I realized the other day that not everyone may know what a Nutritional Therapy Consultant (NTC for short) is and how I can help you, so I wanted to take some time and explain it for you. I also wanted to give a bit more insight into why I have chosen to down this path of helping other by becoming an NTC.
Nutritional Therapy is about taking a deeper look at what is happening within our bodies and figuring out the best approach to support it through normal daily life or an illness, if you are experiencing one. I take into consideration the basic needs of the body that are required for function. An example of this is the importance of healthy fat in our body, one of the main tasks of fat is to be the building block of cells membranes. Including proper fats in your diet will ensure that you have healthy cells, and from that point the rest of your body will be strong! All basic functions need certain nutrients and support to function optimally.
To support the body, I focus on The Foundations. The foundations are
- Diet – it all starts here! Without a nutrient dense, properly prepared diet we will not be taking in any of the important elements the body needs.
- Digestion – without proper digestion, you are not able to breakdown and utilize the nutrients.
- Blood sugar – out of range blood sugar leads to a host of issues because it is a major stressor to the body.
- Fatty acids – besides building our cells, fats also play a major role in controlling inflammation and creating hormones.
- Minerals – each of our endocrine organs require a specific mineral to function. For example, the thyroid needs selenium.
- Hydration – water makes up 55-60% of our body mass and helps to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
Now, this is just a small bit of why these foundations are important! They each play an important role in and the list of what they do in the body is extensive. I will address each of them in more depth for you in the future.
As an NTC, I also take into consideration YOU!! We are all different, we each have different hobbies, political views, hair color, and so on. When we put all those traits together you have an individual, special and unique. This is how health should be looked at, since we are all unique our care and needs will be as well. One size does not fit all!! I look at your needs, which foundations you need support in, and your tastes…though, I will occasionally ask you to get out of your comfort zone and try some new foods!!
You may be wondering what the process is to find your health plan so let me explain. First, you fill out a set of forms and submit them to me. These forms tell us which foundation we should work on first. After reviewing all the forms, I build a health plan for you that will include foods to add or remove, steps to improve body function, lifestyle changes, and possible supplements. Lastly, we sit down together to determine if we need to tweak the plan to fit your life. We may decide to move forward as is or break it down into smaller steps. No matter what protocol I create, it is useless if you can not mold it into your life. After we have the plan all set, you get to put it into action! I am here to support you through the process, sharing recipes, suggesting books, and make changes as needed.
I decided that I wanted to use nutritional therapy to help others because I have experienced firsthand just how great a nutrient-dense way of eating can make you feel! I spent the better portion of my 20’s at an unhealthy weight, moody, constipated, experienced cramps every month with my period, unhappy with my body and certain areas of my life. This is not how we should live. So, I decided to lose the 30+ pounds and I started counting calories, the weight started coming off. I counted even more!! I started to incorporate running…and tracking that too! Looking back, I was overdoing it, but I really enjoyed my runs! I used to joke that it was my therapy! It was true, I used that time to think.
Over time, I lost the weight…except for that last 5 pounds!! For the most part, I felt better, but my body was still not operating smoothly, and I was hungry. I was still having PMS and digestive issues. I continued to look into ways to lose the last five and found the Atkins diet. Then I found Paleo & Primal!! Man, did things change once I found Mark’s Daily Apple! I bought his book, followed by Practical Paleo and I have not looked back since! I began to weed out processed, dead food and add in real, whole foods. I began feeling great!! My body composition changed, I leaned out a bit. PMS was less, I have daily bowel movements, acne was gone, and I didn’t feel so run down and I felt more at ease in my own skin.
Today, I do not count or track what I eat. I just eat real food. I eat until I am full. I enjoy some good dark chocolate or a bit of dessert occasionally. I do track my activity because I like to know what I have done, but for no other reason than to have that information. I no longer see fitness as a way to justify eating.
Eventually, my interest shifted from eating to look better to eating to nourish my body. The more I listen to podcasts and read about what is happening to our food system, the more I understood why this way of eating was benefiting me and others. It started a fire to share this information! Naturally, the next step was to educate myself further on how the body works, learn more on how to properly prepare food, and how those foods nourish the body.
I want everyone to know that they do not have to feel bad or experience health issues (big or small), you don’t have to count every bite, that you can’t believe everything you see the labels and teach that food can truly be thy medicine!! Getting back to a more ancestral way of eating offers more nutrients and less dysfunction.
Today, we must be fully involved in the choices we are making! I want to help you be able to make those choices with confidence and know that you are choosing what works for your body, leaving you feeling energized and happy! I want you to have peace of mind that you are feeding your family well, nourishing them with every meal.
If you are interested in learning more contact me for a free 20-minute consultation by clicking here.
Is there any health or nutrition topic you would like me to discuss? Let me know in the comments!
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