Unlocking your body’s intelligence through correct nourishment
In Human Design, Cognition and Nutrition refer to the sensory and dietary aspects of your design. They are part of the advanced information encoded in the arrows and are specific to how your body processes food and energy. This part of the chart comes from the top left arrow, which governs Determination, your correct digestion.
These details can have a profound effect on your health, clarity, and even mood. They help you honor your body’s natural operating system, allowing you to access deeper intuition, awareness, and well-being.
🍽️ What Is Determination?
Determination refers to how your system is designed to digest both food and life experiences. It includes:
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Your digestive style (such as hot or cold food, or calm versus stimulated environments)
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Your cognition, which is your most refined sensory awareness
When you eat in alignment with your Determination, your brain and body can function more clearly. You may notice better focus, energy, emotional balance, and decision-making.
🧬 The Six Determination Types
Each person has one of six core digestion styles. These are not diet trends or moral judgments. They describe the conditions your body thrives in while eating, not what food you should eat.
Here are the six types:
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Calm: You digest best in relaxed, peaceful environments. Avoid eating when rushed or stressed.
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High Sound: You thrive in busy or lively places. Silence can dull your digestive fire.
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Cold: Your system prefers food that is cool or room temperature.
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Hot: You do best with warm, cooked food that has heat energy.
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Taste: You benefit from simple, repetitive meals. Variety can confuse your system.
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Smell: You digest best when you can smell your food clearly. Aroma activates your system.
Most people discover that when they honor the context of their meals, such as temperature or environment, they feel more grounded and mentally sharp.
👁️ What Is Cognition?
Cognition refers to your most sensitive sensory awareness. It represents the part of your perception that is most refined and can be trusted deeply when making decisions or evaluating your environment.
There are six Cognition types, each linked to a sensory function:
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Smell: You pick up subtle information through scent.
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Taste: You are highly attuned to quality, refinement, and essence.
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Outer Vision: You are visually oriented and pick up information from what you see.
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Inner Vision: You process information through mental imagery and inner knowing.
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Feeling: You sense through tactile, emotional, or energetic feedback.
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Touch: You perceive the world through direct physical experience.
Your Cognition is not something you have to develop. It becomes clearer when your body is correctly nourished, rested, and not overwhelmed by conditioning.
🌀 The Relationship Between Nutrition and Awareness
When you eat in a way that supports your digestive style, it:
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Calms the nervous system
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Enhances cognitive clarity
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Supports immune and metabolic function
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Unlocks your natural intuition
Many people find that once they adjust their eating conditions, their mental and emotional awareness shifts dramatically.
🧘 How to Begin Your Experiment
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Start small. You do not need to overhaul your diet. Focus on when, how, and where you eat.
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Test your digestion style gently. For example, try eating in calm environments for a week and see how you feel.
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Pay attention to how your body responds. Your energy, mood, and clarity are the best feedback.
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Let go of food rules. This system is not about restriction. It is about supporting your unique biology.
✨ Final Insight
Cognition and Nutrition in Human Design are not abstract theories. They are practical tools for tuning your body to its highest frequency. When you honor your Determination and listen to your unique sensory gifts, you unlock greater vitality, presence, and ease.
You already have the wisdom inside you. The goal is to create the right conditions for that wisdom to rise to the surface.