Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. She earned her Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Tennessee and has a research background in maternal and child health nutrition and public health, as well as a Certificate of Training in Obesity Interventions from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family.
Habits to Build a Heathy Relationship with Food
4 min read

- Binge eating
- Constantly thinking about food and fixating on what the next meal will be
- Experiencing guilt or stress before, during or after eating a meal
- Hiding or sneaking foods
Build a healthy relationship with food
How to heal a relationship with food
- Understand that many times, views on diets and food are generational. People can make a conscious effort to avoid talking about dieting around children or passing along the notion that meals and snacks have to be “earned” by exercise.

- Avoid having rigid food rules that dictate what and when food is eaten. Too many rules can promote an unhealthy relationship with food. It can cause stress and anxiety if rules are broken and make you miss out on events. For example, having a rule that no food can be eaten after 7 p.m. can mean missing social events like dinner with friends. Instead, work on being flexible about when and what foods are eaten.
- Don’t assign a moral value to foods. Be aware of labeling foods “good” or “bad.” Don’t think of any one food as the enemy. Instead, think of them all as serving different purposes: nourishment, satiating hunger, satisfying a craving and even bringing happiness or pleasure. This way, no food should be off-limits.
- Embrace relaxed eating. Part of being flexible in any relationship with food is learning to listen to the body. This allows people to figure out what they need to eat to satisfy their hunger – and when and how much. Following the body’s cues can lead to more relaxed, pleasurable eating without remorse.
- Exercise for health. Remember that physical activity improves overall health. Workouts promote the production of feel-good hormones, help prevent chronic diseases and make people stronger. Exercise should be looked at from this perspective, and not strictly to compensate for calories.