10 Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

10 GUIDELINES FOR A HEALTHY DIET

• Avoid or eliminate all artificial, processed and packaged foods and beverages. Choose organic produce and organic, grass-fed, free-range meats and dairy when possible.

• Reduce, avoid or eliminate all insulinogenic such as foods and stimulants including sugar,cakes, cookies, candy, bread, pastas, potatoes, starchy grains and vegetables, soda, chocolate, coffee, caffeine containing teas, and alcoholic beverages.

• Identify and eliminate food allergens.

• Eat breakfast. Protein is best early in the day and carbohydrates later in the day.

• Avoid eating anything other than a light snack near bedtime.

• Eat large amounts of whole or juiced greens and brightly colored vegetables daily.

• Use healthy organic oils liberally. Include raw butter and cream, as well as flax, hemp, coconut, olive, walnut, sesame oils, etc. Supplement with quality fish oil.

• Include plenty of traditional foods such as fermented foods, slowly cooked soup broths made with fish, chicken or beef bones, and traditional culinary spices and condiments.

• Consume fewer calories in general, and select foods with the highest nutritional density.

• Drink one quart of pure water daily for each 50 pounds of body weight.

How does Nutritional Therapy work?

How does it work?

How well we feel depends on many things.  The efficiency with which our body produces hormones, enzymes, prostaglandins, blood cells, antibodies and countless other substances is partly determined by our nutritional status. All these are made from food but many people do not assimilate their food properly, perhaps because of poor digestion or chronic irritation of the digestive system. They may also have a toxic overload – a build up of unwanted waste substances which get in the way of efficient functioning. Food allergies or intolerances can also cause a lot of unpleasant symptoms which may be delayed or chronic and difficult to relate to a specific food.

People who have used  many antibiotics in the past can also be prone to dysbiosis. This is the excessive growth of undesirable bacteria and yeast, including candida albicans, in the intestines. Dysbiosis irritates the digestive tract and this irritation may impair the digestion. Many undesirable bacteria and yeast also produce toxic waste products which get absorbed into our blood stream and can make us feel tired or unwell.

I aim to improve your body’s efficiency by identifying and then dealing with these problems using specific diets, lifestyle changes, and dietary supplements according to individual needs. An efficiently functioning body finds it easier to repair and heal itself. If you already have a serious illness, much will depend on your body’s powers of recuperation, your immune system,  and on other factors such as stress.

Check out: www.nutritionaltherapy.com to find you local provider

Nutritional Therapy-Who Should Do It?

Nutritional Therapy is not just about healthy eating. It is a form of complementary /alternative medicine in which a NTP practitioner will work with the client. She will help his or her body rid itself of stressful substances, providing raw materials and improving assimilation of food in order to aid physical repair. It aims to change an individual’s metabolism from an unbalanced state – which may be causing minor and major distressing symptoms and which may lead to diagnosable disease – to a state of balance or homeostasis, allowing the body to return to optimum health.

Optimum health is achieved by assessing biochemical imbalances to include vitamins and mineral deficiencies, hormonal dysfunction, food sensitivities and underlying parasitic and fungal infections. It addresses the underlying causes leading to weight gain, water retention, loss of energy, cravings, bloating, headaches, memory loss, bowel disturbances, joint pain, depression, infertility, etc. (The causes rather than the symptoms of illness)   It boosts energy levels, increases the body’s ability to cope with stress and infection. It slows chronic degenerative disease and the aging process, recommending biochemical tests and nutritional supplements, as appropriate, which are at the cutting edge in the field of nutrition, in addition to individual dietary and lifestyle changes.

Nutritional Therapy is mandatory for the following conditions:

Sugar handling problems, Headaches/migraine, irritable bowel, bloating, chronic fatigue  and fibromyalgia, skin problems, overweight, mood swings, allergies, sensitivities, candida, female hormone imbalances –( i.e. fibroids, endometriosis, PMS, menopausal problems), digestive and bowel disorders, stress, food intolerances, parasitic and fungal infections, chronic degenerative disease etc., plus many other conditions

Your health is only as good as your nutrition.  Your nutrition concerns what you eat (diet) and what you absorb. If your cells do not get the nutrients, your body starves. Your energy, overall physical vibrancy and your zest for life is directly influenced by what you consume. You can’t eat junk food and feel healthy, strong and ready to deal effectively with life. Stress is compounded by what you eat. Too many inappropriate food choices will eventually worsen any health problem.

