Paying attention to what you eat, what food you choose to fuel your body, is vitally important to your overall health and well-being. Besides exercise, there is no greater influence on your health and fitness than your nutrition. You have the power to prevent diseases from occurring and to even treat many chronic illnesses just by changing the foods you eat.
It is no coincidence that as our diet has become more processed and fuller of excess calories, fat, and salt, we have become a heavier, sicker nation.
The incidence of heart disease in the US continues to rise, as do rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and many other chronic illnesses, all while we eat out more, consume fewer whole foods, and rely heavily on packaged and processed meals to feed us.
If you do not give your body the nutrients it needs, you will not be able to support good health. It’s that simple. Using nutritional healing, you can reverse many chronic illnesses, protect yourself from future disease, and ensure that you live a long and healthy life.
The Role of Food in Your Health
Instead of thinking of food as something we enjoy eating or something, we do to pass the time, it is becoming more and more necessary to start thinking about the food we eat as medicine.
If you take the right medicine every day, you can treat diseases you may have, stay healthier longer, and feel better. And all of that is possible when you eat the right food.
Food’s role in your health is pretty simple. Food is what allows your body to function. Food provides your cells with the building blocks they need to perform their functions, it prevents disease, and it will enable you to maintain your health. If you do not give your body the right kind of food, it can’t carry out these goals, and your metabolic processes will suffer, causing problems with your health.
When the food you eat has the wrong nutrition, your cells can’t do what they need to do. When you overeat, your cells have too much and can’t use it all up. These imbalances create a situation where our bodies are overweight yet undernourished, and we become at risk for disease.
If medicine is the maintenance of health and the prevention or cure of disease, then shouldn’t the food you consume every single day be considered the most important medicine you take?
What is Nutritional Healing?
Nutritional healing is a method of healing and medicine that using natural foods, herbs, and other nutritional sources to support health as well as prevent and treat diseases.
Nutritional healing involves consuming specific fruits, vegetables, and other foods, abstaining from others, and use dietary supplements like herbs, vitamins, and minerals to meet all your nutritional needs. Nutritional therapy even uses natural foods to create topical therapies that can be used to heal and prevent problems.
There is a holistic approach to wellness used in nutritional healing that involves herbology, spirituality, nutritional science, and bodywork that combine to provide your body with everything it needs to keep itself healthy and well.
Those who practice this technique believe that strategic eating, as well as abstaining from some foods, can reverse many ailments. One tenet of nutritional healing is that keeping your immune system healthy and robust, via proper nutrition as well as lifestyle choices, will allow your body to fight disease and keep you healthy.
Because health is greater than just the absence of any disease, nutritional healing also focuses on proper eating to support emotional and spiritual health, as well. Nutrition provides you with the energy you need to enjoy and take part in your life, helps to regulate your hormones effectively, and enables you to balance the many needs of your body with the food you take in.
To fully understand the link between diet and health, we can look to comprehensive research on the relationship between nutrition and the development of disease. Longitudinal research conducted in Chine helps us to understand the influence diet has on disease prevention.
From this landmark study, we learned several fundamental principles that are important for nutritional healing.
Nutrition is not just the foods you eat but how they influence one another.
- Nutrition from food is better than nutrition from supplements.
- Plants supply more efficient and quality nutrition than animals.
- Nutrition plays a significant role in whether genes are activated to express certain diseases.
- Nutrition can control the effects of harmful toxins.
- Nutrition can prevent, halt, and reverse many diseases.
- Nutrition that prevents disease is also good for your overall health.
- Quality nutrition helps all aspects of your well-being.
When you begin to look closely at the literature and research on diet and nutrition, there is a remarkable consensus about what is healthy, what is not, and what you should eat to prevent disease as well as treat it.
Why Nutrients are Important
To understand which foods are healthiest for your body, it is essential to understand just exactly what your body needs to function well. Here is a primer on nutrition that will give you the basics for better health.
Nutrients are the basic nourishing compounds found in food. They are essential for the development, growth, and maintenance of all your body’s cells. Metabolic processes in cells slow or stop when sufficient nutrition is lacking.
All food compounds can be divided into one of two categories. These are macronutrients, which include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and micronutrients, which are the vitamins and minerals found in food.
