nourishing to thrive with traditional nutrition with Dr. Dhaliwal
Published on March 04, 2025
Written from a Virtual Health Talk with Dr. Olivia Dhaliwal on Monday, March 23, 2025
Nutrition advice can feel overwhelming. One day you're told to cut carbs. The next, it’s all about juicing, or going vegan, or eating like a caveman. So, when Dr. Olivia Dhaliwal, a family medicine resident physician at AppFamily Medicine, gave a virtual health talk on food, nourishment, and ancestral eating – it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Dr. Olivia, who goes by “Dr. Olivia” with patients, doesn’t just talk about nutrition – she lives it, breathes it, and, as she humbly shared, she’s had her own winding path to finding what nourishment really means. Her message wasn’t about guilt or strict food rules. Instead, she invited us to slow down, reconnect, and rethink what nourishment means.
“There is more than one right way to do everything – including eating,” says Dr. Olivia. “Everything that you’re going to hear today is not a rule... I hope that at the end of this talk, you will check in with yourself and ask yourself, ‘What resonated?’”
Her approach set the tone for a deeply informative (and surprisingly emotional) talk about food – how it heals, how it harms, and how it shapes our health and future.
Why nutrition matters (more than ever)
Dr. Olivia didn’t sugarcoat the current state of our country’s food culture. “We’re on a path paved by people and organizations who are more concerned about convenience and profit than health and nourishment,” she said. That path, she emphasized, is leading us straight into a public health crisis – chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and metabolic disorders are being diagnosed more frequently and in younger generations. And the common thread? The food we eat.
“Preventable chronic diseases rob people of the ability to determine their own futures, she explains. “When you don't have your health, nothing else matters in your life. This is why I became a doctor.”
A real food approach
Dr. Olivia’s approach to nutrition centers around traditional, nutrient-dense foods – the kind your great-great-grandparents might’ve recognized. “Processed foods are dead. They do not have the living ingredients in them that your body needs to thrive,” she says. “I’m not saying that these foods are bad. I am saying that when you choose to eat these foods, you’re displacing other traditional foods from your diet that are more nutrient-dense and nourish your body in ways that these processed foods never could.”
She encouraged listeners to question trendy food products with health claims plastered on their packaging. “Veggie straws do not replace vegetables. Cheddar crackers might have real cheese in them, but it would be so much better for you to just snack on some real cheese.”
Instead, she pointed to local, whole food sources – especially meats, dairy, and produce from small farms.
A case for protein (and livermush)
Dr. Oliva touched on the importance of protein – especially for women. Not eating enough protein, she explained, has been linked with increased waist circumference and other signs of metabolic dysfunction. And despite what we’ve heard, Dr. Olivia informed us that most Americans aren’t overeating protein. We’re getting more than 40% of our daily calories from low-quality carbs like flour and sugar.
She emphasized nutrient-rich protein foods like liver – yes, liver – and her newfound appreciation for a High-Country favorite: livermush. “I try to sneak livermush into other foods,” says Dr. Olivia. “It’s incredibly nutrient-dense, very rich in fat-soluble vitamins, tons of protein, and heme iron.”
Seed oils, sweet drinks, and simple shifts
One of the most eye-opening parts of Dr. Olivia’s talk was her breakdown of oils. Most seed oils, like canola, soybean, and corn oil are industrially produced, unstable, and are not part of any traditional diet. These oils have become staples in fast food, shelf-stable dressings, and even so-called “health foods.”
Instead, she suggests sticking to traditional fats like olive oil, butter, tallow, and ghee. These fats have been used for thousands of years, and our bodies know how to process them.
And her biggest “all-or-nothing” recommendation for a simple shift? “If there’s one thing you take away from this talk today, I would love to encourage you to cut back on drinking sugar,” she stated. She explained that just one soda has 10 times the amount of sugar your body can handle at once. “Your bloodstream can only hold about six grams of sugar. So, if you drink a soda with 60 grams, your body must shove it somewhere – usually into your fat cells and blood vessels.”
Local food is powerful food
Dr. Olivia’s passion isn’t just about individual health – it’s also about the health of the land and the people who care for it. She’s a big supporter of the High Country Food Hub, where local farmers within a 100-mile radius sell everything from pasture-raised meats to fresh hydroponic lettuce. “Being connected to the food that you’re eating is really powerful,” she said. “It’s not just something you bought – it’s a relationship.”
Her final message?
What stood out the most wasn’t any single piece of nutrition advice; rather, it was the spirit in which it was delivered. Dr. Olivia isn’t about shame or perfection; she’s about curiosity, empowerment, and gentleness.
“Eat on purpose, with purpose,” she said. “Every time you’re about to go have a snack, ask yourself: Do I really need this? How could I thoughtfully nourish my body right now?” You don’t have to go all-in overnight. Start with one meal a day. Swap your snack for real food. Support your local farmers. And most importantly – be kind to yourself along the way. Nutrition isn’t about perfection. It’s about nourishment, connection, and coming home – to yourself, your community, and your health.
And if you missed the live virtual health talk with Dr. Olivia, we highly recommend watching the recording – it’s well worth your time. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Olivia, call 828-386-2222 or schedule online.
Watch Dr. Dhaliwal's Health Talk here
