What is Nutritional Medicine?

Nutritional Medicine

‘Nutritional medicine’, ‘Natural medicine’, ‘functional medicine’, ‘naturopathy’, or ‘complementary medicine’ all have similarities in how they approach preventing disease, treating health conditions and maintaining optimal health.

A relatively new term being used to describe a patient centred approach rather than a disease centred one. It engages both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic way, addressing the whole person rather than isolating people to their symptoms. Considerations and treatments are decided upon, by looking at the interactions among lifestyle factors,  such as diet, sleep, movement, stress management and factors such as genetics and the environment in which we live. These interactions influence both short and long term health. We use pathology testing to paint a bigger and better picture of your health and allow us to measure progress from mere subjective symptoms. This style mimics many of the philosophy’s of Naturopathy, and could be classed as a type of “new age” Naturopathy.

Nutritional Medicine Treatments

Nutritional Medicine uses the same principles in diet, sleep, movement, stress management etc, as functional medicine and naturopathy but it has a great emphasis on nutrition, vitamin, minerals and the type of foods you eat and how this can influence health and disease. Again it involves testing such as nutrient levels like vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, zinc, copper, electrolytes, selenium, iodine, iron and others.

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The healing power of nature

Naturopathic (NP) and Nutritional Medicine (NM) will use food and its nutrients, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing.

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Find and treat the cause

A NP and NM Specialist will take a thorough case history to ensure that whenever possible, the treatment addresses any potential causes of illness/disease rather than suppressing just the symptoms.

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Education

A NP and NM Specialist aims to educate their clients on what is going on in their body, and how particular nutrients, diet and lifestyle changes, or herbal medicines may help.

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First do no harm

An NP or NM Specialist will ensure that all treatments aim to maintain and/or improve an individual’s current health.

If a patient requires more specific or advanced medical care, an NP or NM will always refer that patient to an appropriate healthcare practitioner.

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Treat the whole person

NP and NM will address all body systems that may be playing a role in a particular condition, including the most powerful of all – the mind.

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Prevention

By implementing certain diet and lifestyle strategies, or using specific nutritional and herbal medicine, a NP or NM Specialist can help guide a very specific treatment plan for an individual in order to prevent illness and disease, or prevent the worsening of a condition already diagnosed.