What Is A Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?
“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates
What is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?
I get this question often. What exactly does a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner do?
Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (often referred to as NTPs) are certified through the Nutritional Therapy Association, or NTA. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners are a little different in their philosophy when it comes to nutrition and health as compared to many others in the nutrition field. NTPs take a foundational, holistic approach to wellness that focuses on the importance of a properly prepared, nutrient-dense, whole food diet paired with a well-balanced lifestyle. We understand the importance of honoring our body’s own feedback system and it’s incredible capacity to restore, regenerate, and correct itself when given the nutrients and tools to do so. When we give our bodies the nutrients it needs and support the foundations of nutrition (listed below), we can support our body’s natural pathway to health.
We believe that many of modern society’s health problems result from weaknesses in the body’s physiological foundations brought on by poor nutrition and other lifestyle factors. We practice “bio-individual nutrition”, which means that we believe that there is no “one size fits all” diet that works for everyone. We are all different, and there are so many factors that will determine an optimal diet for an individual. Some of these factors are age, genetics, activity levels, the climate we live in, and of course-our current state of health. Human bodies (and the systems within) are extremely complex. What works well for one person will always be unique and nuanced, and may not be optimal for the next person. As an NTP, I work with my clients and support them in getting to the root cause of potential nutritional imbalances that may be contributing to their symptoms and health concerns.
NTPs focus on the “root causes” of health dysfunction, rather than just addressing symptoms. Looking at the bigger picture of health (diet, digestion and lifestyle for example) helps to support the foundations of overall optimal wellness rather than just one or two issues causing discomfort. Many people certainly want help with improving those one or two issues (and NTPs can many times help with that), but getting to the reason WHY they are experiencing those symptoms in the first place is ideal and will be better in the long term. In addition to getting relief for specific symptoms or discomforts that they have been having, sometimes they experience improvements in areas that they didn’t realize were issues in the first place! If someone comes in complaining of bloating and heart burn, nutritional therapy can address that. However, these clients may also find that their mood has improved, that they lose weight, their skin is clearer, and their energy levels increase. I absolutely love helping clients improve their way of eating and lifestyle for general health, and for preventative care to help them prevent health problems as they get older. Many of these problems can be prevented by addressing lifestyle changes or diet now!
Though we all have different nutritional needs, NTPs learn that there are nutritional foundations that are universal to everyone. The most important one? Eating properly prepared, nutrient-dense whole foods.
What is a “whole food”? Whole foods are single-ingredient foods. Think broccoli, cauliflower, beef, chicken, avocado, banana, eggs, etc. Whole or “real” food nourishes and supports our bodies. It contains vitamins, minerals, and naturally occurring fats that our bodies need in order to function in a healthy way. It is the opposite of highly processed foods, which are not found in nature and lack the nutrients that we need to thrive. You could ask yourself, “Would my great-great grandparents recognize this as food?”, or “Could I make something like this using ingredients found in my kitchen?” If the answers are no, then it is probably a highly processed food. The more real, whole foods that we eat, the more nutrients we will get in…and we NEED these nutrients to thrive.
Other foundations that we focus on include proper digestion, blood sugar regulation, fatty acid balance, mineral balance, and hydration. As NTPs we are trained to assess each of these foundations in clients, and also learn how to recommend protocols to bring imbalances in those foundations back into balance. This is an important piece in our journey to achieve optimal wellness.
So what can a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) assist clients with?
Overall health and well-being
Digestive Issues
Hormonal imbalances
Sleep management
Stress management
Skin conditions
Food intolerances
Disease prevention
Blood sugar imbalance
Energy/Fatigue issues
and more!
This is the BASIS of what we do. However, Nutritional Therapy Practitioners can be found in so many areas of the wellness space. Many of us work with those having chronic conditions of all kinds, with families and children, in schools, fitness centers, with local wellness professionals like chiropractors and acupuncturists. Many NTPs specialize in a specific niche, like autoimmune conditions or female hormonal issues.
So how do I work with clients?
I enjoy educating and supporting my clients in a number of ways. I love coaching small groups about the foundations of nutrition in my Restart Program. In fact, most of my individual clients start out by going through Restart! It is a 5-week educational small group program that focuses on prioritizing a whole food approach. This awesome (and fun!) program combines the simple elements of an up-to-date nutrition education, a built-in 3 week Real Food Challenge, and small group support into a powerful way to kickstart a new healthy lifestyle. I also LOVE going grocery shopping with clients, where we talk all about different foods and their impact on your body. We discuss reading ingredients and food labels, how to choose the best foods to support their health, how to make more nutritious choices for themselves and their families, and more. I enjoy working one to one with clients who prefer a more individualized approach as well. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners take into account the unique dietary needs of each client and formulate a personalized plan that works for them. To read about my services in more detail, please click HERE.
So what do we NOT do?
Nutritional Therapy Practitioners do not and cannot diagnose or “treat” any medical conditions, BUT we also do not need to diagnose or treat in order to get phenomenal results with clients. Nutritional therapy CANNOT replace medical treatment but it can compliment it very well. Before making any changes to your diet, prescription medications, lifestyle or exercise activities, make sure to check with your medical doctor first.
Hopefully this helped in giving you an idea of what Nutritional Therapy is all about! If you have any specific questions about this, and/or would like to schedule a complimentary consult to see if I can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Here’s to living your best life!
Jaime Brooke
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
