“Hey, Eva! Someone told me my Human Design Determination Variable can tell me how I’m supposed to eat to properly support my brain. Is that true?”
Well… Kind of.
While I’m personally of the opinion that any decisions about what you put into your body should always be run by a) your intuition and b) your medical team, Human Design *can* offer you a few things to experiment with when it comes to your nutrition.
You can find this information by looking into the Determination Variable Arrow ⬅️➡️ (often called Digestion, or Digestion Type) of your Human Design chart.
🟥 Quick note: This is *not* medical advice. See full disclaimer at the bottom of the article.
What Is The Determination (Digestion) Variable in Human Design?
Your Determination (Digestion) Variable shows us how you’re designed to eat in order to maximize your unique cognitive potential.
Michelle is *definitely* maximizing her potential here, don’t you think? 😄
(It is a part of a bigger concept the founder of Human Design calls “The Four Transformations”… A suuuper fascinating rabbit hole to explore, if you feel so inclined.)
Your Digestion Variable does not tell you what to eat (e.g., more meat vs more vegetables); that’s for your Strategy & Authority (and perhaps your doctor😉) to determine.
➡️ Instead, your Digestion Type focuses on:
- The condition of the food you consume (e.g., how hot or cold it is)
- The condition your body is in while consuming it (e.g., the amount of light or sound present in your environment)
- The eating patterns that might be most supportive for you (e.g., eating three big meals vs six small snacks per day)
- How to tell something might not be healthy for you by tuning into your Cognition (a.k.a. your “strongest sense”)
This article will focus on the first three topics (we’re leaving Cognition for another time).
Why You Should Care About Your Human Design Determination (Digestion)
The founder of Human Design posited that food, and how we eat, is one of the biggest “homogenizing forces” on the planet, often preventing us from becoming the unique beings we came here to be.
According to him, becoming our unique selves requires us to take in nutrition in a way that’s specific to our mechanics.
As someone who grew up trying diet after diet, only to “fail” at all of them about three weeks in, this idea appeals to me.
After all, if we are here to do things (work, sleep, play) in our own unique way, why would eating be any different? And what if the reason we feel like we’re failing is that we are simply trying to run our “vehicle” on fuel that’s meant for somebody else?
Hmm. Interesting. 🤔
At the very least, I believe that experimenting with this information can offer you a bit more awareness + insight into your current eating patterns.
- Do you typically take the time to enjoy your meals–or rush through them while trying to get more work done at your computer?
- Are you actually aware of your hunger cues–or is the timing of your meals based on convenience and accessibility of food?
- Do the foods you eat seem to be giving you the brainpower you need to get through your day?
^^ These are the sorts of questions I want you to ask while engaging with this information.
Awareness of your own patterns >>> following someone else’s pattern, always.
Alright, now that we’ve got that sorted out…
How To Find Your Human Design Digestion Type
Unfortunately, not all Human Design chart generators give you your Variable information for free… Which is why I recommend using the Neutrino Design App website for this purpose.
The free version will give you a pretty detailed chart like this:
And your Digestion Type will be under “Determination” on the right side of the screen:
(Yes, you could also puzzle it out yourself by looking at the four arrows + the numbers attached to them at the top of your chart… But that’s not something I’d recommend a Human Design beginner spend their time doing.)
The 12 Digestion (Determination) Types in Human Design
Consecutive Appetite
If you have Consecutive Appetite Determination, simplicity is key for you when it comes to food.
Embrace your inner caveman by choosing simple, locally-grown foods. A few vegetables from your mom’s garden will do more for you than an awe-inspiring, complicated dish flown in from the other side of the world.
Don’t overcomplicate the preparation either. A simple “meat with a side of veggies” dinner will make your digestive system feel happier than a Michelin-star meal that leaves you wondering what the heck the foamy thing on your plate is made of.
If you can, try finishing the things on your plate one by one. Finish the steak before moving on to the carrots; eat the last carrot before touching the potatoes, and so on and so forth.
Alternating Appetite
If you have Alternating Appetite Determination, simplicity is key for you when it comes to food.
“How would my ancestors eat?” is a great question to ask yourself if you have this Digestion type. Simple, locally-grown* foods + simple preparation methods = a happy digestive system.
(Yes, going out to a “look at all the funky things they do to food!!” Michelin-star restaurant may be fun… But you may find yourself longing for a box of fries on the way home.)
