What is Holistic Nutrition

Holistic Nutrition is basically supporting the body through whole, natural food to achieve a healthy balance.  It is more than that though. It also deals with body, mind and spirit.  When a client comes to me with a health concern, we discuss what makes up their current lifestyle and I can determine what factors and repeated behaviors are contributing to their health concern and what changes can improve that concern.

Why address diet?
Most people adhere to the Standard North American Diet (SAD) and are surprised over time that they develop health problems.  This diet has nothin to do with promoting health; it is all about the appearance, flavor and aroma of food.  What makes food delicious?  Salt, sugar and fat.  The food industry is all about making money.  Food production is based on crop yield not nutrition or sustainability.

To be healthy, we can't just fill our empty bellies with processed foods.  We have to feed our cells.  With prolonged ingestion of processed foods and little attention to macro and micro nutrients, eventually our bodies will start to break down.  Over time, we starve our bodies of the nutrients we need to keep our bodies functioning properly  As a result, our filtering organs start to become overworked, toxins are not properly filtered out, our digestive system doesn't function properly and the few nutrients we are getting are not properly assimilated into the body.  The result leads to disease and imbalance in the body.  It is a cumulative process.  You don't just wake up one morning with weight problems or chronic inflammation.  This is the accumulation of sins and it can be reversed in most cases by changing your diet.

Why address supplementation?
​In order to get our proper recommended daily allowance of micronutrients we need to eat a varied diet including lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.  If we followed Canada's Food Guide of recommended servings per day every single day, which no one does, we would still be lacking in micronutrients for our individual bodies.  RDA is an average dosage for the average body in good health in order to keep operating appropriately.  Let's look at some factors that effect nutrient amounts in food:

• soil erosion and nutrient depleted soil from over usage
  
• genetically modified food created for high crop yield not for nutrient content
  
• processed foods are denatured and lose their nutrient content in the process
  
• environmental toxins ingested through food need a high degree of nutrients to neutralize and remove from the body
  

Let's look at factors that can require an individual to supplement their diet.

• ​People with compromised immunity need more that the RDA to strengthen their immune system.
  
• People with compromised digestion and assimilation are not properly utilizing the nutrients they consume so they need to improve their digestive system in order to improve their overall health.
• Certain conditions require consistent supplementation to ensure consistent delivery of the nutrients.  For example: Omega 3 fatty acids are not produced by the body but can be very helpful in supporting brain and heart health.
  

Why address lifestyle?
​​In order to achieve a healthy balance in our bodies, we need to include exercise, stress management and detoxification in order to sustain good health in our golden years.  Most people believe that in order to improve this aspect, it has to be an all or nothing situation. Moving one's body daily is critical to maintaining physical and mental health.  Walking in nature for just half an hour per day (BUT...EVERYDAY!) is enough to improve general overall physical and mental health.  Exercise reduces stress and keeps our bones and hearts healthy.  Meditative forms of exercise like yoga and tai chi are stress relievers and keep our bodies limber.  Adequate sleep and relaxing activities are also huge to relieve stress and rejuvenate the body.
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