Functional nutritional therapy takes its focus away from the illness and focuses on the person instead. Every person is unique; therefore the underlying causes of symptoms may not always be related to illness. For some people, it’s related toot their gastrointestinal tract and what they eat daily for food. Any problems with the person’s gut can be narrowed down to what they eat daily, as it has been shown that certain foods can impact both mental and physical health over the long term, such as saturated fats leading to an increased risk of heart disease. In this type of therapy, food is medicine.
How Does Functional Nutrition Therapy Work?
Functional nutrition therapy uses nutritional science as a treatment model for various underlying diseases and ailments. It uses food as a source of medicine, incorporating changes that benefit the patient on a holistic level. It’s focused on treating the entire body instead of just the symptoms, and this is because not every food works for everyone, similar to the way some people are lactose intolerant or allergic to peanuts.
Through nutritional programs provided by nutritionists, functional nutritional therapy works to provide long-lasting solutions to health problems by building a foundation for patients to work with in their everyday lives. This means changing the way people approach food physically and psychologically to treat conditions from the inside out. It is a whole-body system approach that takes the person into account first, analyzing how your body functions depending on factors such as genetics, family history, mental health, current conditions, and more.
What’s Included In Functional Nutritional Therapy?
Because of the constant negative effects of today’s modern diet, functional nutritional therapy attempts to reverse those effects by evaluating each individual’s imbalances and deficiencies. In these cases, nutritionists work with their patients to address and evaluate areas of focus rather than just prescribing fad diets and basic instructions. Most nutritionists will work to provide a detailed outline that incorporates how their patient’s body functions both anatomically and physiologically and address areas of focus such as:
- Digestion: Digestion problems can often be caused by underlying conditions or factors related to diet and lifestyle, and finding food groups to work with your current digestion can help improve it.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Blood sugar plays an essential role in creating energy for the cells and, depending on your health, can be managed and potentially resolved through significant, personal diet changes.
- Minerals: Minerals, despite their lack of empathy, have an important impact on the body’s weight and overall function. Seeking diet changes that address mineral deficiencies can help maneuver the body toward healing.
- Hydration: Hydration is the cornerstone of any diet, and helping encourage hydration can provide effective means for keeping pain levels low and digestion on track.
- Dietary Fats: Essential fatty acids are often required every day for healthy bodily intake, and seeking out healthy fat sources can provide essential nutrients the body needs to function.
If you desire to use your food as a natural medicine and live a healthier life, then make sure to schedule an appointment with your local nutritionist today to see if functional nutrition therapy will work for you.
