Why See a Holistic Nutritionist

Why see a Holistic Nutritionist?

Sometimes even I wonder why people should come and see me as a Holistic Nutrition Consultant. We all need to eat and we should all know how to eat, but for various reasons adopt a diet that is convenient, tastes good and gets us through the day. We’ve lost the art of eating the way our ancestors did and we are seduced daily by slick ads and tantalizing tastes and smells that sway our best intentions. We also neglect to eat to match our activity level. I have known people over the years who either “eat to live” or “live to eat”. Generally the “eat to live” types are slim and healthy, and the “live to eat” types look for any excuse to include eating in their daily activities. Which one are you?

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I’m particularly fascinated by my dog’s eating habits. It’s all meat for her, the more nutrient-dense the better. We feed her a good grain free kibble and then bits of our meat scraps as well as her favourites, chicken hearts and liver. She eats when she is hungry and turns her nose up at unhealthy food and treats. She could eat more veggies, but as a small dog she can’t afford any excess. She self regulates and we can leave her bowl full of kibble all day and she won’t touch it until she really needs fuel. 

How can we get our appetites under control and eat a good balance of macronutrients that nourish our bodies for optimal health and energy every day? Most of us have been raised on some version of the “Standard American Diet” (SAD), and we have lost the ability to make good choices, as we are ruled by pleasure and convenience more than practicality and optimal wellness. Also, finding and preparing the best choices, sometimes seems onerous and the products available are staggering. The manager in Save-On told me last weekend that they now carry 20,000 different products. Yikes!!! No wonder we're overwhelmed.

That’s where I come in. I have learned as a Holistic Nutritionist that many things affect appetite regulation, including some complicated hormone interplay. Our bodies strive for balance, homeostasis in science speak, and will do anything to stay there. Stress is one area that wreaks havoc on all of these regulators, throwing all our best efforts out the window. We are under more stress than ever these days.  It is possible to regain control, but we may need a little help along the way rather than rely on the musings of various diet gurus who find something that works for them and so they publish a best selling book on the subject. What worked for them, however, may not work for you. Each of us is an individual, in our own stage of life, which may require a different balance of nutrients. Couple all of this with some digestive issues due to poor eating habits and you have a recipe for disaster and huge profits for the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, I’m convinced that the food manufacturers and the pharmaceutical companies are in cahoots to maximize profits for each other.

So, if you’ve tried everything to get your weight under control, reduce sugar cravings, improve your digestion, (insert your own complaint) etc. If you know what you eat could have some bearing on your health/mood/sleep/energy/immunity. If you need help figuring it all out, give me a call for a complimentary initial consult and we can see if a few pointers or a customized program will get you back on track.