What is nutritional therapy and how can it help me?

Nutritional Therapy is an evidence-based, holistic approach to wellness that considers and addresses not only the importance of diet and nutrition but also, the role that movement, stress, environment, sleep, and other lifestyle factors play in our overall health.

The primary goal of Nutritional Therapy is to educate and empower individuals so they can better understand the unique needs of their own body and take responsibility for their own health. Through support of the five foundations - digestion, blood sugar regulation, fatty acids, minerals, and hydration - coupled with a whole food, nutrient-dense, bio-individually appropriate diet and a healthy lifestyle, the body’s chemistry can be re-balanced, thus generating the conditions for optimal health.

Is 1:1 nutritional therapy right for me?

Nutritional Therapy is not a quick-fix approach to wellness. It does not chase or mask symptoms but rather aims to address the root cause of imbalance and illness, restoring the body to its natural state of harmony and homeostasis. As such, Nutritional Therapy requires a sincere and long-term commitment to adopt the diet and lifestyle changes necessary for the cultivation of lasting, optimal health.

If you are ready to take control of your health and change the way you eat, live and feel, then a one-on-one Nutritional Therapy consult may be a good fit for you. Schedule your free 30-minute exploratory call and begin your journey to wellness today!

how can nutritional therapy help support mental health?

Far from being a disparate, compartmentalized system, the gut is closely and extensively connected to the central nervous system - especially the emotional centers of the brain. The gut and the brain are constantly engaged in a bi-directional dialogue that is directly influenced by the vast microbial populations that reside in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. This cross-talk (the microbiome-gut-brain connection) creates a circuit by which the physiological events that occur in the brain and mind are mirrored in the gut and vice-versa. 

A disturbance in this dynamic interaction can have real implications for both digestive and mental health. Recent studies have uncovered a link between alterations in microbial populations in the gut and many psychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions, from depression, anxiety, and autism to Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease.  

The standard American diet is inherently nutrient-deficient, consisting primarily of highly processed foods and chemical additives that can not only adversely affect the health of the gut microbiome, but can also damage the gut lining, causing it to become “leaky”. When this occurs, the contents of the digestive tract can pass into the bloodstream triggering a powerful inflammatory immune response. This inflammatory cascade can quickly become chronic and systemic - affecting every organ in the body, including the brain. Studies show an association between inflammation in the brain and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

When these factors are combined with the deleterious effects of high levels of chronic stress and a sedentary lifestyle, the likelihood of developing both metabolic and mental health conditions increases dramatically.

Nutritional Therapy can be a powerful tool in healing the gut as well as the brain and mind. By eating a whole food, nutrient-dense diet, managing stress, and adopting appropriate and adequate movement practices, one can support both the integrity of the gut lining and a healthy gut microbiota. These changes can go a long way in minimizing systemic inflammation and its associated physical and mental health consequences.  

What is the microbiome-gut-brain connection and why does it matter?

For decades, the gut has been conceived of as a highly complex machine with separate and independent parts whose sole task is the digestion of food and the elimination of waste products. However, the latest scientific research is beginning to reveal that the digestive system is far more complicated, delicate, and elegant than previously imagined. Rather than a machine, it more closely resembles an interdependent ecological system that relies on the health of both human and non-human cells for resilience and proper function. 

Our gastrointestinal tract is home to over 100 trillion microorganisms - that’s more than the number of cells in the human body! And these microbes, collectively referred to as the microbiota, are neither silent nor passive tenants that are just along for the ride. They, in fact, appear to have a significant impact on our hormones, our metabolism, our cravings, how we think, how we feel, and how we relate to the world around us. Our overall health is modulated by our gut microbes in ways that we are only beginning to comprehend.  

The gut manages not only the work of digestion, but it is also the primary site of serotonin production and storage, houses the majority of the body’s immune cells, and is an extensive and vital sensory organ. It is the interface of our inner world, our outer world, and the microbial world - collecting and relaying an enormous amount of information to nearly every major organ in the body (especially the brain).

Common disruptors of the microbiome-gut-brain connection include not only poor diet but also a sedentary lifestyle, chronic psychological stress, exposure to environmental toxins and insufficient or poor-quality sleep. Real, lasting wellness requires a model of healthcare that considers and addresses every aspect of our lives and how we interact with the world around us - and it all starts in the gut!