What Exactly is Nutritional Therapy?
If you’re like I was 3 years ago, you may be asking yourself what is Nutritional Therapy and how does this differ from anything else I have come across or tried?
Nutritional Therapy is a foundational, root cause approach to an individuals health. Although there are pillars of a healthy foundation that are applicable to everyone (more on this later,) Nutritional Therapy takes a bio-individual approach and assessment to everyone. It allows nourishment to be established at the roots rather than concentrating on the fruits.
Here’s what I mean by that, many of us are plagued with symptoms that become second nature to us, they may even be labeled as “normal” or “common.” Often times, it is these same “common” or “normal” symptoms that are treated, however, this is just a bandaid approach to health. This would be like trying to water the withered fruits of a tree rather than watering the roots, which is where it’s needed.
So with Nutritional Therapy, the roots of an individual are assessed. Simply stated, Nutritional Therapy brings about total harmony within the body and builds resilience to dis-ease and stress.
Here are the 6 Foundational Pillars of Nutritional Therapy,
NUTRIENT DENSE DIET — consuming nutrient-dense, properly prepared whole foods. Food quality matters. We need to get back to eating simple, real, nutrient-rich foods that our Heavenly Father has given to us.
DIGESTION — You may have heard the phrase “You are what you eat” but I’m here to tell you, more than that “You you are what you absorb!” Every cell in our body depends on the proper function of our gut.
HYDRATION — Water is a vital source that our Heavenly Father inscribed into the creation of all man, all plants and all living animals. Water requirements of God’s creation vary from plant to animal to man, however each life depends upon it. God created water as the most abundant substance within the human Temple, and it required for every physiological process within!
FATTY ACID BALANCE — Most of us have a strong negative stigma against fats, but what if I told you that the science was wrong when they stated saturated fats cause disease? The fact is we need healthy sustainable fats to help us nourish our skin, provide energy for our hearts, create hormones, keep us satiated, and create strong cellular membranes.
BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE — Most of us don’t realize this but you can have severe blood sugar dysregulation and not be a diabetic. Blood sugar balance is required for proper energy production, mental health, hormonal health and much more!
MINERAL BALANCE — Minerals are the spark plugs of the body, without consuming them and establishing healthy ratios, the body’s metabolism and overall performance diminishes, which can eventually lead to serious issues like low thyroid function, metabolism issues and more.
Other Areas That are Also Assessed in Nutritional Therapy,
Endocrine System
Cardiovascular Health
Immune Function
Detox Pathways
Sleep Quality
Stress Management
Movement
What Does a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Do?
I believe most individuals, believe that an NTP only focuses on nutrition, and while a ‘properly prepared, nutrient dense diet’ is one of the first foundations to address when it comes to anyone’s health goals, that is not the only thing we focus on.
We are taught to analyze, investigate and assess a person as a whole, living and working being.
While you can segregate the body into different systems and functions, that is not how we approach foundational health support.
While assessing a person’s entirety, we also focus on the root of the symptoms, burdens and issues, which is where we begin to target and help bring back support.
We take a thorough approach to this, and analyze many different spheres, functions, systems, organs etc of the body and while being zoomed in and focused, at the same time we see how this ripple effect plays into the rest of you as a whole.
We utilize nutrient-dense, properly-prepared whole foods, lifestyle changes, stress management and targeted supplementation to optimize your health.
What Nutritional Therapy Is Not,
Nutritional Therapy is not some fad diet that will leave you starving, feeling depleted or cutting out complete food groups, it’s total body nourishment based off of your bio-individual needs!
It also is not a restrictive dieting program to where you have to cut out all your favorite foods. While its true that some foods may need to be limited or avoided during your healing phase, Nutritional Therapy’s approach is not to confine you, it exists to help you understand the signs and signals that your body may be telling you when you do eat specific foods.