Someone with this Digestion type may be able to tolerate long gaps between meals, and consume a lot of food in one sitting–kind of like the cavemen did back in the day. When you do sit down to eat, experiment with mixing & matching your foods (i.e., eating a bit of steak first → taking a bite of the carrot → then steak again → then the potato, and so on and so forth).
Open Taste
If you have Open Taste Determination, you are designed to be very selective in terms of how your food tastes.
When choosing what to eat, focus on local + seasonal produce; however, if something doesn’t taste good to you, don’t eat it. Period.
(According to Human Design, you won’t get the full nutritional benefit from it, anyway–even if the entire internet has declared it the second coming of kale.)
You probably have a rotation of favorite meals on repeat, but are still open to trying new things. However, once you’ve tried something, that’s it: there’s no convincing you to take a second bite “just to make sure.” This is by design. Trust your gut on this one (or, rather, your mouth).
Try to have a tasty snack in your bag at all times. You may not feel like eating if there are no tasty options available to you, but your brain needs consistent fuel to operate at its best.
Closed Taste
If you have Closed Taste Determination, you are designed to be very selective in terms of how your food tastes.
In order to nourish your brain correctly, find a few foods that taste good and stick with them. Local, seasonal foods will work best for you. Avoid eating just for the sake of eating; a bland meal will likely have a worse effect on you than waiting an extra hour to eat.
With this Digestion type, there is no need to feel weird about eating the same three meals on repeat (although your doctor might want to have a word with you if those meals consist entirely of simple carbs).
Unlike your Open Taste cousins, you might not even need to try the food in question to know that you won’t like it. Something in you just knows–and the more comfortable you can get with it, the easier it will be to keep your well-meaning foodie friends at bay.
Hot Thirst
If you have Hot Thirst Determination, your digestive system is sensitive to the temperature of your food, as well as the fluids you take in.
Make sure that any food or drink you consume is at least sliiiighly warmer than your body temperature. Even a one-degree difference can be helpful; it doesn’t have to be scalding hot every single time.
Raw food diets and salad-heavy meal plans are not meant for this Digestion type; if you want to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, try making veggie-packed stew or a (warm!) Buddha Bowl instead.
Liquids are your friend when it comes to digestion. Make sure your food is juicy, the sauces are plentiful, and there’s always a warm beverage within your reach. (Lattes are a business expense, right?)
Cold Thirst
If you have Cold Thirst Determination, your digestive system is sensitive to the temperature of your food, as well as the fluids you take in.
Eating things straight out of the oven is not the right move for you. Let your food cool down, at least until it’s a degree or two below your body temperature.
If you can, choose foods that don’t require heating up at all, like salads and sandwiches. Just make sure there’s a good sauce or spread to go along with them; this Digestion type abhors dry, boring food.
Since you won’t be heating up most of your beverages, a water purification system could be a great investment for you. For a Cold Thirst person, there’s nothing more regulating than a crisp, cold glass of really good water (although an equally crisp glass of Diet Coke might do in a pinch).
Calm Touch
If you have Calm Touch Determination, choosing a calm, relaxed eating environment is incredibly important for you.
Your digestive system will probably not enjoy frequent outings to busy restaurants, no matter how many awards their chef has won. Take care when choosing your dining companions, too; eating next to a stressed, agitated person will not allow you to remain relaxed enough to properly enjoy your food. Eating alone is often preferable.
(Quick sidenote: Other people may have told you that your approach to eating is too rigid or controlling, or that your need to have everything “just so” is too much for them. However, unless there’s an actual medical concern present, this may just be the way you are designed. Sending some internet hugs your way if that’s the case.❤️)
Nervous Touch
If you have Nervous Touch Determination, having a lively, stimulating eating environment is incredibly important for you.
You are designed to take in the buzzing energy of the people around you; being left alone with your thoughts while you eat, with no outside stimulation to speak of, is not a good idea for you.
You love a good restaurant outing on a Friday night, and your Sunday morning croissant probably tastes better after chatting about your plans with your favorite barista.
Contrary to popular advice, eating on the go or texting/talking on the phone could also work pretty well for you. Don’t feel pressured to stay at the dinner table during the entire meal, either; experiment with being the one to bring people seconds or put the first round of dishes in the wash.
High Sound
If you have High Sound Determination, your digestion is incredibly sensitive to both the level and the complexity of sound in your environment.
As a High Sound person, eating in complete silence is not for you–but the wrong soundtrack can also throw you off your game. Invest in good quality headphones, curate your playlists, and make sure your dining companions are ready to yap with you.
