Nutrition and Lifestyle

Our programs and focus on wellness and prevention would not be effective in the long term without a focus on eating, nutrition and the need for nutritional supplements. Many of the foods that are available in restaurants and grocery stores are highly processed and contain significant amounts of sugars, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals that are “foreign” to the human body. While we do not advocate “diets” since they are temporary, we do believe that a cornerstone to any plan to optimize health has to include eating “whole”, healthy foods in the proper amounts at the proper time and appropriately balanced. Accordingly, all of our Health Assurance Plans include Eating Plans to help patients understand healthy eating and improve their eating habits permanently.

Further, many patients have food sensitivities. Through food sensitivity testing, we can identify the “safe” foods and the foods that a person is sensitive to or intolerant of. Our Eating Plans are designed to help patients address their food sensitivities and intolerances. We have seen many patients who didn’t initially respond to treatment, but once their food sensitivities were identified and eliminated, they responded robustly to the treatment plan. We have seen chronic symptoms disappear, significant weigh loss achieved and other improvements in overall health when we eliminate foods that an individual is sensitive to. To learn more about food sensitivities and food sensitivity testing, click here.

We do advocate intermittent fasting for many of our patients.  We generally recommend the 16:8 model of intermittent fasting. In  this model, you fast for 16 hours and only eat during a defined 8 hour period, like 12:00 noon – 8:00 pm.  Intermittent fasting has loads of health benefits but like any other strategy, it is not right for everyone.  For example, if you have significant food cravings, are sleep deprived or under extreme stress, then intermittent fasting is not advised.  Intermittent fasting does not drive “what” you eat, only when you eat.

As for what to eat, we generally favor the Mediterranean or Paleo diet as a good starting point.  Both are balanced, healthy approaches to eating.  The ketogenic diet plans may be good for some, but there are lots of contraindications for this diet, so use it with caution if you do go this route.  For example, I would not recommend the keto diet for patients with any stage of diabetes, kidney disease, or any pre-existing liver, pancreatic or kidney issues or conditions or any sort of eating disorder.

Beyond eating healthy, however, we all need nutritional supplementation. Even the ultra conservative American Medical Association has reached this conclusion. To learn more about nutritional supplementation, click on the link below.

PROACTIVE WELLNESS STORE

ADRENAL ESSENCE 60 CAPSULES (XYMOGEN)

D3 5000™ contains vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in convenient softgels. Vitamin D3 is the identical form of vitamin D derived in the body from cholesterol and synthesized by sunlight on the skin. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with multiple chronic diseases including many cancers, heart disease and neurological diseases

Vitamin D is inadequate in many individuals and daily need appears to be higher than previously thought. Vitamin D’s role in calcium metabolism and bone health is well known. However, it has many other important physiologic roles that are not as well appreciated. Vitamin D receptors are widely distributed in the body, including colon, prostate, breast and ovary, where it acts to inhibits the excessive growth of body cells and tissues and helps cells mature normally.

Adequate amounts of vitamin D, an essential, fat-soluble vitamin, come from consistent exposure to sunshine and are difficult to obtain from dietary sources. Postmenopausal women, older individuals, and those with malabsorption, limited sun exposure, or certain illnesses may need higher intakes of vitamin D. Vitamin D3, the naturally-occurring form, is supplied in high-potency amount of 5,000 I.U. per capsule for those most at risk of the effects of seasonal declines in vitamin D status or with existing vitamin D deficiency