What is Nutritional Therapy?
The underlying philosophy of Nutritional Therapy is that the multitude of health problems that plague our modern society result from weaknesses in the body’s physiological foundations as a result of poor nutrition. Nutritional Therapy training is grounded in the belief that health is based on a foundation approach to nutrition. A properly prepared, nutrient-dense diet of whole foods provides the ultimate foundation leading to optimal health. The Nutritional Therapy program emphasizes nutrition in health and wellness and is based upon the research of the early nutritional pioneers, Weston A. Price DDS, and Francis Pottenger Jr. MD, as well as the research of many others.
Who can benefit from Nutritional Therapy?
From children to mature adults may benefit from Nutritional Therapy. A wide range of conditions may respond favorably to Nutritional Therapy including digestive problems as well as migraines and other headaches; fatigue, depression or hyperactivity. Hormonal problems, skin problems, PMS and menopausal symptoms may also be helped as well as frequent colds and infections, stress-related disorders, asthma, hay fever and allergies and the list goes on.
However, anyone can benefit from Nutritional Therapy even if you do not suffer from a particular condition. Nutritional Therapy can enhance your overall health, boost your vitality and lift your mood.
How does Nutritional Therapy work?
How well we feel depends on the efficiency with which our body produces hormones, enzymes, blood cells, antibodies and many other substances. All of these are made from food but because of poor digestion or chronic irritation of the digestive system these substances are not assimilated properly. Individuals may also have a toxic overload – a build-up of unwanted waste products which get in the way of the body’s proper functioning. In addition food allergies or intolerances can cause many unpleasant symptoms which may be delayed or may be difficult to relate to a specific food but which can be creating stress and inflammation in the body.
The use of antibiotics can also create excessive growth of undesirable bacteria and yeast, impairing digestion and producing toxic waste products which get absorbed into our bloodstream which can make us feel tired or unwell.
When your body is functioning efficiently it is easier for it to repair and heal itself. My goal would be to help you identify and strengthen your body’s weaknesses and identify and eliminate any stressors in order to improve your body’s efficiency through the use of diet, lifestyle changes and dietary supplements based on your individual needs.
What evaluation tools or techniques are used?
I use a variety of evaluation techniques to determine imbalances in the body and promote improvement. Some of these tools include:
- Initial interview
- Food Journals
- Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire
- Functional Evaluation (on-site only)
- Lingual-Neural Testing (on-site only)
A NUTRITIONAL THERAPIST IS NOT the same as A NUTRITIONIST
A Nutritional Therapist is a paraprofessional certified by the Nutritional Therapy Association to make nutritional recommendations to balance body chemistry and achieve optimal wellness. Through Nutritional Therapy training, a practitioner is able to assess individual nutritional status and offer dietary counseling to address and correct nutritional deficiencies, balance body chemistry, participate in natural wellness, and work with other healthcare professionals on behalf of their client
