NUTRITION MONTH
March is Nutrition Month! Nutrition is the study of how we, through our diets, get the nutrients we need to live. “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, a quote attributed to Hippocrates, is a simple but powerful statement on the importance of our diet. Optimizing nutrition status - making our diets as healthy as possible - is one of the foundational goals in improving our health at every age.
A diet providing all of the nutrients we not only need to live, but need to live healthy lives, is dependent on many factors. We can generalize what a healthy diet looks like for the majority of people, however it is important to be aware of certain factors that can impact an individual’s nutritional requirements. For example, those who are pregnant will have different nutritional requirements than others. Additionally, certain medical conditions, treatments and even some medications can impact proper absorption of nutrients. Optimal nutrition is also a public health issue - for example, low socioeconomic status is associated with poorer nutrition [1] - possibly because it can be difficult to afford or even access healthy foods.
Although the food you eat is one of the most important aspects of nutrition, it is not the only important factor. Nutrition also involves how your food is broken down into nutrients, how well these nutrients are absorbed, how well your body puts these nutrients to use, and finally how well your body eliminates what it no longer needs and protects you from potentially toxic substances.
How can a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) help optimize your nutrition? NDs have extensive training in nutrition, and can offer a variety of services and assessments to support your individual nutritional needs:
Lab testing to assess for nutritional deficiencies or conditions associated with nutritional deficiencies
Education surrounding appropriate diets for your health status and goals
Expertise on all aspects of digestion, including optimizing the absorption of nutrients and supporting your body’s ability to eliminate waste products
Assessing your current diet and making recommendations to support an optimal diet
Addressing obstacles that come up (ie. financial, accessibility, resources) that make it difficult to make healthier changes
Providing expertise on what nutritional supplements may be helpful for you
Interested in optimizing your nutrition? Book an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors today!
[1] Alkerwi A, Vernier C, Sauvageot N et al. Demographic and socioeconomic disparity in nutrition: application of a novel Correlated Component Regression approach. BMJ Open. 2015; 5(5):e006814.