What is Nutritional Therapy?

From the moment of your conception, the nutrients you've been exposed to have facilitated your growth, development and regeneration, right up to the moment you're reading this page. Of course, the amount of each nutrient you needed has changed over time - and perhaps their availability in your diet too. The fact that you're reading this today means that you've probably been providing your body with at least the minimal requirements necessary to maintain the basic functions of life. 

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The body can adapt surprisingly well to excesses and insufficiencies of nutrients needed for maintaining the structure and function of our cells, organs and tissues. But what happens when you meet your nutritional requirements more consistently over time? And how do you decide how much of each nutrient you really need? Are the reference nutrient intake (RNI) guidelines sufficient if you already have too much or too little of a nutrient in your body? Are you aware of the current status of the core nutrients needed in the diet? Is it necessary (or safe) for you to take supplements? Do any of your lifestyle habits or medications affect the absorption, use or removal of nutrients from the body? 

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Nutritional therapy takes into account your personal health, medical and dietary history, along with laboratory testing, to determine your personalised nutritional needs at present - and how to maintain good nutrient availability in the long term.   

 

We all eat, and usually enjoy, a variety of different foods. Sometimes we eat for pleasure, to celebrate, socialise, and sometimes we eat for comfort. At other times, we also eat functionally - to lift our energy when tired, to distract ourselves, to recover from physical activity or periods of ill-health. We have our own preferences, habits, aversions, beliefs, and idiosyncrasies that contribute to our personal relationship with food. need grow, develop and repair, to  to the moment you're reading this page, your cells have been using the nutrients available to them to nurture your growth, health and development.  Nutritional Therapy applies cutting-edge nutrition and lifestyle research to individual health needs. We all understand that food, exercise, sleep, stress management and work-life balance play important roles in staying healthy. Quality of life and whether lifestyle choices impact how we feel and perform physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively are important. Prioritising the most effective and relevant choices for you as an individual can make the difference between functioning and truly thriving.

 

Everyone's circumstances are unique: health history and goals; time and resources; priorities and relationships, in addition to our responses to food, can affect our requirements.  AG Nutrition uses a nutritional therapy approach to create recommendations which are appropriate right now, and adapts these over time as health needs change. 

 

Personalised nutrition considers: 
 

• Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics to understand how your nutrition needs and responses to substances in foods might vary based on your genetics.
   

• System-focused interactions  between different areas of your body and how lifestyle changes might affect them.
   

• Microbiome profiling to assess the variation in bacteria and other micro-organisms in your digestive system, mouth, nose or vagina and their impact on health and response to foods. 
   

• Metabolism of nutrients and how you use, maintain and break down substances, as well as metabolic risk factors which might have already been identified.
   

• Macro and micronutrient assessment to establish how your body might be absorbing, storing and using different nutrients, as well as which nutrients you need more or less of right now.
   

• Dietary intake analysis to gauge your habits and estimate your average intake of nutrients. 
   

• Anti-nutrient effects of different foods, drinks and lifestyle habits on your nutritional intake, loss and usage. 
   

• External exposome stress from allergens, environmental toxicants, pollution and other factors which might compromise physical and mental wellbeing.

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Since we are more than just what we eat, nutritional therapy also looks at your sleep hygiene and routine, exercise habits and priorities, as well as how you cope with stress. 

Many people seek Nutritional Therapy because they have ongoing health conditions. It complements, rather than replaces other medical and psychological therapies. The foods we eat provide the biochemical information that our body uses to maintain its structure and function at a molecular level. Intelligently balanced combinations can have powerful physical and psychological effects. This can create a sense of control over our wellbeing and quality of life.

 

As we become more aware as a society about the benefits of nutrition many people seek Nutritional Therapy who are healthy and want to take a proactive, preventative and personalised approach to self-care.  

 

Whatever your goals, Nutritional Therapy can prioritise and focus your nutrition and lifestyle choices and help you to stay motivated and inspired.