Natural Nutrition & Dietary Needs
What is Natural Nutrition?
Natural nutrition acknowledges that we are all different and have unique dietary needs which are influenced by many factors such as our inherited constitution, developmental life stage, and state health. The natural rhythms of the day-night cycle and solar, lunar and seasonal influences are also recognized as important factors impacting health and well-being.
Natural nutrition aims:
- To promote awareness of how the body has arrived at its current state of health.
- To use appropriate dietary and supplementation recommendation, which help to restore well-being.
- To use appropriate naturopathic techniques, which help support elimination.
Making sense of the Current health picture
In order to understand the current state of health a detailed case history is taken which builds a holistic picture of the individual and involves gathering information about:
- Imbalances currently being presented in the body
- Lifestyle factors influencing health and diet
- Health and diet during at key stages: birth, childhood, adolescence etc
- The inherited picture ( parents, grandparents, siblings etc)
- A typical days diet
Connections with symptoms and health are made through the process of non-judgemental interpretation of the case history. It is important to bear in mind, that the case interpretation is not a medical diagnosis but may be used to promote understanding of how the body has come to present specific imbalances. The case interpretation should also raise awareness that the body is not creating random symptoms and is actually doing the best it can to cope with the situation at this point in time.
Natural Nutrition interpretation uses holistic principles from traditional Chinese medicine five element theory and naturopathic theories to help make sense of what is happening in the body.
Making Recommendations
From the case history, foods and drinks are identified which are presenting a challenge to the individual. Suggestions will be made to reduce and/or eliminate challenging foods/drinks for a certain time. With a lowered level of dietary challenge the level of stress presented to the body from the diet is reduced. This means that the body will have the capacity to start rebalancing and offloading internalized toxicity. Naturopathic techniques may also be suggested to ensure that elimination is supported.
After following initial recommendations for a suggested time period, health will be reassessed and further recommendations may be suggested. These suggestions may involve further dietary advice, some naturopathic cleansing techniques to help keep elimination pathways clear and some supplementation.
Supplementation
Supplements are only suggested when the body is able to make use of them otherwise the supplement may become an additional stress. For example, due to poor temperature and missing cofactors, Certain individuals will be unable to make of essential fatty acid supplementation. In this situation, these balances should be rectified before the process of supplementation.