Integrative Functional Nutrition
A holistic approach to nutrition and wellness that seeks to address the root causes of chronic health problems by integrating the latest scientific research on nutrition, lifestyle, and functional medicine.
Virtual Nutrition Consultations Available
What is
Integrative Functional Nutrition?
Integrative Functional Nutrition focuses on optimizing the function of the body's systems, including the digestive, immune, hormonal, and nervous systems, through personalized nutrition and lifestyle interventions. This approach recognizes that each person has unique nutritional needs and health concerns, and therefore, a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition is not effective.
Integrative Functional Nutrition practitioners use a range of tools and assessments, including comprehensive health histories, laboratory testing, and dietary analysis, to develop personalized nutrition plans for their clients. They also work with clients to address lifestyle factors, such as stress management, sleep, exercise, and environmental toxins, that can impact health and wellbeing.
Integrative Functional Nutrition aims to promote optimal health and wellbeing by addressing the underlying cause, rather than just treating symptoms.
We also look to integrate Functional Nutrition with Eastern healing systems, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. These systems of medicine also view food as medicine and emphasize the importance of eating in accordance with one's individual constitution and needs.
Ayurveda, an ancient Indian system of medicine, recognizes three doshas or energetic forces that are present in all individuals - known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha is associated with certain physical and mental characteristics and can be balanced through dietary choices. For example, a person with a Vata constitution may benefit from warm, nourishing foods such as soups, stews, and cooked grains, while a person with a Pitta constitution may benefit from cooling foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views food in terms of its energetic properties, such as heating or cooling, and its effects on the body's organs and meridians. TCM emphasizes the importance of balancing the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and the yin and yang energies in the body through diet. For example, a person with excess heat in the body may benefit from cooling foods such as cucumbers and watermelon, while a person with weak digestion may benefit from warming foods such as ginger and cinnamon.
By incorporating Ayurvedic and TCM principles into their diet, people can support their overall health and well-being. This may include reducing inflammation, improving digestion, balancing hormones, and supporting immune function. Additionally, Ayurveda and TCM can help individuals identify foods that may not be well-tolerated by their body, such as gluten or dairy, and recommend suitable substitutes.
Overall, by embracing a diet that is tailored to their individual constitution and needs, individuals can promote optimal health and vitality.
