Nutritional Therapy is an evidence-based approach to nutrition.
It promotes the benefits of good, wholesome, unprocessed foods for optimal well being and to maximize one’s health potential. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners dig deep to identify the root cause of any symptoms that you may be experiencing and address underlying imbalances so that you can truly thrive.
Nutritional Therapy highlights that we are each individual in our make-up and therefore, there is no “one size fits all” model of eating. Bio-Individuality is at the core of what we do. We use comprehensive Nutritional Assessment tools to discover an individual’s areas of strength and imbalances in the categories of diet, digestion, blood sugar regulation, essential fatty acid balance, mineral balance, and hydration. These six areas are the foundations of nutritional therapy. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners believe that weaknesses in the foundations are what ultimately leads to disease and illness that we see so often in society.
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The Foundations of Nutritional Therapy
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Diet
A properly prepared, nutrient-dense diet of whole foods provides the ultimate foundation leading to optimal health. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners focus on the quality of foods we consume and ensuring we have the right balance in both our macro and micronutrients, rather than counting calories and encouraging processed low fat snack bars and other “diet foods”.
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Digestion
We are what we absorb. It is absolutely vital the digestive system functions properly for optimal health. Digestion is directly related to immune function, mental health, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular health, hormone function, detoxification pathways, and so much more. Frequently, poor digestion is at the root of chronic health challenges.
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Blood Sugar Regulation
The body depends on stable blood sugar levels to function properly. Our bodies have multiple biological systems in place that work to raise blood sugar, but we have no biological system in our body to lower blood sugar. Our bodies are simply not made to handle the excessive amount of sugar most people consume on a daily basis. The result is diabetes, and a variety of degenerative, chronic illnesses including cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, fertility issues, chronic fatigue, depression, and hypertension, all of which are linked to high sugar intake and the effects of insulin.
Essential Fatty Acids
Essential Fatty Acids are called “essential” simply because the body cannot produce them by its own accord. You have likely heard of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, thinking that only the omega-3s are the “healthy” ones. This is not true. The key here is balance. We need a balance of fatty acids for prostaglandins to function properly. An imbalance of prostaglandins can contribute to chronic illness such as heart disease, inflammation, hormone imbalances, and immune system dysfunction.
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Minerals
Due to depleted soils and the consumption of more processed foods, the average American is not consuming adequate amounts of the key minerals needed for optimal function. Often times, they are missing the cofactors that allow the body to absorb and ultimately utilize minerals. Proper mineral balance is vital to hydration status, mood, structure and function of the teeth, bones, blood, tissues, muscles, and nerve cells.
Hydration
Water is the most common nutritional deficiency in America, yet it is the most important nutrient in the human body. Not only are we drinking too little water every day, but coffee, caffeinated teas, alcohol, and fruit juices are all diuretic beverages that further contribute to dehydration. Early signs of dehydration can manifest as fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depression, with more advanced dehydration causing joint pain, back pain, migraines, heartburn or colitis.
Nutritional Therapy Practitioners do not diagnose or treat disease, but work to correct imbalances within the body to guide individuals back into a state of optimal health and function.
