By Alana Ward Hurst, MS, RD, CPT / February 15, 2023
What is Functional Nutrition?
Functional nutrition is the term that describes the practice of analyzing all aspects of diet, health, and lifestyle in order to to give the most concise nutrition recommendations. Functional nutrition analyzes an individual's symptoms and looks for the the "why" behind it and "what" the cause may be such as illness, toxins, lifestyle, etc.
Functional nutrition allows the practitioner/dietitian (me!) to focus on personalized and fully customizable care as it looks at each individual separately.
What does Functional Nutrition review?
In most cases, functional nutrition has a semi-standardized process that allows for a thorough review of each individual. These steps may vary but generally include:
Evaluating medical history
Organ systems review
Medication and supplementation intake
Current diet and lifestyle
Review of labs and test results
Offer additional lab testing for deficiencies, gut health, intolerances/allergies, and more
These customized steps allow for greater insight into what changes can be made to the individual's diet such as limiting processed foods to improve hormone function, gut health, and overall wellness.
How is Nutrition by Nature different?
Here at Nutrition by Nature, I genuinely care for the individual's needs and outcomes which is why I offer a 12-week program and cutting edge genetic testing. I don't believe in one or two sessions with an individual because I know it is not enough time to fully get to the root of his or her issue(s). With multiple sessions, we are able to uncover different layers of what is occurring and continue evaluating what is working when it comes to nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.
Genetic testing is the future way of nutrition and medicine. In partnership with Nutrigenomix, I offer a 70-gene panel genetic test that allows us to really take a dive into your body at a cellular level. Through this testing, we can see what your body is at risk for when it comes to deficiencies, disease, hormone imbalances, skin issues, and intolerances. By having this understanding of what your body is actually coded for, we can better gear up your nutrition and lifestyle recommendations to truly meet your needs!
Main Principles of Functional Nutrition
I believe food is our medicine and by working towards these principles, we can live a long and healthy life with minimal to know inflammation and illness. My principles as a functional nutritionist include:
Optimizing nutrient intake
Avoiding harmful toxins
Quality of food matters
Caring for your gut
Balancing your microbiome
I'm Ready to Start Living Optimally
Ready to reduce inflammation, prevent and/or aid disease, and optimize your nutrition to live a long and healthy life full of energy, contact me here!