A Strong Nutritional Foundation
Our bodies will tell us that they need support in multiple ways if our foundations are out of balance. A Nutritional Therapy Practitioner works one on one with clients to connect specific symptoms and habits to their underlying foundational imbalances, zeroing in on the root causes and finding ways that the body is best supported through food, lifestyle changes and therapeutic nutrients.
We are all bioindividuals, meaning we all have different nutritional needs based on our genetic makeup, activity level, stage of life, environment, etc., but there are 6 nutritional foundations that require balance for proper functioning of ALL bodies.
Below are the 6 nutritional foundations that I look at first as a base of wellness, some information about them and some tips for how to support/balance them. Working in some of these tips can absolutely have a ripple effect on improving both physical and mental well-being.
Nutritional Foundation #1
A properly Prepared, Nutrient Dense Diet
Eating a properly prepared, nutrient dense, whole food diet provides the fuel and essential building blocks that all other functions of the body need for health and balance. Nutrients support the health of cells, which support the health of tissues, organs and systems of the entire body.. this is the base of health.
Supporting this foundation will look different for everyone as we all have different needs and resources. I work with my clients to find ways to make this fun and doable. For some, more farmers market outings, for others finding a groove with meal prepping or even subscribing to an online meal service. This is a HUGE first step.
Working with an NTP will provide you with a more tailored food recommendation experience, but here are a few guidelines that I recommend for everyone:
– Eat whole foods that are as close to how they appear in nature as possible.
– Eat a diverse range of (local, seasonal + organic when possible) fruits and vegetables.
– Eat the highest quality fats and proteins as you’re able.
With the amount of artificial and highly processed food in the typical American diet, our body’s signals have become mixed and lost. Getting back to whole, nutrient dense foods and paying attention to cues, allows our bodies tell us what they need. Over time, you will learn to trust your own body’s innate wisdom.
Nutritional Foundation #2 – Digestion
In short, this is absorbing and assimilating the nutrients we eat.
You may have heard the saying “you are what you eat” but a more accurate statement would be “you are what you digest and absorb”.
While what we eat is super important .. it’s not everything.
If you’re eating well and still having:
bloating
heartburn
constipation
gas + burping
you’re not properly digesting your food … None of these things should be happening on a regular basis.
Our gut also influences our minds, some even call the gut the “second brain”. Did you know that 95% of our bodies serotonin supply is found in our bowels? Crazy, right? So, in addition to the symptoms above, improving digestion can also improve your mental health.
Digestion is a north to south process, meaning any digestive function that is compromised higher up in your body will cascade down to digestive functions lower in the body.
Here are a few simple but super effective tips to support your digestive system from the top down:
1. Do whatever you need to do to relieve stress. All digestive functions happen in a parasympathetic state so starting a meal off in a peaceful state prepares the body to receive and process all the healthy food that you’re feeding yourself. Some things I’ve been trying are 5 deep breaths before each meal (harder than it sounds) + a short gratitude practice before taking a bite. Laughing out loud can help to relieve stress and and I’ve found that it’s fun way to connect with my littles before mealtime.
2. Smell your food – Our bodies are amazing, the aroma of our food cooking actually sends a signal to our brain that food is coming. Our body then starts to secrete the gastric juices necessary for digestion.
3. Chew your food thoroughly – chewing each bite at least 15 times starts the mechanical process of digestion. Properly chewing up food also allows it to be mixed with enough saliva to start breaking down carbs and fats. This allows the stomach to focus on it’s job of breaking down proteins, disinfecting food and freeing nutrients from foods.
4. Avoid drinking a ton of water right before, during, and right after a meal. Doing that can dilute stomach acid, which is super necessary for proper digestion.
Nutritional Foundation #3 – Blood Sugar Regulation
Do you get hangry? Get headaches if you wait to long to eat? Feel sleepy in the afternoon or crave coffee or sugar mid day?
These are all signs that your foundation of blood sugar regulation could need some love.
Balanced blood sugar regulation really does ensure a steady, balanced supply of energy!
Some simple ways to support blood sugar are:
– Balancing your macros: include a quality protein, healthy fat, and carb in each meal and snack
– limit caffeine consumption
– sleep at least 8 hours a night
– manage stress and reactions
– work in some sort of movement (that you enjoy) daily
Nutritional Foundation #4 – Fatty Acids
Say it with me – fat. is. not. bad.
Many of us grew up in a culture that told us that fat was bad, but we now know that quality fats are nourishing and essential for good health.
Healthy fatty acid deficiency can result in:
-musculoskeletal issues
-endocrine issues
-cardiovascular issues
-immune issues
-allergies, skin problems
-depression, etc.
Different fats can withstand different temperatures before they become damaged. Below is a list of healthy/unhealthy fats and cooking temperature recommendations.
r(Thank you NTA for this super helpful handout!)
Nutritional Foundation #5 – Mineral Balance
Minerals play numerous roles in our body and are essential for good health.
Some roles are:
– contracting and relaxing muscles
– facilitating the transfer of nutrients across cell membranes
– maintaining proper nerve conduction
– regulating tissue growth
The most common mineral deficiencies are calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium and zinc.
With the shift to industrial mono culture farming, and the removal of grazing and foraging animals from the land, soil mineral depletion is common which translates to mineral depletion in the food grown in these soils. This is one of the many reasons why I suggest eating local when possible. Small local farms are much less likely to be growing food in mineral depleted soils.
Most of us know how important calcium is for bone health.. Did you know that almost everyone gets enough calcium, but they are missing the co-factors that allow the body to use/absorb it? It seems counter-intuitive but supplementing with extra calcium without being able to absorb it, can actually cause troublesome calcium deposits in weak places in the body.
Getting a variety of foods will help support getting more macro and micro minerals in well as the co-factors needed to absorb and utilize the minerals you’re eating.
Nutritional Foundation #6 – Hydration
Yet, most Americans are chronically dehydrated.
Symptoms of dehydration are headaches, thirst, constipation, muscle cramps, joint pain and flexibility.
Again, we are all bioindividual but the general daily water intake recommendation for women is 74 oz (77oz if you’re pregnant or nursing) and 100 oz for men.
Supplying cells and tissues with sufficient water depends on consuming enough water, but sufficient hydration also depends on having the proper minerals to absorb it. Did you know that most water has lots of good minerals filtered out? These minerals naturally occurring in water are essential for our body to properly absorb it. Simply adding a pinch of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt to the water you drink will help you get the benefits of drinking more water.
From a base of wellness in these 6 foundations, so much more growth is possible. Working individually with an NTP can give you a tailored recommendations to go deeper in your healing following the above recommendations will give you a great start! To your health!
