Have you ever wondered how the foods you eat affect your health? Well, you’re not alone! In fact, a 2018 Food & Health Survey found that many Americans are deeply concerned about the impact of their food on their overall health. With 20% of respondents expressing concern about their cardiovascular health, 18% about their weight, and 13% about their energy levels, it’s clear that people are becoming increasingly aware of how food impacts their overall health.
Unfortunately, carbs and sugar have often been labeled as the enemy of maintaining good health, leaving many of us confused and unsure about what to eat. This one-size-fits-all meal planning and diet therapy are where previous nutrition care has fallen short.
But fear not! In this blog post, we’ll explore how different foods can affect YOUR immune and gut health, including the role of the gut-brain axis, the importance of vitamins and minerals, and the benefits of Mindful Eating.
Let’s get started!
How food impacts our daily life
Our relationship with food is complex and impacts our daily life in many ways. Nearly a quarter of the population reports having a food allergy or intolerance, and many people need to be mindful of their food intake to avoid uncomfortable symptoms. It’s important to know that a food sensitivity is an immune-mediated reaction and shouldn’t be confused with an intolerance (that doesn’t involve the immune system). Food sensitives can be impacted and influenced by many factors of our life (internal and external) and can VARY so much on the individual.
Often it’s a natural chemical in a food causing an issue, not the food itself. This is why it’s soooo important to get the right testing and to look at diet from different views.
The Gut-Brain-Heart-Immune connection
Did you know that the gut is often called the “second brain” due to its close connection to the central nervous system? The gut is linked to the brain, heart, and immune system, making it a critical component of our health. The gut is home to trillions of bacteria that make up the gut microbiome, which help break down food, produce vitamins, and regulate our immune system.
It’s also important to recognize that chronic stress disrupts your body’s harmony, leading to inflammation, a weakened immune system, and gut dysbiosis – an imbalance of good and bad bacteria. This is why you can effectively enhance your overall health by prioritizing stress management and engaging in stress-reducing activities.
Key Vitamins & Minerals for Gut and Immune Health
We are all prone to nutrient deficiencies key to immunity and overall health. Here are just a few common micronutrients my clients are often deficient in and play a role in improving their symptoms:
Zinc: might be depleted because of medical conditions but is critical for supporting a healthy immune system.
Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin essential for immune health, and low levels are linked to several health problems, including increased food allergies and sensitivities.
Vitamin K2: essential for bone and immune health. It can be hard to get into your diet and is significantly impacted by your gut microbiome.
Copper: helps our body convert iron from food into a bioavailable form and allows us to make platelets for blood clotting. It also helps us eliminate excess serotonin, which can cause symptoms like diarrhea, sweating, irritation, and tremors.
And there are so many more! The main takeaway is that micronutrient testing should ensure that our nutrients are balanced, absorbed, and utilized best.
The power of Mindful Eating
Mindfulness helps us understand our symptoms and where they stem from. Mindful Eating is a way of eating that enables you to pay attention to the food you’re consuming and how it makes you feel. Practicing Mindful Eating can be a powerful tool in our quest for optimal health. By approaching food with a sense of mindfulness, you can better understand your symptoms and the root causes behind them.
Cultivating this awareness from a place of non-judgment allows you to make more intentional and nourishing choices that support your overall health and well-being.
How the Restore Program targets root issues of your health conditions
The Restore Program approach includes 3 major components:
- MRT/LEAP protocol – where 170+ foods and chemicals are tested with >90% reliability and specificity, then we’ll create a personalized elimination diet protocol based on the results. Other testing like stool, toxin, and hormone testing is also available, but starting with FOOD FIRST is key!
- Mindful Eating – where I help you restore your relationship with food and your body, create a better understanding of how your symptoms are impacted by what you are eating, AND help you become more aware of hunger/fullness cues.
- Functional Micronutrient – this testing is critical for certain medical conditions and to dive into another layer of getting to the root cause of our symptoms and why and how our body processes different vitamins and minerals.
This program is for you if you’re sick and tired of being “sick and tired” and are committed to investing in your health and dedicated to investigating and changing!
If you want to get to the root cause of your symptoms and get a CUSTOMIZED plan based on your BODY NEEDS, The Restore Program is the perfect fit for you! It provides personalized guidance and support to help you achieve your health goals – and to get you feeling better for the long term.