Each macronutrient plays a specific role in your health and supplies your body with different types of energy. Your body needs macronutrients in large quantities to accomplish normal functions, and most foods contain some amount of all three macros.
Micronutrients are present in foods in much smaller amounts, and you need less of these for daily function, but they are nonetheless particularly important for cellular function. The micros work alongside the macros to support body functions, cellular processes, and overall health.
You need all these things and abstaining from one category or eating too much of another can have serious implications for your health. When you learn to see food as a source of energy and sustenance for your body, you can start to use foods as medicine and engage in nutritional healing.
Chronic Disease and Nutrition
Nutrition plays a vital role in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and inflammatory disorders.
Many chronic illnesses are caused by poor nutritional habits while others are made worse by unhealthy eating. What you eat can help stave off these chronic diseases and prevent you from suffering from their effects.
Cardiovascular Disease
As the number one preventable disease and one of the leading causes of death in the US, cardiovascular disease is also our top contender for diseases that can be treated and prevented by nutritional healing.
Your diet and activity level are what contribute most to heart disease development and progression. Eating food high in saturated fats and cholesterol raises your risk for stroke and contributes to atherosclerosis.
If you are one of the 70 million people in the US who have some form of heart disease, you need to manage your risk factors and change your diet in order to reverse this course.
The leading factors that contribute to heart disease, besides family history, include inflammation, elevated cholesterol, insulin resistance, and oxidative damage. All of these can be treated and even cured through proper nutrition.
Eating foods high in fiber and low in fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, and salt will help you treat your heart disease. Below, we describe a heart-healthy diet that keeps arteries flowing freely and keeps heart muscles healthy.
Type 2 Diabetes
When your body is not able to produce enough insulin to remove sugar from your blood, or when your cells are not using insulin efficiently, you are left with too much sugar (glucose) in your bloodstream. Chronically elevated blood glucose levels result in Type 2 diabetes.
The leading causes of Type 2 diabetes include being overweight or obese, eating a diet high in unhealthy nutrients, and not getting enough exercise.
Type 2 diabetes diagnoses have risen sharply over the last few decades as Americans are heavier than ever and eating more processed foods, which often have added sugars. The change in our diets has significantly affected our health in many ways. But you can treat and even cure Type 2 diabetes in nearly all cases by changing what you eat.
Autoimmune Disorders
Like diabetes, the prevalence of autoimmune disorders is also rising. These diseases can be hard to diagnose and even more difficult to treat, as symptoms often mimic other diseases or come and go seemingly without pattern.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, nearly 700 million people have some sort of autoimmune disorder, which is a disease that occurs when your own immune system starts fighting against otherwise healthy tissue. Your body produces antibodies that are not needed, and it attacks healthy cells.
Common autoimmune disorders include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Grave’s disease, psoriasis, and scleroderma.
Doctors are not sure what causes most autoimmune disorders, but nutrition plays a key role in many. Because your immune system is so essential to your overall health and wellness, taking care of it and reducing potential causes of autoimmune diseases is vital for your long-term well-being.
While genetics play a role in the development of these diseases, it is actually diet and other lifestyle choices that activate or express these genes, giving rise to the disease in your body. Changing what you eat can not only prevent many of these diseases, even if you have a family history, but your diet can also lower or stop many symptoms of these disorders.
Eating for Health and Wellness
The food you eat turns into the fuel your body uses to take care of you. If you eat healthy, nutritious food, your body will be able to do what it needs to do. If you eat unhealthy food lacking in the right nutrition, you will wind up sick and malfunctioning. It is time to reeducate ourselves about what healthy food is and why it is so important for our bodies.
Nutrition for Heart Health
Doctors have understood the relationship between nutrition and heart diseases for nearly 100 years. Preventing heart disease is possible by changing your diet to include the proper nutrients and energy sources to keep your cardiovascular system working properly.
The following are the best foods to help promote a healthy heart.
- A large variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains rich in B-vitamins
- Nuts and seeds, in moderation
- Healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids
When eating for heart health, you should also exclude or severely limit:
- Animal fats
- Fried foods and all partially-hydrogenated oils
- Refined grains
- Sugary foods of any kind
- Sodium
- Excessive alcohol
Nutrition for Brain Health
Many people do not understand that your brain needs specific nutrients, just like the rest of the cells in your body. Eating for brain health and can protect you from dementia and other cognitive aging disorders.
