What is Functional Nutrition?
Functional nutrition is a holistic approach to health and wellness that focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of health concerns rather than just treating symptoms. It integrates various aspects of nutrition, lifestyle, and environmental factors to create personalized plans for individuals.
In functional nutrition, practitioners consider an individual's unique genetic makeup, biochemical processes, lifestyle factors, and environmental influences when assessing their health and designing a nutrition plan. This approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of different bodily systems and aims to optimize overall health and well-being by supporting the body's natural ability to heal and function optimally.
In functional nutrition, techniques such as comprehensive health assessments, personalized nutrition plans, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle modifications are implemented to address underlying imbalances and promote optimal health.
Functional Nutrition, like Functional Medicine, is based on these three key principles:
Addressing the root causes of your suffering, rather than chasing or suppressing symptoms
Using systems and frameworks that take into account the unique aspects of your body, your life, and your circumstances, rather than using “one-size-fits-all” formulas that can never truly fit all
Fostering a therapeutic partnership between you and the practitioner, rather than a top-down hierarchical relationship where you are simply asked to comply.
Functional Nutrition serves the needs of the individual. It recognizes each person’s unique capabilities for making the diet and lifestyle modifications that foster the physiological and psychological shifts that enable their body to cultivate its ultimate healing potential. Functional Nutrition does not exist in isolation of other health or medical support, but in tandem with it. That’s because Functional Nutrition recognizes the role of the patient in their own health care.
Functional Nutrition surpasses mere coaching and transcends dietary theories. It embodies a nuanced perspective deeply rooted in understanding human existence—embracing our history, culture, and physicality.