Navigating the vast landscape of nutritional information can be an overwhelming journey to undertake alone. The sheer volume of available data, coupled with the prevalence of conflicting and ever-evolving information, adds an extra layer of complexity. Effectively utilizing nutrition in a clinical context requires a profound understanding of how nutritional elements influence human physiology. It also involves a comprehensive assessment of the intricate processes of digestion, absorption, assimilation of nutrients, and the body's elimination mechanisms.
CLINICAL NUTRITION
Nutrition serves as the essential foundation for every bodily function, providing the necessary building blocks for life.
Recognizing that food is medicine, I start my patient assessments with a thorough evaluation of nutritional status as the nourishment we provide our bodies every day significantly influences performance.
To draw a parallel, consider nutrition as the fuel for your body, much like gasoline for a car. While I may not be an automotive expert, one thing is clear: attempting to drive a car on an empty tank leads to trouble, and different cars may perform optimally with regular or premium gasoline. Similarly, nutrition encompasses nutrient-dense choices akin to "premium" fuel, which tends to yield superior results for most individuals.
Clinical nutrition in essence is the art of customizing food to meet your unique nutritional needs. No two bodies are identical, and therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Though there are nutritional programs that many people do well on, they are often slightly nuanced depending on each person's needs.
Typically, I start by "elevating" the diet with the essentials. This entails increasing the intake of wholesome foods, incorporating healthy fats, a diverse array of vegetables, fruits, and dietary fiber while reducing the consumption of less wholesome options, such as processed foods, junk foods, refined sugars, trans-fats, and the like.