Eating a diet that has brain-healthy foods is not only good for your memory, attention, and focus, but it can help with issues of depression and anxiety, as well.
For proper brain function, your body needs choline, which it uses to produce neurotransmitters that allow your brain to function properly. Choline is found in soybeans, peanuts, lentils, flax seeds, and many fruits and vegetables.
Your brain also needs omega-3 fatty acids. Most of your brain is made up of fat tissue, and the right amount of healthy fats, such as omega-3s, will give your brain the energy it needs to function. Reliable sources of these fats include oily fish native to cold waters, walnuts, flaxseed, and pumpkin seeds.
You should also ensure you are getting enough Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and zinc to take care of your brain.
When thinking about brain health, there are some foods you should avoid completely. These include:
- Unhealthy fats, including trans-fats, partially hydrogenated oils, and other unhealthy lipids. They are common in fried foods, processed baked goods, and some kinds of margarine.
- Refined sugars and grains, which create excess glucose in your bloodstream that affects your brain chemistry
- Oils like sunflower seed and cottonseed, which raise inflammation levels in the body and influence cognitive function
Nutrition for Blood Sugar Stability
Those who have Type 2 diabetes can significantly improve their health by changing their diets to manage their blood sugar better. When you supply your body with the proper nutrition, it will produce and use insulin more efficiently, blood glucose levels will fall, and you will have better health overall.
Using nutritional healing, you can prevent Type 2 diabetes if you are at risk, as well.
- Plant-based proteins are preferred to animal-based ones.
- Good sources of animal protein, though, include eggs, poultry, and seafood.
- Whole grains are a must for diabetics, as they supply a steadier, slower release of glucose into your system, which eliminates spikes in blood sugar levels.
- Fresh or frozen fruit is an excellent source of sweetness that won’t cause significant fluctuations in your blood sugar.
- Eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables to get the minerals and vitamins you need without the excess carbohydrates.
To prevent diabetes, you should avoid:
- Sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices
- Trans-fasts
- Refined grains
- Baked goods
- Foods with added sugars
- Dried fruit
- Fried foods, especially potatoes
Nutrition for Bone Health
Your bones also need proper nutrition to stay healthy and strong. If you want to prevent osteoporosis as you age, you should focus on eating foods that increase bone density throughout your life.
Calcium is perhaps the most important nutrient for bone health, as it provides the source of bone strength. In addition to dairy products, you can get calcium from fish, dark green vegetables, tofu, and fortified cereals and drinks.
Your body also needs plenty of Vitamin D to absorb the calcium in your food. Your best source of Vitamin D is the sun. Other sources include fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods.
Magnesium also helps your body use calcium to promote bone health. Make sure you eat plenty of whole grains, dark greens, nuts, and seeds to get the magnesium you need.
Leafy, green vegetables are also an excellent source of Vitamin K, which your body needs to maintain bone strength and density, as well.
When eating for bone health, you should avoid the following:
- Excessive alcohol
- Excessive sodium
- Caffeine
- Animal proteins except in small amounts
Nutrition to Reduce Inflammation
Many autoimmune disorders include symptoms related to elevated levels of inflammation in the body. In addition, several other diseases common today are directly caused by or result in an increased inflammatory response.
Inflammation is linked to diseases like dementia, arthritis, heart disease, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease, to name a few.
It also plays a role in chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, several mental health disorders, chronic pain, and many soft tissue problems.
To lower inflammation, you can eat more omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are actually responsible for fighting inflammatory response in the body.
You should also cut gluten, dairy, and processed foods from your diet to lower inflammation.
Putting It All Together
It does not have to be complicated to use nutrition to maintain good health. Here are the building blocks of a healthy diet, no matter your health goals.
- Eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables several times per day.
- Eat a wide variety of whole grains daily.
- Eat lesser amounts of high-quality, lean protein, preferably from plant sources daily.
- Eat small amounts of healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids regularly.
- Drink plenty of water each day.
