What Is Holistic Nutrition?

Holistic nutrition takes a whole-body approach to healthy diet, viewing the person as a whole.  What that means is that the whereas the traditional nutritionist will simply focus on the physical aspects of health, a holistic nutritionist tends to the person’s emotional, spiritual and physical health all together as one, with the aim of achieving optimal well-being in all of these areas.  A holistic approach to healthy eating will include a diet that incorporates natural and organic foods, as well as natural dietary supplements.

What’s more, holistic nutrition teaches the individual how to treat and manage various health conditions using natural, healthy foods rather than medications.  According to applebytotalhealth.com, holistic nutrition can aid in the treatment of many different conditions in both adults and children, such as:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

ADHD

Food sensitivities and celiac disease

Hormonal imbalances

Thyroid issues

Menopause

Lack of energy

Allergies

Fibromyalgia

…and many more

The underlying principle behind holistic nutrition is that food supplies the body with the energy it needs to function properly.  In order for the body to achieve balance and optimal performance and health, it needs the proper nutrients, specifically macronutrients, micronutrients and fibre.  Each of these components is necessary for maximum health and ensuring the body gets what it needs is the focus of holistic nutrition.

Practitioners of holistic nutrition believe that following a holistic diet will allow them to heal their bodies naturally, through food, without using prescription drugs or invasive treatments.  By striking a proper balance of protein, vitamins and other nutrients in the body, it is believed that a healthy equilibrium will be achieved, a state in which all of the body’s systems work at their peak performance and in harmony with one another.  When that is achieved, the body is best able to stabilize emotional state, fight infection, provide energy and fight off things such as heart disease and diabetes.

Following a holistic nutrition plan (under the guidance of a holistic nutritionist), then, can head to increased overall health.  If you suffer from a chronic disease such as asthma, diabetes or even cancer, a holistic diet can have a powerful effect on your condition.  By bolstering all of the body’s systems – organs, blood, bones and muscles – holistic nutrition essentially arms your body with the best tools in its arsenal to fight off invaders such as tumors and infection.  Holistic nutrition is not a miracle cure for what may ail you, but it is a way of giving your body its best chance to self-regulate and achieve a state of maximum overall health.  Even if you do not suffer from any chronic conditions, holistic nutrition can help you in your everyday life by increasing energy, boosting immune response, reducing stress and improving mental acuity.  By improving emotional and spiritual health alongside physical well-being, holistic nutrition improves the health of the whole human, not just the physical being, leading to an overall, complete feeling of wellness that can only be achieved through this kind of “big picture” approach.