronic illness epidemic, coupled with the rising costs associated with nutrient-dense foods, subsidies for the foods that we consume become even more important. Affordability and accessibility are major barriers to getting nutrient-dense foods into people’s homes and onto their plates.
IIN: If you had to choose a couple health and wellness trends that you think will explode in popularity and relevance in the coming years, what would you choose?
Maya Feller: Plant based/plant forward eating is here to stay. The body of evidence that supports the health benefits associated with consuming plants continues to grow.
Protein comes from a variety of sources, both plant and animal. There is a growing consensus that protein needs should be higher for various stages throughout the life cycle. It’s possible that .8g/kg of body weight may not be sufficient. Many people living in the U.S. eat more than the recommended daily allowance for protein, and it’s possible that they may actually need more. Further research is needed. However, anecdotally, many of my patients do well when they take in 1g/protein per kg of body weight each day. In addition, it is understood that protein sources should be varied to include plants and animals to reap the maximum benefits.
Another one is prioritizing stress reduction. Stress, specifically chronic stress, has been associated with the development and worsening of existing metabolic dysfunction. Engaging in restorative behaviors help to reduce stress. These include grounding activities in nature, hot and cold therapy, meditation and meditative practices, breathwork, and mealtimes in the community.
IIN: Why do you think coaching is booming right now?
Maya Feller: We all need support when it comes to accountability, and coaches are able to act as peers and provide accountability based on lived experience and knowledge gained during certificate training. Coaches are a wonderful resource for people who benefit from having an accountability partner as well as a motivator.
IIN: Screen time continues to be a major societal issue. Is there anything we can do to curb it?
Maya Feller: Yes, screen time is a major issue. We have a loneliness epidemic. People around the world spend less time in the community, in real-life interactions, and more time behind a screen. There are a number of initiatives that are centered around encouraging adults and caregivers to delay the introduction of screens into the lives of children that they care for. Schools are asking children to hand their phones in at the beginning of the day so they can be more present for learning, as well as playtime during school hours.
At the recommendation of a friend, my family has started using the Aro box to reduce our collective screen time. Reducing screen time takes intentionality. Talk to the people that you live with. And if you live alone, set screen time limits for yourself. Prioritize engaging in activities with people who do not rely on screens, surround yourself with people who are able and interested in conversation, and carve out space and time to be in nature.
Read More: How Robert Mack Went From Depressed and Suicidal to a Champion of Positive Psychology
IIN: Let’s talk Ozempic. Do you think the medication — and others like it — will continue to be used at such a high rate?
Maya Feller: GLP-1 [glucagon-like peptide 1] agonists will change the face of healthcare. They have been used in diabetes for decades, and research will continue to evolve around the long-term use of GLP-1 agonists for non-surgical weight loss. If the benefits continue to outweigh the risks, I believe that people globally will continue to use these medications at high rates. There is no easy answer when it comes to the use of GLP-1 agonists. Research suggests that in addition to weight loss, they resolve many metabolic conditions. It’s becoming clear that users may require a maintenance dose, and that needs to be taken into consideration when these medications are initially prescribed.
Additionally, healthcare is not without bias. The resolution of metabolic dysfunction should be evaluated separately from becoming thin/slender, which is thought of as morally superior. A person’s body weight is not a reflection of their character or worth, and the two should not be conflated.
Weight bias and stigma need to become a part of the conversation as the access to these medications widens.
IIN: Do you think virtual events (immersive mindfulness sessions, interactive cooking classes, virtual workouts) will make in-person activities relatively obsolete in the future? Can they make a comeback?
Maya Feller: We need a balance of in-person and virtual events. Virtual events have the possibility to touch people globally without the need for the participant to leave their locales, and at a fraction of the cost. In-person events offer the opportunity to connect outside of scheduled sessions. Dinners, coffee/ tea, walking, and more are unstructured ways to connect with event participants. Both in-person and virtual events have unique values, and I think there is space for both in the future.
IIN: What do you think is the future of nutrition and metabolic health?
Maya Feller: The future of nutrition and metabolic health is dependent on systemic shifts that will prioritize community health. This is dependent on improving access to affordable nutrient-dense options globally. In the U.S., this means equitable access to food for communities that have been historically marginalized. This also means access to respectful high-quality healthcare in a timely manner.
And don’t forget to register for WellBeing 2024, which will be held from Friday, October 18th through Sunday, October 20th. Learn more about the event and register for free here!
Want to learn directly from Maya? Enroll in the Health Coach Training Program, the Nutrition for Life course, or the Coaching Intensive Practicum!
Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the author of Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites From Cultures Around the World. She’s also the co-host of Well, Now, Slate’s new wellness podcast. In her practice, Maya and her team provide medical nutrition therapy and nutrition coaching for hormone and metabolic health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mood disorders, developmental disabilities, disordered eating, and more.
Maya believes in providing inclusive nutrition education with an anti-bias, patient-centered, culturally humble approach to help people make informed food choices. She shares her approachable, food-based solutions with millions of people through her new on-demand courses, regular speaking engagements, writing, her social media platforms, and as a national nutrition expert on Good Morning America.