- Engage in physical exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
- Spend at least 10 minutes in direct sunlight each day.
Following these simple guidelines provides you with the high-quality carbohydrates, protein, and fat you need as well as the mineral and vitamins necessary for optimal health. A good rule to remember- if it is not on this list, abstain or enjoy in very small quantities on special occasions.
Variety is the key to nutritional healing. Those who eat a wide variety of foods are more likely to live longer and be healthier.
When you eat a wide range of foods, you are able to get all the micronutrients your cells need. When choosing vegetables and fruits, aim to “eat the rainbow” each week, and vary your sources of protein regularly, as well.
Eating too much of a good thing will still lead to weight gain, so portion control is still important, even with an extremely healthy diet.
The good news is that fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients but low in calories, which means you can eat a lot more of these without gaining weight. Whole grains are more filling than processed versions, so you do not need larger portions to feel satisfied, either.
You may opt to eat smaller, more frequent meals to feel less hungry and keep a steady blood sugar level. Eating five to seven times a day often works better for some people while also reducing the need “cram” all your nutritional needs into just a few meals.
The Role of Nutritional Supplements
It is always best to get your nutritional needs met directly from food sources, whenever possible. Food sources supply you with not just micronutrients but also macronutrients, and they do so in unique combinations that allow all the components to work together more effectively.
When you are unable to get what you need from the foods you eat, you may need to rely on nutritional or dietary supplements. Supplements can provide you with specific nutritional needs that your body may have.
Supplements can supply you with:
- Vitamins and minerals
- Antioxidants
- Probiotics
- Phyto-nutrients
- Amino Acids
- Enzymes
If you opt to take supplements, you should buy them from a reputable manufacturer that uses exacting standards of purity.
Those who are most likely to need dietary supplements include pregnant women, the elderly, and those who abstain from certain foods. For example, those who follow a strict vegan diet may have difficulty getting enough Vitamin B12, as this is found in very few plant sources.
Certain medical conditions may also benefit from having more of a specific nutrient, and dietary supplements can help you get elevated levels of specific compounds.
Learning to Eat Mindfully
More and more, our choices in food are influenced by others- ads, food packaging, social media, peer pressure, etc. The way we select food is often based more on “want” than “need,” which means we are often choosing foods that satisfy pleasure centers of our brains but not the nutritional needs of our cells.
In addition to learning WHAT to eat, it is also important to learn HOW to eat. Most of us pay very little attention to the impact food actually has on our bodies, even while we are actively eating it.
Learning to eat more mindfully, as well as attune yourself to your body’s signals, will help you pay better attention to the effect your food is having on your health.
Mindfulness is a practice whereby you focus your attention solely on one thing while you are actively engaged in it. Mindfulness can be used in meditation, to help you listen to your own body and its needs. But you can also learn to pay attention to your body by engaging in mindful eating.
Becoming mindful of your food habits and choices means paying attention and responding to your body’s signals. For example, do you find that you are always hungry an hour or two after you eat breakfast?
You may not be giving your body enough protein or complex carbohydrates in your morning meal, which leads to hunger very quickly.
Even specific food cravings can be a signal that your body is low is a specific nutrient. A desire for chocolate often signals a magnesium deficiency. An urge for baked goods could mean you need more chromium, while cheese cravings could say you are low in essential fatty acids.
For each of these unhealthy food urges, there is a healthy food choice that will give your body the nutrients it needs without the unhealthy fat and calories it doesn’t.
Mindful eating also means paying attention while you are eating, so that you recognize when you are full, how food is making you feel, and what emotions you attach to eating.
While you are eating, you should be doing nothing else, so that you can be attuned to how food makes you feel. This habit will also reduce habits of mindless eating, snacking, and grazing that often contribute to weight gain, too.
Final Thoughts
Nutritional healing is about returning to the roots of your body’s needs and addressing health through sustenance that nourishes you rather than makes you sicker. Taking care of your health does not have to be difficult with the right nutrition.
Plants are nature’s miracle drugs, and they provide you with nearly everything you need to be healthy and well. Eating a wide variety of whole foods that are made primarily of plants has been shown over and over to reduce the burden of disease, keep your weight at a healthy level, and help you stay healthy.