If you feel stuck or stagnant, consider going out for a meal at a busy restaurant you love, or hitting up a food cart at an open-air concert. The acoustic experience may just unlock something new in your brain.
Low Sound
If you have Low Sound Determination, your digestion is incredibly sensitive to both the level and the complexity of sound in your environment.
As a Low Sound person, eating in complete silence may feel supportive to you. If that feels too weird, a suuuuper chill background soundtrack may work well, too (as long as it’s not too loud or distracting).
Whatever soundscape you choose, make sure it doesn’t distract you from the food in front of you. Contrary to popular advice, your lunch break may not be the best time to listen to an educational podcast. Let your ears (and your brain) rest.
You may find it difficult to digest in busy restaurants or at a food cart in an open-air festival. If you choose to eat in those settings, consider donning some noise-cancelling headphones prior to eating.
Direct Light
If you have Direct Light Determination, your digestion is incredibly sensitive to the amount of light in your environment (both natural and artificial).
You are designed to eat while it is light outside. Intermittent fasting is not recommended; you should consume your first meal shortly after waking up, and keep your brain fueled with plenty of food during the day. If you feel hungry after sundown, try switching to soups and other liquid foods.
Your digestion requires at least a small amount of sunlight daily; if you live in a place that’s famous for its cloud cover, consider investing in a sun lamp (and start using it early in the season).
Indirect Light
If you have Indirect Light Determination, your digestion is incredibly sensitive to the amount of light in your environment (both natural and artificial).
You are designed to eat when it’s dark outside. Intermittent fasting could work reasonably well for you; your biggest meal should come after sundown, and you may not feel like snacking much during the day. Consider using soups, smoothies, and other liquid foods to keep yourself fueled during daylight hours, and switch to heavier meals after sunset.
Make sure to invest in a good sunscreen and pay attention to the lighting setup in your home. Low, moody lighting might be what your brain needs to thrive.
Do You Have Active or Passive Determination?
According to Human Design, some Digestion types need more frequent meals to support their brain activity, while others can go for longer periods of time without eating.
This is determined by the direction of your Determination Variable arrow on your chart.
If the arrow is pointing left ⬅️, you have an Active Digestion type.
If the arrow is pointing to the right ➡️, you have a Passive Digestion type.
Annnnnd if you don’t want to mess around with the arrows at all, you can simply check the table below to see which one you have:
| Active Digestion Types | Passive Digestion Types |
|---|---|
| Consecutive Appetite | Alternating Appetite |
| Open Taste | Closed Taste |
| Hot Thirst | Cold Thirst |
| Calm Touch | Nervous Touch |
| High Sound | Low Sound |
| Direct Light | Indirect Light |
If your Digestion is active, you are designed to take in food in a consistent, predictable pattern, and give your brain lots of fuel to do its (active) job. Snacks are your friend!
If your Digestion is passive, you may be able to get away with less frequent meals and even a bit of fasting. Always eating lunch at 1 PM may feel restrictive to you, and you may prefer to follow your intuition when it comes to consuming food.
Is Human Design Determination *Only* About Food?
Not necessarily.
Our Determination Variable is all about supporting our brain through proper “inputs” (nutrition)…
But what about other types of input our brain receives? 🧠
Could we use our Digestion Type to support the way our brain “digests” incoming information (e.g., while working or studying)?
A few questions to consider as you experiment with your Digestion type:
- If you have an Active Digestion type… Does repetition & consistency in your study habits help you focus & retain information better?
- If you have a Passive Digestion type… Does a fluid study schedule make you absorb things better than a regimented one?
You can also experiment with applying this to each Digestion Type individually.
🧪 For example:
- If you are a Direct Light person, try working in front of a window + scheduling your brainpower-intensive tasks for the lightest time of the day
- If you are a Cold Thirst person, see if keeping your study space on the cooler side + grabbing an iced latte before you start helps you absorb information better
- If you are a High Sound person, notice if using some binaural beats (or other types of sound stimulation) keeps you more focused on the task at hand
… and so on.
(If you want some ideas specific to your Digestion Type–as well as the rest of your chart–you can book a 90-minute Human Design reading with me here.)
My Experience With My Human Design Determination (Digestion)
TW: Discussion of disordered eating, BMI + intentional weight loss. Skip to the next section if you want to avoid it.
I was very resistant to experimenting with my Direct Light Determination when I first heard about it.
