Nutritional Consultations

Food Is Your Best Medicine!

In my twenties I read a book by Henry Bieler, MD, called Food Is Your Best Medicine. In this book Dr. Bieler describes how he turned away from the use of drugs or surgery—except as a last resort—in favor of the healing power of whole, unadulterated foods, as opposed to the now dominant "foods of commerce." Early pioneers whose works have further influenced my understanding of the link between food and health include Drs. Melvin Page, Weston Price, Royal Lee, as well as our contemporary, James Chestnut. More recently, anthropologists such as S. Boyd Eaton confirm the wisdom of eating in accordance with our human physiology, which these pioneers were early to understand and practice.

Can You Get All the Nutrients You Need—In Sufficient Quantities—from Foods?

Unfortunately, today the answer is "probably not," for three reasons. First, through modern farming practices, soils have become depleted. This means that compared with several decades ago, the nutritional content of foods is greatly reduced. Second, the environmental toxins that we are exposed to on a yearly basis (84,500 in the US) present an unprecedented challenge to your body's ability to eliminate them. Third, after years of a less-than-perfect-lifestyle (and who has had a perfect lifestyle?), you most likely have developed chronic nutritional deficiencies.

Whole Foods Supplements vs. Synthetically Created Nutritional Isolates

Nature packages the nutrients we need with the co-factors needed for proper digestion, absorption, and assimilation into your cells. When "vitamins" are produced in a laboratory (as most are, at great profit), these essential co-factors are not included. As an example, take the case of "Vitamin C." Most versions of this nutrient include only ascorbic acid (with maybe a few bioflavonoids sprinkled in). Although whole Vitamin C is the cure for scurvy, ascorbic acid does not cure scurvy. Moreover, when nutritional isolates are taken, your body needs to scavenge the co-factors from your body's stores. You may feel better in the short term, but once those are depleted, multiple studies show that the result is a worsening of a person's health.

Recommendations for Diet and Whole Foods Nutritional Supplements

Dietary changes and supplements are the most important tools you have to restore and maintain your health. Based on all the information gathered before, during, and (if applicable) after your initial consultation, I will make recommendations for addressing your most pressing concerns.

One of my favorite nutrition mentors, Dr. David Hogsed, has a saying (and a rap song, which you may find on YouTube): "You can take it, or you can eat it." If you don't want to eat liver or sea vegetables or fermented foods several times a week, no problem, our concentrated whole foods will work instead. If you already eat (almost exclusively) a wide variety of physiologically-compatible human foods (not the so-called "foods of commerce") and are still having problems, then supplementation with concentrated food and herbs are almost certainly necessary.

Because there are multiple nutritional options for most conditions, it is important to understand that our work together is a process of finding out what works best for you, based on the assessment tools listed below. I won't give up until your health is restored, and I hope you won't either.