Moderator: Mary, what’s the most common nutrient deficiency you see among your athlete clients?

I paused for a moment, the question felt misguided. Everyone is always looking for that simple fix towards optimal living.

Deficiencies vary from person to person so how could I pick one for the sake of answering this question.

My brain was sifting for the best response to the moderator’s question, the most honest one, and in that pause, my gut ran with the response.

I know you want me to tell you it’s something like iron or vitamin D or magnesium but the truth is that the most common deficiency I see among all my clients, not just athletes, is compassion, human connection, and physical touch. It doesn’t matter what I feed you, if you’re not taken care of in that regard, your body isn’t going to function at its highest potential.

The only female speaker on this panel. The least on-paper qualified in terms of traditional credentials. A symposium focused on physical performance and of course, I bring the curve ball to the room.

I was waiting to be laughed at or disregarded, but energy in the room to my response was palatable.

Many shifted in their seats. Others exhaled. A few became emotional. It was clear that I had unintentionally hit a spot.

Being a private chef, I have to consider more than just what is on the plate to ensure that my clients are getting the very best out of the experience with me when their desires go far beyond a cooked meal.

We can be so focused on our craft, with noise coming at us a mile a minute through text msgs, email, and social media that we’re subconsciously the opposite of connected, and the less connection we have, the less empathy we practice for others and for ourselves.

Yet we’re really good at convincing ourselves that we’re still in control and at peace.

The truth is the only place where power and peace can coexist is within compassion. And our bodies are starving for it.