What Nourishes Us By Dr Gregor Hasler | Introduction by Dr Janette Walton

The Anti-Diet Book Grounded in Science, Not Rules

What Nourishes Us is not a diet book. There are no meal plans, no calorie counts, no lists of forbidden foods. Instead, this groundbreaking work by Dr Gregor Hasler — Professor specialising in the relationship between nutrition and mental health — offers something far more valuable: a science-based framework for understanding why we eat, and how to build a genuinely healthier, kinder relationship with food.

With an introduction by Dr Janette Walton, Irish nutritional scientist, lecturer at Munster Technological University (MTU), and lead investigator of national dietary surveys in Ireland with over 30 years of research experience, What Nourishes Us is rooted in decades of evidence-based nutritional science — not trends, not social media, not single-nutrient nonsense.

---

The Insight That Changes Everything

Most people know what they should eat. So why is healthy eating still so hard? What Nourishes Us answers that question by revealing the crucial distinction between two forces that drive every eating decision we make:

Hunger — a physiological signal, a genuine physical need for fuel. Appetite — a psychological desire, shaped by emotion, habit, memory, and environment.

Confusing the two is at the root of our most difficult relationships with food. Understanding the difference is where real, lasting change begins — not through restriction, but through awareness.

---

What Makes This Book Different

Science-backed, not trend-driven. Drawing on national dietary research and the latest findings in nutritional psychology and nutritional science, What Nourishes Us offers readers an evidence-based understanding of eating behaviour that goes far beyond conventional diet advice.

No restrictions. No guilt. No shame. This book rejects the good food/bad food binary entirely. There are no rules to follow, no plans to stick to, and no failure states. The approach is compassionate, non-judgmental, and built around sustainable awareness rather than short-term willpower.

It addresses the psychology, not just the mechanics. Health knowledge alone has never been enough to change eating behaviour — if it were, diet books wouldn't be a billion-euro industry. What Nourishes Us explains why knowledge fails to translate into action, and offers a practical, mindfulness-based framework that actually works.

Accessible writing, complex science made simple. Dr Hasler's expertise in communicating nutritional science to general audiences ensures that even the most research-heavy concepts are presented with clarity, warmth, and real-world relevance.

Written for global readers alike. With an introduction grounded in Irish national dietary research, the book speaks directly to the lived experience of readers, drawing on global nutritional science.

---

Who Is This Book For?

• Anyone exhausted by diet culture, fad eating trends, or contradictory nutrition advice online
• People who want to improve their relationship with food without another set of rules to follow
• Parents concerned about family eating habits and the messages children absorb about food
• Healthcare professionals, GPs, dietitians, and therapists seeking a compassionate, evidence-based resource for patients
• Wellness and mindfulness communities looking for science that supports a holistic approach to health
• Book clubs seeking accessible, thought-provoking non-fiction with real practical value

---

Why This Book. Why Now.

Diet fatigue is at an all-time high. Readers are actively rejecting punitive diet culture in favour of approaches rooted in self-awareness, compassion, and genuine wellbeing. The global wellness market continues to grow — but readers are becoming more discerning, seeking books that offer real insight rather than quick fixes.

What Nourishes Us precisely meets that need. It is the book for anyone who has ever wondered why eating well feels so complicated — and who is ready for an answer that doesn't involve another diet.

---

Published by Mercier Press - Translated from the German by Ayça Türkoğlu

---