As a Nutritional Therapy student with the NTA I have spent the last nine months learning a foundational approach to functional, holistic nutrition. This has been through a large amount of curriculum with the focus in what we call The Foundations. The Foundations are made up of five specific areas where we focus on correcting imbalances within the body to achieve optimal health. At the base of these foundations is a properly prepared, nutrient-dense diet. All of these foundations, including diet must be working optimally to achieve health, especially since they depend on each other.
Over the next few posts I will be posting about each foundation, why it is necessary for optimal health, signs and symptoms of dysfunction as well as some basic tips to help support rebalancing within each foundation.
The first and probably most important factor of Nutritional Therapy is of course, a properly prepared, nutrient dense diet. So what the hell does that mean?
Nutrient-Dense Food
- WATER
- Water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass and is found in all tissues
- Roles in the body: transporting nutrients, cushioning bones and joints, absorbing shock to joints and organs, removing waste, flushing toxins, regulating body temperature, etc
- More details to come in Hydration
- PROTEIN
- Proteins are the building blocks of the body, it uses and assembles ~50,000 different proteins to form nerves, muscles and flesh
- Roles: enzymes as catalysts for biochemical processes, antibodies that help fight infection, hemoglobin (red blood cells), hormones that regulate metabolism and almost every key function in the body
- Quality sources:
- Always look for organic, grass-fed, pasture raised sources- these are the best for us nutritionally, the best for the environment and the best for the animal’s well-being (if you can’t afford the highest quality start with organic). Also purchasing from local farmers is the best choice to support your community and everything is SO much more fresh that way!
- Wild caught seafood – VERY important to source good seafood as farmed fish is one of the worst contaminated foods
- Ruminant animals: beef, lamb, bison, elk, buffalo, goat
- Poultry and eggs: chicken, turkey, duck
- Raw, full-fat milk products: cheese, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt
- Soaked/ sprouted nuts, seeds & legumes (important to sprout if you are using these as a primary protein source!)
- FATS
- Animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in our diet and contrary to popular belief a high percentage of all types of good quality fats are required for optimum health
- Roles: source of energy, building blocks for cell membranes and hormones, aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, allows for the proper use of proteins, regulate energy by slowing the absorption of food, increases satiety, MAKES FOOD TASTE GOOD!
- More details to come in Fatty Acids
- CARBOHYDRATES:
- Roles: provide fuel for the brain, quick source of energy for muscles, regulate protein and fat metabolism, source of fiber which helps with proper elimination of waste, along with proteins and fats: fights infections, promotes growth of body tissues such as bones and skin, lubricates joints
- Simple carbs: fruits and sugars- absorbed and used quickly
- Complex: vegetables, legumes whole grains – take more time to be broken down
- Daily intake should be unrefined, mostly complex carbohydrates
- More details to come in Bloodsugar
- VITAMINS
- Most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body so we must get them by eating the plants and animals that make them
- Most vitamins must be present with natural cofactors: trace minerals, enzymes, other vitamins
- Roles: acting as coenzymes or helpers in metabolic processes, supporting tissue growth, vitality and overall health, supporting digestion, elimination, immune function, preventing deficiency related disorders and health problems
- Sources: all of the above foods ^^
- MINERALS
- Provided solely by food sources and are not produced by the body, these are what remain as ash when plant or animal tissues are burned
- Out of 103 minerals at least 18 are essential to health
- Roles: cofactors for enzyme reactions, tightly regulating serum pH, maintaining osmotic pressure, facilitating the transfer of nutrients across cell membranes, maintaining proper nerve conduction, contracting and relaxing muscles, regulating tissue growth, providing structural and functional support
- More details to come in Minerals
Proper Food Preparation
- Eat a mix of both raw and cooked foods
- Include some fermented/ cultured foods (helps aid digestion and supports healthy gut bacteria):
- Sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, probiotic yogurt
- Soak, Sprout or naturally leaven all seeds, nuts, legumes and grains:
- Most pre-industrialized cultures soaked or fermented grains before consumption, as documented by Dr. Weston A. Price in his studies of indigenous cultures around the world.
- All grains contain phytic acid in the outer layer of the bran which combines with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and zinc in the intestinal tract and blocks their absorption which can lead to mineral and bone loss.
- Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli (good bacteria) and other organisms to break down and neutralize the phytic acid allowing us to access the nutrients in grains and digest them effectively
- **NOTE** While this is important if you are eating a diet heavy in these foods, if they are an occasional part of your diet and you see no ill effects that’s okay too. I won’t lie and say I do this because I don’t, but I also don’t eat a lot of grains or legumes. You can also buy nuts, seeds and rice pre-sprouted.
The biggest thing I can stress is that you don’t need to be overwhelmed in changing your diet overnight. Make simple switches here and there. Change up your breakfast from something sugary to an egg frittata with veggies or a sweet potato hash with sausages. Simply EAT MORE VEGETABLES with every meal – aim for at least two different colors and 2-3 cups of cooked veggies per meal. Or start with drinking more water and less coffee/tea/soda per day. There are small choices that we can make everyday that will contribute to better overall health.
In the next installment of the foundations we will talk about digestion. Do you experience bloating, heartburn, excessive fullness, constipation, diarrhea, etc? If so, you’ll want to come back to learn about digestion and how you can alleviate some of those symptoms with a few simple strategies.