NATUROPATHIC NUTRITION

The Importance of a balanced Nutrition

written by Jorge Bustamante

Naturopathic Nutrition uses whole and organic foods and its nutritional elements as medicine.

Naturopathic Nutritionists treat their patients as a whole (body, mind and soul), looking for deficiencies that may be causing illness, which are specific to each individual.

A nutritionist will make sure you take a balanced combination of nutrients, tailored specifically to your individual needs, to optimise health.

The importance of wholefoods and Superfoods

All wholefoods are a mixture of vital nutrients and other chemicals, so while a food may be rich in a particular nutrient it may also contain other valuable nutrients and health-giving factors. It is very important to include a variety of foods to achieve a healthy diet.

What are wholefoods?

We call wholefoods to all foods for human consumption that have not been processed, refined or treated by food manufacturing processes such as additives, salt, sugar, etc.

What are superfoods? - Am I healthier by eating superfoods?

Some wholefoods that contain a high range of important nutrients are often called "superfoods".

However, no wholefood is better than other, they all play a different role, and the term "superfood" must not be mistaken for "better foods" as some people erroneosly believe that eating mainly commecialy famous "superfoods" makes up their healthy diet. The commecialy famous superfoods are specific in their health properties - For example:

Superfoods handy leaflet,

click here to request it free! >>

Maca root contains 60% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 8.5% dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats. Maca is rich selenium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, fatty acids and 19 amino acids. Because of its high concentration of proteins and nutrients Maca's has beneficial effects for sexual function and energy. One specifically property of maca is for example that it contains the chemical called p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, which has aphrodisiac properties.

However, talking about "a balanced diet", this is achieved with the combination of all foods, including the forgotten "natural superfoods". "Natural superfoods" are foods such as garlic, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, onions, celery, avocados, and even water, etc. See example list

All foods provide essential roles for repair, protection, etc, and a combination of all will make up a healthy diet. A nutritionist prepares "diets" considering all food groups unless some foods do not suit the person, but makes sure the right balance of nutrients are provided, including carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is not recommended to self prescribe a diet or supplementation based on what the media is saying, or what retailers are trying to sell as Nutrition without the advise of a healthy diet.

Each person has different individual nutritional requirements and each person tolerates or even "prefers" different foods. Naturopathic nutritionists do not treat every case the same because of this reason, as mentioned at the beggining of this article, mind and body are connected and all must be considered to achieve a healthy body and happiness.

"Superfoods" alone DO NOT provide a health diet.

Finding foods which taste good and do you good can be part of the fun of eating well, whether you live alone, or as part of a family.

A healthy diet

Nutrition can determine how we look, feel, work, whether we will be nervous, tired, pessimistic, joyful, comfortable, happily active, whether we will age prematurely or enjoy our lives to the full. In other words, Nutrition can determine our quality of life.

Take some extra steps to obtain the nutritional content of your food:

• Eat organic food whenever possible. It may be more expensive, but you can be sure that the food you are eating has not been processed and has been grown without the use of pesticides, hormones, fertilisers, and other chemicals.

• Eat the skin of vegetables

• Eat superfoods (a variety of "natural superfoods")

• Drink fresh fruit/vegetable juices as often as possible.

• Don't cut, wash, or soak fruit and vegetables until you are ready to eat them.

• Eat whole grains.

• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Eat raw whenever possible. If cooking, use as little water as possible.

• If you boil fruit or vegetables, use the water remaining in your sauces, soups, etc.

Jorge Bustamante is available at his Nutrition Clinic in East Grinstead, West Sussex. Click here for information and appointments

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