Functional Nutrition Counselor: The connection between our brain and our body is powerful. Our body is made up of complex systems and networks, all made to talk to each other in order to function optimally. For example, did you know that our gut houses 70% of the body’s immune system?
What happens when these systems get knocked out of balance due to things like stress or illness? This is where functional nutrition comes in. In this article, we’ll explore how a functional nutrition counselor can help you lead a full and healthy life.
Continue reading to find out more.
Functional Nutrition
First, you may be wondering ‘what is functional nutrition?’ Functional nutrition is a more holistic approach to overall health and wellness. Functional nutrition embodies the phrase “you are what you eat” by utilizing food and nutrition as fuel.
It is a modality of healthcare that looks at and incorporates a variety of things in order to keep the mind and body healthy such as:
- General levels of stress
- Inflammation levels in the body
- Environmental factors
- Physical activity levels
- Medical history
- Food as medicine
Functional nutrition is a patient-centered approach to wellness, and a functional nutrition counselor will generally look at all aspects of a person’s health as opposed to touting a one-size-fits-all wellness program.
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What Does a Functional Nutrition Counselor Do?
This patient-centered approach really delves into a person’s lifestyle. For example, perhaps you’ve had a time in your life where you felt exhausted and run down no matter how much sleep you had or how well you were eating.
A functional nutrition counselor or nutrition doctor will break down the why of it all by looking at any number of things such as:
- Stress levels
- Imbalances in the gut
- Imbalanced hormones
- Dysfunctional thyroid
A functional nutrition counselor will want to find the root cause of what is making a body unhealthy in order to fully understand and reduce the risks of chronic disease. Because functional nutrition is not a one-stop-shop, healing will look different for everyone.
What to Expect
Depending on what you’re hoping to achieve during treatment, healing will look different for everyone. The best nutrition plan will be the one that works best for you.
Because functional nutrition emphasizes the health of the brain and the body in tandem, a nutrition professional may look at any of the following:
- Realigning sleep routines
- Focusing on meditation and movement
- Focusing on quality food consumption
- Supporting the microbiome of the gut
- Reducing stress and negative environmental factors
Your nutrition counselor will be able to guide you through the best approach fit for your body and lifestyle.
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A Path to Wellness
Functional nutrition is a therapeutic type of partnership wherein treatment and prevention of chronic disease is emphasized through fully taking care of the body and the brain. A functional nutrition counselor will be able to tailor a plan suited to you and your lifestyle.
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