Everyone knows that what and how we eat can impact our physical health. We at least understand that we need to fuel our body to survive. But nutrition can be complex. When we dig a little deeper, we can begin to understand how our diet can impact our energy levels, our sleep patterns, our hormones, and even our mental well being. This complexity can make it difficult to navigate what foods we should choose and how and when we should eat. Nutrition Counseling can provide the resources you need to feed yourself and nourish your body, mind, and spirit.

Nutrition Counselling: A Strategy For Wellness

A nutrition counselor does more than just tell you how many calories you need or how to eat a balanced diet. They work closely with clients to identify health concerns (mental and physical), nutrient deficiencies, disease, and analyze eating habits, lifestyle, and goals for wellness to develop a holistic approach to introduce good nutrition and smart choices into an overall health strategy.

Common Concerns That Nutrition Counselling Can Address

Nutrition counseling can be effective in addressing a wide range of concerns including:

Acne, skin conditions, anti-aging
Disordered eating
Food cravings, food aversions
Hormonal imbalances
Disease treatment and prevention
Fatigue and sleep conditions
Depression and mental health
Sports performance
Food allergies
Energy
Cognitive performance
Digestive conditions
Pain concerns
Obesity and weight management
Transforming Body And Mind

It is easy to see how adopting a comprehensive plan for healthy eating can help you lose or gain weight, combat and prevent disease, affect your energy levels and physical performance, and help you sleep better. But what is the connection between diet and mental health?

Your brain, the epicentre of your thoughts and emotions, uses the fuel your body consumes to operate efficiently and optimally. Many studies illustrate the undeniable connection between nutrition and mental well-being. Here are some interesting facts:

There is a correlation between mental illness and depleted levels of certain minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Your brain uses these nutrients to produce mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin. If you do not fuel your brain sufficiently to make these vital substances, you can struggle with mood regulation.

There is data to suggest that imbalanced gut bacterial levels can contribute to anxiety and depression. Having a healthy, balanced microbiome has benefits for physical and mental health.

Inflammation is increasingly understood to be directly connected with what and how we eat. Chronic inflammation is associated with a whole host of physical problems like heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Persistent inflammation in the brain is linked to mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, fatigue, and social withdrawal. Inflammation can be dramatically impacted by dietary choices.

Healthy Eating For Whole Health

An effective nutrition counseling strategy will involve implementing a robust range of nutritious, whole foods with supplementation, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and targeted lifestyle modifications to restore balance and achieve your goals for wellness.

A Holistic Strategy To Relieve Neck Pain At Shephard Health in Calgary

Nutrition is a key component of whole health. Nutrition counseling as part of a comprehensive strategy to restore balance and achieve mental wellness can transform your body, mind, and spirit.

Nutritional counseling to achieve good physical and mental well-being is even more effective when it is part of a holistic strategy to realize optimal health. Shephard Health offers a variety of treatments to complement nutrition counseling to address many health concerns such as obesity, chronic pain, hormonal imbalance, aging concerns, and more.

As one of Calgary’s Top 3 Rated Chiropractors of 2021, Dr. Shephard uses a variety of treatment modalities to help patients find relief from pain, fulfill body/ mind balance, and achieve overall health and wellness at our NW Calgary clinic in Kensington. The Shephard Health team has over 20 years of experience in services ranging from chiropractic care and physical rehabilitation to Active Release Therapy and nutrition counseling. We are committed to providing personalized treatment solutions to our patients with thoughtful care and experienced competence. We offer a no-obligation, complimentary consultation to assure you that we are the right team to help you achieve your goals for wellness and optimal living. Call us at 1-403-543-7499 to book an appointment

FAQ

Q: Is nutrition counseling better than a weight loss program?
A: The good thing about nutrition counseling is that it provides a completely customized, sustainable strategy based on your own personal goals, lifestyle, and habits to address all your concerns regarding nutrition including body/mind balance, mental wellness, cognitive performance, disease prevention, hormonal regulation, and more and is not limited to just weight loss.

Q: If I sign up for nutrition counseling will I receive a detailed eating plan?
A: Shephard Health will complete a detailed analysis of your health history, health concerns, wellness goals, and your current eating habits and choices using a thoughtful set of questionnaires. With this information, we will provide you with a comprehensive strategy for healthy nutrition including goal setting, food journaling, meal planning, food shopping, meal prep, and supplementation.

Q: How often should I meet with my nutrition counselor?
A: Every person’s journey to optimal nutrition is different. Based on your current condition and your goals for nutrition counseling, you and your practitioner can determine the best process and frequency of meetings together. As always with Shephard Health, your first visit with our wellness professionals is complimentary.