Welcome to Functional Nutrition—the most effective way to harness the energy, information, and connections of food to create optimal health and reverse disease!
The Silent Epidemic
Everyday we are seeing the effects of chronic disease around the world skyrocket. And yet, little attention is given to what is driving diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity and poor metabolic health. It is now estimated that 8 out of 10 leading causes of death are lifestyle related.
Why Are We Collectively Getting Sicker?
The evidence is compelling that the primary dysfunction of most chronic illness lies within our lifestyle choices, particularly food and activity…..or lack thereof. We now live in a time where more and more people are eating more and moving and less.
Poor diet and lifestyle places increasing metabolic demands on our cells and our bodies, with little given in return to supply the body with what it truly needs to recover and repair itself.
Since the advent of convenience, ultra-fast, chemically laden food processing, the overconsumption of calories, sugar and unhealthy fats has never been higher. Ironically, overconsumption has led to nutrient deficiencies.
With nutrient-dense foods being replaced with calorie-rich convenience foods, we are beginning to see the devastating, deleterious effects of nutrient depletion and sugar saturation on a global scale.
Have you ever wondered how the long-term effects of poor diet and lifestyle impact us as we age?
There has been a global shift for the worse as a result of the convenience of these choices in modern day society. We’ve been conditioned to reach for manufactured rather than whole foods and its literally killing us.
If we know that real food is medicine, it really makes you wonder why it’s not being used more to promote health and to live a healthier, happier, longer life?!
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional Medicine is a science-based and integrative approach to restore balance in our bodies. By leveraging nutrition and lifestyle strategies to create health from within, at a cellular level, you can achieve a sustainable state of wellness.
Functional Medicine practitioners take an in-depth health and history assessment, hearing out their patient’s story, not solely focusing on symptoms, so they can properly integrate ALL of the body systems that make up YOU.
What Functional Medicine
is Not
Functional Medicine recognizes the need for conventional medicine and it’s amazing efficiency for combating infections, stitching up body parts in emergencies, dealing with trauma and many other health issues needing urgent intervention. However, it is deficient in treating milder, chronic illnesses.
The aim is for Functional Medicine and conventional medicine to complement one another, not stand opposed. After-all, the primary responsibility for each lies to that of the people we treat, to heal and do no harm. In this our aims are aligned.
What is Functional Nutrition?
Functional Nutrition is integrative and holistic, incorporating each person's unique genetic variability, biochemical efficiency and environment. Assessing and treating the person as a whole, rather than seeing them as a cluster of symptoms, allows us to identify and correct imbalances at the root cause.
Unlike most Registered Dieticians whose education focuses a lot on food service and meal planning, a Functional Nutritionist is trained to identify the imbalances and root causes. Having a deep understanding of how interconnected the human body is, Functional Nutrition and Medicine look at things like your gut/digestive health, mitochondrial dysfunction; the role inflammation plays in your symptoms; sleep; recovery; stress and your own unique relationship with food
Functional Nutrition interventions aim to help restore balance and cellular health by addressing factors such as micronutrient deficiencies, metabolic imbalances, improving daily movement, decreasing stress, increasing healthy sleep, and even cultivating supportive loving relationships.
How Will Functional Nutrition Benefit You?
Are you struggling with...
- Chronic illness
- Constant inflammation
- Digestive issues
- Inability to tolerate certain foods
- Poor blood sugar control
- Constant food cravings
- Unhealthy weight gain
- Inability to lose/gain weight
- Mood issues
- Metabolic disturbances
- Poor sleep
- Low energy
- Nutrient deficits
- Confusion on what is right for you
Many of these issues are influenced by diet and lifestyle.
Taking a Functional Nutrition approach allows us to identify the root cause of these concerns and collaborate to develop a whole person, sustainable approach to achieving health and wellness.
Functional Nutrition fills a gap that is not always adequately addressed OR assessed in conventional medicine, in order to offer a personalized approach to address factors underlying chronic disease and unhealthy aging.
By looking ‘upstream’ at the imbalances influencing symptoms, Functional Nutrition addresses nutrient deficiencies and restores health at a cellular level…..from the inside out.
Functional Nutrition addresses:
Bio-individuality
Integration of Systems
Nutrient malabsorption & deficiencies
Gut health
Metabolic issues
Exercise
Detoxification & Elimination
Health at a cellular level
Improved response to stress
Real whole foods
Healthy relationships
Emotional Wellbeing
Sense of purpose & belonging
Wellness promoting lifestyle
By ensuring that your body is adequately cared for from a functional, holistic lens, you can begin healing from within, creating healthier organs and a healthier you.