Holistic Nutrition Can Help

What is Holistic Nutrition?

Holistic health takes into consideration the person as a whole. Body, mind and spirit. An holistic practitioner will help you implement lifestyle changes, which will include physical, spiritual and dietary choices, that all help to improve your quality of life.

Opposite from medicine, which treats a symptom and not the problem, holistic health nutrition will have a long term wellness plan to treat the root cause, which usually will have developed over time. For example, if a person is experiencing ongoing sore throats and coughs, rather than prescribing antibiotics, an holistic practitioner might advise on certain foods to avoid and develop a customized diet as well as suggest certain herbal supplements to support the respiratory system, digestive system and immune system. This is just one example of course.

Here are some things holistic health nutrition might address:

What is your diet like?

Eating processed, sugary and fatty foods slows our digestion down and clogs things up and then problems start to happen. These foods also have a high amount of toxins that eventually lead to disease. Foods that are easily digested and can exit quicker keeps our energy up. Fresh organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish are good choices to eat in a variety daily. Think of eating food in its "whole" state as much as possible. Chewing your food slowly helps aid in digestion also.

Do you have a healthy intestinal tract?

If your intestinal tract is healthy you will have proper digestion which is important for overall health. Antibiotics destroy the intestinal flora while probiotics contribute to a healthy intestinal tract. Most of us do not have good digestion from poor eating habits, toxins, stress, various chemicals, etc and thus the health of the whole body is compromised. If your body is unable to digest and assimilate the food, it is not able to properly make use of the nutrients and vitamins in the foods.

Do you have allergies to certain foods?

A practitioner can test you to see if there are certain foods your body is not able to digest and eliminate. You can test it out yourself also by staying away from certain foods and slowly introducing one at a time to see how you feel. Our bodies will tell us if we listen.

What is the state of your emotional health?

Having a healthy emotional state will promote wellbeing. Lifestyle choices have often left us feeling depressed, anxious, stressed and so on. Meditating, thinking positive, taking time out for ourselves to do the things we love all aid in our health.

Do you exercise?

Getting regular exercise gives us energy, makes our bodies feel and look better and helps flush toxins that can keep us feeling sluggish. Going for a daily walk, doing yoga, hiking - whatever you find that works for you to help stay active. Sometimes it helps to go to a class or find a friend that will be a support in getting you moving.

Other Things to Consider

Sometimes our bodies need support from herbal supplements and other alternative treatments to overcome certain health problems. These can't be solved overnight, especially if there have been years of bad eating habits and other lifestyle choices that do not lend to health. An holistic nutrition consultant will be able to devise a diet that is right for you and help guide you in all areas of your life.

There are holistic nutrition books available online to gain more information to educate yourself to a healthier, happier you.