Provided by your local Nutritional Therapist

Check out www.nutritionaltherapy.com to find your local therapist

Water

WATER In his book “Your Body’s Many Cries for WATER”, Dr. F. Batmanghelidj writes “hypertension should primarily be treated with an increase in daily water intake. The present way of treating hypertension is wrong to the point of scientific absurdity. The body is trying to retain its water volume, and we say to the design of nature in us: ‘No you don’t understand—you must take a diuretic and get rid of water.” With your hard-core hypertensive patients, consider asking them how much water they drink each day. I have found quizzing them about “fluid” intake will give inaccurate findings because “fluids” are not defined as WATER in the mind of most patients. So ask them “how much water do you drink each day—I don’t mean coffee, tea, soft drinks or juice but water” and then you should get an accurate answer. And…if the patient’s answer is they are drinking no water each day now, it is unrealistic to expect they will be drinking 8 glasses of water each day tomorrow. However, with encouragement, over a short period of time, they should be able to hit the goal of 8 glasses or their body weight divided by 2 in ounces of water each day. When I was in practice I had a written schedule of daily water drinking that I would give patients to post on their refrigerator and at their work station to remind them to drink water all during the day. Having the schedule in front of them all day kept them thinking about drinking water and it also showed them how easy it is to do if you think about it. The problem most people have with not drinking enough water is not that they don’t have time to do it—they just don’t think about doing it. The schedule helps them begin to think about drinking water and convinces them they can do it because it is so easy.

–Information provided by Biotics and Shelly Slocum-www.nutritionaltherapy.neomassage.com

Jobs for a non RD- nutritional therapist

• Jobs related to nutrition for non-RD
• Nutrition writer for health newsletter, magazine, or other media
• Nutrition writer for Internet, including nutrition articles, “ask a nutritionist”, message board moderator
• Contributor or employee for nutrition or health-related internet company
• Diet Technician or Nutrition Assistant in hospital, clinic, or other health care setting
• Health Speaker
• Health Food Store Management
• Restaurant Management
• Nutrition Assistant in Research
• Food Scientist
• Health Inspector
• General nutrition counselor (counseling normal and good nutrition)
• WIC Nutritionist (many positions don’t require an RD)
• Food Service Administrator
• Personal nutrition coach
• Research Assistant for a nutrition-related study
• Restaurant consultant (labeling, menu development)

cool nutritional therapy websites

Organics Online

FOOD

www.eatwild.com

Local, sustainable, mostly organic farms that you can buy from directly.

www.localharvest.org

Here is a site where you can locate CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture).

www.portlandfarmersmarket.org

There is also a YEAR round farmers’ market in the Hillsdale neighborhood. Very cool! Fresh local winter squash every week. My kids devour it.

www.azurestandard.com

THE on-line store, like New Seasons but online and in catalog form.

www.westonaprice.com

Great info about eating like our ancestors did. The cookbook “Nourishing Traditions” is based on his findings. There are local groups all over the world. Very good resource.

www.realmilk.com

Wonderful site about raw milk! You will never drink pasteurized milk after reading this site.

www.fermentedtreasures.com

Great site to get yogurt and sourdough starters as well as MANY more starters.

www.mutlipure.com

The best water filters on the market! This is a must!

www.drmercola.com

Info about the hazards of microwaves, Teflon and great info about different oils too.

www.sustainabletable.org

Info about sustainable shopping, local food sources, as well as recipes. You can also get info about what veggies and fruits are in season in your area all year round.

www.urbanhomemaker.com

Great site with recipes and lots of practical kitchen item information.

www.soaringheart.com

Great mattresses, located in Seattle but they ship anywhere.

www.truthinlabeling.com

Ever wonder what “Natural Flavoring” really is? Find out this and much more.

www.storyofstuff.com

A MUST see!

www.perfectperscription.com

Tooth soap.

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/tinyfootprints

Wonderful site for families, everything to do with healthy living in the Portland area.

-toxin free home

-baby shower kit

-where to buy organic food

-green products and services

www.nwei.com

Type in “eco tips” in the search bar and you will find some incredible info! Northwest Earth Institute, located in Portland, Oregon. You can take part in free discussion groups in your neighborhood. A wonderful resource and a great way to meet great people.

www.sustain-nw.com

On this site there is a calendar of local sustainable events, conferences, and celebrations.

www.newdream.org

Steps to sustainable living. Very, very good site!

OTHER RESOURCES

www.motherearthnews.com

Great magazine and website with info about all sorts of topics, from building you own home to passive solar heating.

www.locavores.com

Here is a cool site about the start of the Eat Local movement which started in San Francisco and is now all over. Someone in Vermont (or maybe it was New Hampshire) ate 100% local for the month of December! Now that is a challenge.

www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/views06/1009-24.htm

Attention! This article with knock your socks off (in a good way). Your thoughts on food with change (also in a good way!).

www.eatlocalchallenge.com

Take the EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE!!!! This is a fun one.

www.thegreenguide.com

This site has it all. Great tips, articles, and resources. A really good site.

www.safecosmetics.org/action

Take action in support of your right to buy safe personal care products.

www.cosmeticdatabase.com

Visit Skin Deep for more information.

www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov

Check out the National Library of Medicine’s Household Products Database to learn about the products in your home.

www.backcountry.com

BodyFit items at 50% discount.

www.backhomemagazine.com

Your hands on guide to sustainable living.

www.thefamilyhomestead.com

Recipes for homemade cleaners and much more.

