Nutritional Therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, performance and prevention of disease. It is about understanding the relationship between food and health
Nutritional Therapy focuses on an individual’s medical condition alongside their diet and lifestyle to correct nutritional imbalances. It takes into account the nutritional requirements for your particular age, gender, genetic make-up, medical history, dietary patterns, lifestyle, and other factors. Since these all vary from person to person, the advice is tailored to you as an individual and is given along with practical recommendations to help you achieve your goals.
The body requires over 45 different minerals and vitamins for all its processes to work efficiently. It is possible for the body to make some of these itself but it does require the raw ingredients to make these from the diet. Others it can only obtain from the diet, so it’s essential that these are included in your food intake. Long term nutrient deficiencies or imbalances can lead to more serious symptoms and complications which is why good nutrition is far reaching and can benefit all ages.
Nutritional Therapy aims to address the following:
• Dietary and nutrient imbalances that may be contributing to your current health concerns.
• Improving the digestive function and increasing the variety of foods to optimise the absorption of and spectrum of nutrients from the gut.
• Providing the right nutrition to support key metabolic pathways improving your body’s ability to cope with stress, infection and disease.
• Slowing down the progress of chronic degenerative disease and ageing by increasing nutrient intake while reducing your exposure to dietary, environmental and lifestyle toxins.
• How you might practically achieve the recommendations e.g. shopping, cooking, lunches at work, budgets.
Nutritional Therapy can help with the following:
• Childhood Developmental Disorders
• Constipation, Diarrhoea
• Depression
• Digestive Problems & IBS
• Disordered Eating Behaviours
• Food Intolerance, Allergies
• Hormonal Imbalances & Disorders e.g. Thyroid
• Low Energy Levels
• Mental Health issues
• Migraines & Headaches
• Mood Swings
• PMS & Menopause
• Preconceptual care
• Recurrent Infections (e.g. colds, sinusitis)
• Skin Conditions
• Stress
• Weight Issues
Nutritional Therapy is also useful for prevention, support and management of the following conditions:
• Cancer
• Chronic Fatigue or ME
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease e.g. Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis
• Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis
british association for nutritional therapy