Nutritional Therapy
The question that Tammie gets most often is “What exactly is nutritional therapy?” Nutritional therapy is based on the science that disease is the result of nutritional deficiencies in our diet that accumulate over time. The body has the innate intelligence and ability to heal from any ailment, provided we give it the appropriate nutrients to do so. Many of us come into this world having inherited nutritional deficiencies from our parents and don’t even realize it.
Nutritional therapy is part of the growing field of alternative medicine. Like acupuncture, naturopathy, biofeedback resonance, and chiropractic, it is holistic in nature. By holistic, we mean to treat the whole rather than its parts. A holistic or alternative practitioner aims to correct the entire body as a system rather than just treating the symptoms. The basic philosophy of nutritional therapy is simple:
The myriad of health problems that plague our modern world result from weaknesses in the body’s physiological foundations.
This is mostly due to poor nutrition and chronic stress. A Nutritional Therapist’s job is to help reverse the ill effects on the body from poor habits while supporting the basic foundations. We endorse a nutrient-dense, whole food, properly prepared diet as well as adding necessary supplementation to balance body chemistry and correct deficiencies. The other aspect of being an NTP (Nutritional Therapy Practitioner) is one of education and debunking certain nutrition myths, many of which are archaic and outdated. While most people are very smart, they are more likely ill informed and misdirected regarding nutrition.
As an NTP, not only does Tammie educate her clients on diet and nutrition as it pertains to health and wellness, but she takes it a step further. An NTP’s approach is that each person is a biochemical individual. No two people are alike. Because of this, as we proceed to evaluate each person, she is able to make decisions based on biochemical individuality. Thus, it allows her to individualize and prioritize a protocol that is best suited for you. This includes a dietary assessment as well as a supplementation recommendation.
Symptoms aren’t the “problem”, but our body’s way of signalling to us that there is a problem.
We become investigators through Nutritional Therapy, going further and further back to find the root underlying cause. For example, we believe that obesity is not so much a disease, but a series of imbalances. There is no “one size fits all” approach to this, nor do we endorse drugs as a first measure of treatment. We simply seek to educate and use natural wellness as a way to create balance. However, as a disclaimer, it is important to understand that drugs may be a necessary course of action. And although this isn’t her scope, Tammie will try to work with the client’s health practitioner and can refer you to Tamzin Morley, a Naturopathic Doctor. It is important to remember that the body is often capable of correcting itself, if done with patience. If you are working with your medical doctor, we support and complement what you are doing. We recommend a balanced diet of whole, non-processed foods and nutritional supplementation, and are NOT here to treat or diagnose disease. We will work with those who do have certain diseases, careful to follow their protocol yet support their foundations (digestion, blood sugar, mineral balance, fatty acids, and hydration).
Tammie also recommends other modalities as well as nutritional therapy. This may include:
Hypnosis
Yoga
Pilates
Chiropractic (Drs Lisa and Robert Conroy)
Energy work
Exercise
Meditation
Behavioural Therapy
Or any other spiritual practice that calms the psyche and improves overall health
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM NUTRITIONAL THERAPY?
The sad fact is that it is virtually impossible to get all our necessary nutrients from food now. Our soil is depleted, our food is highly processed and our environment is filled with toxins. Chemicals and pesticides plague us on a daily basis. Most diseases can be prevented. Our medical system is irreparably taxed and our doctors don’t have the time or energy to help us when we don’t feel well.
Sadly, many go round and round, desperately trying to find an answer to their problem, whilst slowly despairing for lack of money and knowledge. But there is hope and this is where taking a natural approach is most effective if you trust in your practitioner. We are ultimately responsible for our own health and for being informed.
Many of Tammie's clients reveal that they are suffering from lethargy, depression, mood swings, poor digestion and feel like their batteries are draining and they aren’t “plugged in”. They’ve even been told that this is a normal process of aging! Rest assured, it isn’t and that many of these issues can be corrected. Nutritional therapy, while certainly not a cure, is advantageous at protecting us from sliding down that dark hallway. It can even help to find an answer to a “lost question”.
Nutritional therapists can help discover the real reasons behind an underlying problem.
It is a fantastic complementary modality that can be used to balance the body, whether it is digestive imbalance, blood sugar regulation, endocrine issues, diabetes and insulin resistance, allergies, weight, depression, joint pain, PMS, and general detoxification to name a few.
One more advantage: It is a very affordable way to garner information about the body. Prevention is always substantially more affordable in the long run.
There is a growing call to arms needed regarding education and holistic prevention in our health care system. NTP’s are dedicated to helping healthcare professionals understand this importance in order to reverse the travesty of disease in our world.