SHOPPING

www.miradorcommunitystore.com

Wonderful kitchen and home products, all using products from the earth.

www.magiccabin.com

Magic Cabin – wonderful wooden and cloth kids’ toys.

www.drhauscka.com

Pure body care products and makeup.

www.eminenceorganics.com

Pure body care products.

www.mamasherbalsoaps.com

Wonderful truly pure soap made by my friend, a Waldorf stay at home mom.

www.icebreaker.com

100% merino wool athletic and everyday clothing.

BOOKS

-Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon.

-Feeding the Whole Family, by Cynthia Lair.

-Recipes for a Small Planet, by Ellen Buchman Ewald.

(Any gardening books by Steve Solomon, he writes specifically on the Pacific Norwest).

-Preserving Food Without Canning or Freezing, by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante.

-Lost Arts, By Lynn Alley (includes bread baking, curing olives, making vinegar and goat cheese, and growing herbs).

-Food Not Lawns, by HC Flores.

10 reasons to not use your microwave

Ten Reasons To Throw Out Your Microwave Oven:

• Continually eating microwave processed food causes permanent brain damage.

• The human body is unable to metabolize the unknown by-products created in microwaved foods.

• Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

• The effects of by-products remain in the human body long-term.

• Minerals, vitamins and nutrients are reduced by microwaving so that the body gets little or altered components that cannot be broken down.

• The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals by microwaves.

• Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths. This may partially explain the rapid increase of the colon cancer rate in America.

• Long term consumption of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

• It also causes immune system deficiencies through alterations in the lymph glands and blood serum.

• Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory and concentration, emotional instability and a decrease of intelligence.

This article was written by Anthony Wayne and Lawrence Newell

Source: www.mercola.com

For more research on this important topic please visit this link: http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards.htm

sleeplessness

“Sleeplessness and its associated challenges represent one of the most common complaints seen by physicians. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, inadequate sleep affects approximately 60 million Americans each year. Typically, sleeplessness worsens with age, and is more prevalent among women. Physiologic causes such as musculoskeletal pain and dehydration are known to adversely affect sleep. Studies also show a strong psychological component, with depression and stress being the predominant triggers in that category. Lack of exercise, disruption of natural circadian rhythms, i.e. shift-work, jet lag, etc. are also recognized to be key triggers. The night-time use of stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, niacin amide, riboflavin, etc.; certain medications, herbs, and other substances including alcohol are known to precipitate sleeplessness. GERD, sleep apnea, excess weight, bladder issues, and thyroid or adrenal dysfunction are other potential exacerbating factors.”– Biotics

As a nutritional therapist often times I am faced with nutritional challenges of my own I need to resolve before I can be most effective for my clients. Sleeplessness was a major challenge for me because I would sleep from 11:30pm to 2:00am; stay up for 3 hours and go back to sleep around 5:00 just to wake up a couple hours later. It was a nightmare and I always felt tired. Luckily I found a few things that helped. I worked to reset my circadian rhythms by getting more sunshine and walking outdoors for two miles,
30 minutes after I awoke. I started consistently going to bed earlier at 9:30-10:00pm. I also found a combination of valerian, hops, and passiflora that can be used to support normal sleep function. “Valerian (Veleriana officinalis) is an herb whose use dates back to ancient Rome. Long valued for its antispasmodic, anxiolytic, and sleep-inducing effects, valerian is also known for its ‘unique’ odor. Valerenic acid, one of the components of valerian, has been shown to inhibit the breakdown and the re-uptake of gamma- aminobutyric acid (GABA), which leads directly to longer, improved sleep. Like valerian, hops also shares a long history for use as an aide [supportive] for sleep and anxiety. Passiflora, commonly referred to as passionflower, is a new world herb that was favored by the Aztecs. Its known active ingredients are alkaloids and flavonoids which have anxiolytic, antispasmotic, and calmative properties and may be especially helpful when neuromusculoskeletal events exacerbate sleeplessness.”–Biotics

Research was provided by www.bioticsresearch.com; Dr. Neil Nedley

Story was contributed by Shelly Slocum, Nutritional Therapist

Check out my website for other articles
www.nutritionaltherapy.neomassage.com

Hello world, New NTP on the Scene!

Nutritional Therapy combines skill in massage therapy and nutrition to aid people to achieve optimal health with digestion, blood sugar handling issues, and female hormonal health issues.

Shelly Slocum is an experience massage therapist having worked for 3 years in the alternative health industry. She has taken well over 250 hours of continuing education in Ashiatsu massage, Mayan Abdominal massage and Visceral Manipulation for the internal organs.

Having been inspired by the great effects of belly massage, Shelly went on to achieve certification for Nutritional Therapy in the Fall of 2008. This modality combines bodywork along with individual consultations in nutritional knowledge. Working with over 320 products, she suggest a program based on each person’s different metabolic needs using cutting edge whole foods supplements like Standard Process and Biotics. This allows her to work in the field of functional health with the client from the outside in as well as the inside out.

Starting in 2007, Shelly has worked with 40 case study clients. They have experienced a wide range of benefits including better digestion especially for irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux, better sleep, and even energy levels throughout the day. This modality is particularly effective for women going through a change of life because the program recognizes everyone’s biochemical individuality and aides to balance the foundations of optimal nutritional health.