With 45 percent of Americans being diagnosed with at least one chronic illness, it’s safe to say that the United States is facing something of a health crisis. While modern medicine can save lives and promises to advance, it hardly addresses the crux of the issue. Why are we so sick?
This question is one of the motivating factors in the emerging field of functional nutrition. We are surrounded by convenient, highly-processed, heavily-sugared, high-fat foods that are nearly impossible to say no to. Unfortunately, these readily available foods around every corner may just be what is slowly infecting and killing us through chronic diseases.
Even though many Americans are well-aware of the health issues surrounding these foods, we continue to eat them. Sugar, for example, has been shown to be more addictive than cocaine, lighting up the brain’s reward centers like a Christmas tree.
So how do we break free and cure ourselves as a nation?
Functional nutrition seeks to provide a solution.
What is Functional Nutrition
Functional nutrition is a blooming concept gaining traction across medical communities as well as the health and fitness industry. It looks at food as the answer to our problems and treats the underlying cause, rather than masking the symptoms.
There’s hardly a person alive without some sort of ailment. It could be something as simple as back pain, restless sleeping, or fatigue. It could also be something as severe as diabetes or cancer.
Regardless, functional nutrition provides a natural way to treat or remedy the ailments of our bodies. However, functional nutrition isn’t just about eating healthy foods and hoping everything will turn out alright.
Instead, this holistic healing and nutrition approach assesses each individual patient based on their unique conditions. This includes their ailments, lifestyle, environment, genetic makeup, and more. Functional nutrition tests for allergies, intolerances, parasites, problems with gut flora, and more.
With this natural and thorough approach, functional nutrition seeks to help people operate at their maximum physical and mental potential. It provides patients with a self-care plan example.
Cellular Health
Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells. These cells require nutrients to thrive. The nutrients they use come from our diet, which is why nutrition is so important.
One way to help our cells function at full capacity is to rid our diets of unhealthy fats (saturated fat, trans fat) and boost our healthy fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat). Healthy fats can be found in olive oil, coconut oil, dark chocolate, avocados, hemp and other seeds, nuts, and salmon.
Trying a keto friendly shake for breakfast, snack, or lunch provides supportive metabolism in the body offering a long lasting energy boost for the day. Other types of holistic healing nutrition therapy include integrating supplements and probiotics for proper digestive health.
There are also anti-inflammatory foods to choose from for additional snacking, lunch, or dinner that can help people who deal with chronic pain. These foods include broccoli, fatty fish, berries, mushrooms, peppers, green tea, and turmeric.
Cannabis Nutrition Facts
Did you know that the cannabis plant has an abundance of nutritional opportunities for our human endocannabinoid system? Our human endocannabinoid system is a homeostatic regulator that when it’s receptors are stimulated it offers optimal support with memory, appetite, pain modulation, and anti-inflammatory effects. This sacred plant offers more than getting people “high”.
The cannabis plant is rich in complete proteins, omega fatty acids, flavonoids, vitamin and minerals, and carbohydrates. There are such powerful benefits in this single plant that it worth discussing with patients when supporting the endocannabinoid system tone.
Other Symptoms
Functional nutrition a form of holistic healing and nutrition and is gaining so much popularity and traction because patients around the world are experiencing its efficacy. They’re not just being treated in a way that masks their symptoms, they’re being shown how to make legitimate lifestyle changes to improve their health. Functional nutrition is helping patients who experience:
- Digestive issues
- Immune system issues
- Inflammatory issues
- Mental/psychological issues
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Hormone issues
- Elimination issues
There’s much more to be added to the list. If you have symptoms not listed, don’t despair – functional nutrition can help you too.
Want to See How Functional Nutrition Can Change Your Life?
Are you ready to make a change? If you’re tired of living with pain, fatigue, or a chronic illness, it’s time to give functional nutrition a chance. Contact our integrative nurse coach today and get started on your holistic and personalized self care plan example for enhancing optimal health.
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