Nutritional Counseling

Have you ever heard of the gut being described as the “Second Brain?” It’s true, and one example supporting this description is that over 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the bowel (and so are other neurotransmitters). Serotonin is just one neurotransmitter vital for mental and emotional well-being. 

Our bowels also contain a separate nervous system, called the enteric nervous system, that works independently and without any input from the brain or spinal cord. This intrinsic nervous system is responsible for digestion and absorption of our food. [1, The Second Brain, Michael D. Gershon, MD, 1998.]

This is important because how the brain is functioning, to include mental and emotional states, effects the gut. And, equally important, the functioning of the gut also effects the brain and the entire remainder of the body. Thus, a healthy gut is crucial for a healthy you -- cognitively, intellectually, emotionally, energetically, and physically.

How it works

We start by creating a fairly comprehensive accounting of your current dietary habits, to include when, where, what, how, and why you eat. We’ll look at other lifestyle factors, too, such as exercise, stress levels, family history, limitations or food intolerances, and sleep. All of these and more contribute to and affect your gut’s health. Most clients also benefit from keeping a diet diary for a few days, or week, or more. We start with information gathering!

Next, starting with where you’re at today, we work together to create a step-wise plan that can assist you with reaching your healthy “Second Brain” goals.

I promote a whole foods approach to eating, including reducing, or eliminating where possible, processed and “triggering” foods. This approach is an essential factor in helping you to create a healthy gut. We can also discuss meal planning and recipes.

Another factor essential to creating a healthy gut is you listening to the messages of Your Body. Everyone is different. There is no one healthy gut formula that fits all people. I can offer healthy options and approaches, but I’ll encourage you to become the expert on what works best for you. We’ll work together to help you learn to listen to the messages of your body; you are connecting to and caring for you.

I may suggest you obtain lab results from your primary physician as labs can provide us with important data helping us to determine your baseline and may help us measure your progress.

Benefits

The benefits of nutritional consultations include helping you create better health within your body, potentially shifting you mentally, emotionally, energetically, and physically. These shifts can create a healthier gut, potentially reducing chronic inflammation, and staving off dis-ease states such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and many forms of cancers. If it is your goal, weight loss can also occur.

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