Why? Well, because I had been on one weight loss journey or another since the darling age of 10…
And my only “successful” attempt (= losing 100+ pounds and reaching a healthy BMI) had relied primarily on OMAD, or One Meal A Day (which I consumed as late into the evening as possible).
If you know anything about Direct Light Determination, you know that this is the exact OPPOSITE of how we are designed to eat.
But since I had been oh-so-successful with fasting late into the night… This couldn’t possibly apply to me, right? Right??
Wrong.
When I thought back to how I actually felt during my journey, I realized that, while the number on the scale was rapidly going down, my brain was barely operational during this time.
Weight loss was the ONLY thing I could think about. I was essentially “coasting” in my copywriting business while spending my days waiting for my One Meal, and I abandoned my hobbies and interests in pursuit of this one goal.
(Curiously enough, that had not been the case during my previous attempts, which featured similar calorie goals and nutritional profiles.)
I gained all the weight back (and then some) in a few years. 🤦🏻♀️
Which leads us to today.
Today, I’m actively experimenting with eating according to my Digestion Type–and I’m here to begrudgingly report that it seems to be working for me.
When I grab a banana before my gym session (and eat it staring at the sun outside my window), my workout tends to go pretty well. My mood is more stable. I’m not snapping at my husband on the way back home, and I find it easier to settle into my work afterwards.
The best part? My brain actually works. I can focus (as much as an ADHD-er ever can). I’m actually writing this article instead of ruminating on my career choices!
Would that be the case for everyone who tried this approach? Maybe. Maybe not.
But I know for a fact that my AWARENESS of this information + willingness to engage with it is definitely helping me create healthier eating habits that keep my brain sharp.
I’ll take it. 🤷🏻♀️
What If I Don’t Resonate With My Human Design Digestion Type?
Many people, myself included, are quite resistant to engaging with their Variable configuration–only to find out it working for them later on in life (e.g., after their first Saturn Return).
Do you feel ready to experiment with this information at this stage of your life? Trust yourself first and foremost, always.
Another thing to note is that your Variable configuration is quite sensitive to birth time.
⏱️ A difference of a few minutes could easily shift your Human Design Digestion Type from Direct Light to Indirect Light…
Flipping your ideal eating schedule on its head.
If you are not sure about your birth time, I would highly recommend going through birth time rectification with a professional astrologer.
(Given how much conditioning we are inundated with from the day we are born, I would not recommend attempting birth time rectification based on your Human Design chart alone.)
Human Design Determination FAQ
Wait… Is “Determination” and “Digestion” the same thing?
“Determination” seems to be the original name for this concept; however, the founder of Human Design used both terms in his work when talking about our eating patterns.
Where can I find out my Digestion Type? My chart doesn’t show this.
I recommend using the Neutrino Design App for this. While some features are locked behind the subscription, the free version will give you enough information to explore your Variable configuration on your own.
Where can I learn more about my Digestion Type?
If you are looking for official sources on the subject, you will want to look for materials related to PHS (Primary Health System) from Jovian Archive and IHDS (International School of Human Design).
Fair warning though: the language they use is fairly dense, and I’m personally not a fan of the “my way or the highway” approach that has permeated both institutions. Read at your own risk.
Is all of this information Ra-approved?
Hmm, probably not all of it. While most of the Human Design information in my brain comes from what I would consider primary sources (Jovian Archive & IHDS), I’m also sharing some of my own ideas and conclusions here.
(Also, some of the language I’m using here was chosen for SEO purposes first and foremost. Take it up with the robots.)
If a piece of information doesn’t resonate with you, you can always ask me about it.
Human Design Is An Experiment, Not Medical Advice
The Legal Stuff:
This article describes Human Design’s Determination (Digestion) variable as an experiential and self-inquiry framework, not medical or nutritional advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness, and it does not replace guidance from a licensed physician, dietitian, or other qualified healthcare provider. If you have a medical condition, food allergy, eating disorder, or are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult a qualified professional before changing your eating habits.
In other words, please, for the love of your chosen deity, talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet–especially if you have a history of disordered eating.
An Invitation to Respond To–In Your Own Time
If you’re intrigued by the Human Design system, consider this your official invitation to book a Human Design reading with me.
My nuanced, experimental approach to Human Design focuses on showing you the brilliance of your Design without the “my way or the highway” dogma the founder of Human Design got himself stuck in.
Around here, your intuition leads the way. Always.
If this approach resonates with you…
