Optimal Nutrition – A Holistic Approach
Optimal nutrition can be described as meeting the essential needs of our bodies. We all know that we need the basics, but do we know what those basic needs of our bodies really are? Some of us believe we are eating healthy if we eat our salads, some fruit and meat; maybe we even pop a vitamin and think we’re good to go. However, most of us aren’t meeting the Daily Reference Intake (RDI) of several essential nutrients. In addition, because each of us are unique and our bodies require their own unique nutritional needs to meet our optimal health, even meeting those RDIs most often are not enough.
How do I know if I’m meeting my nutritional needs?
There are many signs that you may be meeting your nutritional needs. If you are, then you should have:
- Healthy appetite
- Good digestion and elimination
- Smooth and clear skin
- Clear eyes
- Healthy and glossy hair
- Healthy mental functions and clarity
- High energy
- Ideal weight
- Good muscle tone and development
If you are experiencing any deficits in the above listed signs, such as:
- Appetite changes (low appetite or excessive appetite)
- Poor digestion or elimination (including reflux, constipation, diarrhea)
- Skin lesions, poor wound healing, acne
- Yellowing of eyes, cloudy eyes
- Dull, brittle hair or nails
- Mental health problems (ADHD, anxiety, autism, depression, memory problems, stress, etc.)
- Fatigue, sluggishness, lack of energy
- Fluctuations in weight (gain or loss)
- Poor muscle tone or development
- Headaches/Migraines
- and more…
then you are not receiving optimal nutrition for your body.
Nutrients for the Foundation of Life
You have probably heard of the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) which are required to sustain life itself but then there are the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) which our bodies use to regulate all the body processes. These macronutrients and micronutrients are both vital to our health and both are required to reach optimal health.
Meeting Optimal Nutrition Needs
The best way to meet your optimal nutrition needs are to eat a well-balanced diet of nutritious foods and supplementing your diet with the micronutrients necessary to meet your individual needs.
Unfortunately, even with our best intentions, it’s challenging to meet our nutritional requirements just by eating healthy. Although we all need to start there, with our busy lives, daily stresses, on-the-go schedules, environmental factors, and chemicals in our food supply, it’s become important to supplement our bodies with the micronutrients they need to reach our optimal health.
What do I do now?
The good news is that there is much we can do for ourselves. As mentioned above, start with consuming a nutritious diet and work with me to receive an individualized plan so you can reach your optimal health through optimal nutrition.
Contact Better with Nutrition and we will help you achieve your health goals.
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