What exactly is nutrition therapy?
Lack of vitamins and minerals causes many ills! Increasing scientific research in the field of nutrition clearly demonstrates relationships between particular diseases and illnesses and the therapeutic and curative effects of foods. There is evidence nutritional therapy was used as early as 1500 B.C. during ancient Greece. Until the 20th century, most nutritional therapies were administered based on simple observation. Hence in the 18th century it was discovered that fresh fruits and vegetables cured scurvy. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Vitamin C complex was identified as the scurvy curing agent.
Today, many of our common degenerative diseases are either linked to the lack of certain nutrients in our diet (vitamins, minerals etc) or to the intake of chemically altered foods. Nutritional therapy is emerging as the best alternative to medications and more invasive medical procedures. Nutritional therapy focuses on restoring and improving the functions of our body by providing key nutrients in specific amounts. Organic whole food supplements (as close to nature as possible) are the new frontier. Ironically, the origin of organic whole food supplements dates back to 1929. Dr. Royal Lee, the founder of Standard Process was ahead of his time by half a century.
What do I do as a Nutrition Consultant?
Patients seek the help of a Nutrition Consultant for the following reasons: weight-loss, more energy, hormonal problems, digestion problems, cholesterol and blood pressure problems etc.
Some patients are afraid of the side effects of certain medications and want to know if there are safe, natural, alternatives with these health problems. A Nutrition Consultant (NC) can offer them some hope and guidance. A NC can design a personalized nutritional program that is tailored to the patient’s specific health needs. At our office we use a computerized software program that reveals the two main areas of concern the patient may have. After gathering all the information and a thorough health history we then make nutritional recommendations.
Is taking vitamins all I need to do?
This concept is fundamentally flawed as we draw comparisons to the intake of medications. Americans have been conditioned to neglect proper nutrition and to take medications (magic bullets) to cure their ailments. This approach has taken a toll on Americans given the current catastrophic health statistics. However, this magic bullet concept is increasingly permeating the vitamin industry. Patients are looking for fixes and cures using vitamins just like they do using medications. Instead of improving their diet and lifestyle, they shop for “natural” quick fixes. Recent studies in the nutritional field clearly demonstrate that natural quick fixes don’t work any better than medications. As a matter of fact, there is increasing scientific evidence linking potential adverse effects taking high doses of synthetic vitamins similar to what has been observed with medications. In order to achieve the best possible results, we recommend a healthy organic diet and organic whole food supplements tailored to each individual’s needs.
What exactly does “organic” mean?
The term organic refers to specific farming and antibiotic and hormone free lifestock practices used in agriculture. Currently, a minority of farmers grow food organically. Organic farming follows principles that were set over 100 years ago but eventually abandoned to increase yields and profits. The process of mass production of food and the increasing ferrying of food across the country has led to practices that significantly alter the quality of food we produce. A question that often gets asked is “Is organic food better?” According to the Food Science part of Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey which has earned its reputation as one of the leading Food Science research departments in the nation the answer is clearly YES!
Non-organic food producers sometimes say there is no difference. However, common sense says that there must be. Surely eating food without chemicals and harvested in a more natural manner is better. But is it? Researchers at Rutgers University in the USA compared the mineral content of organically grown produce purchased in a health food store to produce at a supermarket. The Rutgers’ team expected the organic produce to be slightly superior in this comparison, but the results were incredible! Organic spinach and tomatoes for example exhibited iron content 1000% higher than non organic. Many other essential trace elements are completely absent in the non-organic foods whereas they occur in abundance in the organic varieties. Click the link for more information.