What is Nutritional Therapy?

Article by Cynthia Hill, NTP
Original Source: https://prairiehillnutrition.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/a-perfect-day/
Date of Article: February 23, 2017

You wake up early in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to embrace the day and whatever may come your way. You enjoy a delicious breakfast that is both satisfying and satiating – maybe pastured bacon and eggs or an organic mango coconut smoothie. You don’t feel tired and hungry two hours later and no sugar cravings! In fact four hours later you are still going strong with no brain fog or reaching for that third cup of coffee or donut to boost your low blood sugar. You are no longer dependent on sugar or having to eat something every couple of hours because you are starving or feeling shaky. You secretly smile as your coworkers are coughing and sneezing battling the latest cold or flu as you remember the day when you caught every little bug that came your way… You have a late morning dental appointment and again you have no cavities and the Dentist remarks how healthy your gums look!

Midday is another meal you look forward to consisting of a grass-fed steak salad, avocado, and fresh fruit. After lunch you go outside for some fresh air and a brisk walk, no longer suffering from seasonal allergies or asthma attacks. It is late January and you are not feeling sad or depressed as you usually do this time of year. You sail through the rest of the day alert and focused without the headache or midafternoon slump and don’t feel the need for a soda or candy bar to get you through the afternoon. After another productive day, you look forward to your workout as you feel good while doing it, your muscles do not fatigue as easily as they use to and your knees, hips, and joints feel flexible and fluid with no aches and pains or stiffness. You feel exhilarated rather than exhausted post workout. You look forward to spending quality time with your family and friends instead of feeling crappy and burnt out barely making it through the day.

Dinner is a fulfilling meal that nourishes and balances, not depriving your body as you are giving it what it needs to function properly. A broiled Salmon filet and a baked sweet potato with real grass-fed butter, a fresh vegetable stir fry and don’t forget the chocolate mousse for dessert! You do not experience bloating, gas and heartburn, no longer reaching for the TUMS after your meals. You also have regularity, no more mad dashes to the bathroom or feeling constipated. Or maybe tonight you are getting ready for a night on the town and are applying your makeup and can’t help but notice how clear your skin is and that annoying acne is a thing of the past. You also realize that you are no longer bothered with yeast infections or UTI’s and your periods are regular with no PMS. You are even enjoying intimacy again. And don’t forget the little black dress – it looks amazing on you! No more rollercoaster dieting, now your focus is on nourishing and loving your body. Finally at bedtime, you have no problem falling and staying asleep, experiencing a deep, restful and restorative night. Sweet Dreams!

Does this sound like a fairy tale to you? We often think of our symptoms/conditions as “normal” and accept them as just part of the aging process – they really don’t have to be! While the above perfect day may be an exaggeration, I personally have experienced relief from many of these conditions/symptoms through eating a nutrient dense whole foods diet and Nutritional Therapy. Feeling energized and symptom free are attainable goals when digestion is functioning properly and you consume a nutrient dense diet that is appropriate for you providing the macro and micro nutrients essential to look and feel your best. It takes commitment and acceptance to cultivate a new relationship with your body, diet, and lifestyle. What would you rather do… invest in your health now or invest in your sickness later?

So what is Nutritional Therapy and how can it benefit you? Nutritional Therapy can help you achieve your wellness goals by restoring balance to what we call the Six Foundations of Optimal Health. They include Diet, Digestion, Blood Sugar Balance, Fatty Acid Balance, Mineral Balance, and Hydration. Each of the Foundations is addressed through researching your individual needs based on an Initial Interview, Health History, Food Journal and a Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire. Improving digestion, blood sugar handling, and reducing inflammation is core to Nutritional Therapy along with identifying food sensitivities and detoxification. A Customized Nutritional Recommendations Plan is created specifically for you including dietary and lifestyle changes and optional whole food supplements. Unique to Nutritional Therapy is an optional Functional Evaluation and Lingual Neuro Testing which further enables the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner to pinpoint where the body (organ or system) needs the most support and which nutrients will provide the best support. This procedure eliminates guessing and consuming unnecessary supplements! A no-one size fits all diet approach and bio-individuality plays an integral role in Nutritional Therapy.

Nutritional Therapy does not diagnose or treat disease/conditions; however, most diseases, conditions, and symptoms, are rooted in deficiencies in diet, digestion, blood sugar, fatty acids, minerals and hydration. Balancing these Foundations is key to your optimal health and wellness.

This is Nutritional Therapy and this is your perfect day!